The Network
The RISQ network is ubiquitous in Quebec's educational environment. Province-wide, it gives the universities that have deployed it access to a vast array of services and expertise. This stable, efficient and high-performance broadband network also serves every public college and a large segment of the research community.
The RISQ network is the Quebec portal for the Canada-wide CA*net network. Through this network, it is linked to every major research and education network worldwide. Finally, it of course includes a gateway to the Internet and its billions of files and Web pages and tens of thousands of Usenet newsgroups.
The most noteworthy features of the network's architecture are its optical transport infrastructure, its three-level routing hierarchy, the main protocols it uses and, especially, QIX: an Internet traffic-routing hub for every major telecommunications carrier in Quebec.
- Technology directions are described in two complementary ways: an interactive virtual tour of the network's physical and logical topologies (Flash); and a classical Web page. See also our latest architecture document (PDF link above).
- The Network Usage Policy emphasizes RISQ's obligations as well as the RISQ Network members' and users' obligations.
- Our Equipment room is home to RISQ's servers, several production routers, as well as innovation and pre-production equipment.
- Our Akamai cache servers are helping to ensure that RISQ members receive the best performance possible, as well as saving on Internet connectivity costs.
- QIX (Quebec Internet eXchange) allows RISQ members to communicate with home-based students using the cheapest, most direct path possible.