Foundry Networks

About Foundry Networks

Foundry Networks, Inc. operated as a networking hardware vendor, specializing in high-end Ethernet switches and routers for enterprises and service providers. The company was established in 1996 by Bobby R. Johnson, Jr. and was headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Johnson, a former IBM software developer and founder of Centillion Networks, brought extensive experience from leadership roles at Hewlett Packard and Tandem Computers. His vision for Foundry was to challenge the market dominance of traditional router manufacturers by leveraging the growing capacity of fast Ethernet switching.

The company's business model revolved around the design, manufacture, and sale of a comprehensive suite of networking solutions. This included high-performance switches, routers, security products, and application traffic management solutions. Its revenue was generated through the direct sale of this hardware and accompanying software products like IronView and ServerIron TrafficWorks. Foundry's client base was diverse, encompassing major Internet Service Providers (ISPs), metropolitan service providers, and large enterprises in sectors such as e-commerce, government, healthcare, and finance.

Foundry Networks achieved several key milestones, starting with the launch of the first gigabit Ethernet switch in 1997, followed by the first Layer 3 switch the same year, and the first Layer 4-7 switch in 1998. The company's initial public offering in 1999 was a remarkable success, reaching a market valuation of $9 billion on its first day of trading. Its product portfolio was extensive, featuring lines such as the BigIron, FastIron, and NetIron series, which provided high-density, low-latency switching and routing capabilities. On December 18, 2008, Foundry Networks was acquired by Brocade Communications Systems for approximately $2.6 billion, a move intended to bolster Brocade's data center solution offerings.