Files were vanishing from shared folders at a mid-size architecture firm — and duplicate versions were causing rework on active projects. Two IT vendors and an ISP technician had already tried to fix it without success, and the staff had stopped trusting the aging on-site server. We traced the fault to conflicting folder permissions and an unreliable sync client, then migrated the studio to a documented, stable structure after hours.
25+ years in network engineering · 200+ businesses & homes served · 5.0★ on Google · Owner-operated in Los Angeles
At a glance
- Environment: Mid-size architecture firm
- The problem: Recurring file-access and sync failures that two previous IT vendors could not resolve; staff no longer trusted the aging on-site server.
- The result: One reliable place for project files, drawings, and renderings — no more vanishing files or duplicate versions.
- Related service: Managed IT Services
What the client needed
One reliable place for project files, drawings, and renderings — replacing a patchwork of local drives and an aging on-site server the staff no longer trusted.
Before
Two previous IT contractors and an ISP technician had already attempted to fix recurring file-access and sync problems without success. Files intermittently vanished from shared folders, duplicate versions caused rework on active projects, and no one could explain why.
What we did
Rather than patching the most recent symptom, we reviewed the server, the permissions structure, and the sync client configuration from the ground up. Working after hours so the studio would not lose a business day, we traced the fault to a combination of conflicting folder permissions and an unreliable sync client, corrected the server configuration, and migrated active projects to a documented, stable structure.
After
The firm regained a single source of truth for project files, eliminated the duplicate-version problem, and got a plain-language explanation of what had been wrong and why — something the previous vendors had not provided.
Recommended next step
File access projects need careful review, because teams depend on large project files, permissions, backups, remote access, and predictable performance. A Blueprint helps determine whether cloud, local storage, hybrid storage, or managed support is the right next step — ending in a clear plan for where files live, how users access them, and how recovery works.
Three vendors had looked; none could say why files vanished. The migration fixed it, and the documentation keeps it fixed.