Unlocking the Power of Cloud Data in Architectural Practice

Architects, engineers, and contractors are moving their files and workflows to the cloud, but many teams still ask:
Where do we start?
How do we keep data secure while enabling AI?
In this aec+tech Talk, you’ll hear a practical, real-world cloud journey from VLK Architects and see how a modern platform approach can streamline collaboration, governance, and AI readiness across offices.

Featuring
🟣 Aaron Vorwerk — AEC Practice Leader, ‪@Egnyte‬
🟣 Justin Hiles — Chief Information Officer, VLK Architects

What you’ll learn:
Replacing VPNs and FTPs with secure sharing and audit trails
Preparing for AI with clean, centralized, queryable project data
Structuring data for permissions, searchability, and firm-wide reuse
Adoption tactics that actually stick – peer-to-peer training and use-case wins
How VLK Architects planned and executed a smooth on-prem to cloud migration
Measuring impact – where ROI shows up and where “impact on investment” matters

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:01 Session goals – security, protection, and enablement
01:09 Guest intros – VLK Architects and Egnyte
03:32 VLK’s cloud journey begins – BIM 360 collaboration lessons
04:40 On-prem refresh vs full cloud – decision criteria
05:01 Why Egnyte – collaboration, security, ease of use, values fit
06:01 Seamless cutover – same mapped drives, new superpowers
07:48 Access control and searchability – organizing for scale
08:48 Fast search – server-wide, AI-assisted results
09:07 Opening new offices – days, not months
09:51 Cloud as AI foundation – why data quality comes first
10:16 Egnyte overview – collaboration, intelligence, governance
17:57 VLK’s AI strategy – quality first and closed, secure AI
21:00 Integrations – PIM → project folder, emails, transmittals, retention
23:41 Governance in practice – audit trails and alerts
24:55 The AI stack – firm-wide copilots and design tools
26:30 Adoption – peer coaching, small groups, real use cases
43:13 Q&A – ROI, impact on investment, measuring benefits
47:09 How the cutover stayed seamless – prep and partners
49:57 Biggest challenge – change management and habits
52:02 Final advice – start small, iterate, people–process–tech alignment

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