We might be preparing for a project that has a raised security level, meaning the project itself will have areas that will not be accessible to all personnel.
Therefore, I was wondering how does such a scenario fit with the IFC world and CDE?
During the planing and building phase, I will need to restrict model information (geometry and attributes) to certain parties. The only scenario currently in my head is delivering different IFC models to specific stakeholders. But the option with multiple IFCs will not be possible when working on a CDE. Ideally I would upload only one IFC which has restrictions already built in.
Is such a scenario even possible in the IFC schema?
From my point of understanding it could be, but it would be necessary to apply interaction between the CDE and the IFC schema, in order to define the roles and access to model parts and information.
Any ideas?
I don’t see why the option with multiple IFCs will not work? I’d think any CDE has the ability to restrict access for certain folders to specific users. So that means you’ll have to upload the IFCs to the proper folders and that will determine who can see what part of the project.
A CDE may and should offer the ability to make some directories or files visible only to some users. The security-sensitive sub-model can then be seen and federated by them. The sub-models may be developed separately, split when creating the IFCs or tools such as SimpleBIM may help split the work-in-progress model into sub-models, I am currently developing an MVD.IDS definition of what typically should be in the security-sensitive sub-model. Happy to discuss privately.
my only problem with multiple IFCs is the federated model that I want to show in the CDE. The IFC Viewer should be smart enough in this case to differentiate between what to show and to whom.
The best scenario and my wish would be a special part in the IFC Schema to define the security aspects at the Entity level. Whether the IfcWall, IfcSlab or even an IfcSpace could have that Pset, which further on could be validated by CDEs. Currently there is no such thing if I look for example the Common Psets.
In the best case we are talking about one IFC file.
The best scenario and my wish would be a special part in the IFC Schema to define the security aspects at the Entity level. Whether the IfcWall, IfcSlab or even an IfcSpace could have that Pset, which further on could be validated by CDEs
One concern I’d have is that this requires compliance on every level interacting with the IFC file. I.e when downloading the monolithic model, how can users ensure that their software respects the security provisions when sharing/authoring outside of the CDE?
To me it also seems more sensible to realize this on a file level, although I am aware of the practical problems as well, e.g also the fact it’s not really possible to establish semantic relationships between the submodel’s components.
@agron, I have been testing just a bit with this concept in BIMCollab Zoom. What I did is the following:
Use of a main folder “Shared” which contains all models from us and subcontractors that are supposed to be used by others; => In the CDE (Trimble Connect) everyone has read access to this folder.
Use of a main folder “Work in Progress” with subfolder for each subcontractor. => In the CDE only members of a group have access to the subfolder for their respective part (for example Civil, Steel, …).
In my coordination model in BIMCollab Zoom, I indicate that both folders (Shared and Work in Progress) must be added to the project. Since I don’t have access to the ‘WIP’ models from another subcontractor they will appear in red to show me that I can’t load them in the viewer. So in the end I will know that there are models/information I don’t have access to. But I won’t be able to view this information.
Seems like more or less the workflow that you are looking for, right?
It might be a bit more complicated when information from one modelling application is partially “open” and partially restricted to specific team members. In Revit you could set up view with the correct filtering and export multiple IFC files only containing the elements in those specific view, then save those IFC files in the proper locations. I’m pretty sure other modelling software will allow for similar worklow.