Ultra Network Technologies
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer networking |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | James N. Perdue, Drew Berding, Wes Meador |
| Defunct | 1992 |
| Fate | Acquired by Computer Network Technology Corporation |
| Headquarters | San Jose , United States |
Area served | United States, Germany, France |
Key people | M. Kenneth Oshman (Chairman), Stan Tenold (President) |
| Products | UltraNet network systems, VMEbus network interface cards, host interface cards for Cray, IBM, Convex supercomputers and mainframes |
Number of employees | 140 |
| Parent | Computer Network Technology Corporation |
Ultra Network Technologies (previously known as Ultra Corporation) was a U.S.-based firm specializing in advanced networking solutions tailored for scientific computing and selected commercial sectors.
History
Established in 1986 by James N. Perdue (formerly of NASA Ames Research Center), Drew Berding, and Wes Meador (formerly with Control Data Corporation), Ultra focused on providing enhanced speed connectivity for supercomputers and workstations. During this period, competitors such as Network Systems Corporation (NSC) and Computer Network Technology Corporation (CNT) delivered bandwidths of 50 MB/s but utilized proprietary systems primarily designed for mainframe-to-peripheral communication. Although Ethernet was widely used, its bandwidth capacity was insufficient for supercomputer channels that demanded speeds of 100 MB/s or higher.
Apple Computer became Ultra’s inaugural client, employing its technology to link a Cray 1 supercomputer with a high-speed graphics framebuffer to enable hardware-level simulation of personal computers. This initial engagement not only supplied funding but also affirmed the viability of Ultra’s foundational technologies.
In 1988, Ultra introduced UltraNet, which incorporated the ISO TP4 protocol within a star topology network architecture utilizing coaxial and fiber optic cabling. Their network processors achieved transfer rates of 250 Mbit/s, scalable up to 1 Gbit/s by interconnecting four processors. Data transfers between Silicon Graphics and Sun Microsystems workstations reached speeds exceeding 4 MB/s — more than tenfold faster than the Ethernet standards of that era — and surpassed the performance of NSC and CNT offerings. Users operating dual Cray systems attained effective transfer rates exceeding 80 MB/s via UltraNet connections.
The company’s product portfolio featured VMEbus network interface cards designed for workstations and mini-supercomputers, as well as host interface cards compatible with Cray supercomputers, IBM mainframes, Convex mini-supercomputers, HIPPI channels, and fiber optic network hubs. Their hub-centric topology supported long-distance fiber optic links demonstrated over an 800 km span in Germany with throughput surpassing 4 MB/s. Subsequent models integrated TCP/IP protocol support.
Network system pricing varied from approximately $250,000 for configurations connecting several workstations to a single mainframe, up to $1 million for complex arrangements involving multiple mainframes.
At its operational height, Ultra employed around 140 personnel distributed among its San Jose headquarters and branches in Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington DC, Düsseldorf, and Paris. In 1992, amid financial challenges triggered by the rise of lower-cost networking technologies propelled by faster personal computers and affordable workstations, Ultra was acquired by Computer Network Technology Corporation (NASDAQ: CMNT). The company’s leadership included Chairman M. Kenneth Oshman (formerly chairman of ROLM) and President Stan Tenold (previously head of ROLM Military Products division).
Ultra’s customer base consisted of elite computing institutions such as NASA facilities, the NSA, US Air Force, US Navy, Aramco, France’s EDF, Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center, University of Stuttgart, Leibniz University Hannover, Apple Computer, Houston Chronicle, among others.