INHS/Engage Protects Critical Patient Data, Boosts Care

“Initially, Engage offered tape-based backup services, but the time and cost to create, manage, transport, and store the data quickly skyrocketed. More efficient backup processes were needed to enable the division to continue to provide customers with the most cost-effective solutions possible,” said Sean Harnett, an assistant director of network services, INHS/Engage. “With NetApp, we can help our customers direct more time and money into patient care – and that is what our business is all about.“

Engage, the technology division of nonprofit Inland Northwest Health Services (INHS), is dedicated to finding innovative ways to help medical centers leverage IT to enhance both operational efficiencies and quality of care. Hospitals coast to coast rely on Engage’s hosting services to manage and protect their critical data.

To reduce the time, cost, and risk associated with tape-based backup services, Engage enlisted NetApp, Inc. to create a secure backup solution with integration to the cloud. Not only did the pilot offer a fast, simple, and cost-effective backup in Engage’s Meditech environment, it laid the groundwork for an off-site backup-to-cloud service for hospitals and clinics facing similar backup-to-tape challenges.

NetApp AltaVault cloud-integrated storage supports cloud-enabled backup and recovery services that are easy to integrate, simple to manage, and secure. AltaVault also helps Engage offer those services for a fraction of what traditional PBBAs or tape-based backups cost. As a result, hospitals and clinics can save from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on their size.

Paired with even new data center deployments (such as a NetApp FAS8000 series storage system running the NetApp clustered Data ONTAP OS within Engage’s hosting environment), Engage makes it easier for a growing roster of customers to begin their journey to the cloud.

With NetApp, Engage has been able to:

• Create a new service with an alternative to traditional backup.
• Speed time to value with fast ramp-up and automated hands-off management.
• Optimize operational efficiency and improve productivity.
• Save hospitals and clinics tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars while improving data protection.
  

Case study