Technically Speaking

Developed with the needs of transportation designers and engineers in mind, Autodesk Vehicle Tracking (AVT) is a relatively new addition to Autodesk’ portfolio of infrastructure solutions, but it’s getting a lot of attention.

A new book by Gregory Elmes, professor of geography at West Virginia University – “Forensic GIS: The Role of Geospatial Technologies for Investigating Crime and Providing Evidence” examines the use of location technology in preventing and fighting crime and convicting offenders.

The “Internet of Things” – it’s everywhere right now! The “Internet of Things” or IoT, for short, refers to the next evolution of the internet when everyday objects are networked to the web and each other. Smart watches, connected cars, appliances, houses, and more – very soon every physical thing will be accessible through the internet. In government, the uses are also equally infinite - from monitoring the building energy use (currently happening over at the General Services Administration) to tracking vehicle locations and maneuvers (being explored by the DoD).

Last week, Autodesk chose Autodesk University 2014 to showcase new services for the building and infrastructure industries that will expand the benefits of BIM-based collaboration for Revit and InfraWorks 360 through the entire project lifecycle – from planning and design to construction and management.

You’ve worked hard. The project is done and construction is complete. So, what happens to the project data? The drawings, the specifications, the OEM manuals, and all other associated data have to go somewhere. They can’t just be deleted; plus, space and data storage are always at a premium. So, the trick here is to archive effectively. Make sure that the data is stored securely, using optimum space to ensure economic usage. More importantly, make sure the data is stored in a format that can be retrieved whenever necessary, at any time.

 All too often, federal IT personnel misconstrue software as being able to make their agency compliant with various regulations. It can’t – at least not by itself.