The background

South West Communications Group gives First DataBank Europe the confidence to co-locate 13 of its servers to create a resilient and efficient extension to its IT facilities.

First DataBank Europe is the UK’s leading provider of drug knowledge bases and active clinical decision support with more than 25 years of experience of maintaining, developing and integrating its products into clinical systems. Patient safety is the driving force behind this Exeter-based business. Through the effective integration of its clinical decision support, First DataBank Europe enables safer prescribing, dispensing and administration, helping clinicians to avoid potential medication errors.

The challenge

First DataBank Europe needed an alternative site to host a number of its servers to which it needed a direct link from its head office in Exeter. Among the data contained on these servers was its web-based Mulitilex Drug Data File, which holds clinical and commercial information on more than 75,000 pharmaceutical products and provides active clinical decision support and referential medicines information for all healthcare professionals. It also delivers product endorsing and provides reimbursement support for community pharmacists and dispensing doctors. Thus, constant access to this information was vital to First DataBank Europe’s customers.

In addition, First DataBank Europe is part of the American-owned Hearst Corporation, which operates a similar system called Map of Medicine, also required a server hosting option.

The solution

South West Communications Group initially provided First DataBank Europe with its server hosting service at its Exeter-based data centre which is linked back to its headquarters via a 1Gb leased line connection, which means their staff can directly access, update and administer its servers whenever they need to. In addition, Internet bandwidth is also provided through this leased line giving First DataBank access to up to 20Mb of Internet connectivity as part of a single solution that provides the following:

• Co-location for 20 servers
• High speed leased line connectivity
• Internet bandwidth
• Resilient power supply
• Fire protection
• Firewall protection
• High level security
• Workshop area for server administration
• 24/7 support

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