Navarro Networks

Navarro Networks, Inc. was a semiconductor and networking technology company based in Plano, Texas. The company developed application-specific integrated circuits and network-processing components for Ethernet and related networking applications. Its work was focused on the hardware layer of network infrastructure rather than on consumer-facing networking products, positioning the business as a specialist supplier of silicon technology for Ethernet switching and other communications equipment. The company was established in 2000 by a group of nine employees who departed the Cyrix division of VIA Technologies. Their departure followed VIA's announcement that it intended to spin off the Cyrix division as a separate company. Mark Bluhm, previously a vice president at Cyrix, served as Navarro Networks' chief executive officer. The Cyrix connection gave the new company an experienced engineering and management base in semiconductor design, while its product direction centered on networking rather than personal-computer processors. Navarro's principal technology was a network processor designed for Ethernet and other applications. The company's stated role in the industry was therefore that of an early-stage infrastructure semiconductor developer whose intellectual property and engineering talent could support larger networking-platform vendors. Publicly available information describes a small operation with approximately 25 employees at the time of its acquisition, rather than a broad commercial brand with a large standalone product portfolio. Cisco Systems announced its intention to acquire Navarro Networks on May 1, 2002, the same day it announced a separate bid for Hammerhead Networks. Cisco completed the Navarro transaction in June 2002 through a stock exchange valued at approximately $85 million. Following the acquisition, most of Navarro's employees joined Cisco's Internet Systems Business Unit. Their expertise was intended to strengthen Cisco's internal ASIC capabilities for Ethernet switching platforms. After the transaction, Navarro Networks ceased operating as an independent company. Its significance lies primarily in its contribution of networking semiconductor engineering talent and technology to Cisco, rather than in a continuing standalone product brand. No current independent website, public listing, or active product portfolio is identified in the available reference material.

Navarro Networks emerged in 2000 during a period when networking companies were investing heavily in specialized silicon for faster Ethernet switching and communications infrastructure. The company was formed by nine employees who left the Cyrix division of VIA Technologies on March 21, 2000. Their departure occurred one day after VIA announced plans to spin off the Cyrix division as a separate company. Although the new enterprise retained personnel with semiconductor experience from Cyrix, its focus shifted toward Ethernet networking components and network processors. Mark Bluhm, formerly a vice president at Cyrix, became Navarro Networks' chief executive officer. The company operated from Plano, Texas, and developed Ethernet-based application-specific integrated circuits. Its technology included a network processor intended for Ethernet and other applications. These products addressed the infrastructure side of networking, where specialized silicon handles packet processing, switching, and related functions inside network equipment. Available descriptions portray Navarro as a relatively small engineering company rather than a high-volume merchant semiconductor manufacturer. By the time Cisco Systems acquired it, Navarro had approximately 25 employees. The compact scale of the business made its engineering capabilities and intellectual property particularly valuable to a larger networking company seeking to improve its own switching technology. On May 1, 2002, Cisco Systems announced its intention to acquire Navarro Networks. Cisco made the announcement on the same day that it announced a bid for Hammerhead Networks, another networking technology company. The Navarro transaction was completed in June 2002 through a Cisco stock swap reported at approximately $85 million. Most Navarro employees joined Cisco's Internet Systems Business Unit, where they were expected to enhance Cisco's internal ASIC capabilities for Ethernet switching platforms. The acquisition ended Navarro Networks as an independent company. Its corporate identity and standalone operations were absorbed into Cisco, while its personnel and technical capabilities became part of Cisco's internal networking-silicon development effort. The available sources do not identify a continuing Navarro product line, later independent ownership, or a current corporate website. The brand is therefore best understood as a defunct networking-technology company whose principal historical importance was its contribution to Cisco's Ethernet ASIC and switching-platform capabilities.

• 2002

  Cisco announces acquisition agreement

  [1]Navarro Networksen.wikipedia.org

  Cisco Systems announced its intent to acquire Navarro Networks on May 1, alongside its bid for Hammerhead Networks.

• 2002

  Acquisition completed

  [1]Navarro Networksen.wikipedia.org

  Cisco completed the acquisition in June through a stock swap reported at approximately $85 million, and most Navarro employees joined Cisco's Internet Systems Business Unit.

• 2000

  Company founded by former Cyrix personnel

  [1]Navarro Networksen.wikipedia.org

  Navarro Networks was established by nine employees who left VIA Technologies' Cyrix division after VIA announced plans to spin off that division.

• 2000

  Development of Ethernet networking silicon

  [1]Navarro Networksen.wikipedia.org

  The company pursued Ethernet-based ASIC components and a network processor for Ethernet and related applications.

A specialist networking-semiconductor developer focused on Ethernet ASICs and network-processing technology for infrastructure equipment manufacturers.

• Networking semiconductor

  Ethernet ASIC components

  Navarro developed application-specific integrated circuits designed for Ethernet networking equipment. These components were intended for infrastructure applications rather than direct consumer sale and formed part of the company's specialist networking-silicon portfolio.

• Network processor

  Ethernet network processor

  The company's reported network processor was designed for Ethernet and other networking applications. It represented Navarro's core effort to provide programmable or specialized processing technology for communications equipment and Ethernet switching platforms.

• 2002

  Cisco acquisition of Navarro NetworksM&A

  Background

  Cisco sought to strengthen its networking hardware and semiconductor capabilities as Ethernet switching platforms became increasingly dependent on specialized ASIC technology.

  Action taken

  Cisco announced the acquisition on May 1, 2002 and completed it in June through a stock swap reported at approximately $85 million. Most Navarro personnel were transferred to Cisco's Internet Systems Business Unit.

  Aftermath

  Navarro ceased to operate as an independent company, while its engineering resources were incorporated into Cisco's internal ASIC development effort for Ethernet switching.

  Reported transaction value. Approximately $85 million (2002)

  Source

1. 1Navarro Networksen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Archived Navarro Networks official websiteweb.archive.org