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Networking Tech: The Ties That Bind


By Beckie Kelly Schuerenberg, Senior Editor December 2006
For health care CIOs, some decisions about network infrastructure have never been easier to make. Other decisions, however, are harder than ever to think through.

A few years ago, many information technology leaders struggled with a fundamental question - which technology to build their networks on. Their options mostly were limited to two networking technologies, Ethernet and Asynchronous Transfer Mode, or ATM.

But over the past few years, Ethernet has emerged as the overwhelming favorite.

"Five to 10 years ago, most health care organizations weren't running Ethernet-many chose ATM if they needed high bandwidth," says Bill Hudson, solutions director at CTG HealthCare Solutions Inc., Cincinnati. "But as time went on, everyone started to go to Ethernet because it's easier to understand, and the price points have come down for it."

The technology also has incrementally increased its speed and stability, which, combined with decreasing prices, has made it the de facto standard for managing simultaneous data transfer requests at high speeds.

But while it may be easier to decide which network infrastructure technology to use, how to best use its capabilities now is the question bedeviling CIOs. The data access and transfer needs of health care organizations are growing exponentially as infrastructures are used to push more complex clinical and imaging data through their pipes.

The networks are further taxed by being asked to support wireless networks; voice and video communications; medical devices; physical security systems; and even electrical devices. Additionally, Internet-based virtual private network technology has enabled more users to gain access to the networks-which has caused more security and maintenance issues for I.T. managers.

"Ethernet networks require more maintenance now because there's a lot more use of the network," Hudson says. "It's much more complicated than it was a few years ago because networks are being asked to do more things than they were before."

Convergence headache

Ethernet networks use switches and routers that function as traffic cops, telling computers when they can and can't send data. They also can determine whether data reached its destination and resend as necessary. Ethernet technology runs on coaxial or fiber-optic cable, or twisted pair wiring, and can transfer data at rates of up to 10 billion bits per second.

By converging various types of communication and devices onto a single, Ethernet backbone, hospitals can centrally manage many types of equipment-such as security systems and monitoring equipment-as well as the distribution of most information. Converged networks also tend to result in reduced maintenance costs because they require only a single set of wiring, communication devices and management staff.

But as health care organizations push convergence on their Ethernet networks, they also must ensure the backbones continue to perform well despite the increased traffic, says Bruce Eckert, executive consultant at Beacon Partners, a Weymouth, Mass.-based consulting firm.

Convergence can put a strain on networks, and it's common for bandwidth needs to double each year for organizations supporting converged networks, Eckert says.

"Many hospitals aren't planning well for the increased demand they're going to see on their hardwired networks," he says. "And their wireless technology wasn't designed to be used as extensively as they are using it now. So they often have problems, such as channel conflicts, Internet Protocol address roaming and transmission collisions."

Proactive approach

To prevent such problems, many health care organizations conduct periodic assessments to ensure they are optimizing their Ethernet networks to meet the demands of convergence or other I.T. goals. FirstHealth of the Carolinas, a three-hospital delivery system based in Pinehurst, N.C., used the Medical-Grade Network Assessment service from San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco Systems Inc. for advice on how to turn its gigabit Ethernet network into a converged system for data, voice and video communication.

The free service commenced with a week-long evaluation of FirstHealth's existing network infrastructure and I.T. goals, explains Jon Campbell, director of network services.

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