The large numbers of "edge" switches -- used to tie application servers to the centrally located director -- also took up ports by using them as interswitch links (ISL). Hesson said he also liked reducing the number of vendors he had to deal with by choosing Cisco, which supplies his LAN network.

The transfer of data to the new SAN environment took about 70 days and did not affect Kindred's users because Hesson was able to take advantage of the redundant network to keep systems online.

"It was probably one of the best project experiences I've had, and I don't say that lightly," Hesson said.