Modernizing Remote Access for Civil Engineering Teams: A Technology Success Story with CentreStack

In the evolving landscape of civil engineering and land development, firms are increasingly recognizing the need to modernize how they manage and access their critical project files. A civil engineering firm in Northern California—referred to here simply as the Firm—recently embarked on this journey to find a more reliable, efficient, and secure approach to remote file access. Their experience reflects a broader industry challenge and highlights the transformative impact that CentreStack delivers.

The Need for Change

Specializing in civil engineering, land planning, and surveying, the Firm managed an extensive repository of design files—including AutoCAD drawings and Microsoft Office documents—amounting to roughly 2–3 terabytes of data. Their legacy VPN system struggled under the weight of these demands. Slow speeds, inconsistent connectivity, and poor compatibility with engineering applications created friction for teams who relied on fast, precise access to large, complex project files.

For an industry defined by precision, tight deadlines, and collaboration across multiple locations, the existing VPN architecture had become an operational barrier.

Industry-Wide Pressures Driving Innovation

Civil engineering and land development organizations face a unique set of operational challenges:

• Heavy data loads from CAD, GIS, and modeling tools

• Distributed teams working from offices, job sites, and remote locations

• Workflow precision requires uninterrupted access to current design files

• Heightened data security obligations tied to sensitive project information

Legacy VPN systems struggle to meet these demands due to inherent latency, bottlenecks, and limited integration with engineering workflows.

Exploring Alternatives in the Market

As the Firm explored solutions, they evaluated a range of offerings—including those from major industry vendors and cloud-first platforms. These alternatives, however, presented familiar obstacles:

• Some solutions were too basic, lacking the deep integration needed for AutoCAD workflows

• Cloud-only platforms required restructuring or abandoning existing on-premise storage

• Other tools lacked support for hybrid environments, forcing all data into the cloud

The Firm needed a solution that complemented—not replaced—their on-premises infrastructure.

CentreStack: A Tailored, Infrastructure-Friendly Solution

The pivotal moment came when the Firm discovered CentreStack, a hybrid remote access platform purpose-built to modernize file access without disrupting existing systems.

CentreStack stood out because it offered:

• Seamless integration with the Firm’s existing on-premise file servers

• Fast, VPN-less remote access to large engineering files

• Full compatibility with AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, and other workflow-critical tools

• A hybrid architecture that keeps data on-premise while enabling secure cloud-like accessibility

• Granular permission control and enterprise-grade security

• Minimal workflow disruption, allowing teams to work the same way they always have—just faster

By aligning perfectly with the Firm’s preference for maintaining local data integrity, CentreStack bridged the gap between legacy infrastructure and modern remote-access requirements.

Operational Transformation with CentreStack

After implementing CentreStack, the Firm experienced immediate, measurable improvements:

• Engineers accessed and edited large CAD files significantly faster, even remotely

• Remote work became as efficient as being in the office, enabling greater flexibility

• Project collaboration improved with consistent access to the latest files

• IT gained full control over permissions, data placement, and user access methods

• The organization enhanced security without moving or restructuring its storage systems

CentreStack delivered the hybrid experience the Firm needed—cloud convenience without the drawbacks of cloud-only solutions.

Broader Industry Implications

The Firm’s journey reflects a growing understanding across the civil engineering and land development sector:
Modernizing file access does not require abandoning on-premise infrastructure.

As CentreStack demonstrates, the right hybrid solution delivers:

• Increased productivity

• Stronger data governance

• Faster project delivery

• Improved team collaboration

• A future-proof IT foundation

For engineering-heavy workloads dependent on large design files, these benefits directly translate into a competitive advantage.

Conclusion

This Northern California firm’s experience highlights a powerful insight: adopting CentreStack allowed them to eliminate major operational bottlenecks while preserving the systems that already supported their business. By embracing a hybrid remote access solution tailored to engineering workflows, they unlocked new levels of performance, efficiency, and resilience.

Call to Action

Is your engineering or land development organization still struggling with slow VPN connections or limited remote access?
Explore how CentreStack can modernize your workflow—without disrupting your existing infrastructure.

Contact us today to discover a hybrid remote access solution built for the demands of engineering teams.