Stallion Technologies started in Brisbane in 1985, making multi-port serial cards for Intel-based PCs.
The idea was to be able to connect multiple terminals and printers while running Unix.
"We've branched out in terms of supporting various platforms, but we still support legacy systems like SCO UnixWare," says Stallion's worldwide support and system administration manager Alan Johnston. "We also bought terminal server business from WYSE Technology and developed that into a dial-up connection router called EasyServer 2."
"In the last couple of years we've started manufacturing an Internet appliance called the ePipe. We came up with a mechanism for improving Internet access by bonding together a number of modem links--56K or even broadband. That box is also capable of being a firewall and a VPN device."
Stallion's head office is in Brisbane, but it has a large office in Soquel, California (near Silicon Valley). "Our Web site and primary access to the Internet is based out of the US office and it has a T1 connection to the Internet," says Johnston. "But we pay a lot for that dedicated service, and actually we're about to convert the primary connection to SDSL."
Until recently, the Brisbane office was linked to the Soquel office using a combination of ISDN and dial-up connections, "of course, using our own technology," says Johnston.
After installing a 1.5Mbps/256Kbps ADSL connection through Pacific Internet, Stallion was able to connect the two offices together in a full WAN link over a VPN, and now uses the connection for e-mail, file transfers, and access to applications. "We wanted a DSL connection at this end for a couple of reasons. First, we wanted to test DSL and make sure it worked with the ePipe, as well as providing Internet access for this office."
"One of the things that piqued our interest with Pacific Internet was fixed IP addresses. As it turns out, it's been very useful for us," he says.
Have the much-publicised problems with ADSL caused trouble? "It's been a lot better recently, but certainly we've encountered some problems with the service not being as reliable as you'd want it to be," says Johnston.
Stallion is now looking into Pacific Internet's offer of a dial-up connection as backup in case the ADSL connection goes down. "We're certainly very interested because we're very dependent on that link being up all the time, and we're very keen on having an ISDN connection with the same IP address."
"Of course, one of the ways Pacific Internet can do that is by using one of our products as well!" he adds.
The November (launch) issue of ZDNet Australia's Technology & Business Magazine contains broadband testing information, including an Editor's Choice Award for the best technologies. For subscription information, visit Technology & Business.
Having used Stallions products since 1985 I look with interest an any development that they have.
Its very nice to see how a local company can have such far-reaching impact on the development of new concepts etc.
Best of Luck - Stallion.
Dave