Xyplex
Encyclopedia
Xyplex Corporation was founded in the 1980s in Boxborough, Massachusetts
by Peter Nesbeda, George Conant, and Bob Rosenbaum, all of whom had previously worked for Digital Equipment Corporation
(DEC). Nesbeda was one of DEC's representatives in the development of the Ethernet
specification. The company's first product was a terminal server
based on DEC's LAT
protocol, which allowed multiple terminals to be connected with one wire in a multiplexed fashion to the VAX
architectured machines.
During the early '90s the company grew its range of networking products to include terminal servers, remote access servers, Ethernet switches
, enterprise hubs, routers, etc.. When Cisco
became the dominant player in the enterprise networking area, the company was sold to Raytheon
, which, in 1995, was considering building a commercial data communications division through acquisition. After a year of investigating a number of other companies they decided that the market valuations were too high to comfortably return their investment and Xyplex was sold in 1997 to Whittaker Communications. The company had also purchased Hughes LAN Systems and merged both companies.
After this second acquisition of Xyplex, a large number of its executives left to start new data communications companies, which were acquired in short order as the data communications market was at its peak. The merged company was re-named Xyplex Networks. Its new president was Mike Thurk. He was charged with returning the company to profitability, which required a considerable reduction in product lines and staff to focus on the core strength of the company which was remote access equipment for enterprise customers.
As the company reached a break-even point in 1998, it was sold to MRV Communications
.
Boxborough, Massachusetts
Boxborough is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,996 at the 2010 census. The town name is often spelled "Boxboro" on highway signs and official documents, but the correct spelling is, in fact, Boxborough....
by Peter Nesbeda, George Conant, and Bob Rosenbaum, all of whom had previously worked for Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
(DEC). Nesbeda was one of DEC's representatives in the development of the Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
specification. The company's first product was a terminal server
Terminal server
A terminal server enables organizations to connect devices with an RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485 serial interface to a local area network . Products marketed as terminal servers can be very simple devices that do not offer any security functionality, such as data encryption and user authentication...
based on DEC's LAT
Local Area Transport
Local Area Transport is a non-routable networking technology developed by Digital Equipment Corporation to provide connection between the DECserver 90, 100, 200, 300, 500, 700 and DECserver 900 terminal servers and Digital's VAX and Alpha and MIPS_architecture host computers via Ethernet, giving...
protocol, which allowed multiple terminals to be connected with one wire in a multiplexed fashion to the VAX
VAX
VAX was an instruction set architecture developed by Digital Equipment Corporation in the mid-1970s. A 32-bit complex instruction set computer ISA, it was designed to extend or replace DEC's various Programmed Data Processor ISAs...
architectured machines.
During the early '90s the company grew its range of networking products to include terminal servers, remote access servers, Ethernet switches
Network switch
A network switch or switching hub is a computer networking device that connects network segments.The term commonly refers to a multi-port network bridge that processes and routes data at the data link layer of the OSI model...
, enterprise hubs, routers, etc.. When Cisco
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
became the dominant player in the enterprise networking area, the company was sold to Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
, which, in 1995, was considering building a commercial data communications division through acquisition. After a year of investigating a number of other companies they decided that the market valuations were too high to comfortably return their investment and Xyplex was sold in 1997 to Whittaker Communications. The company had also purchased Hughes LAN Systems and merged both companies.
After this second acquisition of Xyplex, a large number of its executives left to start new data communications companies, which were acquired in short order as the data communications market was at its peak. The merged company was re-named Xyplex Networks. Its new president was Mike Thurk. He was charged with returning the company to profitability, which required a considerable reduction in product lines and staff to focus on the core strength of the company which was remote access equipment for enterprise customers.
As the company reached a break-even point in 1998, it was sold to MRV Communications
MRV Communications
MRV Communications is a communications equipment and services company based in Chatsworth, California. The company, through its business units, is a global provider of optical communications network infrastructure equipment and services to a broad range of telecom concerns, including multinational...
.