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The major technical elements required to provide data and Internet communications between NIH institutions and locations around the globe, as well as communications with business partner sites, universities, hospitals, and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) operating divisions (OpDivs).

Technology Architecture

Networks:35 related definitions

Brick

Access Router/Switch Brick:
Access routers and switches connect subnets to the distribution layer. In some cases, the access router/switch functionality is combined with the....
Availability Management - Network Brick:
Network management includes the administrative services performed in managing NIHnet and the Institute and Center (IC) networks, including network....
Campus Area Network (CAN) Brick:
A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a computer network that interconnects Local Area Networks (LAN) throughout a limited geographical area, such as a....
Communications Protocol Brick:
Communications protocols define the rules for sending blocks of data from one node in the network to another node and are normally defined in layers.....
Controller Area Network (CAN)/ Multi Area Network (MAN)/ Wide Area Network (WAN) Transport Brick:
NIH has migrated from an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone to a Gigabit Ethernet fiber backbone in the Controller Area Network (CAN)....
Core Router Brick:
Core routers are part of the backbone, which also contains all the high-speed transport media. This layer does not provide any packet manipulation.
Distribution Router/Switch Brick:
Distribution routers and switches connect the access layer to the backbone network. The distribution layer directs and filters traffic between access....
Local Area Network (LAN) Cabling Brick:
Structured cabling standards have been developed and published by NIH. Figure 2 and Figure 3 in the Patterns section of this report illustrate a....
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN):
A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a computer network that interconnects Local Area Networks (LAN) throughout a limited geographical area, such as a....
Network Access Control Brick:
Network Access Control will be used to enforce authentication, compliance, and remediation policy for every device that connects to the NIH....
Network Load Balancing Server Brick:
This brick shows NIH’s direction for network load balancers that allow server workload to be distributed across multiple servers for greater....
Remote Network Access Technology Brick:
Remote access provides the ability to connect to the network from a distant location. This requires a computer, a modem and remote access software to....
RETIRED - Controller Area Network (CAN)/Multi Area Network (MAN)/Wide Area Network (WAN) Optical Networking Brick:
The Controller Area Network (CAN)/Multi Area Network (MAN)/Wide Area Network (WAN) Optical Networking Brick addresses optical networking when....
Unified Communications - Conferencing Communications:
The purpose of this brick is to define the technologies that provide conferencing capabilities to the NIH.  This capability allows....
Unified Communications - EndPoints Brick:
The purpose of this brick is to define the technologies that serve as endpoints for multiple UC capabilities described in the previous bricks.....
Unified Communications - Voice Communications:
The purpose of this brick is to define the technologies that provide telephony or other voice communications (voice messaging) to the NIH. ....
Unified Communications Instant Messaging and Presence Brick:
The purpose of this brick is to define the technologies that provide instant messaging and presence capabilities to the NIH.  This capability....
Wide Area Network (WAN) Brick:
A wide area network (WAN) is a computer network that covers a broad area (i.e., any network whose communications links cross metropolitan, regional,....
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Brick:
The role of a wireless local area network (WLAN) is to extend network coverage to allow for in-building or campus communication for mobile....
Workgroup/Server Switch Brick:
The workgroup and server switches provide connectivity to and between workstations and servers, respectively, within a network segment.

Pattern

CAN/MAN/WAN Pattern:
CAN, MAN, and WAN, which represent one pattern are extensions of the networking capabilities performed by the LAN over a wider geographic distance. A....
LAN High Availability Configuration Pattern:
LAN High Availability Configuration Solution is for expected uptime of 99.999 percent or higher. At the device level, neighboring user devices are....
LAN Minimum Configuration Pattern:
LAN minimum configuration solution is for basic connectivity with expected minimum uptime of 99.5 percent. This configuration should be implemented....
Network Access Control Pattern:
NIH and its Institutes and Centers (ICs) are continually under computer attack from individuals  and organizations, requiring NIH to take a defensive....
Network Availability Management Pattern:
Availability Management is an Enterprise Systems Management (ESM) discipline. Network Availability Management includes the administrative services....
Network Availablity Management - IC High-Level Logical Design Pattern:
The IC high-level logical design pattern for network availability management illustrates how monitoring systems will monitor clients, servers,....
Network Load Balancing End-node Configuration Pattern:
Load balancing technology is used to balance workload across servers to improve availability, performance, and scalability. Network Load Balancers....
Network Load Balancing In-line Configuration Pattern:
Load balancing technology is used to balance workload across servers to improve availability, performance, and scalability. Network Load Balancers....
NIH Wireless User with VPN Pattern:
NIH Wireless User with VPN Pattern Printer-Friendly Version Description The Logical Design Pattern for NIH Wireless User with VPN shows the logical....
Remote Access Pattern:
Remote access provides the ability to securely log on to the network from a distant location through resources that are not managed by NIH. NIH....
Unified Communications Pattern:
​Unified Communications is orchestrated communication and collaboration across locations, time, and medium to accelerate business results. UC is....
Wireless Guest User Pattern:
The logical design pattern for wireless guest user shows how a wireless guest user can access the Internet or NIH resources through the wireless....
Wireless LAN Pattern:
Wireless LAN (WLAN) is a LAN communication technology in which radio, microwave or infrared links replace the physical media (i.e., wires and....

Principles

Network Principles:
High level statements of NIH's fundamental values that guide decision-making for networks.

Other

Required Features for Routers and Switches:
Each network layer has required features for routers and switches for a given OSI layer. The following table shows what features are required at what....

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