Same PDM. No server to babysit
HostPLM – SOLIDWORKS PDM, hosted on Azure
Keep the PDM Professional your team already knows how to use. We'll host it, secure it, back it up, and keep it running – so your engineers stay focused on engineering.
Keep the PDM Professional your team already knows how to use.
We’ll host it, secure it, back it up, and keep it running – so your engineers stay focused on engineering
HostPLM SOLIDWORKS PDM Hosted on Azure moves your SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional environment onto Microsoft Azure – fully managed by PLM Group.
Nothing changes for your team day to day: same client, same workflows, same data cards.
What changes is who’s responsible for the server, the backups, the security patching, and the 2am alert if something goes wrong.
That’s us now, not you.
WHY HOSTPLM?
The PDM you have.
The infrastructure you don’t have to think about.
SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional is proven software
– most engineering teams running it aren’t looking to replace it, just to stop maintaining the server underneath it.
HostPLM does exactly that: your PDM archive server and SQL Server database move onto a dedicated virtual machine in Microsoft Azure, managed end to end by PLM Group.
It still behaves like the on-premises system you know. It just stops being your problem to keep alive.
Same software, new address.
SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional runs exactly as it does today – the migration changes where it lives, not how your team works.
One monthly fee.
No server hardware to buy, no upfront infrastructure investment. A fixed monthly cost you can plan around.
A dedicated support team.
Not a general help desk – a team that knows PDM and the HostPLM infrastructure, reachable directly at hostplm@plmgroup.eu.
More than a decade doing this migration.
PLM Group has moved PDM environments to the cloud for years. The switch typically takes days, not months.
HOW IT CONNECTS
Four ways in.
One that fits how your team actually works
Not every team connects to PDM the same way, so HostPLM doesn’t force one model on everyone.
Four connection options, and you’re not locked into just one:
CloudConnect:
Connect from anywhere with an internet connection – office, home, or on the road – with no VPN to install or maintain. All file and database traffic is protected with SSL/TLS.
Whitelisted Connection
For teams that want tighter control: access is restricted to approved static IP addresses only, layered with your own VPN. More setup, more control.
Web2 Connection
A browser-based option for people who mostly consume PDM data rather than create it — manufacturing, procurement, anyone who needs a drawing or a spec without installing the full client. Works on any device.
HybridConnect
For teams with users in distant locations: a local HostPLM Box replicates files on-site for faster access, while staying in sync with the cloud through an encrypted, authenticated connection.
Whichever model fits your team, the goal is the same: secure access, without making your users think about it.
SECURITY AND BACKUP, BUILT IN
Security you can actually verify, not just take our word for.
Encrypted at every layer.
Disk storage, web access, database connections, and the file traffic between your client and the archive server are all encrypted – not just one layer of the stack. We’ll walk through the exact standards behind each as part of your solution design.
Actively monitored, not just installed.
Every HostPLM server runs current antivirus protection on top of a regular security patching cadence — two separate, ongoing processes, not a single install-and-forget step. External vulnerability scanning runs on a defined schedule, with a rescan triggered any time a new threat emerges.
Backed up on more than one schedule.
Your server is backed up on multiple retention schedules — a frequent short-cycle backup for fast recovery, and a longer-cycle backup for deeper protection — so one bad day is never a single point of failure.
Built on Azure’s compliance foundation.
HostPLM runs on Microsoft Azure infrastructure, which is independently certified to ISO 27001 and built to support GDPR-compliant data handling.
BUILT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP IT RUNNING
Two roles, two very different worries. We built for both.
If you’re the IT Manager:
You’re not being asked to trust a black box. Every encryption layer, every backup schedule, every scan is documented — and you can ask for specifics on authentication, data residency, or anything else as part of solution design. When something needs attention, you’re talking to a support team that lives in PDM and HostPLM infrastructure every day, not a general ticket queue.
If you’re the Engineering Manager:
Your team keeps working exactly as they do now – same PDM client, same data cards, same workflows. The migration itself typically takes a matter of days. Regular users often don’t notice the switch happened at all; the only thing that changes is who’s on call if the server needs attention, and it’s no longer you.
GETTING STARTED
Two paths in, depending on where you’re starting from.
Already running SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional?
Bring your existing licenses with you.
Your current PDM Professional subscription agreement continues, invoiced separately, and HostPLM becomes the new home for your environment – not a new purchase.
New to PDM, or adding users?
We provide new SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional licenses inside HostPLM – perpetual or term, whichever fits your business model.
Either way, the HostPLM service itself includes the Azure virtual server and storage, Microsoft SQL Server, automatic backups, annual PDM Professional server-side updates, hosting of your SOLIDWORKS Network License (SNL) manager, ongoing security monitoring, and an optional local HostPLM Box for hybrid setups.
Inha Works
"HostPLM has been a very effective solution for us. We were pleasantly surprised to find that HostPLM works even faster than our previous local server solution. However, the most significant benefit has been the outsourcing of database and server maintenance. These have been the key benefits we have received from the service, and naturally cloud solutions are becoming the new norm these days."
Frequently asked questions
Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about this solution.
Do you have a question that is not displayed here? Contact us here
What exactly is HostPLM?
HostPLM is SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, hosted for you. Your PDM archive server and Microsoft SQL Server database run on a dedicated virtual machine in Microsoft Azure, managed by PLM Group. The software itself doesn’t change — you’re still using PDM Professional, just without the on-premises server to maintain.
Is it the same PDM software, or a new system?
The same. SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional remains traditional client-based software — HostPLM changes where the server lives, not how your team interacts with it. Existing workflows, data cards, and the PDM add-in inside SOLIDWORKS all work as they do today.
How do users connect?
Four ways, depending on your setup: CloudConnect (connect anywhere, no VPN), Whitelisted Connection (restricted to approved static IPs), Web2 Connection (browser-based, ideal for users who mainly view PDM data), and HybridConnect (a local HostPLM Box for teams with users in distant locations). See “How it connects” above for details.
How is my data backed up?
On multiple retention schedules – a frequent short-cycle backup for fast recovery, and a longer-cycle backup for deeper protection — so you’re never relying on a single backup window. Ask your PLM Group contact for the exact schedule running on your environment.
How is my data secured?
Encryption at rest and in transit across disk storage, web access, database connections, and file traffic; antivirus protection paired with a regular security patching cadence; and external vulnerability scanning on a defined schedule with automatic rescans when new threats emerge. Ask your PLM Group contact for the specific standards running on your environment.
Can I keep my existing PDM licenses?
Yes. If you’re already running SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, you bring your existing licenses into HostPLM, and your current subscription agreement continues (invoiced separately). New customers get new licenses — perpetual or term — provisioned inside HostPLM.
How long does the migration take?
Typically a matter of days once the decision is made, not weeks or months. Because the underlying software doesn’t change, most teams need little to no retraining — for many users, the switch is invisible.
What if I want to connect PDM to my ERP or other business systems?
That’s a separate but complementary step. See ERP Integration → for how we connect PDM data to ERP, MES, and other systems you run.
Are you already storing your data on 3DEXPERIENCE?
Then you’re already on the cloud — HostPLM won’t add anything for you. HostPLM is built specifically for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, not 3DEXPERIENCE. If 3DEXPERIENCE is where your data already lives, take a look at 3DEXPERIENCE cloud solutions → instead, to see how to get more out of the platform you’re already on.
Learn more about HostPLM
-
Is your PDM data actually safe in the cloud? Here’s what “secure” should actually mean
Every cloud vendor says they’re secure. Fair enough – but it’s not information, it’s just what everyone says. “Enterprise-grade security” tells you nothing you didn’t
-
The real cost of keeping your SOLIDWORKS PDM server alive
Nobody budgets for a server the way they budget for software. Software shows up as a line item – a quote, a renewal date, a
-
HostPLM speeds up SOLIDWORKS PDM and server maintenance support by 80% — with zero hassle for the customer
SOLIDWORKS PDM is the backbone of many engineering and design teams. It manages CAD data, versions, approvals, and keeps product information secure and traceable. When
Explore related solutions
Migration
Speed up your transition with a smooth migration from your current PDM/PLM or file share to our unified cloud platform.
ERP Integration
Achieve automatic bi-directional integration with external systems, ensuring smooth and efficient data flow across your entire ecosystem
SolidWorks PDM
SOLIDWORKS PDM (Product Data Management) enables you to share and collaborate on designs while protecting intellectual property with integrated tracking and version control.
Would you like to know more and have a talk with us?
Moving your PDM environment isn’t a decision to rush, and we don’t expect you to.
Tell us what you’re running today – version, user count, current setup – and we’ll walk you through what HostPLM would look like for your team, including a straight cost estimate.