You connect Autodesk Forma to a network server with a CDE integration that keeps files, folders and attributes aligned between on-premises shares and Forma projects, or with a migration that moves the shares into Forma for good. CDE Sync™ handles the ongoing connection and CDE Migrate™ handles a one-time move, both preserving folder structure and version history.
Why network servers sit beside Forma
Architecture, engineering and construction firms that work in Autodesk Forma often still run network servers or NAS devices. Some workflows depend on local files, such as rendering, analysis or point cloud processing. Some clients require data to stay on premises. Site offices may keep local copies. And most firms have years of past projects on servers that predate their move to the cloud.
When the same information sits on a server and in Forma, people copy files between them. Custom attributes are rarely applied to files copied by hand, versions drift, and teams waste time working out which copy is current.
What carries across between Forma and a network server
CDE Sync™ maps the server's folder structure to Forma folders and custom attributes, and keeps the two aligned in the direction you choose. Files saved to a nominated share can appear in Forma with attributes derived from folder and file naming rules, and updates in Forma can be written back to the server. Version history integrity is maintained, and every transfer is logged.
The network servers and Autodesk Forma integration pages describe both connectors.
How to connect Forma to a network server, step by step
Decide whether the server will stay in use (sync) or be retired (migration into Forma).
Identify the shares and folders involved and the Forma projects they relate to.
Work with your IT team on the secure connection to the server and a scoped service account.
Have the Forma account administrator add a service account to the relevant projects.
Connect both in the CDE Sync™ wizard, or agree the migration scope and target date with Utopia Digital.
Define how folders and file names populate Forma custom attributes.
Test on a small folder, check results in Forma, then switch on the schedule or complete the move.
Bringing past projects into Forma
Past projects on network servers are a valuable but hard-to-reach resource. Teams reuse details, check how earlier problems were solved, and respond to defects or claims years after completion. Keeping that history on ageing hardware risks losing it. A migration moves selected projects into Forma with their structure and version history, and applies attributes so they can be found again.
Not every project needs to become active Forma content. For records that only need to be kept, CDE Archive™ holds them in your own Azure where they remain searchable, which avoids paying for active storage. Our article on connecting a network drive to your CDE covers the choice in more detail.
For an ongoing sync, connect only the project folders that matter. A whole server rarely maps neatly to one Forma project, and a focused connection keeps Forma tidy and each scheduled run fast.
Folder permissions also need a plan, since server permissions and Forma project roles work differently. Most teams let Forma roles govern access once files arrive, and keep server permissions for local users only. Deciding this before the first run avoids surprises about who can see what.
Security for local data
CDE Sync™ streams files without storing them, encrypts data in transit, processes it in the Azure region you choose and uses a service account scoped only to the folders in sync. Utopia Digital holds SOC 2 Type II and Cyber Essentials. See the Security Trust Portal and the global data region map.
Forma, network servers and the Utopiaverse™
Connecting a network server to Forma is part of the Utopiaverse™, the connected record Utopia Digital builds across your platforms. CDE Sync™ keeps server and Forma aligned, CDE Backup™ keeps an independent copy of Forma in your own Azure, CDE Migrate™ retires the server when you are ready, and CDE Archive™ captures completed projects. AI Insights searches local and Forma content together, with answers that cite the source files. See also How Do I Connect Autodesk Forma and SharePoint? and How to back up a CDE.
See a network server connected to Forma in the monthly live demo, or talk to the team about your environment.
