Case Study

LinkRunner AT Network Auto-Tester helps United Health Services Quickly Verify Network Connections in Busy Hospital Setting
At a Glance
Customer:
United Health Services (UHS)

Customer
United Health Services encompasses four major hospitals and more than 30 clinics across New York, with a 5,000 node Cisco network keeping it all connected. All of this infrastructure keeps the IT staff very busy as they install new PCs or connect the latest medical devices and equipment to the network.

Challenges
Almost everything we do is about speed, said Thomas Franchina, senior systems programmer Industry:
Healthcare

with UHS. We have a very aggressive workload and therefore need to get in and out as quickly as possible and our goal is to not go back once were done with an install. Given the importance of these systems in ensuring patient safety and staff productivity, crossing our fingers and hoping the problem is fixed, is not an option.

Location:
New York

After using the LinkRunner AT I can unquestionably say it will save this organization time and money while improving satisfaction. In fact, now that Ive used it, I wouldnt want to be without one.
Thomas Franchina Senior Systems Programmer United Health Services

Challenge:
Getting in and out fast is a priority for the IT team at United Health Services (UHS), which has a heavy workload keeping the regional healthcare organizations 5,000 node network and more than 30 facilities constantly connected.

Case in point: the IT staff needs to smoothly handle the installation and connection of 5-10 new pieces of equipment per week, and those systems can be spread anywhere across more than 30 different facilities, in settings as diverse as typical offices to front-line medical locations or patient rooms. The workload and responsibility for those deployments are spread across different individuals, from network cabling to PC or device installation and configuration. Complicating matters, the organization uses virtual LANs to keep its network secure, scalable and flexible, which is great for IT management, but requires extra care when programming the network switches. Historically, the teams would first discover issues when they went in and connected the PC or other device. Theres a hand-off within the IT group from cable installation to equipment configuration, and if that transition doesnt happen smoothly, someone is making another trip, Franchina said. Which means we lose both time and money, and our users are increasingly frustrated. That makes it critical to test the connections to ensure theyre working and correctly configured especially given the VLAN.

Results:
UHS found that verifying network links was not only faster with the LinkRunner AT, but the devices accuracy and ease of use helped eliminate return trips and smoothed the workflow from cable installation through to VLAN configuration and PC support.

Products:
LinkRunnerTM AT Network Auto-Tester

Solution
UHS tested the new LinkRunner AT from Fluke Networks, and quickly recognized a device that could not only get the IT team in and out fast, but was so simple to use, it could be easily handed around to different groups as needed. The ability to just run all the necessary tests at the push of a button is huge for us, Franchina explained. I gave this device to another of our groups to play with, and they just ran with it, generating a wiremap that identified a network issue that other tests hadnt recognized. Now thats productivity.

Fluke Networks

www.flukenetworks.com

Case Study
Results
UHS uses the LinkRunner AT for fast test and verification of its new installations, checking everything from the basic wiring integrity to switch programming and IP validation. Theyve also used the device to verify Power over Ethernet (PoE) connections and voltages throughout the network. The AutoTest function on the LinkRunner AT is great for us, ensuring that we get the connections right the first time by running a standard set of connectivity tests, Franchina said. The connectivity tests on the LinkRunner AT can also be customized to meet specific requirements, and Franchina sees this as a significant advantage. We have different configurations for the various segments on our VLANs, including changes in the basic IP scheme, and being able to customize the testing to verify the connection configuration matches the segment is a big bonus, he noted. An unexpected benefit for UHS was the LinkRunner ATs compatibility with the organizations all-Cisco network. Weve had issues with other equipment, but not the LinkRunner AT even our Cisco-based fiber connections werent a problem and the device didnt miss a beat in testing, Franchina commented. After using the LinkRunner AT I can unquestionably say it will save this organization time and money while improving satisfaction. In fact, now that Ive used it I wouldnt want to be without one.

Fluke Networks P.O. Box 777, Everett, WA USA 98206-0777 Fluke Networks operates in more than 50 countries worldwide. To find your local office contact details, go to www.flukenetworks.com/contact.

2012 Fluke Corporation.

Printed in U.S.A. 1/2012 4149402A

Fluke Networks

www.flukenetworks.com