Red Hat Enterprise Linux powers Argentinian transplant database

Industry: Healthcare and Government
Geography: Argentina
Goal: To create a centralized database for organ transplant coordination. To allow multiple groups access to that information.
Solution: Software: Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Distributor: LatinSource Technology
Benefits: Cost-effective solution. Reliable, timely communication throughout theorgan donation process.

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Instituto Nacional Central Unico Coordinador de Ablacione Implante (INCUCAI) is a decentralised body of the Department of Health in Argentina that regulates and oversees the procurement and transplant of organs and tissues throughout the country. Transplant coordination is a complicated process, involving many parties: transplant teams, laboratories, dialysis centers, financial backers, district harvesting teams, transplant donors, and others. One of the biggest challenges INCUCAI faces is getting the right information to the right people at the right time.

Decentralized systems create major problems

For years, INCUCAI had to work with each regional branch separately to coordinate various independent systems. Many times, these systems were not properly synchronized.

We chose tools and technology which are the latest generation. We are happy with Red Hat and Oracle and believe we have made the right choice.

The main challenge was to decentralize information management, giving all those who have a role in the transplant process direct access to the system.

With so many people requiring access, an Internet architecture was the only possible solution. Secondly, they needed to collect the information in a single database to avoid inconsistency and to centralize administration and optimize storage.

Undertaking an ambitious project

In 2003, INCUCAI embarked on the Sistema Nacional de Informacion de Procuracion de Trasplante de la Republica Argentina, or SINTRA, project. Their goal was to renovate the IT environment, replacing outdated systems and creating a large modular system based on web applications. This would allow for real-time registration and maintain the integrity of information stored in a single database.

“Before we began to develop the new system, there were serious problems with consistency in the way the institution operated and only INCUCAI personnel had access to certain sections of information. This project was highly sought after by the authorities because implementing it would provide a significant benefit to the community contribution and would make activities more transparent,” said Mariano Soratti, coordinator of SINTRA for INCUCAI.

Linux seemed, to us, to be more reliable, stable and upgradeable than Windows. It has significant advantages regarding security of information and availability, which are essential factors in a highly available critical application.

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Because SINTRA was to become a critical part of INCUCAI’s operations, the underlying operating system had to offer the highest levels of reliability, support and security. “The Linux operating system seemed, to us, to be more reliable, stable and upgradeable than Windows,” explained Soratti.”It has significant advantages regarding security of information and availability, which are essential factors in a highly available critical application.”

INCUCAI had existing technology vendors that they wanted to continue using, so they wanted a Linux distribution that would be certified by those vendors.

“Before we chose Red Hat Enterprise Linux, we carefully researched the distribution because the operating system we chose had to be certified by Oracle, HP and IBM. Furthermore, we chose Red Hat because it has a distributor, LatinSource Technology, in Argentina,” Soratti said.

The SINTRA project was split into modules and deployment was scheduled over two and a half years. INCUCAI expects to conclude the project in the summer of 2005. The system consists of:

• 2 HP® ProLiant® DL380 Servers for generating databases

Before we chose Red Hat Enterprise Linux, we carefully researched the distribution because the operating system we chose had to be certified by Oracle, HP and IBM. Furthermore, we chose Red Hat because it has a distributor in Argentina.

• 1 IBM® xSeries® 345 server and 2 Intel 5000s for applications
• 1 IBM xSeries 336 Server as a Firewall
• Oracle software (with a perpetual licence)
• J2EE software
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux

“Red Hat Enterprise Linux has not caused us any problems to date. Database production has been working, uninterrupted, for a little over 2 years, and the server responds without any problems,”Soratti said.

In January 2005 the system was updated to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.

Efficient, reliable communication

According to Soratti, the cost of using Linux in this project was minimal. “It was limited to the purchase of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, with no hidden costs or pending maintenance fees.” Better yet, SINTRA makes information available to all parties in the transplant process. “They are allable to login to their user account, and manage their own profile accordingly. In addition, it also enables the media to be better informed and not to have to be constantly waiting for news or calling for information. SINTRA gave us a degree of mobility because it’s based on a web architecture that allows it to be accessed from any location and from any computer with Internet access,” Soratti said.

“At first, this project was really ambitious and we did not know what we were going to encounter or how much it would cost. We chose tools and technology, which, as I understand it, are the latest generation,” said Soratti. “We are happy with Red Hat and Oracle and believe we have made the right choice.