Upgrading The Network
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Company Objectives & Gap Analysis Overview
Identifying gaps in the current network to align with the healthcare office’s goals of enhanced security, efficiency, and enterprise-level performance.
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Situated in the heart of New York City, our healthcare office provides essential medical services to a robust client base. As a HIPAA-regulated environment, we handle large volumes of sensitive patient information, ranging from medical records to billing data. Currently, our IT infrastructure relies on a standard Spectrum home router to manage network traffic. Data storage for patient information and internal records is mostly done via cloud-based services, with no local server resources in place.
Our day-to-day operations demand a reliable, secure, and scalable network. Maintaining compliance with HIPAA regulations is critical, and as we expand our services, we aim to minimize any vulnerability or downtime in the system. We also seek to offer employees and clients a streamlined digital experience, which includes handling appointments, telehealth sessions, and secure data transfers. These needs lay the groundwork for transitioning away from a basic SoHo environment into a more robust enterprise-level infrastructure.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES & GOALS
- Establish an On-Premises Database Server: Transition from purely cloud-based data storage to an internal database solution, enabling greater control and faster local data access.
- Enhanced Network Security: Implement a framework that replaces the single shared Wi-Fi password with individual credentials and robust access controls (e.g., RADIUS authentication, private cloud).
- Comprehensive HIPAA Compliance: Integrate secure protocols and intrusion prevention systems (IPS/IDS) to ensure end-to-end data protection and meet all regulatory requirements.
- Private Cloud & Mail Server: Implement a self-hosted mail server and expand private cloud functionality for secure file sharing, email, and data loss prevention (DLP) measures.
- Scalable Voice over IP (VoIP) Infrastructure: Deploy a business-class VoIP system with redundancy and failover, eliminating single points of failure.
- Network Redundancy & High Availability: Design the network with built-in redundancy (multiple WAN links, load balancing) to maintain 100% uptime.
- Zero-Trust Architecture: Enforce the principle of “never trust, always verify” for every user, device, and segment of the network.
GAP ANALYSIS
To effectively transform this SoHo setup into an enterprise-grade network, we need to identify the gaps between the current state of the network and the desired target infrastructure that aligns with HIPAA mandates and best practices. Below is a brief overview of critical areas that require improvements.
Current State
- Single ISP-provided router
- Shared Wi-Fi password for staff
- Entirely public cloud data storage
- 3 office computers (no local server)
- Minimal DLP & no dedicated IPS/IDS
- Reliance on external email providers
Target State
- Enterprise-grade firewall & router
- RADIUS-based authentication & VLANs
- Hybrid cloud (private + public) solutions
- Dedicated local server (Windows Domain, Database)
- Advanced IPS, IDS, & DLP measures
- Self-hosted mail & VoIP infrastructure
Visual Overview
Below is a simplified representation of how we plan to move from a minimal, home-based router setup to a fully redundant, secure environment. Each bar shows current readiness vs. required readiness for the target state.
INFRASTRUCTURE HIGHLIGHTS
Explore some of the architectural components and improvements planned for this healthcare office. Swipe or click through the slides to discover key upgrades in design, security, and administration.
NEXT STEPS
With a clear plan to close the gaps and meet all project objectives, our next move is to detail the Assets & Inventory, outline the Procurement & Deployment strategies, and assemble robust Network Diagrams & Topologies to guide this transformation. By methodically addressing each requirement—from server provisioning to compliance auditing—we ensure a future-proof, secure, and highly available healthcare network infrastructure.