DICOM
Anniversary Conference & Workshop
Baltimore, 22-23 Sept 2003
Automatic Configuration of
DICOM Network Applications
Experience with Frozen Draft of Supplement 67
Andrew Hewett
Siemens Medical Solutions
Scope – DICOM Configuration
Management (Supplement 67)
Scope
Status Quo
Future Vision
Profiles
Simplify installation and maintenance of DICOM Network
Applications
Reduce manual data entry of network parameters
Automate collection of network parameters
Automate distribution of network parameters
Trial
Test Cases
Experience
Use industry standard IT network protocols
DHCP – Obtain Network Parameters
DNS – Resolve names to addresses
NTP – Maintain accurate synchronized time
LDAP – Directory lookup of network devices & capabilities
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2
Status Quo –
Install a new Workstation
Scope
Status Quo
Administrator / Technician / User
Identify network parameters of new Workstation
Future Vision
Profiles
Trial
Test Cases
Experience
Manual entry of “self” network parameters
• Hostname, IP-Address, Netmask, DNS, Default Gateway, …
• Unused Unique AE Title(s), Local Port, Supported Services, …
Manual entry of “remote node” network parameters for each device
with which communication is desired
• Hostnames, IP-addresses, AE Titles, Ports
• Supported Services, Roles, Transfer Syntaxes
• Device type (e.g. RIS, Archive, Printer, …), …
Visit each device in network
Manually enter network parameters of new WS
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3
Future – Install a new Workstation
(Centrally Driven)
Scope
Status Quo
Future Vision
Profiles
Trial
Test Cases
Experience
Administrator
Creates name/credentials and registers WS with DHCP/DNS/LDAP
Loads predefined WS configuration in LDAP server
• Device details, hostname, ports, AETs, SOP Classes, etc.
• Peer (Workflow) Devices, etc.
Technician
Installs hardware & enters WS name/credentials
Workstation Automatically
Obtains network parameters & synchronizes to network time
Obtains “own” configuration from LDAP server
Technician
Refines WS configuration (if necessary)
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4
Future – Install a new Workstation
(Client Driven)
Scope
Status Quo
Future Vision
Profiles
Trial
Administrator
Creates name/credentials and registers WS with DHCP/DNS/LDAP
Technician
Installs hardware & enters WS name/credentials
Workstation Automatically
Obtains network parameters & synchronizes to network time
Identifies available unique DICOM AE Title(s) for own use
Test Cases
Registers WS own capabilities to LDAP server
Experience
Searches for “interesting” remote DICOM devices in LDAP Server
• RIS, Archive, Network Printers, Workstations
Technician
Refines WS configuration (if necessary)
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5
Future – Send images to a new WS
Scope
Status Quo
Future Vision
Profiles
Trial
Test Cases
Experience
A new WS is installed
Other devices can immediately send images to new WS
Fully Dynamic Configuration (e.g. on a Modality)
Open Patient Browser (view of Local Database)
• Select Patient and choose “Send to WS …”
Dialog shows “filtered” list of “assigned” Workstations
• Obtained from central config server
Select desired WS (if more than 1)
Send images to selected WS
• Using network parameters obtained from central config server
(LDAP & DNS)
Many variations on this theme are possible
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6
Configuration Management Profiles
Scope
Status Quo
Future Vision
Profiles
Trial
Test Cases
Products can claim conformance to separate Profiles
Network Address Management Profile
• Obtain Network Parameters & Resolve names to addresses
• Client must support DHCP & DNS
Time Synchronization Profile
• Maintain accurate synchronized time
• Client must support SNTP or NTP
DICOM Application Configuration Management Profile
Experience
• Directory lookup of network devices & capabilities
• Client must support LDAP protocol & DICOM schema
Each Profile defines
Actors & Transactions (Required/Optional)
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7
Configuration Management Profiles
Scope
Status Quo
Future Vision
Profiles
Trial
Test Cases
Products can claim conformance to separate Profiles
Network Address Management Profile
• Obtain Network Parameters & Resolve names to addresses
• Client must support DHCP & DNS
Time Synchronization Profile
• Maintain accurate synchronized time
• Client must support SNTP or NTP
DICOM Application Configuration Management Profile
Experience
• Directory lookup of network devices & capabilities
• Client must support LDAP protocol & DICOM schema
Each Profile defines
Actors & Transactions (Required/Optional)
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8
Trial Implementation
Scope
WG6 created a “Frozen Draft for Trial Implementation”
Status Quo
Sup67 is unusual for DICOM Standardization
Future Vision
Discover and fix problems before Ballot
Profiles
Trial
“Frozen Draft” status will be reviewed in January 2004
Siemens has developed a demo client implementation
Test Cases
Microsoft .NET Environment
Experience
Uses DirectoryServices class library for LDAP client support
Tested against the SunONE and OpenLDAP directory servers
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9
Test Cases
Scope
Status Quo
Future Vision
Profiles
Trial
Test Cases
Experience
Install a new LDAP Server into a legacy network
Install a new managed device (pre-loaded LDAP Server
configuration)
Install a new managed device (file-based data upload)
Install a new managed device (protocol-based data upload)
Find archives, workstations and printers
Change managed device configuration on the server
Change managed device configuration (file-based data
upload)
Change managed device configuration (protocol-based
data upload)
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10
Trial Experience
Scope
Status Quo
Future Vision
Profiles
Trial
Test Cases
Experience
Successfully completed all LDAP-related test cases
Limitations of LDAP server products & client libraries
Multi-valued RDNs
Modify RDN
Minor revisions to DICOM LDAP schema necessary
Clarification of some details necessary
Renaming a device
Intended use of “Peer AE Titles”
Important to test with multiple LDAP servers
Strict vs. lenient syntax checking
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