TheStory

A Retrospective Archive

Est. 1990 · Calgary, Alberta

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Infrastructure

From dial-up modem pools to Paradyne DSL and RS/6000 servers — CADVision ran a huge network on a relatively small operating budget.

ADSL

ADSL via Paradyne hardware
Used dedicated copper lines
Top speed was 7,000K
Average speed was 2,000K
Top range 6 km with MVL

Servers

IBM RS/6000 AIX servers
Linux PCs with RAID disk arrays
Email, newsgroups, hosting
Custom products like FamilyNet
Game servers such as Kali
Sophisticated quality control

Dial-up

14.4K, 28.8K, 56K or v.90
Initially used consumer-grade
Upgraded to rack-mount design
Almost 5,000 phone lines
Extremely cost effective
12:1 modem-to-customer ratio — very few busy signals

The network — modem pools, DSL racks, and servers.

DSL Modems — Fig. 01 — DSL Modems

Dialup Modems — Fig. 02 — Dialup Modems

Servers — Fig. 03 — Servers

DSL Racks — Fig. 04 — DSL Racks

Email System — Fig. 05 — Email System

Server Centre — Fig. 06 — Server Centre

ADSL — Fig. 07 — ADSL

PortMasters — Fig. 08 — PortMasters

Paradyne DSL — Fig. 09 — Paradyne DSL

SQL Servers — Fig. 10 — SQL Servers

Web Servers — Fig. 11 — Web Servers

Data Switches — Fig. 12 — Data Switches

Circuit diagram of an Ethernet cable — Fig. 13 — Circuit diagram of an Ethernet cable

Large room with multiple rows of electrical equipment — Fig. 14 — Large room with multiple rows of electrical equipment

Large rack of servers in a server room — Fig. 15 — Large rack of servers in a server room

Rack of multiple electronic devices with multiple wires and cables conne — Fig. 16 — Rack of multiple electronic devices with multiple wires and cables conne

Rack of servers in a server room — Fig. 17 — Rack of servers in a server room

Electrical panel with multiple rows of cables and wires — Fig. 18 — Electrical panel with multiple rows of cables and wires

ADSL — Inexpensive Broadband

CADVisionStory

One of Canada's most successful Internet Service Providers. Calgary, Alberta.

1990 — 2001

Acquired by PSINet, 2000

An archive · cadvisionlegacy.com