CareLink Cnnectivity Optins Intrductin and Cmparisn Updated June 2013 There are fur cnnectivity ptins available fr CareLink, each f which has certain advantages and disadvantages. It is imprtant t think thrugh the ptins relative t the rganizatin s needs and pririties t identify which wuld be the preferred chice(s). The carts are manufactured t supprt all f these ptins and changing t a different ne is relatively straightfrward, s the rganizatin is nt lcked int a single chice. Different ptins can be used n different carts in different parts f the rganizatin if necessary. The infrmatin prvided belw is an intrductry cmparisn. When ready t deply CareLink, a Rubbermaid Healthcare cnnectivity specialist can wrk with the rganizatin s netwrk specialist t step thrugh a flw charted set f questins t help determine feasibility given the netwrk envirnment, and ther cnsideratins such as firewalls, security plicies, ther sftware installed, etc. The selected ptin will need t be tested t cnfirm whether there is a need t adjust sftware image settings r netwrk security cnfiguratin (such as allwing CareLink MAC addresses n the netwrk). In experience, at least ne f these methds has wrked well at every hspital. Hwever almst every netwrk is different in sme way, s testing is required t cnfirm stable cnnectivity. Wi-Fi Ethernet Internet Cnnectin Sharing (ICS) Ethernet Bridging USB (TCIP) Easiest t Setup 4 2 3 1 Mst Reliable/Stable 1* 2 3 4 Least Likely t Require Netwrk Security Setting Exceptins 4 1 3 2 Best fr Thin Client 1 2 3 4 Fewest Netwrk 4 1 4 1 Cnnectins Best Data fr Cart Lcatr 1 4 4 4 and Utilizatin Analysis Separatin Advantages 1 4 4 4 (Cmputer & Netwrk) Requirements Netwrk Settings, WPA/2- Enterprise nt supprted Ethernet Prt, Windws O/S Supprt Ethernet Prt, Windws O/S Supprt 1 = Best Chice, 4 = Least Best * - Expected perfrmance USB Prt, Micrsft Mbile Device Center (Win 7) r ActiveSync (XP)
Easiest t Setup USB ften wrks right away with n settings changes required as lng as Mbile Device Center r ActiveSync is installed n the cmputers and running (bth are available at n charge and can be dwnladed frm Micrsft.cm at the links shwn in the appendix). They can be installed via a drive image. They need t be placed in the Windws Startup flder. Ethernet Internet Cnnectin Sharing (ICS) r Bridging requires sme changes in Windws settings, and are dependent n supprt fr thse settings being available n the Windws Operating System versin being used (usually nt an issue except fr sme thin clients). These settings may be cnfigured via a drive image. CareLink includes a built-in Wi-Fi chipset n the Tuch Screen Cmputer. There is n need t plug in a separate Wi-Fi bard. T implement Wi-Fi, settings can be entered int Fleet Management, and then cpied dwn t carts either via a temprary Internet cnnectin r by lading the cnfiguratin using a flash drive plugged int the service prt under each cart s tuch screen cmputer. See the appendix fr a list f Wi-Fi settings. Mst Reliable/Stable Wi-Fi is expected t be the mst reliable/stable, since it establishes its wn direct cnnectin t the netwrk. It perates cmpletely independently f the cmputers and sftware, and will nt be affected when client changes ccur. Only netwrk changes will affect it. Experience has shwn that Ethernet ICS and Bridging are als reliable, but are mre subject t disruptin since they cnnect thrugh the cmputer. USB is mst subject t disruptin, because if Mbile Device Center r ActiveSync fail t execute r are terminated, the netwrk cnnectin will be severed. Least Likely t Require Netwrk Security Setting Exceptins Netwrk security bstacles can be triggered by any f three different issues: 1) What devices are trying t cnnect, 2) What type f cnnectin is being attempted, and/r 3) What websites/url s is a device trying t cnnect with. One quick test that can be tried t see if (3) is an issue is t try t cnnect with the fllwing URL using a cmputer n the netwrk: https://fmsservices.rubbermaidhealthcare.cm/time. If a date/time string (r a prmpt t dwnlad) is returned when visiting this page, it is an indicatin that there is a successful cnnectin t the Fleet Management server. If the page fails t reslve, an exceptin will need t be made t allw access t the Rubbermaid Healthcare dmain and all subdmains. Ethernet ICS and USB are nt visible t the netwrk, s they are least likely t trigger security r firewall cnflicts. They effectively turn the lcal cmputer int a ruter n the netwrk. Hwever, these methds may r may nt be allwed by the rganizatin s security plicies. Ethernet Bridging and Wi-Fi bth require direct cntact with the DHCP server when requesting an IP address. This is mre likely t trigger netwrk security, and may require device registratin, and lading MAC addresses fr the Ethernet prt and Wi-Fi chip. It may als
require ther netwrk exceptins t be cnfigured, particularly if using certain netwrk r HTTP firewalls, such as Barracuda r Bluecat. Nte that WPA-Enterprise and WPA2-Enterprise encryptin types are nt supprted at this time, s if the netwrk uses ne f these methds, it will require an alternative SSID r encryptin type. Due t perating system limitatins, credentials cannt be pushed frm the carts at this time s that the netwrk can recgnize them. Hwever, the chipset ffers supprt s it is planned t investigate pssible future ptins. Best fr Thin Client Wi-Fi is the surest bet fr thin client implementatins, since there is n dependency n what cmputer r sftware is installed. This is a huge CareLink advantage. USB may wrk n thin clients if Mbile Device Center r ActiveSync can be installed and run reliably. Ethernet ICS r Bridging may wrk fr thin clients if they have Ethernet prts, hwever the functinality which allws fr adjusting thse settings may be missing in certain slimmed dwn thin client perating systems, such as Windws 7 Embedded, and XP Embedded. Fewest Netwrk Cnnectins Because Ethernet ICS and USB d nt add new IP reservatins t the netwrk, they are best if there are limitatins in hw many netwrk cnnectins the netwrk can supprt. Best Data fr Cart Lcatr and Utilizatin Analysis Because Wi-Fi cmmunicates an Access Pint MAC Address t N-Sight Fleet Management, this enables additinal Analytics features. The planned Cart Lcatr feature uses access pint MAC addresses t identify the current r mst recent access pint thrugh which a cart cmmunicated. This data cmbined with a mapping table t translate the MAC address int a physical lcatin (e.g. 5 West) wuld prvide a lw cst way t lcate carts, and t perfrm utilizatin analysis based n lcatins. Fr example, nn-cmmunicating and underutilized carts culd be lcated fr lad balancing r redeplyment t areas where they are mst needed. It becmes a useful tl t quickly find carts that nurses have mved t unexpected lcatins in the hspital, eliminating wasted time by service techs lking fr carts. At this time, it is expected that ther cnnectivity ptins will nt prvide the data necessary t supprt these future planned Analytics features. Separatin Advantages (Cmputer & Netwrk) There are several ther unique advantages f Wi-Fi cmpared t ther cnnectivity ptins and t alternative prducts that require installatin f sftware n hspital cmputers. The tuch screen cmputer cntinues t run and cllect data, even when the cmputer is shut dwn and lses pwer. This means that cart perfrmance data can be cllected and transmitted at all times as lng as there is battery capacity remaining. This makes ther data fr perfrmance analytics mre cmplete and valuable.
Wi-Fi allws the tuch screen embedded cmputer t perate independent frm the cmputer installed n the cart. Because it runs separately, it eliminates risks f disruptin when sftware is reimaged and when cmputers are replaced/repaired. It als ffers the ptin f transmitting data n a separate peratinal netwrk frm the netwrk(s) used fr clinical applicatins. Keep in mind that CareLink des nt have a requirement fr cntinuus cnnectivity. It nly needs t cnnect ccasinally t send updates. The bandwidth requirements are minimal, and the cart perates very well with nly intermittent cnnectins. The netwrk peratinal requirements are nt cmparable t ther applicatins and devices that require real-time cnnectivity. Summary It shuld be pssible t select an ptin that is an ptimal fit with the rganizatin s needs and that is cmpatible with the netwrk. Cntact Rubbermaid Healthcare t talk with a Cnnectivity Specialist fr questins r further assistance.
APPENDIX Windws Mbile Device Center (fr USB Cnnectin n Windws 7) (32 bit - same versin as Windws Vista): http://www.micrsft.cm/en-us/dwnlad/details.aspx?id=14 (64 bit - same versin as Windws Vista): http://www.micrsft.cm/en-us/dwnlad/details.aspx?id=3182 Windws ActiveSync (fr USB Cnnectin n Windws XP) http://www.micrsft.cm/en-us/dwnlad/details.aspx?id=15 Wi-Fi Netwrk Settings The fllwing fields are entered in N-Sight Fleet Management fr each netwrk which the carts may use t cnnect. All r specified carts may be assigned t each netwrk using N-Sight Fleet Management. These netwrk settings can be dwnladed t carts via a temprary Internet cnnectin, r may be laded using a flash drive plugged int the service prt under each cart s tuch screen cmputer. - SSID - Name Alphanumeric freefrm text (50 characters max) Alphanumeric freefrm text (This ptinal field allws yu t name each f yur netwrks fr easier identificatin in Cart Lcatr and Utilizatin Analysis) - Netwrk Key Alphanumeric passwrd (50 characters encrypted and always displayed as dts) - Authenticatin Unknwn, Open, Shared, AutSwitch, WPA, WPA(PSK), WPA(AdHc), WPA2 - EAP Type Default, MD5, TLS, PEAP, MSCHAPv2 - Encryptin Unknwn, WEP(Enabled), WEP(Disabled), WEP(KeyAbsent), WEP(NtSupprted), TKIP(Enabled), TKIP(KeyAbsent), AES(Enabled), AES(KeyAbsent) - Key Index 1 NOTE: WPA-Enterprise and WPA2-Enterprise are nt supprted at this time, due t lack f Windws CE supprt. Supprt may be added in the future. - Enable 802 Authenticatin? Checked/Unchecked