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AutoDesk Gets SaaSy. Inventor, Maya and More… in the Cloud.

by Josh on September 18, 2009 · View Comments

Yesterday, AutoDesk goes and launches the Sketchbook Mobile iPhone App. Today? Cloud city, baby. AutoDesk has cranked up the bandwidth on the West Coast to allow the ability to run trial version of certain AutoDesk software via their servers.

The only problem? You have to be within a specific geographical area. Looks to be within a 1000 mile radius of the Lab in San Fransisco. So, if you’re floating in the Pacific off the coast, have fun. If you’re in Idaho, get back to the potato fields. Here’s a little more info.

CAD Software as a Service

So far, this is the first a product development company has done more than talk about serving up CAD apps from the silver-lined ‘Cloud’ we all idealize as simplifying our computing. For good reason too. It’s limited to proximity from the cloud servers. But look, that first step has been made and AutoDesk stuck their leg clear through the door everyone wants to open.

They’re calling it Project Twitch. Hopefully that’s a name for the anticipation about this tech and not a description about data latency as information is delivered from the lair of the AutoDesk Labs.

The goal of project Twitch is to enable you to test and try the latest versions of AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor, and Maya without having to install or download the applications.

Scott Shepherd has more on it at Alive in the Labs

Autodesk Labs team members Eddy Kuo and Frederic Loranger have been hard at work creating an environment where you can run trial versions of AutoCAD, Inventor, and Revit on remote servers…To try our design applications, you will need to download and install a small client application that is much smaller than our design applications.

Do You Want App Access via the Cloud?

There would be some benefits. You get rid of big downloads, major installations and maintenance. You can use them from anywhere… anywhere with web access. Plus, you rely on another person’s server, data, security and support. Advantages and disadvantages, huh. Which do you prefer?

Update: Also check out Kenneth Wong’s Twitch coverage here. He’s in the San Francisco Bay area and has results and more info from his attempt at using CAD in the Cloud.

Tagged as: 3D cad cloud, autodesk cloud apps, cad in the cloud, cloud apps, SaaS

  • Well, Autodesk has a long way to go., these technologies make Autodesk a Bigger, Better and Broad 2D and 3D CAD Company
  • Well, there is a long way to go for Autodesk., The timely technologies make it a better bigger and broad 2D and 3D CAD Company
  • Jon
    I never actually considered cloud for such high-end and complex software... would I want 3DS Max in a cloud and pay a monthly/yearly fee? They already have a subscription service but this doesn't interest me either. Reason being, I upgrade every few years and the changes they make yearly to the software is nice but nothing WOW... I NEED AN UPGRADE NOW! The big problem is when the internet goes down, you're offline and in many parts of the world, the net is way to slow to do much of anything as well. I'm guessing a big plus would be rendering speed tough :-)

    Jon @ WoodMarvels.com
  • Good points Jon. A lot of apps are coming with the ability to go into offline mode as well, when not connected. I would imagine that the pricing structure for these apps could get very interesting. A 'freemium' service could be offered where it's free to use, but for the ability to print, export or do other things could be upgraded monthly/yearly subscriptions. I can almost see companies having to move to somethign like this in the future in order to work with other companies that are cloud-based so to speak. lots of room for invention in this area I think.
  • fcsuper
    "Hopefully that’s a name for the anticipation about this tech and not a description about data latency as information is delivered from the lair of the AutoDesk Labs."

    I was thinking the very same thing! :)
  • I just know this is gonna be a big issue.. at first. With talk about terabit transfer rates coming around. unlimited storage being offered, and talks with ISO sadministration, this area is bound to just explode. There are a lot of other concerns about all this cloud excitement out there, but none that can't be addressed.

    Hopefully it all grows up a lot better than the cellular industry has. :)
  • I am for this 1000%. Might not be for everyone, but there is a community of engineers out there that are constantly on the go. In meetings, traveling, off-site, remote, multiple computers. We want access to everything from everywhere. I think the future of having small clinets installed so that I can access the goods from anywhere is a dream come true. I am already living 75% in the clouds as we speak... Music is on lala, pictures on flickr, gmail, google docs, dropbox, screencast, salesforce, the list is endless. Good for you Autodesk, pull away from everyone and do it your way!
  • It's definitely encouraging to see this development going on in our industry. I have no doubt this is the only thing we'll hear about. CFD in the cloud? Would. Not. Doubt. It. :)
  • Wow, I never envisaged that saas would be here for cad already, even though I wrote about running applications in the cloud two weeks ago using xenocode. Its probably totally different technology than what is used here however. I wonder where things will go next. With SW allowing beta testing of epdm on their servers, perhaps next year, beta testing of the full SW package will happen in the cloud.

    It'll be interesting to see how and where this goes.
  • Hey Stephen. yeah, saw your post man. very cool. Xenocode would definitely be an option. As fare as bandwidth. yep, that's a concern. now. As more apps like these come online and transfer rates stretch into thousand of megabits, this will change though. ISP's will be forced to open up the 'tubes', expand networks, upgrade satellites. That tech is changing just as fast, if not faster.
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