Solidum Systems

About Solidum Systems

Solidum Systems was a fabless semiconductor company established in 1997 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, by founders Feliks Welfeld and Misha Nossik. The firm specialized in developing rule-based network classification semiconductor devices, which were integral components in systems supporting high-speed 10 Gbit/s interfaces. Its core business involved providing content inspection processing services for the semiconductor industry, developing high-speed cell and packet classification engines that enabled clients to produce advanced network equipment.

The company's product line included a series of traffic classification devices known as PAX.port 1100, PAX.port 1200, and PAX.port 2500. These classifier chips were primarily utilized in network switches and load balancers. In September 2000, Richard W. White was appointed as the new president and chief executive officer, bringing over two decades of experience from the semiconductor, telecommunications, and software sectors. Founder Misha Nossik also held the position of the second chairman of the Network Processing Forum, a significant industry body.

Solidum Systems successfully secured multiple rounds of funding, including an early-stage venture round of $3M in May 2000 and a Series B round in January 2001. The company's growth and technological contributions attracted the attention of larger industry players, leading to its acquisition by Integrated Device Technology (IDT) in October 2002 for an undisclosed amount, although one source mentions a deal amount of $10M. The acquisition was aimed at strengthening IDT's packet-processing offerings by integrating Solidum's deep packet classification technology. Following the acquisition, IDT continued to operate the Ottawa offices until their closure in March 2009.