LANOptics changes company name to EZchip

LANOptics changes company name to EZchip
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- LANOptics Ltd. is taking on the corporate name of the network-processing company it acquired last year, EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. The change follows a change at the beginning of 2008 of the company's stock-trading symbol to EZCH.

EZchip CEO Eli Fruchter said in a statement that the brand recognition of EZchip was significant, and an important factor in changing the name of the parent company. LANOptics had developed a line of Ethernet switching chips, as well as software for firewall and policy-server security applications, but EZchip's presence in the 10-Gbit Ethernet world was larger than any of LANOptics' products.

Ironically, EZchip is one of only a handful of companies, also including Bay Microsystems and Xelerated Inc., who have made a profit from network processors. Many larger semiconductor firms abandoned dedicated datapath NPUs after OEMs elected to use FPGAs in many designs.

EZchip is based in Yokneam, Israel. Its largest customer is Juniper Networks Inc.