MERLIN PACS has a fully redundant archive. Our High Availability Solution, based on a master-master-replication, permanently synchronizes all image data between at least 2 – or any number of – equal servers. Our UNIX® based High Availability Solution was completely developed in-house. Thus, no third-party software is needed and an optimal integration of all archive components can be guaranteed. Therefore, our system is characterized by paramount stability and unexcelled pace.

The Storage Manager, integrated in our MERLIN Archive, structures and arranges storage data in an intelligent way ensuring access in a fraction of seconds and the security and integrity of all sensitive medical image data. By generating SHA-1 or MD5 check sums it secures an unambiguous identification of the images and precludes their subsequent manipulation. All data is checked regularly and automatically for completeness or damage in order to safeguard long-term archiving.

The Replication Manager was developed for multi-site installations, regulating and orchestrating the communication between different archives. Its purpose is the permanent synchronization of stored data. The system can be customized to various needs, storing either the complete data of all sites, a part of it, or on-site data only.

The MERLIN Caching Archive is an independent archive providing all currently stored data with a lossless compression factor of ~2.5 via a first in, first out logic. Its connection to the main archive assures the ongoing synchronization of both archives. Especially in heavily used networks, the MERLIN Caching Archive allows channeling external access. All image data is immediately available at any location, even during network traffic peaks.

To guarantee auditing acceptability even in case of a disaster recovery, all incoming image data is simultaneously stored in the archive and in an online-backup-system. While conventional backup procedures are usually carried out once a day, our Real-Time Backup secures the currently stored data continuously. The backup media are structured in such a way that a reconstruction of the entire PACS data is possible within a few hours.

MERLIN PACS can be customized for the use of different tenants working independently and storing their image data in separated domains into the same physical archive. Images generated on different sites can be stored on one central server unit. Nevertheless, each tenant can generally access only their own image data. Upon customers’ requests, other storage concepts can be realized: extended software functionality allows for the integration of specific studies into other tenants’ archives in order to grant access to these studies to both tenants. Another possibility is transparent access for all tenants. Data are filed according to tenants while access privileges are configured so users with the corresponding rights are able to see image data from different sites.

The dimensions and complexity of health service complexes and cooperating medical practices are increasing; often they are distributed over several sites. Supporting this development, MERLIN PACS’ Multisite Option facilitates an integrated installation at several locations. The respective sites can be equipped with main or caching archives. Our multi-master-replication guarantees an optimal performance at each site, even in case of hardware failures.

MERLIN LDAP Gateway

MERLIN LDAP Gateway enables you to access the user accounts of your LDAP server and to emulate the access permissions of MERLIN’s user groups. MERLIN PACS can be comfortably integrated into the customers’ established user and rights management. Via LDAP authentication, logging on to MERLIN PACS is facilitated.

MERLIN YubiKey Extension

MERLIN YubiKey Extension supports a login via YubiKey®, the USB device which has been developed by Yubico AB especially to secure networks and service login. YubiKey® login significantly increases the users’ security. A two-factor authentication affords optimum protection from online identity theft. The identification and authentication occur within seconds.

MERLIN Radius Extension

MERLIN Radius Extension provides comfortable management and central administration of your YubiKeys®.

The module Mobile Visit offers the possibility to load all image studies of patients from a specific ward on a tablet. Presentation of the image data can take place directly at the patient’s bed.

MERLIN DICOM Router

MERLIN DICOM Router is designed for automatically routing medical image data with predefined criteria within a network. The routing is rule-based and can be adapted to individual requests.

MERLIN Scheduler

MERLIN Scheduler is designed for timing the automatic transmission of DICOM data. This includes the possibility to predefine the time of synchronization of archives from multiple sites.

MERLIN Worklist Server manages data communication from the leading hospital information system to the modality. With MERLIN Worklist Server, patient and order data can be transferred to the corresponding modalities, foregoing manual input of patient data at the modality. The unique assignment of the generated image data to patient data is thereby guaranteed.

If several departments or clients use the same modality, MERLIN Worklist Server offers the additional feature of the MERLIN Worklist Concentrator. It merges the work lists generated by different institutions into one. Upon customer request, the image data generated by the modality can be attributed to the corresponding initiator’s archive.

MERLIN Referring Physicians’ Portal yields smooth communication with referring physicians and hospitals giving further treatments. Studies and images are transmitted to partners and colleagues via a central internet portal. This module is seamlessly integrated in the workflow and enables a fast and efficient data transfer. Image data and information are secured from unauthorized access by login and password. In accordance with international security standards, data are transmitted via https with secure socket layer encryption.