Building robust network infrastructure within 3 days in Ontario-based LTC home remotely through AR technology during COVID-19

The Project

An Ontario-based LTC home reached out to SyS Creations during COVID-19. They were using the legacy Wi-Fi system and experiencing many network issues and glitches which often resulted in a poor connection. Extensive downtime became routine for them. Eventually, they had to go paper-based and use their MAR and TAR completely manually.

The client had a very straightforward requirement: plan, design, deploy and maintain a robust network infrastructure so that they can eliminate paperwork and resume online senior care processes without any interruptions.

Since the Canadian government had imposed a rule to quarantine yourself for 14 days after visiting the LTC home, our Network Engineers configured networking devices such as the Firewall, Switches, Controllers, and Wi-Fi Access Points at our location and assisted the client to install them in the LTC facility through AR video technology. We planned, designed, configured, and deployed the network within 3 days, during the COVID-19 period.

Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Industry: Long-Term Care

Service: IT Infrastructure, Network Engineering, Network Support

Objectives & Problem Statements

• Staff members, residents, and guests should be able to access high-speed Internet anywhere in the LTC facility and retirement home.
• Internet speed should be uniform at every bed or room of residents.
• Any network error should be reported and solved immediately with trigger-based mechanisms.
• Ability to monitor the network parameters such as network events, connections, coverage, and traffic in real-time.

The Solution

To satisfy the client requirements, we decided to put the IT infrastructure team, network engineering team, and network support team to work all together to deliver the solution in a period of 3 days. The IT infrastructure and network engineering teams worked collaboratively to plan, design & deploy the network, and the network support team worked to solve the client’s queries and network glitches during the remote deployment.

❖ Networking Hardware Assessment

• Our IT infrastructure team and network engineering team assessed which hardware is required for current problem and future growth.
• Network Engineers prepared the extensive network infrastructure plan which included the number & type of networking hardware, connection method, and right placement.

❖ Networking Hardware Acquisition

• According to the network infrastructure plan, we ordered the networking devices through our distribution network.
• Our trusted vendors - Cisco Meraki & Ubiquiti - shipped the networking devices to our location.

❖ Networking Hardware Configuration

• Our Network Engineers configured 5 Managed Switches and 27 Access Points.
• Later, our Network Engineers tested it and shipped it to the client's location.

❖ Networking Hardware Deployment

• Since our deployment team could not visit the client's LTC home due to COVID-19, the client had to install and deploy pre-configured networking devices on their own. However, our deployment team helped them deploy networking hardware by using a groundbreaking technology - AR-based Remote Assistance Technology.
• We assisted them to place the right networking device to the right location in the LTC facility.

❖ Networking Support

• A dedicated support team always remains on standby to solve network errors as well as the client’s queries immediately.