1995 AAPM Annual Meeting
AAPMnet Network Demonstration
History
The idea for an AAPM network during the 1995 Annual Meeting developed out of two
independent conversations. During the 1994 Annual Meeting, Marty Weinhous and myself discussed
the idea of having Internet accessibility during the AAPM Meeting, noting how useful it was for
keeping up with messages while away [we both use it extensively during the RSNA meetings]. During
the 1994 ASTRO meeting, Dave Neblett and I discussed the idea of the exhibitor network, noting the
difficulty many physicists have in understanding the conformance statements of DICOM, and thus
the issues in purchasing equipment that was "DICOM-ready". At that time, Dave volunteered the
use of a file server from ROCS for such a network.
With this start, I arranged a meeting during the RSNA meeting to see what interest there
was in such a network. Representatives from ROCS, SSGI, RAHD, MKS, and several other companies attended
the meeting, and it was decided that there was interest in proceeding with the project. Coincidentally,
another meeting was being held during the RSNA to start a working group to develop a radiation oncology
extension to DICOM. The concept of the AAPMnet was brought up during that meeting, and more interest was
expressed.
AAPMnet
AAPMnet for 1995 is a coaxial [thin-net] ethernet run from a central hub to approximately
20 locations on the exhibit floor. Each vendor participating in the network volunteered to provide one
or more of the following:
- File Server:
- Allow storage of public utility programs. Provide access to DICOM images for all participants
on the network.
- Public Access Workstation:
- There are a number of public access workstations set up on the technical exhibit area. These
workstations, both Unix and Windows based, have been provided with the basic network and WWW
software to allow connection from the exhibit floor to the Internet.
- Internet Access Contribution:
- Connecting to the Internet is not free. There were cost associated with the telephone line [a
T1 line with total throughput of 1.544 Mb/s] running from the local Internet Resource
[BBNPlanet, the
administrator of NEARnet, the New England Academic Regional network], and the wiring and equiment
needed to distribute the network to the participants and the public areas.
Participants:
I would like to thank each of the vendors for their participation in this experimental
endeavor. I had little knowledge of the complexities/problems that lay before me when I started this, and even
now, two days before the meeting, am sure that I have neglected one or more major issues that will need to be
addressed before Monday. Without the help and understanding of the following vendors, this project would never
have come as far as it has. Please visit them and thank them for their participation.
- SSGI
- Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- GE Medical Systems
- Sun Sparc FileServer w/DICOM Capabilities
AAPMnet Participant
- RAHD Oncology Products
- Public Access Workstation
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- Leibinger LP
- Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- NOMOS
- Public Access Workstation
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- ADAC Laboratories
- Sun Sparc FileServer w/DICOM Capabilities
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- ROCS
- Pentium FileServer
AAPMnet Participant
- Siemens Medical Systems
- MagicView FileServer w/DICOM Capabilities
AAPMnet Participant
- Multidata Systems
- Pentium FileServer w/DICOM Capabilities
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- Theratronics Ltd.
- Public Access Workstation
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- Radionics Software Applications (RSA)
- Public Access Workstation
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- Varian Associates
- Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- Philips Medical Systems
- Sun FileServer w/DICOM Capabilities
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- Medical Knowledge Systems (MKS)
- Windows NT FileServer w/DICOM Capabilities
Public Access Workstation
AAPMnet Participant
- Precision Therapy Int'l
- Pentium Unix FileServer w/DICOM Capabilities
Public Access Workstation
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
- IMPAC Medical
- Public Access Workstation
- Elekta Instruments
- HP 730 FileServer
Internet Donation
AAPMnet Participant
In addition, a number of helpful suggestions were made by Hermes
System Management.
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