Based upon initial data generated by 7SIGNAL, Canton Mercy Medical Center upgraded a wireless LAN controller and saw immediate improvements in throughput. In phase two, 7SIGNAL data identified an additional controller requiring upgrade, traffic bottlenecks in the 2.4GHz band and recommended a variety of configuration changes throughout the environment. After these changes were made, the hospital saw significant improvements in voice call quality, throughput, packet loss, bandwidth utilization and other key metrics.
Given the dynamic nature of the Wi-Fi environment, Mercy Medical Center continues to rely upon 7SIGNAL to ensure performance and quality of service. After performing remediation and getting the overall network performing above baseline targets, the hospital established thresholds within the Sapphire Eye. The system provides a graphical “dashboard” view of data so that IT staff can see at a glance if SLAs are being met. If metrics drop below threshold, the system sends an alert.
“Before, we would have to wait until a lot of people complained and then do a lot of research to find the issue. Now, we are able to be more proactive about it.” Triplett said. “This has not only enabled us to resolve problems more quickly but it has also reduced the number of calls to our help desk related to wireless connectivity.”
The 7SIGNAL also stores historical data and presents graphs that show trends over time. If there are any changes to the wireless environment, they are noted on the graphs so IT staff can see whether the impact of the change was positive or negative.
“When users experience poor performance, the first thing they blame is the wireless network because they can’t see it,” said Jones. “This is a great tool to eliminate that perception and help us focus on what the problem really might be. More importantly, it enables us to provide a wireless solution that is 100 percent available, helping to increase productivity, reduce risk and improve patient care.”
