Brian Collins This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. Data Integration

   www.dataintegration.com/Sector - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/29/2001   Last Visited: 9/1/2004

   "Data Integration implemented the manufacturer with the right technical proposition, assured product lifecycle, and offered best ease of migration to the emerging high speed protocols we need for advanced applications," said Brian Collins, IT Manager of The Royal College of Surgeons, "There were certainly some tight restrictions the Data Integration team had to work within.

2. 2. Case Study Content

   www.itcasestudies.com/case/pub - [Cached]

   Published on: 8/1/1998   Last Visited: 1/16/2007

   Said Brian Collins, Royal College of Surgeons Information Systems Manager.
   
   The role of an IT Manager in the world of healthcare is a demanding one. Brian Collins reviews how he approached his challenge with support from Cabletron and their Synergy-Plus partner, Data Integration.
   ...
   When RCoS Information Systems Manager Brian Collins
   
   (CEng, MBCS, MIMIS) arrived at the end of 1997, he discovered a communications system in dire need of overhaul. "The LAN infrastructure was something of a shambles," he admits. "There was an ad hoc mixture of thin and thick Ethernet, various repeaters and hubs, all loosely cobbled together, and an amorphous mix of different releases of systems and applications software. There was no proper documentation to tell us how and when it had gone in. IT had been deployed on a departmental basis, with little thought to enterprise-wide connectivity." It was clear that Collins - and the IT team he was building - would have to start totally from scratch. "It may sound daunting, but actually it's a dream assignment for any network manager," he confesses.
   
   "There were certainly some tight restrictions the Cabletron/Data Integration team had to work within. Thanks to their imagination and experience we managed to find ways round the problem."
   
   THE PLAN
   
   Collins began by drawing up a proposal that would encompass the many diverse functions operating within one organisation. "The network plays an integral role within the IT processes as a whole," he says. "I wanted a network that could exceed today's requirements and provide future expandability without need for physical changes. Future features were identified as multimedia; video-conferencing, video streaming, and video broadcast; integrated messaging, and ultimately a convergence of our voice and data traffic," Collins explains. Grafting a state-of-the-art network onto a 19th Century building was bound to create challenges. "Because of the way the RCoS building has evolved over the last decades - new wings were built into the war-damaged original superstructure - posed particular challenges for us. For instance, there was a massive problem with the siting of the cabinets - suitable space was hard to determine." Imbalances in the proportions of the wings complicated the cabling layout: Collins soon became aware that his new project was not going to be a straightforward undertaking, "but I was confident we could do it, and that the enabling technology was out there.
   ...
   Collins examined proposals from
   
   five tier one vendors: Cisco Systems, 3Com, Nortel/Bay, Digital and Cabletron Systems. (After completing his degree in computer science, Brian Collins went to work for a software company writing security applications. The experience stood him in good stead: "Working on the supplier side I got to know the tricks of the trade.") He point scored each on a rating system based on the design specification. After an intensive eight-week evaluation, the Cabletron Systems solution won through, via its channel partner Data Integration. "Actually, the creation of the shortlist wasn't that hard and we found that most of the other contenders rather disqualified themselves by the unsuitability of their proposals. Cabletron made the right technical proposition, assured product lifecycle, and offered best ease of migration to the emerging high-speed protocols we need for advanced applications." Collins continues: "It has support for layer 3 and 4 switching functionality, Gigabit Ethernet capabilities, and suchlike. Provision of port density and resilience sort of goes without saying. I also liked their high level of service and support - the fact it has a London office just around the corner from us was handy as well. The viability of Gigabit Ethernet was one proving point," says Collins.
   ...
   The network is only being utilised at a low percentage of its capabilities, and now we are planning new end-user services that will exploit the massive latent bandwidth," Collins adds.
   ...
   Brian Collins, Information Systems Manager, Royal College of Surgeons.