Ever wonder how network cabling span oceans? Pretty neat video.

[MannDude]

Was watching this last night and meant to share it: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvlowj_tyco-resolute-mighty-ships-discovery_tech

In this episode of Mighty Ships, the Tyco company's "Resolute" helps get Costa Rica better connected to the rest of the world via Global Crossing's network expansion which involved laying cable down from their on-land POP to a network cable several miles off shore that lay deep beneath the ocean. The cable they split to connect Costa Rica was previously a cable direct from California to Panama. Pretty amazing stuff, especially for those of us who have ethernet cables poorly placed all around our homes. Imagine being responsible for a much more important project?

Well worth the 40 minute watch for those of you who are interested in the process of laying down undersea cable. Sometimes it's easy to forget that the reason we're able to communicate digitally is due to very real and physical cables and connections that were layed down by man or man-operated-machine. I was particularly interested in the undersea vehicles operated via remote control.

For the curious, here is a map of undersea cables as of 2009.:

 

[tmzVPS-Daniel]

I watched this on the discovery channel, it's definitely neat! 

- Daniel

 

[Awmusic12635]

Just finished the video, thanks for sharing

 

[tonyg]

Cool video...watched the whole thing. Thanks for the share!

 

[nunim]

Neat video, I wish they showed more of the actual splicing.

Did anyone else notice they're running XP in their "Transmission Room" ?

 

[SentinelTower]

Neat video, I wish they showed more of the actual splicing.

Did anyone else notice they're running XP in their "Transmission Room" ?

Haha, you too are the kind of guy that focuses an all the computer screens in every movie you watch to check their OS

Maybe their software only runs on XP and they cannot upgrade it. They are still using CRT monitors as well so they probably are in the "it works, why change?" mood.

 

[William]

Reminds me of the network map in Akamais NOC video still displaying the Soviet Union as one country...

 

[noen]

Seems they forgot about the nordic countries in Europe.

Btw, more updated map, and more interactive: http://www.submarinecablemap.com

 

[Abdussamad]

I live in Pakistan and we have only 2 cables connecting us to the rest of the world. Once every 3-4 years or so a cable gets cut, usually due to some fishing boat or something, and the entire country's internet connectivity slows down to a crawl. We then hear about these cable ships that cost $100,000 a day to operate and there are news stories speculating about how long it will take them to come and fix the damn undersea cable so we can start watching cat videos again I had no idea how much trouble they have to go through to install these darn cables.

There was an interesting proposal by a regional NGO that researches telecoms. They suggested that we build cables alongside regional highways instead of installing them on the sea bed:

http://lirneasia.net/2011/10/abu-saeed-khan-on-lion-the-asian-information-highway/

Given how much of a hassle it is to install and maintain undersea cables I wish they would implement this proposal.

 

[tonyg]

The ship was built in 2002 and the actual cable laying was performed in 2008. That migh explain Windows XP and the CRT monitor.

 

[sundaymouse]

CRT monitor isn't a crime xD

 

[danielm]

Just finished watching this. Very interesting stuff. Anyone know the current capacity of PAC (the network they were extending)?

 

[DomainBop]

those of us who have ethernet cables poorly placed all around our homes

No ethernet cables here...my Internets is a series of tubes.

Anyone know the current capacity of PAC (the network they were extending)?

It was 800 Gbps a few years ago but additional capacity has probably been added since then.  According to this submarine cable industry report (54 page .pdf), the total capacity of all submarine cable between North and South America was 9Tbps at the end of 2013 with another 100 Tbps in the planning stages.

 

[texteditor]

Watched it all and it looked way, way too painfully tedious for someone with my attention span.

I can't imagine the kind of stress these guys are under

 

[gharo]

It's the Greenland Connect that fascinates me. What an amazing endeavor, connecting that icy part of the world. But apparently it doesn't get much use due to high usage charges.

 

[Kakashi]

I think the CRT is a greater sin than the OS

Thanks for the Video though

 

[Aurimas]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. However, some areas look pretty sad tho.

 

[KIL86]

That was a really cool share. Thanks for that!

 

[SaadIsmail]

That's interesting,

Thank you for the share

 

[William]

Interesting 45min documentary about France Telecom with shots from the cable producers etc. - German however. Might be able to locate the French version as well if someone wants (ARTE is a dual language channel from Germany & France)