October 2025 in Review: Key Information Technology Standards Published

Looking back at October 2025, the Information Technology and Office Equipment sector experienced a substantial and strategic wave of standardization, reflecting the industry's ongoing shift towards interoperability, security, and modular digital infrastructure. Four major standards were published, addressing vital issues in medical device connectivity, data governance, and technical infrastructure performance. This monthly overview is crafted for IT professionals, compliance managers, engineers, and organizational leaders who need to stay informed, interpret the implications of new requirements, and align ongoing operations or future investments with evolving international best practices.

Monthly Overview: October 2025

The publication month of October 2025 witnessed notable progression in standards supporting integrated healthcare, secure data collaboration, and robust network infrastructure. What stands out is a strong focus on dynamic interoperability and data-centric management, particularly for medical and enterprise IT environments. Two closely related standards in health informatics advanced the Service-oriented Device Connectivity (SDC) ecosystem, emphasizing not only the technical protocols but also the operational and process-oriented aspects required for safe device interconnections at the point of care. A much-anticipated data governance standard provided a modular approach to data collaboration—crucial for organizations modernizing their data estates and responding to tightening privacy and audit demands. Finally, an updated specification for generic cabling introduced expanded modeling for signal performance, supporting high-reliability communications fundamental to digital transformation projects.

Compared to prior months, October's batch underscored a multidisciplinary trend: standards are increasingly cross-cutting, designed not just for niche technical configuration but for organization-wide implementation—bridging roles ranging from infrastructure architects and network engineers to data stewards and healthcare providers. Moreover, the synchronous updates in health informatics and data governance mirror the sector’s recognition that secure interoperability and data management are now foundational, rather than optional, to any modern IT operation.

Standards Published This Month

EN ISO/IEEE 11073-10700:2025 – Health Informatics Base Requirements for SDC Participants

Health informatics - Device interoperability - Part 10700: Point‐of‐care medical device communication - Standard for base requirements for participants in a Service‐oriented Device Connectivity (SDC) system (ISO/IEEE 11073-10700:2024)

This foundational standard defines the base set of Participant Key Purposes (PKPs) for the Service-oriented Device Connectivity (SDC) lineage, setting out role-based requirements that govern how products—particularly medical devices used at the point of care—securely and reliably interoperate on medical IT networks. Its scope recognizes the complex risk environment of integrated healthcare, setting expectations not just for device communication, but also the underlying processes of risk management, product development, verification, and usability engineering. The standard supports environments such as intensive care units, operating rooms, and other acute care contexts where device synergy is mission-critical.

Key requirements include:

• Formal allocation of SDC responsibilities among participants—enabling manufacturers and integrators to achieve safe system-level functionality.
• Mandated product development and documentation processes to support interoperability and manage inter-device dependencies.
• Risk-based controls for safety, security, and effectiveness, including traceability and validation steps for combined system functions.

The target audience is wide-ranging: medical device manufacturers, health IT solution integrators, acute care healthcare organizations, and procurement authorities responsible for complex clinical environments will find these requirements essential. By prescribing process-level rigor in tandem with technical interfaces, the standard ensures that networked devices are more than just technically connected: they are demonstrably safe, manageable, and fit for purpose.

Key highlights:

• Establishes the base requirements for all SDC system participants
• Requires comprehensive risk management and safety engineering
• Essential for procurement and deployment of interoperable medical devices

Access the full standard:View EN ISO/IEEE 11073-10700:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN ISO/IEEE 11073-10701:2025 – Metric Provisioning by SDC Participants

Health informatics - Device interoperability - Part 10701: Point-of-care medical device communication - Metric provisioning by participants in a Service-oriented Device Connectivity (SDC) system (ISO/IEEE 11073-10701:2024)

Complementing the previous standard, EN ISO/IEEE 11073-10701:2025 narrows its focus to the requirements for metric data exchange within the SDC ecosystem. It outlines the specific PKPs and technical processes for how devices generate, publish, and share metric information—the data elements (e.g., measurements, physiological parameters) that underpin dynamic collaborations in clinical workflows. The emphasis on safe, effective, and secure exchange of metric data directly responds to risks associated with combining device outputs for shared system functions, such as alarms or automated decision support in high-acuity units.

Key requirements include:

• Detailed definitions for metric PKPs—who provides what measurements, under what roles, and with what validation.
• Explicit guidelines for risk management, verification, and usability engineering in the realm of metric data.
• Structures to support manufacturer interoperability—so expectations (and thus safety cases) can be aligned across device vendors.

This standard targets product developers, clinical engineering teams, and integrators extending SDC-based health IT systems. In practice, it helps organizations ensure that devices not only “talk” to each other, but that the data exchanged is consistent, trustworthy, and transparently governed. The scope is especially valuable as health IT continues its shift toward outcome-driven, data-centric clinical environments.

Key highlights:

• Specifies process and technical requirements for metric provisioning in SDC setups
• Anchors cross-manufacturer trust in the accuracy and context of shared measurements
• Supports advanced healthcare applications dependent on real-time device metrics

Access the full standard:View EN ISO/IEEE 11073-10701:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 25642:2025 – Information Technology Data Collaboration Framework

Information technology - Data governance - Data collaboration framework

As organizations contend with the increasing complexity of data ecosystems—and the risks tied to fragmented, copy-based data integration—ISO/IEC 25642:2025 arrives as a forward-looking blueprint for data-intensive enterprises. The standard articulates a minimum set of recommendations and a modular framework for data collaboration that reduces reliance on copy-driven integration. It introduces design principles for constructing environments where granular, universally-enforced data controls and modular capabilities can be assembled and reassembled as business needs evolve.

Highlights of scope and technical guidance:

• Emphasizes zero-copy integration—favoring access-based collaboration while discouraging brittle, siloed data architectures.
• Recommends embedding access controls at the metadata layer, not the application or code layer, to achieve uniform, auditable governance.
• Provides methods to ensure data lineage, protection, and universal data portability, supporting both regulatory compliance and operational agility.
• Encourages organizations to govern and manage data as a product, facilitating collaboration across teams, partners, and even systems trained with AI and machine learning.

Applicable across industries—including public sector, commercial enterprises, and nonprofit organizations—the standard delivers immediate value for data stewards, IT architects, compliance leaders, and transformation executives. It does not constrain organizations to a single data ontology or architecture, thus supporting heterogenous environments. Notably, ISO/IEC 25642:2025 complements existing standards for IT governance (like ISO/IEC 38500) and data governance (ISO/IEC 38505-1), positioning itself as a practical tool for achieving strategic control without stifling innovation.

Key highlights:

• Advocates metadata-driven, non-siloed digital architectures
• Supports human-to-human, human-to-system, and system-to-system collaboration
• Highly relevant for digital transformation, regulatory compliance, and AI readiness

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 25642:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC TS 11801-9903:2025 – Modelling of Channels and Links for Generic Cabling Systems

Information technology - Generic cabling systems for customer premises - Part 9903: Modelling of channels and links

The second edition of ISO/IEC TS 11801-9903 marks a significant technical revision of the original 2021 specification, incorporating more sophisticated modeling methods for mixed-mode transmission parameters in balanced cabling. Cabling systems are the backbone of every digital enterprise, and as the performance and complexity of IT networks increase, so too does the need for accurate, standards-based modeling of channel and link characteristics.

This technical specification provides:

• Comprehensive models for differential-mode, mixed-mode, and common-mode transmission, crucial for reliability in high-bandwidth communication.
• S-parameter and T-parameter limit matrix formulas, with guidance on transforming them for link and channel analysis.
• Expanded parameters, now including mode-conversion and unbalance attenuation, essential for modern applications coping with electromagnetic interference and performance drift.
• An informative annex covering signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the channel model, directly relevant to performance troubleshooting and next-generation transmission schemes (like PAM4 and advanced noise management).

Intended for network infrastructure designers, engineers, and quality assurance specialists, the updated standard is indispensable for ensuring that network upgrades, expansions, or troubleshooting operate against a rigorous international baseline. By directly supporting the performance requirements outlined in broader cabling standards (ISO/IEC 11801-1, for example), it bolsters reliable and futureproof digital infrastructure.

Key highlights:

• Delivers updated modelling for both legacy and next-gen cabling systems
• Highlights mixed-mode and mode-conversion performance, pivotal for advanced communications
• Adds a comprehensive guide to SNR modeling and its relationship to real-world channel quality

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC TS 11801-9903:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

A review of October 2025 standards for Information Technology reveals several converging industry movements:

• Interoperability as a Pillar: Health informatics standards underscore that mere protocol compliance is insufficient; safety, process, and organizational alignment are now codified, especially where device and data collaboration affect critical human outcomes.
• Data Governance Evolution: The shift toward access-based, zero-copy, metadata-managed architectures reflects a broader industry realization: compliance, agility, and innovation demand integrated, transparent, and universally-enforced controls.
• Technical Rigor in Infrastructure: The detailed update of cabling modeling shows ongoing investment in both legacy infrastructure and forward-compatible new builds. As signal complexity increases, so does the need for standards that address both theory and measurement.
• Systemic Compliance Focus: All standards this month stress process, documentation, and traceability—vital for organizations facing regulatory scrutiny (GDPR, HIPAA, or similar) and seeking to futureproof their IT investments.

Collectively, these standards highlight a maturing sector—one that recognizes that organizational, technical, and process integration is the new norm, not the exception.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

Organizations affected by October 2025’s standards should take a proactive, structured approach to implementation:

• Prioritize a Gap Analysis: Assess existing systems and processes versus the new requirements. For health informatics, map device roles and processes to the relevant PKPs; for data governance, evaluate integration approaches and data lifecycle controls.
• Update Procurement Processes: Ensure that RFPs, tender documents, and vendor evaluation criteria reflect the latest standards. This helps futureproof investments and reduces integration and compliance risks.
• Invest in Training and Awareness: Many guidelines (especially in data collaboration and health informatics) depend on process and cross-functional understanding as much as technical configuration. Arrange targeted workshops for engineers, IT, compliance, and procurement teams.
• Leverage Standards for Certification and Quality: Use these standards as the basis for internal documentation, supplier contracts, and audit programs. This can also support external certification and quality assurance.
• Plan for Timeline and Transition: Some of these standards allow a transition period (e.g., health informatics standards allow until April 2026 for national adoptions in Europe). Build timelines that account for validation, procurement cycles, and stakeholder onboarding.
• Engage with the Community: Monitor for updates, implementation guides, and case studies via iTeh Standards and related technical committees.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from October 2025

October 2025 was a landmark period for Information Technology standardization, spanning diverse yet interconnected topics:

• Medical device interoperability reached new levels of rigor, with explicit guidance for safety, process, and reliability in dynamic clinical settings.
• Data governance evolved past simple frameworks, delivering actionable guidance for zero-copy, access-based collaboration that can drive both compliance and innovation.
• Network infrastructure standards responded to rising demands, improving both theoretical modeling and practical application for advanced communications.

For industry professionals, staying current with these standards is not only a matter of compliance—it is crucial to operational excellence, risk mitigation, and futureproofing in a rapidly evolving landscape. Whether you are leading digital transformation, building the next generation hospital IT network, or simply ensuring your data estate is audit-ready, these October 2025 publications are indispensable references.

Explore each standard in detail for authoritative guidance and up-to-date requirements on iTeh Standards.