RNP completed the secure interconnection of 41 units of the Brazilian Hospital Services Company (Ebserh), located in 23 states and the Federal District, through the University Hospitals Management Network (RGHU). Now, there are more than 30,000 computers from Federal University Hospitals (HUFs) interconnected, benefiting around 120,000 users.

How did it come about?
Started in 2014, led by the Information Technology Directorate (DTI), the project's objective was to provide the HUFs and the Central Administration of Ebserh with public internet communication and private intranet communication. Based on this structure, the action aimed at creating a new architecture to establish a reliable, secure and scalable network, in order to meet the technical and operational aspects of the communication network infrastructure.

“The data processing, storage and security infrastructure was updated and reinforced in the Central Administration and in Ebserh's hospital units, with connectivity via RNP's infovia reaching directly to the HUs. RGHU is essential for networking between Ebserh hospitals”, explains Simone Scholze, Director of Information Technology.

What are the benefits?
RGHU implements its own exclusive connectivity service to guarantee technical and operational independence to the Information Technology (IT) teams of the HUFs, allowing them to manage their own communication networks. Given the operating complexity of a hospital unit, it was necessary to focus mainly on increasing availability and monitoring.

With the implementation of RGHU, it was possible to integrate with the Federated Academic Community – CAFe, enabling access to various services, such as joining the Education Roaming international network – Eduroam, which allows access to wireless networks (Wi-Fi) for employees , researchers, professors and students of Ebserh in about 100 countries.

The network facilitated day-to-day work, allowing for more efficient planning with the technical areas to install, configure and maintain equipment that requires remote access. Autonomy in the management of connectivity accesses is another positive point, according to Maiklemn Teixeira Menezes, manager of the University Hospital Complex of the Federal University of Pará (CHC-UFPA).

“When the university carried out maintenance on the network, the hospitals were often not informed. We only realized when the internet was unavailable, compromising activities at the hospital. After the implementation of the RGHU, we noticed a difference in security and network monitoring, through the follow-up of the Security Incident Service Center (Cais), which sends emails to the local team with guidelines on how to handle and correct security incidents identified in our network”, says Menezes.

Through digital transformation and technological innovation, the action nationally standardizes the form of networking and the computational environment in the 40 health units, users have access to the AGHU Hospital Management System and the Electronic Information System (SEI).

RGHU numbers

Gains in efficiency, security, and accessibility
At the University Hospital of Santa Maria of the Federal University of Santa Maria (HUSM-UFSM), manager Emerson Alexandre Mortari observed many gains. The main ones were the monitoring by the viaipe.rnp.br platform – where it is possible to monitor connection parameters, such as upload and download rates, latency and packet loss –, increased security in communication between units and direct service with RNP, as well as stability in time clock communication.

“Before, with the IPSec VPN [virtual private network], we frequently had problems related to records, but it's been a long time since we've been called upon by People Management. We attribute this gain to RGHU”, highlights Mortari.

“Quality of access, monitoring and full-time support” were some of the benefits perceived by Eduardo Rodrigo da Silva Marques, manager of the University Hospital Onofre Lopes of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (HUOL-UFRN), after the implementation of the University Hospital Management Network (RGHU).

The entire transition and adaptation phase to the network was efficient and transparent, without the need for specialized, extensive and complex training. “Just a quick transfer of knowledge and information was enough for the effective maintenance of the RGHU”, he points out. He states that the academic activities of teaching and research at HUOL-UFRN, as well as assistance and administrative activities, were favored by the project.

“In the current moment of digital transformation in health, fast, safe and stable access is fundamental for the implementation of projects such as Medical BIG Data, cloud computing, Information Systems with digital signature, Electronic Patient Record, adoption of the digital cloud certificate, electronic processing, Paperless Hospital”, he adds.

RNP was responsible for structuring the entire connectivity service, with great capillarity in Brazil. “The RGHU project provided Engineering at RNP with the challenge of creating a reliable, secure and scalable network architecture, which would satisfactorily meet the technical and operational aspects of this communication network infrastructure”, points out Jean Andrei, Operations analyst at RNP.

Modernization with the 10Gb/s network in the DF
Another RGHU action was the activation of the 10Gb-DF Network in four points of the network. Among the advantages of the project are the supply of modern equipment covered by software and hardware warranty; last mile connections at 10 Gb/s; dual optical fiber approach at all sites; use of dynamic routing protocols, with high resilience to failures and greater management effectiveness – which generates less downtime –; and less interference in the institution's intranet settings.

What's next?
RGHU is now in a new stage. Among the novelties is the implementation of a private cloud solution on the Network for the backup of centrally managed systems and the implementation of security sensors through adherence to the sensores.lat project with the aim of detecting and mitigating cyber threats on the network.