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What Does IT Support Look Like for Architecture and Engineering Firms?

Heavy workstations, huge files, licensing and field access make A&E IT different.

Architecture and engineering firms need IT built around resource-intensive design software, very large files, complex licensing, and staff who work from job sites and client offices as much as from their desks. Generic IT support handles email and laptops; A&E firms need someone who understands why a Revit model opens slowly and how to fix it.

What is different

  • Workstations. Revit, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, SketchUp, Rhino, Bluebeam and rendering tools need properly specified machines with certified graphics and enough memory. See what workstation you need for Revit and AutoCAD.
  • Files. Models and drawing sets run to gigabytes and are edited by several people at once, which strains ordinary file sharing and makes storage design and network speed critical.
  • Collaboration. BIM workflows, cloud collaboration platforms and file exchange with contractors, owners and consultants.
  • Licensing. Named-user and network licenses that must be tracked and renewed, and that fail at the worst moment when they lapse.
  • Field and remote work. Site visits, client presentations and hybrid staff need secure access that works.
  • Project-based security. Owner and government projects increasingly impose security requirements, and some defense-adjacent work brings CMMC into view.

What A&E-focused IT covers

  • Workstation standards, lifecycle planning and performance tuning for design software.
  • Fast, redundant storage and a network designed for large files, including Wi-Fi that handles dense open studios. See how many access points an office needs.
  • Cloud, hybrid or on-premises hosting matched to how the firm actually works with models.
  • Backups that can restore a corrupted model quickly and versioning that catches mistakes.
  • Vendor management with Autodesk and other software vendors.
  • Security: MFA, endpoint detection, encryption on field laptops, and email security against invoice fraud.
  • Support for the construction side of the business; see IT for construction companies.

Mentis Group provides IT support for architects and managed IT for architecture, engineering and construction firms across Dallas-Fort Worth, with support that starts from how design teams work rather than from a generic checklist.

Have a question about your own environment? Schedule a consultation with Mentis Group or call (866) 901-7808.