3 Ways a Hybrid Cloud Platform Modernizes AEC Project File Management

According to The State of Enterprise File Data Annual Report 2026, 96% of AEC businesses face challenges managing unstructured file data. Large file sizes, global reach, and around-the-clock working style make AEC a prime candidate for cloud-native global file infrastructure.

But when you look closely, not every cloud solution is built for AEC. Many lack an operational file layer that delivers global access, consistent permissions, and version control across every site and cloud. Others have governance gaps or storage limitations.

With our recent acquisition of Resilio, Nasuni delivers a single file data platform purpose-built for global AEC operations, combining VPN-less access at LAN speed, AI-readiness, and enterprise-grade governance. Here are three ways it changes what’s possible for AEC teams.

Build faster: Collaboration at the edge

AEC firms move to cloud infrastructure platforms for two reasons: scalability and collaboration. But platforms such as Autodesk Construction Cloud and BIM 360 are built for project coordination, not large-scale data management. Large CAD models, BIM files, and point clouds demand more than the cloud alone can deliver.

Firms are forced to either:

• Centralize files and suffer through slow open and save times on multi-GB files and linked models
• Replicate files using third-party sync tools, which introduces sync conflicts, version drift, and file locking headaches

Each approach harms productivity. Firms need a way to connect storage and operational layers, so files open fast, stay in sync, and don’t break. That’s where we come in. Nasuni manages the full breadth of project file data, including archived, reference and large BIM, CAD and GIS files, while platforms like Autodesk Construction Cloud handle active project coordination. When a project closes, files move into a low-cost object storage archive instead of sitting on expensive infrastructure indefinitely.

And above all, we provide fast local access and synchronization that keeps collaboration flowing.

Bring LAN performance to the furthest edge

Our platform stores an authoritative copy in object storage within the Azure Blob, AWS S3, or other cloud solutions, while edge appliances cache the working set locally. Up to 98% cache-hit rates and VPN-less remote access to CAD, Revit, and BIM files enable seamless work-from-anywhere models. Open and saves feel local, as updates made on laptops or edge devices flow back to Nasuni and propagate to every other office.

The end of version conflicts and rework

Speed is worth little if two engineers overwrite each other. We ensure that only one user can change a file at a time, no matter which office or edge appliance they work from, so nobody silently overwrites anybody else’s work. When someone opens a locked file, the check against Nasuni’s cloud lock server takes under a second, so collaboration keeps moving.

The result is less rework. No duplicate final_v3 files, no reconciling two versions of the same model on Monday morning, and no discovering that a day of drafting has to be redone.

Revamping real-time collaboration for clients

Faster GIS and CAD access isn’t aspirational as customers are already seeing it.

LEO A DALY increased file synchronization 5x. Highland Associates achieved a 15X performance improvement on Revit model load times, with models opening in seconds instead of the minutes it took over VPN.

The difference is clear: one authoritative copy of every design file. Accelerated access in the field. No more manual handoffs, expensive transfers, or costly rework. Everything is done automatically within the operations model you’re already using.

Build smarter: AI-ready, cost-optimized infrastructure

Speed is just the start. Nasuni’s Architecture opens opportunities to build smarter. Take AI for example. The same Annual Report found that 85% of AEC firms expect AI investment to increase over the next 18 months, but only 45% of AI projects have delivered desired outcomes. Worse, 54% of AEC firms say implementing solutions revealed significant gaps in data quality and governance.

Extending AI’s reach

Unlike SaaS-based AEC platforms that confine data within their ecosystems, Nasuni provides a unified data layer that makes your file data, across projects, offices, and tools, accessible for AI, analytics, and future innovation. Nasuni AI Activate takes it a step further with secure, governed AI access to your unstructured file data.

Here’s how it works:

• AI Activate opens the platform to any AI agent or LLM via the Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• Data stays in place, as AI apps query through the MCP server without affecting the golden copy
• Permissions ensure users and applications only interact with data they’re authorized to use
• Content and metadata indexing keeps your file estate searchable and AI-ready at petabyte scale

Some DIY AI pipelines ingest data once and drift. AI Activate uses delta-based indexing at petabyte scale to keep AI context aligned with the current state of your data, moving toward near-real-time freshness at general availability. As files change, the index updates, so responses stay grounded in current files and permissions.

Lower costs, bigger capacity

AI ventures and digitization aren’t cheap. We create room to spend by eliminating redundant NAS, backup storage, and IT inefficiency. LEO A DALY, for example, reduced its hardware footprint by 67% and avoided $700K+ in backup costs.

We also provide a better view of new savings opportunities. The Nasuni Management Console gives IT a single pane of glass on file data to uncover hidden costs. 80% of our customers report reduced TCO after moving to Nasuni.

With our help, Tetra Tech consolidated 500+ offices into a single, unified environment. Ramboll is aiming to reduce local file storage infrastructure by 90%. Each hardware asset replaced means what you spend on upkeep, migrations, and vendor contracts can go towards new AI or revenue-building capabilities.

Build securely with confidence

AEC is a prime target for cyberattacks. The abundance of remote servers, often unattended or unpatched, creates ideal entry points for ransomware, making resilient project file management essential. According to the Annual Report, 82% of AEC organizations were affected last year, with targeted firms experiencing weeks of downtime, data loss, and reputational damage.

Our built-in ransomware detection spots anomalous write patterns at the edge, before they infect your system. Alerts trigger your SIEM so security operations can correlate events with the rest of your environment.

Even if a breach does occur, you’re covered. Immutable snapshots provide complete, unencrypted recovery points as recent as one minute before an attack. We rapidly restore millions of time sensitive files across every location in minutes, not hours or days. Before you know it, you’re back to business before damage sets in.

Resilience beyond ransomware protection

Malicious attacks aren’t the only way to lose data. Hardware failures, network and power outages, and natural disasters all can happen at a moments notice. But when an edge appliance is knocked offline, we quickly replace it with a virtual one. Data stays intact. Progress moves forward. Project timelines hold.

Full autonomy over your data

Some SaaS solutions won’t store data forever. Plus, storing it within a third-party cloud means your access relies on a vendor’s uptime. Their servers go down? So does your team. Our approach keeps you in control and online. Every project file and valuable IP design is right where you need it, exactly when you need it.

A strong foundation for what’s next

Resilient AEC infrastructure demands more than speed or savings. It needs a foundation where cost optimization, protection, productivity, and AI context all compound over time as your data grows.

A project file management platform opens new opportunities. But they can’t come at the cost of data governance.

Nasuni is a leading unstructured data platform for enterprises where file data is mission-critical for both people and AI. We power the operational file layer where work happens — helping AEC organizations manage, protect, and activate data so teams can work smarter, reduce costs, and operate securely without limits.

See how Nasuni can strengthen your AEC file data and reach out to our experts to learn more.