AEC file storage rising rapidly
By Adam Freill
Construction SoftwareReport illustrates the volume and frequency of document collection, sharing and management throughout the building process.
(Graph courtesy of Egnyte)
In a recent analysis by Egnyte of data trends among more than 3,000 of its customers in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, file storage rose at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 30 per cent from 2017 to 2021.
The company, which offers a platform for content collaboration and governance, also found that the number of individual files stored by AEC firms is increasing at 23.4 per cent CAGR, and that these firms are relying on larger file types from various sources, such as drone footage and 3-D imagery.
Egnyte serves a diverse range of industries that require varying amounts of storage. Among a wider spectrum of sectors, it found that the average AEC firm stores more data in the platform than customers in other industries, such as real estate, retail, manufacturing and life sciences. According to the report, the typical AEC firm manages 149 per cent more files than the cross-industry average. In addition, AEC firms interact with these files on a more frequent basis than other sectors, which can lead to several usability and management issues.
Across AEC disciplines, general contractors share files at a higher rate than specialty contractors, architects, engineers and owners, while owners access files with the greatest frequency. The average GC account shared a total of 373,000 file links over the course of the year, while specialty contractors shared an average of 210,000 file links over the same period.
“The flood of AEC data that is collected, shared, and managed throughout the design and build process, coupled with the high level of engagement in terms of link and document sharing, can make it difficult for firms to secure their content effectively without disrupting productivity,” said Ronen Vengosh, vice-president of AEC at Egnyte. “The findings of our study, in line with other industry reports, indicate that AEC firms are coming to rely on data storage at a rapid rate. The industry will need to address the challenges associated with this pace of growth by leveraging data management tools like workflow automation and internal/external risk management.”
