Running head: CASE STUDY 3 1

CASE STUDY 3

Pavan Rao Peruvaje

Information Systems Infrastructure

MSITM

Campbellsville University
CASE STUDY 3 2

Abstract

The importance of WLANs in St. Luke’s hospital to allow its clinical users to access real

time data and update it is explained in the case. The case also explains the problems that came

with the Original WLAN and how with the help of Enhanced LAN and Mobility from Net

Motion wireless helped the hospital to secure and have faster access to its data.
CASE STUDY 3 3

CASE STUDY 3

1. Visit the NetMotion Web site (www.netmotionwireless.com) and access and read other

Mobility XE success stories. Discuss the patterns that can be observed in the benefits that

Mobility XE users have realized via its deployment and use.1

NetMotion wireless website had details of other success stories from Media to Oil and

gas industry. I studied the cases regarding Healthcare domain, and 1 case interested me more. It

is about Puget Sound Blood Center [1]. This has a set of 18 mobile vehicles that collects blood

donations throughout western Washington. They switched to mobility XE and this allowed them

to solve the problem of data loss after log out.

Below are some of the patterns in the benefits that mobility XE users can have.

1. Access to Data: With every mobile user, with a reasonable connection to Mobility XE

(through cellular network or through WLAN), the mobile user can now access real time

data with no delay. This will give the users 24*7 access to real time data.

2. Application Session Persistence: Mobility XE maintains the session of the user. In case

of loss of network or weak connection to the network, then the previous session is

restored when user connects back. Generally, the mobility user has to login once. During

the time of disconnection, Mobility maintains the status of the session and when user

connects back, mobility resumes the session from where user had left off.

3. Network Roaming: Any mobile user can stay connected to the server by connecting to

any one of the approved networks. During the transfer of mobile user between the

network, the user need not have to perform the login again.
CASE STUDY 3 4

4. Server Availability and Scalability: Mobility XE has 2 servers, which provides better

availability, with one as back up server. In case of scalability, back up server can take up

the additional load that would help the mobile users to access real time data.

5. Encryption and Security: Mobility XE provides various security features which ensures

data is safe and secure. It uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit encryption

to encrypt the data that is sent across the network. Along with the encryption, Mobility

provides an additional firewall. Those devices which are not recognized bill are denied

access, there by preventing the security threats.

6. Centralized monitoring and control over devices: Mobility provides a platform that

allows the central management to monitor the devices that are connected over the

internet. It can also monitor the data that is being collected and block a device from

accessing data that its not authorized for. In case of lose of device or theft, the central

management is notified on the same and that particular device is blocked from accessing

the network.

Do some Internet research on the security implications of HIPPA requirements for hospital

networks. Discuss the major types of security mechanisms that must be in place to ensure

hospital compliance with HIPPA requirements.

HIPPA was an act passed to protect the PHI (Protected Health Information) to be

encrypted and secured. It’s a nationwide standard applied in healthcare. HIPPA has a

privacy rule and a security rule. Privacy rule established the standards for protecting

certain health information and making them accessible to only certain set of authorities.
CASE STUDY 3 5

Security rule establishes a set of standards that needs to be followed nationwide to

safeguard the PHI held in electronic form [2]

HIPPA security rule applies to every healthcare unit protecting the PHI in electronic form. It is

applied over Administrative safeguards, Physical safeguards and Technical safeguards.

Administrative Safeguards: This involves the administrative domain that HIPPA covers in

order to maintain the security standards. Administrative safeguards include

1. Workforce Training and Management on HIPPA standards and regulations

2. Ensuring security personnel at every covered entity

3. Information access management

4. Evaluation

Physical Safeguards: Physical safeguards deals with securing the devices and servers. They

include

1. Limiting physical access to covered entity to all facilities

2. Workstation security and Device Security.

Technical safeguards: This includes adding security and technical solutions to protect and

encrypt the stored data. Technical safeguards include

1. Implementing audit controls

2. Transmission security and Encryption

3. Integrity controls

4. Access controls to covered entities.

CASE STUDY 3 6

Do some Internet research on the use of VLANs in hospitals. Summarize the benefits of

using VLANs in hospitals and identify examples of how St. Luke’s could further enhance

its wireless network by implementing VLANs.

Virtual Local Area Network, or VLANs are defined as a subnetwork of a group that can

group together a collection of devices from various LANs. This basically deals with

repartitioning the network in order to achieve better network management.

Benefits of VLANs include. [3]

1. Easier Network Management: VLANs simplify network and make it easier for

troubleshooting the problems. In case of network breakdown, not all users are

impacted as they will be isolated from every other network.

2. Better Security: Security attacks from Internal and external threats attacking an entire

system will be too less and the network is distributed over the geography and one part

of the network gets impacted while the other can continue functioning. With Firewall,

in case of an attack, the unrecognized entity in the network can be stalled from

moving out of that network.

3. Better Service and network traffic: Traffic are managed more efficiently and end user

performance gets better. The network disconnectivity problem will be too less

resulting is network resources consumed in keeping track of the session. Data flow

between the networks becomes faster making it easier to access data in real time.

4. Better control over network: Managing network becomes easier. By grouping users

into same virtual network, it becomes easier to control and monitor them. User, when
CASE STUDY 3 7

moves from one workstation to another, they can be kept on the same network. This

makes device management easier.

By adding VLANs, St. Luke can now ensure all its users are connected to one network,

though distributed geographically. This will help the hospital to follow the HIPPA guidelines and

keep their data storage center at a remote place. In case of expansion of their hospital business,

VLANs are the way to go. Also, VLANs improve network usage and efficiency, thereby

increasing productivity.
CASE STUDY 3 8

References

1. http://www.net-ctrl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/NetMotion-Wireless_Healthcare-

Mobility-Best-Practices_WP.pdf

2. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/laws-regulations/index.html

3. https://www.summitir.com/2017/08/30/vlans-types-benefits/