When starting a DriveWorks implementation a Group must be created. DriveWorks supports two types of group.
An Individual Group can be upscaled to a Shared Group at any time, but a Shared Group cannot be down-sized to an Individual Group.
For information on how to create a group please see the article New Group Wizard.
There are two fundamental reasons for choosing one group type over the other, which are:
However other factors could influence the decision, these are outlined in the comparison table below.
The chart below compares the two types of group.
| Individual Group | Shared Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Easily transferred between machines (1) | Yes | No |
| Security (2) | Medium | High |
| Multiple Connections (3) | No | Yes |
| Network Location (4) | Yes | Yes |
(1) An Individual Group creates a physical file in the chosen location. This file can easily be moved while the implementation is under development. Shared Groups are hosted on a SQL Server database engine. And are not convenient for transporting.
(2) Although an Individual Group can only be modified by DriveWorks Administrator, and this offers a secure process for logging into the group, the actual group file can be moved or deleted inadvertently. Shared Groups offer a more secure area for storing the data.
(3) Only a single connection is allowed for an Individual Group. Shared Groups offer unlimited connections making this the preferred method when using multiple DriveWorks modules.
(4) When an Individual Group is located on a network, a local copy of the Group file is taken. The changes are copied to the network version when the Group is closed.
| Knowledge Base Article Ref: | KB13022701 |
|---|
A database that holds DriveWorks data.
The data held in a Group ranges from information captured from the CAD models being automated to details of users and teams.
A Group also holds data about the Projects that have been created.
DriveWorks supports two types of groups - Individual and Shared.
A database that holds DriveWorks information and allows multiple connections for access to administer and specify DriveWorks projects.
When more than one connection to the DriveWorks group exists (for example when DriveWorks Autopilot, DriveWorks User or DriveWorks Live is connected) the group MUST be a Shared Group.