When you think of a healthcare facility and the IT challenges it may face, you probably first thing of large hospitals. And, while they certainly face a number of IT challenges, many other healthcare facilities, such as clinics, outpatient practices, dental offices and more face IT challenges as well. Today, medical records, patient files, physician notes, prescription orders and more are all kept on secure servers and transmitted securely via electronic file sharing methods. Paper files are quickly becoming a thing of the past and this means that all healthcare facilities, large or small, have to find efficient and effective means of managing their IT. Many small healthcare facilities are short on space as it is so a dedicated server room is likely not practical or even possible. Rather than having a dedicated server room, many healthcare facilities could simply opt for a server-room-in-a-box instead.
A server-room-in-a-box is small but still effectively houses IT equipment in one location that is ideally designed for security and energy-efficiency. A server-room-in-a-box can be housed in furniture that coordinates with the rest of the decor in a healthcare facility so it will blend right in. The housing can be on caster wheels or can be completely locked down depending on each healthcare facilities specific needs. When you hear about a server-room-in-a-box you may worry about overheating and energy efficiency but a server-room-in-a-box is self-cooled with fan options and ventilation so that you do not need any special equipment to keep it running properly. Also, if you have been in a server room you know that it can be noisy at times. With a server-room-in-a-box it is actually quiet because it will muffle noise from the equipment. Ideally you should aim to muffle as much noise as possible (aim for approximately 90%) so that you can create an ideal healthcare facility setting and work without interruption. The server-room-in-a-box you choose should have an integrated PDU to make power distribution easy. If you are also wondering if the capacity of a server-room-in-a-box will be enough, they actually come in a variety of capacities ranging from 12U to 38U. And, if necessary you could always add an additional server-room-in-a-box should capacity needs increase. Healthcare facilities face a number of different challenges than a typical office setting might face. It is not just employees visiting the facilities each day but patients and outside personnel as well. With that in mind, as well as reduced space needs, a server-room-in-a-box is an ideal approach to managing IT needs in a healthcare facility.