Autodesk Vault Professional
Vault Professional is Autodesk’s most advanced product data management (PDM) solution, enabling engineering teams to manage CAD files, track revisions, control bill of materials (BOMs), automate engineering change orders (ECOs), and support cross-department collaboration at scale.
Advanced Version and Lifecycle Control
Vault Professional tracks every file version and design iteration with full audit trails and lifecycle states. Control who can view, edit, release, or obsolete files with customizable workflows, ensuring data security and project integrity.
Bill of Materials (BOM) and Change Management
Manage both engineering and manufacturing BOMs from within Vault. Automate ECO processes with formal review workflows and detailed impact analysis—helping you maintain compliance and reduce costly errors.
Multi-Site Collaboration and ERP Integration
Vault Professional supports distributed teams with Vault File Server (VFS) and replication features, allowing global access to centralized data. It also integrates with ERP systems to streamline handoff from engineering to production and procurement.
Key Features
- Full version control and file history tracking
- Customizable file lifecycles and revision schemes
- Integrated engineering BOM and item master control
- Change order (ECO) automation and process workflows
- Multi-site replication and Vault File Server support
- ERP, PLM, and Microsoft Office integration
- Powerful search, reporting, and dashboard tools
Who Uses Vault Professional?
Vault Professional is ideal for mid-sized to enterprise-level manufacturers, design firms, and engineering departments that require full control over product data across departments, locations, and the product lifecycle. It helps bridge the gap between design, manufacturing, procurement, and quality teams.
⚠️ IMPORTANT:
Server Component: This list is for the ADMS (Autodesk Data Management Server). This is the "Brain" of the Vault environment.
Windows Only: Vault Professional Server is strictly Windows Only.
Database Engine: Unlike Vault Basic (which uses SQL Express), Vault Professional is typically paired with SQL Server Standard or Enterprise to handle large databases and replication. You must budget for Microsoft SQL Server licenses.
🗄️ Windows (Vault Professional Server 2023–2026)
| Operating System (OS) |
Windows Server 2016 / 2019 / 2022<br>Windows 10 / 11 (Test environments only)
|
Windows Server 2019 or 2022<br>(Essential for managing concurrent connections and IIS performance)
|
| Database |
SQL Server 2017 / 2019 Express |
SQL Server 2019 / 2022 (Standard or Enterprise)<br>(Required to bypass the 10GB database limit and utilize >1.4GB RAM for caching)
|
| Processor (CPU) |
Intel i7 or Xeon E3 (3.0 GHz) |
Intel Xeon Gold / Platinum or High-End Core i9<br>Speed: 3.0 GHz+<br>Cores: 8-16 Cores<br>(Replication and indexing are CPU intensive)
|
| Memory (RAM) |
16 GB |
32 GB – 64 GB+<br>(SQL Server will eat as much RAM as you give it. More RAM = Faster searches and metadata retrieval)
|
| Disk Space |
200 GB (OS + Install)
|
Enterprise SSD / NVMe (RAID 1/5/10)<br>Critical: Separate the Database (MDF/LDF) capability from the File Store. Fast I/O is the #1 performance factor.
|
| Network |
Gigabit Ethernet (1Gbps) |
Dual Gigabit (Teamed) or 10GbE<br>(If you have 20+ users checking out files, bandwidth saturation is real)
|
| Web Server |
IIS 7.5 or later |
IIS 10 (Included with Server 2019/2022)<br>(Required for the Vault Thin Client / Web Client)
|
| Framework |
.NET Framework 4.8 |
.NET 8 (For 2025/2026 versions) |
🍏 macOS (Vault Professional Server)
Autodesk Vault Professional Server does not run natively on macOS.
| Native Mac App |
❌ Not Supported
|
There is no installer for macOS. |
| Parallels Desktop |
❌ Not Recommended
|
Never run a central database server on a client VM. |
| Mac Client Access |
✅ Supported (Web)
|
Unique to Vault Professional: Mac users can use the Vault Thin Client (via Safari or Chrome) to view, search, and print drawings without installing any software.
|
| Mac Client Access |
⚠️ Supported (CAD)
|
To use the "Check Out / Check In" features, Mac users must run the Vault Client inside Parallels Desktop alongside their CAD software.
|
💡 Performance & Architecture Advice
SQL Standard vs. Express:
Express: Free, but limited to 10GB database size and uses very little RAM. Good for <5 users.
Standard: Required for serious teams. It allows the database to grow indefinitely and uses all available system RAM to speed up queries.
Replication (Multi-Site):
Vault Professional allows Full SQL Replication (copying the database to other offices).
If you enable replication, the CPU requirements for the Publisher (Main Server) increase significantly because it has to manage synchronization with Subscribers (Remote Servers).
Backups are Mandatory:
Vault Professional provides tools for hot backups.
Hardware Tip: Ensure you have a dedicated separate storage device (NAS / SAN) or a separate partition to write backups to. Backing up to the same physical drive as the live database kills performance.
The "Job Processor":
Vault Pro uses a "Job Processor" to generate PDFs and DWF visualizations in the background.
Do not run the Job Processor on the Server itself. It requires a separate dedicated CAD workstation (can be a standard PC) to keep the Server CPU free for database tasks.
