Brocade Communications Systems Overview and History

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Brocade Communications Systems has a rich history that spans over three decades. The company was founded in 1995 by a team of entrepreneurs who shared a vision of creating innovative networking solutions.

In the early days, Brocade focused on developing Fibre Channel technology, which enabled faster data transfer rates and improved storage area network (SAN) performance. This technology quickly gained popularity among data centers and enterprises.

Brocade's innovative approach to networking earned the company numerous awards and recognition. In 2007, Brocade acquired Rhapsody Networks, a leading provider of network security and management solutions.

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Fibre Channel Technology

Fibre Channel Technology is a high-speed networking standard that allows for the transfer of data between servers, storage devices, and network switches.

It was developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s by a consortium of companies including IBM, H-P, and DEC.

Fibre Channel operates at speeds of up to 128 Gbps and supports distances of up to 10 km.

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Brocade Communications Systems was a leading provider of Fibre Channel products and solutions.

Fibre Channel is particularly useful for high-performance applications such as video editing and data analytics.

The company's products supported multiple protocols including Fibre Channel, FCoE, and iSCSI.

Brocade's Fibre Channel products were used in a variety of industries including finance, healthcare, and government.

Fibre Channel is a key technology for data center storage area networks (SANs).

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Software and Services

Brocade Communications Systems offers a range of software products to manage and optimize network performance. Their software portfolio includes SAN management software, which helps administrators monitor and control storage area networks.

SAN Management Software is a key component of Brocade's software offerings, providing a centralized platform for managing storage area networks. This software is designed to simplify network management and improve storage resource utilization.

Brocade's software portfolio also includes SAN Application Modules, which are legacy software applications that provide additional functionality for managing storage area networks. These modules are designed to work seamlessly with Brocade's SAN management software.

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In addition to SAN management software, Brocade's software portfolio includes IP Network Management Software, which is also a legacy software application. This software provides a comprehensive platform for managing IP networks and ensuring optimal network performance.

Brocade's software portfolio also includes Software Networking Solutions, which provide a range of networking capabilities for managing and optimizing network performance.

Here's a breakdown of Brocade's software products:

  • SAN Management Software
  • SAN Application Modules (legacy)
  • IP Network Management Software (legacy)
  • Software Networking Solutions

Mergers and Acquisitions

Brocade Communications Systems has a long history of strategic acquisitions that have helped shape its product offerings and market presence.

In 2003, the company acquired Rhapsody Networks, marking the beginning of its expansion into new areas of the networking market.

Brocade continued to grow through acquisitions, purchasing Therion Software in 2005 and NuView, Inc. in 2006.

In 2007, Brocade acquired Silverback Systems, which provided network acceleration technologies, and McDATA, a key competitor in the Fibre Channel switch and director market.

The acquisition of McDATA was completed on January 29, 2007.

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Brocade's largest acquisition to date was Foundry Networks, which it acquired in December 2008 for approximately $2.6 billion.

Here's a list of some of Brocade's notable acquisitions:

  • 2003 - Rhapsody Networks
  • 2005 - Therion Software
  • 2006 - NuView, Inc.
  • 2007 - Silverback Systems
  • 2007 - McDATA
  • 2008 - Foundry Networks
  • 2008 - Strategic Business Systems
  • 2012 - Vyatta, Inc.
  • 2014 - Vistapointe
  • 2015 - Connectem Inc.
  • 2015 - SteelApp
  • 2016 - Ruckus Wireless

Brocade continued its expansion through acquisitions, purchasing Vyatta, Inc. in 2012 and Vistapointe in 2014.

In 2015, Brocade acquired Connectem Inc. and SteelApp, expanding its offerings in carrier-focused wireless networking and application delivery controllers.

The company's most recent acquisition was Ruckus Wireless, which it acquired in 2016.

Competition

Brocade is the dominant vendor in the Fibre Channel Storage Area Network (SAN) networking switch market. They face stiff competition from Cisco Systems, a well-established player in the industry.

Their market share is substantial, and it's clear why they're considered the top dog in this space.

Intellectual Property

Brocade Communications Systems has a significant presence in the world of intellectual property.

The company has filed a substantial number of patents, with a total of 614 patents to its name.

Brocade Communications Systems has a history of securing patents for innovative technologies.

One notable example is a patent titled "Method and system for secure distribution of mobile data traffic to closer network endpoints", which was granted on May 3, 2022.

Credit: youtube.com, Technical Analysis: Brocade Communications Systems (NASDAQ:BRCD)

Brocade Communications Systems was incorporated on Dec 31, 1995, in San Jose, United States.

The company had a revenue of -$ (no data available) and an employee count of 1200 as of Dec 31, 2022.

Brocade Communications Systems is a public company with a Tracxn score of 45/100, ranking 36th among other companies in the data center networking solutions sector.

Here is a list of some of the notable investors in Brocade Communications Systems:

  • Mohr Davidow Ventures
  • Opus Capital
  • 7 others

Funding and Investors

Brocade Communication Systems is a funded company.

It's backed by 9 institutional investors, which can be a great source of support and guidance for startups.

One of the notable investors is Mohr Davidow Ventures, a well-established venture capital firm.

Opus Capital and Bay Partners are also among the investors, showcasing a diverse range of funding sources for Brocade Communication Systems.

Brocade Communication Systems, a company that's been around since 1995, is a public entity with its headquarters in San Jose, United States. It's ranked 36th in the list of companies in the communication systems industry.

Fashionable woman in profile wearing a floral brocade dress with bold makeup and ear cuff in an indoor setting.
Credit: pexels.com, Fashionable woman in profile wearing a floral brocade dress with bold makeup and ear cuff in an indoor setting.

One of the notable individuals associated with Brocade is Kumar Malavalli, who was a former Co-Founder & CTO of the company. He's also a founder of several other companies, including Kawa Objects and Indus International School.

Brocade Communication Systems has a significant employee base, with 1200 employees as of December 31, 2022. Its revenue and latest employee count are not specified in the available data.

Michael Klayko, a former CEO of Brocade, is another notable figure associated with the company. The company has received funding from several investors, including Mohr Davidow Ventures and Opus Capital.

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Products and Equipment

Brocade Communications Systems focuses on Fibre Channel and FICON storage area network (SAN) directors and switches.

They also offer SAN extension switches (FCIP), embedded switches for blade servers, optical transceivers, and SAN management software.

Prior to being acquired by Broadcom, Brocade provided ultra-low-latency data center switches and Ethernet fabrics.

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Their product lineup also included Federal and enterprise Ethernet (LAN/WLAN) switches and WAN (Internet) routers.

Application delivery controllers (load balancers) were another part of their offerings, as well as embedded Ethernet switch blades.

Fibre Channel host bus adapters (HBAs) and converged Fibre Channel/Ethernet network adapters (CNAs) were also available.

Their hardware supports common protocols like iSCSI, Gigabit Ethernet, FCoE, DCB/CEE, and Layer 4-7 networking protocols.

In addition to hardware, Brocade sold software-based networking devices through its wholly owned subsidiary, Vyatta.

These devices included technology for SDN, network virtualization, virtual routers, virtual firewalls, and virtual Application Delivery Controllers (load balancers).

Brocade also offered network security appliances and VPNs through Vyatta.

In March 2017, Brocade launched the Gen 6 (32 Gbit/s) G610 entry switch, which had 24 ports.

Their latest products, known as Gen 7, operate at 64G.

Walter Brekke

Lead Writer

Walter Brekke is a seasoned writer with a passion for creating informative and engaging content. With a strong background in technology, Walter has established himself as a go-to expert in the field of cloud storage and collaboration. His articles have been widely read and respected, providing valuable insights and solutions to readers.

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