Runnymede Healthcare Centre (RHC) has provided chronic care services in Toronto since 1945.
In 2003, the Ontario government announced that RHC’s 95-bed facility would be replaced by
an all-new 200-bed facility. Following a prolonged and complex approval and funding process
with provincial and municipal agencies, as well as ongoing fund-raising from the private sector,
construction was scheduled for completion in mid-2010.
IT challenge
RHC’s data centre, network and IT systems needed to be designed and implemented from
the ground up. The major IT challenge was to accommodate rigid budgeting time-lines and
scheduling constraints while also adapting to changes necessitated during the building’s
design and construction.
Solution strategy
To provide an integrated, single-source solution capable, and to be able to execute many tasks
both simultaneously and independently, Metafore mobilized an A-list team of major hardware
and software partners, including VMware, Brocade Technologies, HP and Microsoft.
Critical success factors
Bench strength: Under Metafore’s leadership an expert project team worked together closely
with the RHC IT team to quickly develop and execute a comprehensive, best-of-breed IT
infrastructure solution.
Agility: The project team had to be able to work within tightly defined administrative processes
(planning, costing, scheduling, etc.) while still meeting core data centre and IT infrastructure
priorities.
Flexibility: Because of unforeseen timing and construction constraints, numerous IT changes
had to be made without incurring further delays or costs.
