Cabletron splits into four

By Jim Duffy
Network World Fusion, 02/09/00

Cabletron on Thursday announced that it plans to split itself into four independent operating companies.

These companies - Riverstone Networks, Enterasys Networks, Global Network Technology Services (GNTS), and Aprisma Management Technologies - will focus on service provider, enterprise, professional services and network management markets, respectively.

"Our action today has a single purpose - to give us the focus and agility to seize these market opportunities and better serve our customers," said Piyush Patel, Cabletron's CEO and president, in a statement.

Cabletron will become a holding company for the four new companies, which Cabletron plans to take public within the next 12 months. Patel will become president of the holding company.

Riverstone will be led by Romulus Pereira, who had been Cabletron's chief operating officer. Riverstone will focus exclusively on the service provider market, including content hosting, Application Service Providers, POPs, CLECs, ISPs, MSOs and alternate carriers.

Enterasys will be led by Henry Fiallo, who had been Cabletron's chief information officer. Enterasys will focus exclusively on Global 2000 enterprise customers.

GNTS will be led by Earle Humphreys, who was Cabletron's executive vice president of global services and support. GNTS is a network consulting company that will focus exclusively on professional services, including the design, performance, management and security of networks for large enterprise and service provider customers.

Aprisma Management Technologies will continue to be led by President Michael Skubisz. Aprisma was formed last June will Cabletron spun out its Spectrum network management business. Aprisma will continue to focus on delivering infrastructure management software for service provider and enterprise markets.

Although the companies will initially be subsidiaries of Cabletron, the goal is to have four separate, publicly traded companies, Cabletron said.

The split up completes Cabletron's realignment of its operations and organizational structure begun several quarters ago, the company said.