Thomas-Conrad

Thomas-Conrad Corporation was an American computer networking hardware company founded in Austin, Texas, in 1985 by Walter Thomas Thirion and Scott Conrad Johnson. The company operated during the formative period of commercial local-area networking, when businesses were moving from standalone computers toward interconnected systems based on Ethernet, Token Ring, ARCNET, and emerging high-speed networking standards. The founders had previously worked together at another networking hardware company, which entered bankruptcy and liquidation around 1984. Thirion had pursued doctoral study in nuclear physics, while Johnson had practiced internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic during the 1970s. Their decision to establish Thomas-Conrad followed the collapse of their former employer and was initially financed with approximately $1,000 of personal capital. The company's name combined the founders' middle names. They used a networking product previously developed for a customer contract to generate early revenue, then reinvested the proceeds in the design of proprietary hardware. Within roughly a year, Thomas-Conrad brought its first commercial product to market. The product was successful enough to provide the foundation for the company's expansion. The organization initially operated with a very small staff, but grew rapidly during the late 1980s. Lorraine Thirion, Walter Thirion's wife, joined as bookkeeper and later became vice president of marketing and director of human resources, reflecting the closely held character of the business. By September 1990, Thomas-Conrad had approximately 175 to 200 employees and was described as the second-largest manufacturer of high-speed local-area-network equipment. Its growth was achieved without venture-capital or private-equity financing. The founders also chose not to pursue an initial public offering, preferring to retain private ownership and operational control. By 1992, its product range included hubs, routers, switches, network interface cards, and other equipment for Ethernet, Token Ring, and ARCNET networks. The company also marketed Sectra Network Management System, a network-management software package. A major technological initiative was the Thomas Conrad Networking System, or TCNS, a proprietary token-bus networking technology introduced in June 1990. Thomas-Conrad positioned TCNS as a lower-cost alternative to Fiber Distributed Data Interface, or FDDI. The first TCNS hub supported a stated data-transfer rate of 100 MB/s, and subsequent versions continued to be developed through at least 1994. TCNS gave the company a way to compete in high-speed networking while its broader hardware portfolio addressed established enterprise networking architectures. Thomas-Conrad underwent considerable executive turnover between late 1992 and mid-1993. In June 1993, Rod Canion, Compaq's co-founder and former chief executive, and John Gribi, a former Compaq chief financial officer, joined the company's board. Their arrival was followed by a strategic effort to increase production of Ethernet and Token Ring equipment and compete more aggressively at the lower end of the high-speed local-area-network market. IBM, a principal developer and promoter of Token Ring, was a major competitive target, while TCNS continued to be positioned against FDDI. The company reached approximately 220 employees in 1995 and produced as many as 100,000 circuit boards per month. That summer it moved from a more than 44,000-square-foot facility in north Austin to a 150,000-square-foot site nearer central Austin. Thomas-Conrad began discussions with Compaq in 1995 concerning the supply of networking technology. Those discussions culminated in Compaq's acquisition of Thomas-Conrad in October 1995 for an undisclosed amount. A figure of approximately $15 million was reported as a rumor, but the transaction value was not publicly disclosed in the cited account. The acquisition was Compaq's first purchase of an entire company; before then, it had relied on joint ventures and co-marketing arrangements. After the transaction, the Thomas-Conrad name was discontinued and the company's assets were incorporated into Compaq's networking division.

Thomas-Conrad was established in Austin in 1985 by Walter Thomas Thirion and Scott Conrad Johnson after the networking hardware company where they had previously worked failed and liquidated. The founders combined a small personal investment with proceeds from an earlier customer contract involving a networking product they had developed. They reinvested the early proceeds into proprietary hardware and released their first commercial product after approximately one year. The company grew from a small founder-led operation into a significant supplier of high-speed local-area-network equipment. Its early staff included a secretary and later Lorraine Thirion, who began as bookkeeper before becoming vice president of marketing and director of human resources. By September 1990, employment was estimated at 175 to 200 people, making Thomas-Conrad the second-largest manufacturer of high-speed LAN equipment according to the cited account. The company expanded without venture-capital or private-equity backing and remained privately held because its founders declined to pursue an IPO. Thomas-Conrad's portfolio by 1992 included hubs, routers, switches, network interface cards, and related products supporting Ethernet, Token Ring, and ARCNET. It also offered Sectra Network Management System software. In June 1990, the company introduced TCNS, its proprietary token-bus technology. TCNS was presented as a lower-cost alternative to FDDI, with the first hub specified at 100 MB/s. The company continued developing TCNS implementations into at least 1994. The business experienced substantial executive turnover from late 1992 into mid-1993. In June 1993, Rod Canion and John Gribi, both former Compaq executives, joined the board. Thomas-Conrad then emphasized higher production of Ethernet and Token Ring systems, targeting the lower end of the high-speed LAN market and seeking to take share from IBM in Token Ring. At the same time, the company continued to use TCNS to challenge FDDI's position in high-speed networking. By 1995, Thomas-Conrad employed approximately 220 people and reportedly reached monthly production of 100,000 circuit boards. It moved into a substantially larger Austin facility during the summer. That year it entered discussions with Compaq about supplying networking technology. Compaq ultimately acquired the company in October 1995 for an undisclosed sum. A reported rumor placed the value at about $15 million, but this was not a disclosed transaction figure. The acquisition was Compaq's first purchase of an entire company. Thomas-Conrad's corporate identity was subsequently dropped, and its assets were absorbed into Compaq's networking division.

• 1995

  Production and facilities reach peak scale

  [1]Thomas-Conraden.wikipedia.org

  Employment reached approximately 220 people, circuit-board output reached as many as 100,000 units per month, and the company moved to a 150,000-square-foot Austin facility.

• 1995

  Compaq acquisition ends the standalone brand

  [1]Thomas-Conraden.wikipedia.org

  Compaq acquired Thomas-Conrad in October, after which the Thomas-Conrad name was discontinued and its assets moved into Compaq's networking division.

• 1993

  Former Compaq executives join the board

  [1]Thomas-Conraden.wikipedia.org

  Rod Canion and John Gribi joined the board during a period of executive change and strategic emphasis on Ethernet and Token Ring.

• 1992

  Product portfolio broadens

  [1]Thomas-Conraden.wikipedia.org

  The company's catalog included hubs, routers, switches, network interface cards, equipment for several networking standards, and Sectra network-management software.

• 1990

  TCNS is introduced

  [1]Thomas-Conraden.wikipedia.org

  Thomas-Conrad launched its proprietary Thomas Conrad Networking System token-bus technology as a lower-cost alternative to FDDI.

• 1990

  Company reaches major high-speed LAN scale

  [1]Thomas-Conraden.wikipedia.org

  By September, Thomas-Conrad had approximately 175 to 200 employees and was described as the second-largest high-speed LAN equipment manufacturer.

• 1985

  Thomas-Conrad is founded in Austin

  [1]Thomas-Conraden.wikipedia.org

  Walter Thomas Thirion and Scott Conrad Johnson founded the networking hardware company after the collapse of their previous employer.

Thomas-Conrad positioned itself as a privately financed specialist in high-speed networking hardware. Its strategy combined equipment for established Ethernet, Token Ring, and ARCNET environments with proprietary TCNS technology marketed as a lower-cost alternative to FDDI. In the early 1990s, the company increasingly targeted the lower end of the high-speed LAN market while seeking to challenge IBM in Token Ring and compete with FDDI through TCNS.

• Token-bus networking technology · 1990

  Thomas Conrad Networking System (TCNS)

  TCNS was Thomas-Conrad's proprietary token-bus networking system, introduced in June 1990. The company marketed it as a lower-cost alternative to Fiber Distributed Data Interface. Its inaugural hub was specified at a 100 MB/s data-transfer rate, and later implementations continued to be developed through at least 1994. TCNS represented the company's principal proprietary answer to FDDI in high-speed networking.

• Network management software

  Sectra Network Management System

  Sectra Network Management System was a software package marketed by Thomas-Conrad for managing network environments. It complemented the company's hardware portfolio, which included hubs, routers, switches, and network interface cards for Ethernet, Token Ring, ARCNET, and related installations.

• Networking equipment

  High-speed networking hardware

  Thomas-Conrad produced a broad range of high-speed networking hardware, including hubs, routers, switches, and network interface cards. The equipment supported major enterprise networking architectures of the period, notably Ethernet, Token Ring, and ARCNET. During the early 1990s, the company increased its emphasis on Ethernet and Token Ring products to compete for the lower end of the high-speed LAN market.

• 1995

  Sale to CompaqM&A

  Background

  Thomas-Conrad began discussions with Compaq concerning the supply of networking technology.

  Action taken

  Compaq acquired Thomas-Conrad in October 1995 for an undisclosed amount.

  Aftermath

  The Thomas-Conrad name was dropped and the company's assets were absorbed into Compaq's networking division.

  Source

• 1993

  Move toward the lower end of the high-speed LAN marketStrategy

  Background

  After a period of executive turnover and the appointment of former Compaq executives to the board, Thomas-Conrad sought to strengthen its competitive position.

  Action taken

  The company initiated a production ramp for Ethernet and Token Ring products, with IBM identified as a principal target in Token Ring.

  Aftermath

  Thomas-Conrad continued to compete through its mainstream hardware portfolio and TCNS technology until its acquisition by Compaq in 1995.

  Source

• 1990

  Launch of TCNSProduct launch

  Background

  Thomas-Conrad sought a proprietary position in high-speed networking and an alternative to the established FDDI technology.

  Action taken

  The company introduced the Thomas Conrad Networking System and marketed it as a lower-cost token-bus solution.

  Aftermath

  Further TCNS implementations were developed through at least 1994, while the company continued selling equipment for Ethernet, Token Ring, and ARCNET.

  Source

1. 1Thomas-Conraden.wikipedia.org