IT & Cybersecurity Built
for Architecture Firms
Your designs represent years of creative vision, engineering precision, and proprietary methodology. A single cyberattack or IT failure can destroy irreplaceable CAD files, expose client project data, and bring your entire studio to a standstill. Your technology infrastructure needs to be as well-engineered as your buildings.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. has protected 2,500+ organizations since 2002. BBB A+ accredited since 2003. Zero breaches among clients following our security program.
Why Architecture Firms Choose Petronella Technology Group, Inc.
Architecture firms have technology demands that most IT providers simply do not understand. Massive file sizes, GPU-intensive rendering, field-to-office collaboration, and the need to protect proprietary design IP require a specialized approach.
CAD/BIM Optimized IT
AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, and BIM platforms demand high-performance workstations, fast storage, and reliable networks. We design and manage IT environments specifically tuned for the computational demands of architectural design software, so your team never waits on slow renders or laggy file access.
Design IP Protection
Your architectural designs, proprietary methodologies, client specifications, and project data represent millions of dollars in intellectual property. We protect these assets with enterprise-grade encryption, access controls, data loss prevention, and 39+ layered security controls that keep competitors and cybercriminals away from your work.
Secure Large File Transfer
Architecture projects generate enormous files. A single BIM model can be tens of gigabytes. We implement high-speed, encrypted file transfer solutions that let your team share massive project files with clients, engineers, and contractors securely and efficiently, without the bottlenecks of consumer-grade tools.
Field-to-Office Mobility
Your architects and project managers move between job sites, client meetings, and the studio constantly. We provide secure mobile access to project files, drawings, and collaboration tools so your team stays productive in the field with the same reliability and security they have at their desks.
Why Architecture Firms Need Specialized IT
Architecture is one of the most technology-dependent professions in the AEC industry. Your firm relies on computationally intensive design software, massive shared file repositories, real-time collaboration between distributed teams, cloud rendering services, and increasingly complex BIM workflows. When your IT environment is not purpose-built for these demands, the result is lost productivity, missed deadlines, frustrated staff, and vulnerable data.
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Most generic IT providers treat architecture firms like any other small business. They deploy consumer-grade hardware, set up basic file sharing, and call it done. But they do not understand that a Revit model with complex parametric families can bring an underpowered workstation to its knees. They do not know that a misconfigured network can turn a 30-second file save into a 10-minute ordeal when BIM files are stored on a remote server. They do not appreciate that losing a single day of design work to a ransomware attack could cascade into missed construction deadlines and contractual penalties.
Architecture firms also face growing cybersecurity threats. Your project data often includes sensitive client information, site survey details, building security specifications, government facility plans, and proprietary design methodologies. Competitors, foreign actors, and cybercriminals all have reasons to target this data. The AEC industry has seen a significant increase in ransomware attacks, business email compromise, and intellectual property theft in recent years.
At Petronella Technology Group, Inc., we bring 25+ years of cybersecurity and IT management expertise to architecture firms. Led by Craig Petronella, a Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner and MIT-certified cybersecurity professional, our team designs, deploys, and manages IT environments specifically optimized for architectural workflows. We understand the performance requirements of your software, the collaboration needs of your teams, and the security demands of your client data. We protect over 2,500 organizations with a verified zero-breach track record among clients following our security program.
CAD/BIM File Protection
Your Revit families, AutoCAD drawings, and BIM models represent hundreds of hours of skilled work. We implement versioned backup with point-in-time recovery, encrypted storage, access controls that prevent unauthorized downloads, and ransomware protection specifically designed to safeguard large binary files from encryption attacks.
Cloud Rendering Security
Cloud rendering accelerates your visualization workflow, but sending project files to external rendering farms introduces security risks. We configure secure cloud rendering pipelines with encrypted data transfer, access controls, and audit logging so your design data remains protected throughout the rendering process.
Multi-Discipline Collaboration
Architecture projects involve constant collaboration with structural engineers, MEP consultants, landscape architects, and general contractors. We deploy secure collaboration platforms, BIM coordination servers, and encrypted file sharing that enable seamless multi-discipline teamwork without exposing your intellectual property to unauthorized access.
High-Performance Workstations
We spec, procure, deploy, and manage the high-performance workstations your designers need. From GPU selection and RAM configuration to SSD storage and multi-monitor setup, we ensure every workstation is purpose-built for your specific software stack and optimized for maximum productivity.
Complete IT Services for Architecture Firms
From workstation management and network design to cybersecurity and cloud migration, we deliver every IT service your firm needs under one roof, with one predictable monthly investment.
Managed IT & Helpdesk Support
When AutoCAD crashes during a deadline presentation or a plotter stops working before a client review, your team needs immediate expert support. Our managed IT services provide unlimited remote and on-site support from technicians who understand architecture software. We proactively monitor every workstation, server, and network device to catch problems before they interrupt your designers. Think of us as your firm's dedicated IT department, available whenever you need us, at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house staff.
Cybersecurity & Threat Protection
Architecture firms are increasingly targeted by ransomware, phishing, and intellectual property theft. We deploy 39+ layered security controls including endpoint detection and response (EDR/XDR), next-generation firewalls, AI-powered email security, DNS-layer filtering, 24/7 security monitoring, and encrypted communications. Our defense-in-depth approach means that even if an attacker bypasses one control, multiple additional layers stand between them and your project data.
Cloud & Hybrid Infrastructure
Whether your firm needs on-premises servers for performance-sensitive BIM workflows, cloud infrastructure for flexibility and scalability, or a hybrid approach that delivers the best of both worlds, our managed hosting services have you covered. We design, deploy, and manage cloud environments optimized for architectural workloads, including cloud-based BIM collaboration, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) for remote designers, and secure cloud storage for project archives.
Backup & Disaster Recovery
Losing weeks of design work to ransomware, hardware failure, or accidental deletion is not an option. We deploy enterprise-grade backup solutions specifically designed for the large file sizes common in architecture. Our systems provide versioned, encrypted, geographically redundant backups with rapid restore capabilities. In a disaster scenario, we can recover your entire design environment, including all project files, software configurations, and user settings, getting your team back to work in hours rather than days.
Network Design & Optimization
Architecture firms push more data across their networks than most businesses their size. When multiple designers are working on large Revit models simultaneously, an underpowered or poorly configured network becomes a crippling bottleneck. We design and implement high-speed networks with proper switching, segmentation, quality of service configuration, and wireless coverage optimized for the unique traffic patterns of architectural workflows. The result: faster file access, smoother collaboration, and zero network-related slowdowns.
Security Awareness Training
Phishing emails targeting architecture firms often impersonate clients, contractors, or material suppliers with fake RFIs, change orders, or invoice payments. We train your entire team to recognize these threats with ongoing security awareness education, realistic phishing simulations, and social engineering tests tailored to the specific attack vectors architecture firms face. Your people become your first line of defense rather than your weakest link.
How We Transform Your Firm's Technology
We follow a proven methodology that delivers measurable improvements from the very first month, with zero disruption to your design deadlines.
Environment Assessment
We audit your entire IT environment: workstations, servers, network infrastructure, software licenses, security posture, backup systems, and workflow bottlenecks. We interview your principals, project managers, and designers to understand their daily technology frustrations and requirements. The result is a comprehensive report that identifies every weakness and opportunity in your current setup.
Custom Technology Plan
We design a technology roadmap tailored to your firm's specific software stack, project types, collaboration patterns, and growth plans. This includes hardware specifications, network architecture, security controls, cloud strategy, and budget projections. Every recommendation is explained in clear business terms so your partners can make confident investment decisions.
Phased Implementation
We deploy changes in carefully planned phases, prioritizing security and stability. Critical security controls go in first. Performance optimizations follow. Hardware upgrades and software migrations are scheduled around your project deadlines, not our convenience. Every step is tested and verified before moving to the next, ensuring your designers never lose a single hour of productivity during the transition.
Proactive Management
Once your environment is optimized, we shift into continuous management mode. We monitor every system 24/7, apply patches and updates proactively, manage software licenses, plan hardware refresh cycles, conduct regular security assessments, and provide quarterly technology reviews with your leadership. Your IT stays ahead of your firm's growth rather than constantly playing catch-up.
Technology Challenges Architecture Firms Face
The AEC industry's rapid digital transformation creates unique challenges that require specialized expertise to solve effectively.
BIM Coordination Complexity
Building Information Modeling has transformed architecture, but it has also created massive IT infrastructure demands. BIM models grow exponentially as projects progress, requiring high-speed storage systems, robust network bandwidth, and coordination servers that can handle simultaneous multi-user access to complex models without performance degradation.
We design BIM-optimized storage architectures with NVMe SSD arrays, 10Gb+ networking, and BIM coordination servers that keep your Revit worksharing, Navisworks clash detection, and model publishing running at peak speed, even as models grow to tens of gigabytes.
Ransomware & Data Theft
Architecture firms are attractive ransomware targets because of their tight project deadlines and the difficulty of recreating design files from scratch. Attackers know that firms under construction deadline pressure are more likely to pay ransoms quickly. Beyond ransomware, intellectual property theft is a growing concern, particularly for firms working on high-profile or government projects.
Our 39+ security controls create multiple defensive layers. Immutable backup systems ensure that even in a successful ransomware attack, your data can be recovered without paying a ransom. Data loss prevention tools prevent unauthorized exfiltration of your design files.
Remote & Hybrid Work
Modern architecture firms increasingly support remote and hybrid work arrangements. But running GPU-intensive software like Revit over a standard VPN connection can be painfully slow. And allowing designers to store project files on local laptops creates security and version control nightmares.
We deploy virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions, cloud-based design workstations, and secure remote access systems that deliver studio-quality performance to remote designers while keeping all project data centralized and protected on your managed infrastructure.
Why Architecture Firms Trust Petronella Technology Group, Inc.
Your technology partner should understand design workflows as well as they understand networks and security. Here is what sets Petronella apart.
AEC Industry Experience
Since 2002, we have served architecture, engineering, and construction firms who depend on high-performance computing, secure file management, and reliable collaboration tools. We understand the difference between consumer IT and the enterprise-grade infrastructure that design professionals demand. Our technicians know your software, your workflows, and your deadlines. When you call with a Revit sync issue at 2 PM on a Friday before a Monday client presentation, we resolve it fast because we have seen it before.
Zero Breaches Track Record
Among all clients who follow our comprehensive security program, we maintain a verified record of zero breaches. For architecture firms that protect proprietary designs, sensitive client project data, and sometimes government facility specifications, this track record is not just reassuring. It is a competitive advantage. When your clients ask about your data security practices, you can point to a partnership with a firm that has a proven, auditable zero-breach record across 2,500+ engagements.
Predictable Monthly Investment
Architecture firm principals need to manage overhead carefully to maintain profitability. Our flat-rate managed IT services give you complete cost predictability. No surprise invoices. No hourly charges that spike when something breaks. Everything from day-to-day support to security monitoring to backup management is included in one predictable monthly fee. You get an entire IT department's worth of expertise for less than the cost of a single junior IT hire.
Full Cybersecurity Ecosystem
Petronella is not just an IT company. We are a cybersecurity firm that also provides managed IT. Led by Craig Petronella, a Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner with MIT cybersecurity certification and CMMC CRP credentials, our team brings capabilities that generic IT providers cannot match: penetration testing, digital forensics, vCISO services, managed security operations, vulnerability management, and incident response. When your firm needs more than basic IT, we are already there.
Generic IT vs. Petronella Architecture IT
See the difference between a technology partner who understands design workflows and one who treats your firm like any other small business.
| Capability | Generic IT Provider | Petronella Architecture IT |
|---|---|---|
| Design Software Expertise | No knowledge of CAD/BIM performance requirements | Deep expertise with AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, and BIM workflows |
| File Management | Basic file sharing not designed for multi-gigabyte files | High-speed storage, optimized for large design files with versioning and access controls |
| Hardware Knowledge | Off-the-shelf business PCs | Purpose-built workstations with certified GPU, RAM, and storage for your software stack |
| Network Performance | Standard office networking | 10Gb+ networking with QoS optimized for BIM collaboration and large file transfers |
| Security Controls | Basic antivirus and firewall | 39+ layered controls, EDR/XDR, 24/7 SOC monitoring, IP theft prevention |
| Backup for Large Files | Consumer backup solutions that choke on large files | Enterprise backup with rapid recovery optimized for multi-GB design files |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions architecture firms ask about managed IT and cybersecurity services.
Do you understand the CAD and BIM software we use every day?
Yes. We have extensive experience supporting AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, ArchiCAD, Navisworks, Bluebeam, Adobe Creative Suite, Enscape, Lumion, and other design and visualization tools used by architecture firms. We understand the hardware requirements, licensing models, network demands, and performance optimization techniques for each platform. When you call us with a software issue, you are talking to technicians who have resolved similar problems at other design firms.
How do you protect our design files from ransomware?
We take a multi-layered approach to ransomware defense. First, we prevent ransomware from getting in through advanced email filtering, endpoint detection and response, DNS-layer security, and user training. Second, we limit damage if an infection occurs through network segmentation, least-privilege access controls, and real-time anomaly detection. Third, we ensure recovery through immutable, air-gapped backups that ransomware cannot encrypt. Even in the worst case scenario, we can restore your entire design environment to the last backup point without paying a ransom.
Can you help our remote designers access project files securely?
Absolutely. We offer several approaches depending on your performance requirements and budget. Virtual desktop infrastructure lets remote designers run GPU-accelerated workstations in the cloud with studio-quality performance from any device. Cloud-based BIM collaboration platforms enable real-time multi-user access to models from any location. Encrypted VPN with optimized routing provides secure access to on-premises file servers. We help you choose and implement the right solution, or combination of solutions, for your firm's specific remote work needs.
How do you handle large file transfers with clients and consultants?
We implement enterprise-grade file transfer solutions that handle multi-gigabyte files with encryption, access controls, expiration dates, and audit logging. Unlike consumer services that throttle upload speeds or compress files, our solutions maintain full file integrity and transfer at maximum available bandwidth. We also set up secure client portals where external collaborators can upload and download project files without needing access to your internal network, maintaining both security and convenience.
What does it cost to have Petronella manage our IT?
Our managed IT services are priced on a predictable per-user, per-month model. The exact cost depends on the size of your firm, the complexity of your environment, and the specific services included. Most architecture firms find that our comprehensive managed IT services cost less than hiring a single in-house IT person, while delivering significantly more expertise, availability, and security capability. Call us at 919-348-4912 for a customized quote.
Do you work with multi-office architecture firms?
Yes. We support architecture firms with single and multiple office locations. For multi-office firms, we design inter-office connectivity, unified file management systems, consistent security policies across all locations, and centralized monitoring and management. Whether your offices are across town or across the country, we ensure consistent IT performance, security standards, and user experience at every location while enabling seamless collaboration between offices on shared projects.
Your Designs Deserve Better IT
Every hour your designers spend waiting on slow systems, fighting with unreliable networks, or recovering from preventable crashes is an hour of billable work lost. Every unprotected project file is a piece of intellectual property at risk. Your firm deserves technology that performs as well as your architecture.
Join the 2,500+ organizations that trust Petronella Technology Group, Inc. for managed IT and cybersecurity. Schedule a free technology assessment and see how we can transform your firm's IT from a frustration into a competitive advantage.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. — 5540 Centerview Dr. Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606 — [email protected]