Network Communications News (NCN) June 2017 | Page 42

KNOW HOW
Overcome network
troubleshooting challenges
in hospitals
As mobile device use increases, hospitals rely ever more on IT networks, making it mission critical
that network downtime is minimised and issues are rectified quickly, says Tim Widdershoven,
global marketing manager at Ideal Networks.
L
et me explain some of
the common network
troubleshooting
challenges encountered
in hospitals and how
IT technicians can efficiently
overcome them.
‘In a hospital,
it’s vital to
diagnose
issues
quickly, so
accurate test
data is key.’
Challenge:
Troubleshooting on the move Challenge:
Increased Wi-Fi device usage
IT technicians in hospitals are
always on the move, responding
to calls from anywhere across the
hospital to report that a piece of
hardware is not working properly.
Technicians must walk from place
to place and are often required
to work in tight spaces to check
for issues with data cabling and
server or network access.
Many technicians will use a
laptop for troubleshooting, which
is heavy to carry and far from Ideal
when not working at a desk. Log in
via a laptop can take some time,
batteries can run out quickly and
the size of the laptop can make it
very difficult to work in small spaces.
In addition, carrying a laptop around
risks damage to, or theft of, a very
expensive piece of equipment. Use of Wi-Fi devices is increasing
in hospitals, from visitors using
guest internet access, to nurses
recording patient observations on
mobile devices, and specialists
assessing patients via bedside
video conference screens. This
results in a need for more Wi-
Fi Access Points, which in turn
means more data cabling linking
the Access Points to a switch. The
increased amount of data cabling
requires more management and
troubleshooting and makes it more
difficult to maintain a robust and
reliable network.
Some hospitals have hundreds
or thousands of wireless Access
Points, supporting everything from
phones to medical equipment.
Due to the need for patient
confidentiality and private
networks, it is also not unusual to
find 50 VLANs on site . A laptop is
unable to conduct the wide range
of tests that IT technicians may
require for troubleshooting within
this infrastructure.
Solution:
The NaviTek NT network
troubleshooting tester from Ideal
Networks lightens the load for IT
technicians, who need to carry
various kit from site to site within
a hospital. Completely handheld, it
is much easier for IT technicians to
carry and makes working in a small
space simple and comfortable.
For maximum convenience, the
tester also offers instant network
access with no log in required,
plus extensive battery life.
42 | June 2017
Solution:
Unlike a laptop, a tester such as
NaviTek NT from Ideal Networks
can offer physical measurements
of both copper and fibre cabling
which improves troubleshooting
and reduces network downtime.