If you’ve ever wondered where all the ex-3Com Corp chiefs went, then you’ll be pleased to know that they’ve been busy planning a new company called Grand Junction Networks. The start-up, the existence of which was revealed last week (CI No 2,017), is concentrating on promoting a new standard – 100Mbps Ethernet. It has already garnered nearly $4.5m in venture funding, and the good wishes of Apple Computer Inc and Hauppauge, New York-based Standard Microsystems Corp. The firm is headed by Howard Charney, a member of 3Com for 10 years, during which time he managed to rack up six vice-presidencies. Other founding members are Lazar Birenham, vice-president of engineering and former engineering executive at 3Com, and Jack Moses, vice-president of marketing, following an eight-year stint with 3Com. But the biggest name, and one that could help the idea of ‘Fast Ethernet’ to gain acceptance, is Bob Metcalfe, one of Ethernet’s principle inventors, although his position is non-executive. Grand Junction is basing its business on the ability to combine MLT-3 modulation techniques, developed for Copper FDDI – CDDI, with existing Ethernet protocols. The idea is to produce a cheap and cheerful high-speed network for local use, which capitalises not only on Ethernet’s good name, but also on the fact that new hub-based topologies generally mean that Ethernet segments rarely need to travel further than 300 feet. Whether the company will be successful in getting the technology to take off depends on a careful balancing act. On the one hand, the aim is to promote Fast Ethernet as a standard and it is working with multiple vendors to reach agreement on the specification. On the other hand, it is not yet nearly ready to talk about products and so has to be vigilant about maintaining any jump it may have on larger and interested data communications companies. Bob Metcalfe says a proposal for a new standard should be ready within six months for submission to the appropriate IEEE 802 committee.

Relatively cheap

However, he did admit that if the big guys decide that it is a good idea and jump in on it, then it’s not clear whether that would be a good or a bad thing [for Grand Junction]. As to reasons for proposing yet another high-speed networking standard, Metcalfe points to the ease with which manufacturers would be able to build hubs supporting both Fast and conventional Ethernet, and claims that it will be relatively simple to produce adaptor boards that could be switched between the two speeds. Moreover, the approach should prove relatively cheap, building on work that has already been done in bridging between Ethernet and other species of local network. In fact, Metcalfe believes success likely, irrespective of whether the appropriate standard bodies take the bait: I think that the proposition flies without the IEEE. With regard to how the company intends to make a living, marketing vice-president Jack Moses says Our business plan is focused on products for the end user. We do not plan to sell chips or license our technology. Rich Brand, National Semiconductor Corp’s strategic marketing manager and participant in a number of the IEEE 802 committees, is broadly supportive of a successor to Ethernet, but says to be honest, it is not clear what standards path this will follow. He agrees that, to an extent, Fast Ethernet would be involved in a race with Copper FDDI. However he did add, Fast Ethernet probably has the blessing of having the word ‘Ethernet’, to help gain market acceptance. A spokeswoman for Apple Computer confirmed that the company is in active discussions with Grand Junction to adapt the technology to the Macintosh. Which leaves only the question of where 3Com Corp itself stands. Back in April, the company’s chief technical officer, John Hart, was in London, stating that 3Com had been carrying out research into Fast Ethernet, and was thinking of developing dual standard 10Mbps-100Mbps adaptor boards. But Hart has refused to take calls from the press and no-one else at 3Com was available for comment. As far as Grand

Junction’s Moses knows though, there are no 3Com patents pertaining to high speed Ethernet.