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University Implements Virtual Solution to
Enhance Medical Program
Boston University/Boston Medical Center uses Unified Computing System to enhance
biomedical research and teaching.
Challenge
Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC), comprising Boston University School
of Medicine, School of Public Health, School of Dental Medicine as well as the affiliated
Boston Medical Center is a large academic medical center and top research institution.
BUMC conducts intensive translational research, multidisciplinary biomedical research,
including basic sciences such as dermatology, immunology, and pathology as well
as educating graduate and medical students, post-doctoral fellows, and medical
residents and fellows. To complete quality translational research, BUMC researchers
utilize highly technical research-centric computing resources coupled to multimillion-
dollar research instrumentation and facilities.
of Medicine, School of Public Health, School of Dental Medicine as well as the affiliated
Boston Medical Center is a large academic medical center and top research institution.
BUMC conducts intensive translational research, multidisciplinary biomedical research,
including basic sciences such as dermatology, immunology, and pathology as well
as educating graduate and medical students, post-doctoral fellows, and medical
residents and fellows. To complete quality translational research, BUMC researchers
utilize highly technical research-centric computing resources coupled to multimillion-
dollar research instrumentation and facilities.
To an increasing degree in 2011, researchers in the Department of Medicine (DOM)
were finding that technology infrastructure improvements were needed within the
campus data centers. The existing platform, originally built for standard office computing
and storing electronic records, was not equipped to handle the digital needs of
modern research and DOM’s daily massive production of research data. The existing
technology was slowing research efforts, making it difficult to manipulate research-
specific applications such as high-performance image analysis. John Meyers,
Director of Technology for the Department of Medicine, says, “As a practicing scientist
and IT director, I was very frustrated, as were my colleagues, at that lack of a central
application management system.”
were finding that technology infrastructure improvements were needed within the
campus data centers. The existing platform, originally built for standard office computing
and storing electronic records, was not equipped to handle the digital needs of
modern research and DOM’s daily massive production of research data. The existing
technology was slowing research efforts, making it difficult to manipulate research-
specific applications such as high-performance image analysis. John Meyers,
Director of Technology for the Department of Medicine, says, “As a practicing scientist
and IT director, I was very frustrated, as were my colleagues, at that lack of a central
application management system.”
In addition, with no data backup or central management capabilities, data loss in
labs was frequent, and data security was being compromised. Dr. Meyers says,
“We [the DOM administration] heard horror stories of entire labs losing entire years
of research. There was no central support for research computing.”
labs was frequent, and data security was being compromised. Dr. Meyers says,
“We [the DOM administration] heard horror stories of entire labs losing entire years
of research. There was no central support for research computing.”
DOM needed a solution that would enhance the performance of its hardware and
management of its applications. Desktop virtualization was the clear solution to
address the challenges. However, because DOM central technology was funded
through an endowment, its budget for technology upgrades was limited, a common
challenge for research centers.
management of its applications. Desktop virtualization was the clear solution to
address the challenges. However, because DOM central technology was funded
through an endowment, its budget for technology upgrades was limited, a common
challenge for research centers.
Solution
To tackle DOM’s challenges, Cisco proposed integrating a robust virtualization
platform that could be centrally managed: the Cisco Unified Computing System™
(UCS™), a converged data center platform. For Dr. Meyers, in his role as IT director,
the prospect of efficient data center management and automation was intriguing.
“The more I learned about UCS, the more I liked it,” he says. After careful comparison
to an industry competitor, the Department of Medicine chose Cisco to meet the
research center’s needs in performance, management, and cost savings. “Cisco
platform that could be centrally managed: the Cisco Unified Computing System™
(UCS™), a converged data center platform. For Dr. Meyers, in his role as IT director,
the prospect of efficient data center management and automation was intriguing.
“The more I learned about UCS, the more I liked it,” he says. After careful comparison
to an industry competitor, the Department of Medicine chose Cisco to meet the
research center’s needs in performance, management, and cost savings. “Cisco
Executive Summary
Boston University / Boston Medical
Center, Department of Medicine
• Industry: Higher Education
• Location: Boston, MA
• Number of Employees: >10,000
• Location: Boston, MA
• Number of Employees: >10,000
CHALLENGE
• Centralize management of unique,
research-specific applications
• Increase hardware performance to
sustain collaborative medical research
endeavors
• Requirement to stay within budget
SOLUTION
• Enable desktop virtualization by
integrating Cisco Unified Computing
System
RESULTS
• Unprecedented level of application
management flexibility
• Facilitated collaboration with
researchers outside of the University
• Overall improvement in the ability to
conduct critical medical research
1 © 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.