HSCN technical guidance

HSCN customer requirements discovery form

The HSCN customer requirements discovery form has been designed to support organisations migrating from the Transition Network to HSCN in capturing and consolidating information regarding their existing network estate and IT services.

The aim of capturing this information is to allow organisations to record what connections and services will be impacted by their migration to HSCN and prompt them to consider what replacement or new services they will require their HSCN CNSP to provide.

Information captured can be used to inform discussions with your chosen HSCN CNSP.

HSCN ANM firewall change requests

Any end-user organisation requiring a firewall change to the HSCN ANM service to access non-standard ports/protocols for business-critical reasons must complete the HSCN ANM firewall change request form.

Once completed, this must be submitted to the NHS Digital Data Security Centre for assessment. The impact of the change will be assessed and a decision will be made to approve or not. Any successful requests will be forwarded to the ANM supplier for action.

The NHS Digital National Service Desk will feedback all resolutions via the local service desk support route.

The completed form should be sent to the NHS Digital National Service Desk via the end user organisation's local service desk route rather than via the CN-SP.

HSCN QoS change request form

To request a change to a QoS configuration, download the change request form.

On the form, provide as much detail as you can, including: full contact details; information about the application and the reason for the configuration change; and the QoS class, IP address, and port/protocol (if applicable).

Email the completed change request form to the NHS Digital National Service Desk (NSD).

For further details and guidance see HSCN QoS - change requests and end-to-end configuration.

IP addressing

HSCN IP address management

Find all information relating to IP address management under HSCN, including the HSCN IP addressing policy, IP addressing good practice guidelines, IPAM process and change request forms.

Quality of Service (QoS)

HSCN Quality of Service overview

Quality of Service (QoS) is a set of techniques to manage resources within a communications network. This page provides details of QoS implementation across HSCN and includes the HSCN QoS policy.

HSCN QoS - change requests and end-to-end configuration

This page provides details of the HSCN configuration change requests process and QoS change request form.

DNS

HSCN/Transition Network DNS

This document provides an overview of DNS on HSCN and TN and the DNS change request process

Transition Network guidance for DNS local forwarding and server configuration

This document is intended for NHS 'end-user' organisations connected to the Transition Network (TN), who have opted for local DNS provision.

Other guidance

Before migration

These guidance documents are designed to support users prior to migrating to HSCN.

HSCN readiness testing guidance note

This document describes activities which will help a HSCN customer identify and resolve potential migration related risks, ahead of time, which would otherwise cause issues during their live migration.

Migrating an existing Transition Network VPN to HSCN

Guidance and considerations for migrating any existing virtual private networks set up on the Transition Network to HSCN.

HSCN connectivity options

HSCN will create the effect of a single network across health and social care providers and their partners. This page provides guidance and details of some of the connectivity options and network designs suitable for different organisations and business requirements. 

HSCN business applications guidance

This document provides guidance on procuring standard business applications to replace N3 overlays.

Private IT service provider connecting from outside of England's borders policy

This policy outlines the approved scenarios and criteria under which IT service providers can offer services over HSCN when based outside of England’s borders.

After migration

These guidance documents are designed to support users with live HSCN services.

HSCN connectivity troubleshooting guide

This guidance advises users how to isolate the cause of any network or internet connectivity problems on HSCN.

HSCN network perimeter security guidance for CCGs and general practices

Guidance and useful documentation on clinical commissioning group (CCG) and general practice responsibilities for network perimeter security on the HSCN.

Maintaining access to internet services after migrating to HSCN

An explanation of how the Transition Network and HSCN use IP addresses to restrict access to authorised users and how they access services and applications over the internet.

Troubleshooting guide - HSCN IP network connectivity

This guidance document provides a step by step guide to using specific tools and techniques that will resolve or rule out issues that commonly cause network connectivity problems.