Proteon

Proteon, Inc. was an American computer-networking company headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts. It began in 1972 when Howard Salwen established the business as a communications consulting firm. The company later moved into the design and manufacture of networking hardware, becoming one of the early suppliers to the emerging local-area-network and Internet infrastructure markets. Proteon’s most important early contribution was its work on Token Ring networking. In cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the company developed commercial Token Ring network interface products and media access units. In 1981, Proteon introduced the 10 Mbit/s Pronet-10 Token Ring network. The Pronet family subsequently expanded through higher-speed implementations, including 16 Mbit/s, 80 Mbit/s, and 100 Mbit/s versions. These products positioned Proteon in a market that later included IBM’s competing Token Ring systems, introduced in 1984. The company also became an early participant in commercial Internet routing. In 1986, Proteon released the p4200, described as the first commercially available multiprotocol router. The product was based on the MIT multiprotocol router and used code developed by Noel Chiappa. By supporting multiple networking protocols, Proteon’s router products addressed the heterogeneous environments common in universities, research organizations, and early enterprise networks. The company competed with other networking specialists, including Cisco and Wellfleet Communications, during the formative period of the commercial Internet. Proteon’s technical significance extended beyond individual hardware products. The company is associated with early commercial support for the Open Shortest Path First routing protocol, or OSPF, which became an important interior gateway protocol for IP networks. Its work illustrates the transition from proprietary and local-area networking systems toward interoperable TCP/IP infrastructure. Proteon became a publicly traded company in 1991, issuing 3.1 million shares. The public-company phase did not result in a lasting independent corporate identity. In 1998, Proteon was renamed and relaunched as OpenROUTE Networks. OpenROUTE Networks merged with Netrix in 1999, and the combined business was subsequently rebranded as NX Networks. NSGDatacom acquired NX Networks in 2002 and created the Netrix product division to support the acquired product line. Proteon therefore survives primarily as a historical name associated with early Token Ring equipment, multiprotocol routing, and the development of commercial networking technology rather than as an active standalone brand.

Proteon was founded in 1972 by Howard Salwen as a communications consulting firm. Its later transformation into a networking-equipment manufacturer reflected the rapid development of computer communications and local-area networks during the 1970s and 1980s. Working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Proteon developed commercial Token Ring network interfaces and media access units, moving beyond consulting into the production of network hardware. The company’s first major commercial networking system was Pronet-10, introduced in 1981 with a 10 Mbit/s data rate. Proteon subsequently increased the performance of the Pronet family, producing versions associated with 16 Mbit/s, 80 Mbit/s, and 100 Mbit/s operation. Token Ring was an important alternative to other local-area-network architectures at the time, and IBM entered the market with a competing system in 1984. Proteon’s products made it one of the early specialist vendors serving organizations that needed structured, high-performance local networking. Proteon expanded from local networking into internetwork routing. In 1986, it introduced the p4200, described as the first commercially available multiprotocol router. The router was based on the MIT multiprotocol router and incorporated code developed by Noel Chiappa. Its ability to handle more than one network protocol addressed the mixed-protocol environments common before TCP/IP became dominant. Proteon consequently became one of the companies helping turn routing from a research and specialist function into a commercial networking category. Its router business placed it in competition with emerging vendors such as Cisco and Wellfleet Communications. Proteon was also connected with the early commercial deployment of OSPF, the Open Shortest Path First routing protocol. OSPF became a major interior gateway protocol for IP networks, allowing routers within an autonomous system to calculate paths using link-state information. Proteon’s historical importance therefore rests not only on its hardware but also on its role in the broader transition toward scalable and interoperable Internet networking. The company went public in 1991, issuing 3.1 million shares. It later underwent a corporate reorganization and identity change: in 1998, Proteon was renamed and relaunched as OpenROUTE Networks. In 1999, OpenROUTE Networks merged into Netrix, and the resulting organization was rebranded NX Networks. NSGDatacom acquired NX Networks in 2002 and formed the Netrix product division to maintain and support the acquired product line. Proteon no longer operates as an independent company under its original name. Its legacy is preserved in accounts of early Token Ring networking, commercial multiprotocol routing, and the development and adoption of technologies that helped establish modern IP network infrastructure.

• 2002

  NX Networks acquired by NSGDatacom

  [1]Proteonen.wikipedia.org

  NSGDatacom acquires NX Networks and creates a Netrix product division for the acquired products.

• 1999

  OpenROUTE Networks merges with Netrix

  [1]Proteonen.wikipedia.org

  The merger produces a combined business that is rebranded NX Networks.

• 1998

  Renamed OpenROUTE Networks

  [1]Proteonen.wikipedia.org

  Proteon is renamed and relaunched as OpenROUTE Networks.

• 1991

  Initial public offering

  [1]Proteonen.wikipedia.org

  Proteon becomes publicly traded and issues 3.1 million shares.

• 1986

  p4200 multiprotocol router released

  [1]Proteonen.wikipedia.org

  Proteon launches the p4200, described as the first commercially available multiprotocol router.

• 1981

  Pronet-10 Token Ring network introduced

  [1]Proteonen.wikipedia.org

  Proteon releases a 10 Mbit/s commercial Token Ring network, marking its transition into networking-hardware manufacturing.

• 1972

  Proteon is founded as a communications consultancy

  [1]Proteonen.wikipedia.org

  Howard Salwen establishes Proteon as a communications consulting firm in the United States.

An early networking-technology innovator focused on commercial Token Ring systems and multiprotocol routing equipment for institutional, research, and enterprise networks.

• Token Ring networking · 1981

  Pronet Token Ring systems

  Proteon’s Pronet family comprised commercial Token Ring networking systems, including network interfaces and related media access equipment. The product line began with the 10 Mbit/s Pronet-10 in 1981 and later expanded to higher-speed implementations associated with 16 Mbit/s, 80 Mbit/s, and 100 Mbit/s operation. It represented Proteon’s principal contribution to early local-area-network hardware.

• Multiprotocol router · 1986

  p4200

  The p4200 was Proteon’s landmark multiprotocol router, released in 1986. Based on the MIT multiprotocol router and using code developed by Noel Chiappa, it was described as the first commercially available product of its kind. The system helped organizations connect networks using different protocols during the transitional period before TCP/IP became broadly dominant.

• 1998

  Corporate relaunch as OpenROUTE NetworksStrategy

  Background

  Proteon’s original corporate identity was replaced as its networking business entered a later phase of ownership and corporate restructuring.

  Action taken

  The company was renamed and relaunched as OpenROUTE Networks.

  Aftermath

  OpenROUTE Networks merged into Netrix in 1999, followed by the NX Networks identity and later acquisition by NSGDatacom.

  Source

• 1986

  Launch of the p4200 multiprotocol routerProduct launch

  Background

  Organizations increasingly needed to connect networks operating with different protocols, creating demand for multiprotocol routing equipment.

  Action taken

  Proteon commercialized the p4200, based on MIT multiprotocol-router technology and code developed by Noel Chiappa.

  Aftermath

  The product made Proteon an early commercial Internet-router vendor alongside companies such as Cisco and Wellfleet Communications.

  Source

• 1981

  Commercial launch of Pronet-10Product launch

  Background

  Proteon moved from communications consulting into commercial network-equipment manufacturing as local-area networking developed.

  Action taken

  The company released the 10 Mbit/s Pronet-10 Token Ring network and related interface and access equipment.

  Aftermath

  The launch established Proteon as an early commercial Token Ring supplier and set the direction for subsequent higher-speed Pronet products.

  Source

1. 1Proteonen.wikipedia.org