A $120,000 networking upgrade using DIGITAL hardware and networking expertise has resulted in updated communications facilities and better response times for Northland Health.
Based in Whangarei the hospital is now a truly networked organisation, according to Steve Rayner IT Manager for Northland Health. "For the first time we are able to offer truly network-based services from both a local and wide area perspective."
"The new network now allows us to administer nearly all aspects of our interaction with patients including admissions and discharges, scheduling theatre times, reporting on radiology, running the laboratory, issuing pharmaceutical's and making outpatient appointments."
"We can now utilise email facilities and internet access for training. As a result productivity has increased dramatically as response times have improved and unexpected outages have been eliminated," he says.
The new network is powered by a DIGITAL AlphaServer 4100 while the communications component is managed centrally by a DIGITAL DEChub Multiswitch 900. The AlphaServer connects to the network via a full duplex FastEthernet.
The centrally based DEChub Multiswitch 900 also supports the hospital by providing a central administration area making use of PORTswitch repeaters allowing them to dynamically allocate resources where and when as required by utilising VLAN's.
Fibre optic cables supply 10MB feeds, that links each of the hospital's separate functions such as theatre and administration where Multiswitch 600 switches and hubs manage traffic in and out of these locations.
DIGITAL's Networks and Systems Integration Services (NSIS) group supplied and installed the complete LAN infrastructure implementing DIGITAL's FastEthernet, fibre optic repeaters and PORTSwitch repeaters to supply LAN terminal servers to support legacy systems and the WAN's to connect to other health centres nationwide.
06 April 1998
Editorial contact:
Hugh Scott
Public Relations Manager
Digital Equipment Corporation (NZ) Ltd.
Tel: 09-307-5558
hugh.scott@digital.com
Steve Rayner
IT Manager
Northland Health
Tel: 09-430-4101
