Requirements and Challenges

Huawei's Regional Healthcare Information Network (RHIN) platform includes an array of network and security devices such as servers, storage devices for Electronic Health Records (EHRs), plus archived backup, switches, and firewalls. The usefulness of the RHIN cloud depends heavily on careful device management by healthcare organizations and the compatibility of the devices.

However, the complexity of deploying the cloud platform goes beyond service integrators and IT Operation and Maintenance (O&M) personnel. The following describes the specific requirements:

Hardware management

• Device management

A rich set of functions, such as Power-On Self Test (POST), automatic topology discovery, automatic configuration delivery, automatic basic software upload, and fault diagnosis must be provided.



• Unified management of multiple device types

Traditionally, devices of different types are managed by different dedicated administrators, which is costly and difficult. A unified device management system is required to reduce customers' labor investment and improve management efficiency.



• Integrated management for regional healthcare services

To learn about the operating status of a remote healthcare service that involves servers, storage devices, and the network, devices must be managed in an integrated manner.



• Automated O&M

A single device must be automatically restored or shielded when a fault occurs.




In case of a change in device configuration, local devices must be automatically updated.




Network configurations and security policies must migrate with the Virtual Machines (VMs).



• Fastest-possible installation and delivery

Virtualization and the cloud

Virtualization brings opportunities and challenges alike. Virtualization must meticulously utilize RHIN resources in order to reduce customer investment. However, a virtualized cloud platform is difficult to deploy. It's even more difficult to enable high performance of virtualized applications while minimizing the cost.

• Server compatibility

Compatibility among different servers may affect the VM migration, system performance after the migration, and consistency of management interfaces.



• Storage compatibility

The compatibility between IP SAN equipment and the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) affects the application of high-end features (volume live migration, volume snapshot, and multi-path storage) and storage virtualization.



• Network compatibility

Some network devices may affect service management and automated service upload.

• Security compatibility

Different firewall features may increase the difficulty of assigning elastic IP addresses and public network IP addresses to VMs.



• Service deployment

System software (such as the operating system and database) and application software used for EHR management and collaboration must be deployed within the shortest possible time.



• Application optimization

Service models and VM specifications




Interconnection models for service components, VM type, distribution, and performance optimization




Reliability models of service components (single-node, active and standby, and load balancing)




Service insurance, including key service indicators, performance thresholds, and performance optimization approaches




Development and monitoring of service scalability policies and configuration of scalability scripts



• Optimization for cloud platform operation

VM resource-dispatching policies




Resource multiplexing for multiple applications




Dynamic electricity management policies

In traditional procurement methods, customers can address requirements by following three steps:

1. Separately purchase a variety of devices (including servers and storage, network, and security devices).

2. Purchase virtualization software to consolidate these devices and install operating systems, databases, and application software.

3. Commission and test the software. This process is time- and energy-consuming for IT management personnel.

Huawei Integrated RHIN System

• Hardware management

The integrated RHIN system enables users to flexibly select servers and storage, network, security, and redundant storage devices based on their specific load-balancing requirements. This system also provides both device-level and application-level integrated hardware management. Device-level management includes automatic device discovery, automatic configuration, basic software installation, and automatic O&M. Application-level management includes topology display, resource utilization, and device health check.



• Virtualized cloud platform

The entire hardware system is fully compatible with the virtualized platform to ensure high platform performance and available features and functions. Huawei's integrated RHIN system pre-configures RHIN service contents. It also pre-develops templates that combine RHIN and application software in order to provide simple-to-use service deployment templates. Administrators can manage these templates and configure devices in batches with just a mouse-click on the unified Web portal.



• Service optimization

Huawei's integrated RHIN system is ideal for typical applications (with 1 million, 5 million, or 10 million devices). What's more, the RHIN ensures the capabilities of third-party application software. Huawei predefines VM specifications, methods of distributing VMs on physical machines, VM reliability models, service scalability policies, resource multiplexing policies, and Service Level Agreement (SLA) approaches. These ensure highly reliable, efficient operation once the RHIN applications are powered on.

Customer Benefits

Huawei's integrated RHIN system pre-installs hardware, which makes possible the fastest-possible service deployment. Service software is used to optimize an array of modules on the virtualized platform, including performance, service insurance, reliability, service expansion, and resource multiplexing to further accelerate deployment and enable one-stop delivery.

Huawei's integrated RHIN system simplifies software and hardware installation and reduces deployment time from months to less than three days. This considerably accelerates the application of the RHIN, improves the working efficiency of customers and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), and reduces customer labor costs.