Joseph Portman

After an 11 year hiatus from the ISP business, I am back! Responsible for visualizing, realizing and actualizing a fixed wireless broadband network from scratch. Now serving hundreds of business and residential customers with high speed internet service and VOIP voice service in South Central Texas. See our website for more information.

Created and deployed framework for cross platform data communications between heterogeneous systems. Created graphic installers for Unix and Linux platforms. Integrated all Unix/Linux products into a single build environment. Designed and implemented software for moving large amounts of data between various Innerlogix data quality management products and vendor databases on Windows and Solaris/Linux. Created IDL based middleware (ACE/TAO Corba Jacorb, etc) to perform these tasks in a heterogeneous, cross platform network environment. Implemented enterprise debugging and profiling tools (boundschecker, purify, vtune, etc) to remove undiscovered bugs and enhance overall performance. Maintained and improved data drivers for Recall, Geoframe, Geolog, Openworks, TerraScience, Documentum, EDM and others. Worked with Eclipse and Java EE for the EDM development kit.

Created Windows Filesystem tied to remote storage provider Nirvanix. Created Windows filesystem for use with corporate backup product to store files and allow create,read and write on Nirvanix IMFS. Created installers and windows services to allow transparent operation of remote file system. Created Windows Filesystem tied to Amazon S3 storage service. Features unlimited file sizes and random updates (important features).

After the sale of my company, I retired (for a bit) and did a few interesting things: I became a pilot and acquired a few airplanes. I bought a nice riverfront property south of San Antonio and devoted my time to "enjoying life". I traveled extensively (in my own airplane) throughout the US. I dabbled with Neural Networks and daytrading. And hundreds of other things I had never had time for. I met and married my loving wife Sonya (we were married in Las Vegas by "Elvis") I kept my hand in with programming. I had many interests in AI and game theory.

I designed the network infrastructure at Keystroke and deployed a dual T3, redundant network and fiber backbone for the company. This network used diverse carriers and facilities as well as redundant routers and switches to eliminate any single point of failure. I also designed and deployed the storage networks using network appliance filers on a fiber backbone. Designed redundant load balancing servers using layer 4 switching technology. Ordered, installed and configured hardware from: Foundry, Cisco, HP Procurve, Fiber, Cisco Catalyst, Sun Servers and Network Appliance.

Formed company and negotiated interconnect contracts with major carriers (GTE, US West and others). Designed network and deployed CO switching equipment and physical interconnects with other local carriers. Negotiated contracts with aa.net to furnish wholesale PSTN and network services. Negotiated SS7 and 911 interconnects to establish PDGT.COM as a full fledged CLEC. Negotiated sale of company to Inforum Communications for 7 figures.

October 1994 founded Alternate Access Incorporated, (aa.net) which went on to become one of the largest ISP's in the Seattle/Tacoma area. At time of sale, aa.net had just under 8,000 customers with annual revenues of 1.9 million and a very healthy profit margin. Designed, coded and implemented all the software needed to run the network as well as the support and billing systems. Designed and deployed a redundant, high availability multi-homed network with a 99.999% uptime for almost 6 years. Ordered, installed, configured and maintained ISP network using Cisco, Xyplex, Livingston, Ascend, Lucent and others. Built and deployed terminal servers and modem banks. Responsible for entire product line, including dialup, Frame Relay, ISDN, DSL, wireless T1, wireless T3 as well as web hosting and others. Negotiated peering with all companies on the Seattle Internet Exchange. Created exceptional customer service and technical support teams.

Chief developer and leader of the team that developed all the "back office" software and hardware interfaces for Westin Hotels and Resorts. This included all revenue generating appliances such as long distance telephone service, in room movies and all restaurant and retail interfaces. Lead developer and maintainer of Westins proprietary voice mail system. Created new drivers for voice mail systems. Ported entire voice mail system from 286 based computers to 386 based computers. Created installers for Westin products. Traveled to various hotels to oversee deployment of Westix software and Westin voice mail systems. Created billing interfaces with various PBX brands and interfaced into the Westix system. Established the Westin.Com domain name and initial internet presence and email.

Joined PCF as a contractor and they bought my contract. Responsible for porting the MRP software from the AT&T COBOL compiler to the one supported on Xenix. Created a UUCP network for transmitting order data from to remote manufactuing plants. Designed, coded and implemented bar coding software for automated handling of shipped cartons for K-Mart, JC Penney and other major customers. Helped PCF implement a local network for their numerous Apple computers, creating access to the main data store on Xenix. Designed and created reports for MRP and order forecasting.

Helped design and implement order processing systems for custom manufactured windows. Devised an efficient way to transmit huge order tables (100,000+ items) quickly using data compression and deltas (sending differences only) to remote sites. Helped the company save time and money for communications charges as well as increasing order handling efficiency.

The primary focus of the company was a total package for moving and storage companies (such as North American). This included tariff based rating and billing, as well as the big four accounting packages: A/R, A/P, G/L and Payroll. The hardware was Datapoint using Databus language and SNAP (Datapoint Assembler) Later, I helped the company port the entire system (212 modules) to PC based hardware using Xenix and DB/C software (a pc based Databus compiler). I established UUCP email and USENET news connections with various local technology companies, including Fluke Manufacturing and a small Redmond based software company named Microsoft. I also discovered I had a knack for networking at TranSystems. This involved dealing with the PSTN and their data carrier divisions (experience which helped me greatly later). I learned how to order, provision, install, troubleshoot and maintain T1 or Frame Relay connections, including programming the routers and termination equipment.

During this period in my life, I traveled the United States and Canada with many different groups, including a few of my own. I play 13 (or so) instruments and sing. I also compose. If I had a choice, this is what I would do for a living. Unfortunately, it's not a high paying lifestyle. In 1977,while living in Las Vegas, I discovered programming and purchased my first computer, a TRS-80. When I left Las Vegas in 1978, I took my computer with me and continued programming while traveling. In early 1980, I settled in Houston, TX for about three years and while making my primary living as a musician, I discovered I had a knack for computer programming and problem solving. I began getting consulting work for computer programming. The systems included retail processing in music stores, and a large package for managing rental real estate. In 1983 I returned to the road to perform and realized I was truly tired of it.