VILINK^®

Real-time Instrument System Support to Keep Your Laboratory Running

VILINK is a highly-secured modular solution that is firewall-configurable and compatible with your organization’s security systems. VILINK provides a direct connection between bioMérieux’s technical support representative and your systems. It features full traceability and data security via user-approved access and SSL-based encrypted communication. VILINK enables our service support teams to offer real-time troubleshooting and operator training at your request, reducing downtime and improving efficiency in your laboratory.

VILINK is now available for BIOFIRE^® FILMARRAY^® TORCH, BIOFIRE^® FILMARRAY^® 2.0, and BIOFIRE^® SPOTFIRE^® Systems.

Request Information

Download Brochure

Disclaimer: Product availability varies by country. Please consult your local bioMérieux representative for product availability in your country.

VILINK Overview

VILINK: A Secure, Compatible Solution

Remote access to healthcare information must be carefully controlled to ensure privacy and security. VILINK is a highly secured solution designed to be both modular and firewall configurable and to be compatible with the security put in place by your facility.

VILINK software helps keep your bioMérieux instruments up and running via remote monitoring, updates, maintenance, and issue diagnosis and resolution.

Intelligent Instrument Management System

Outbound Information

The combination of VILINK functionality and our remote technical support capabilities creates a full service support offering. VILINK never enters your network.

VILINK is installed locally and only sends device-relevant service data, so you will never have to accept outside connections, and addresses will never be revealed outside the network. VILINK Agents can also be configured with FIPS mode enabled, which imposes the strictest security standards (often required in government settings).

Firewall Friendly

VILINK’s patented Firewall-Friendly™ technology provides two-way, in-session communication based on Web Service standards, including Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), and Extensible Markup Language (XML). All outbound communications are initiated using the HTTPS protocol exclusively on port 443.

Remote Access

When remote access is required, the VILINK support user connects to the VILINK Server with their credentials and selects the system they want to access, creating a secure tunnel (based on HTTPS) between the help desk and your bioMérieux commercial system.

The remote user uses validated tools (UVNC, Teamviewer, SSH, etc.) to request remote access, which you can choose to accept or reject. Communication that is transferred goes through the VILINK secure tunnel (so that, for example, when the Teamviewer tool is used, the remote access is still preformed without using Teamviewer company servers).

Connections to the VILINK Server

All Commercial Systems connected to VILINK communicate with the VILINK Server through an SSL tunnel (AES 256 bits encryption). Every remote session and file transfer goes through this SSL tunnel, protecting any exchange against unauthorized access.

VILINK FAQs

bioMérieux support personnel use secure tools to request remote access. You can choose to accept or reject any remote access request, and you will never receive unsolicited incoming connections.

VILINK automatically monitors your BIOFIRE TORCH or BIOFIRE 2.0 System’s computer and produces an automated report. This report history serves as an important tool for our support teams as they troubleshoot issues.

Monitoring focuses on technical information such as system performance, log files, and instrument status. Technical information related to system support is the only information that will be included in the automated reports uploaded onto the VILINK server. Information related to patients or biological results will not be automatically uploaded. All communications and transferred data go through the VILINK secure connection.

bioMérieux has implemented a rigorous data privacy and security program to ensure compliance with all relevant privacy laws during the operation of our software. This program includes, but is not limited to:

Assessing and implementing the regulations and standards applicable to healthcare institutions globally
Requiring a customer’s formal agreement prior to configuring/activating remote access software
Limiting access to information and information systems in line with an employee’s role in the organization, as part of a comprehensive security management system
Training bioMérieux personnel who may have access to patient data on internal policies and procedures
Implementing physical security measures to ensure that unauthorized users cannot enter bioMérieux premises or access VILINK data. These measures include restricting access to data servers and data-hosting environments
Complying with complex password security standards to ensure that authentication cannot be easily compromised and requiring MFA controlled access for all employees
Protecting connected systems on the bioMérieux network from external security vulnerabilities through a combination of firewalls, antivirus software, and regular Microsoft security updates
Offering the ability to record remote access sessions, which can be used for internal audits
Complying with applicable data privacy and security regulations
Acting with the support of security experts to perform penetration tests, security assessments, and regulatory audits