Intune Networks

Intune Networks was established in Dublin, Ireland, in 1999 by John Dunne and Tom Farrell, graduates of University College Dublin who were engaged in research on laser technology. Their initial work centered on calibrating fast-tuneable lasers, but they soon realized the technology's potential for creating an all-optical switching and transport network. The company focused on developing technology to address the escalating demands on telecommunications networks driven by video content and cloud services.

Intune Networks developed a proprietary technology called Optical Packet Switching and Transport (OPST), which virtualized the network to provide what they termed "liquid bandwidth." This platform was designed to collapse the switching and optical layers of a network, enabling operators to manage and reconfigure their networks dynamically through web-centric commands. The primary clients for this technology were large telecommunications carriers and internet service providers facing challenges with network bottlenecks and the cost of scaling their infrastructure. In May 2011, the company announced the commercial availability of its Verisma™ product line, with the iVX8000 system being its first carrier-class product. This system was a protocol, application, and service agnostic platform intended for next-generation carrier networks.

Throughout its history, Intune Networks secured significant funding from a variety of sources. An early round included Bank of Scotland, Enterprise Ireland, and angel investors. In August 2007, the company raised US$17.75 million from a consortium including Amadeus Capital Partners, Balderton Capital, and Spark Capital. This was followed by a major €22 million funding round in October 2009, led by financier Dermot Desmond and Kernel Capital, with participation from existing investors and government bodies Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland. This funding was intended to support the full commercial launch of its products and expansion into North American and Asian markets. The company's work gained recognition, winning the 'Innovation of the Year' award at the Irish Times InterTrade Ireland Innovation Awards in March 2011. Despite its technological developments and substantial backing, which totaled over $74 million, the company eventually went out of business, filing for bankruptcy administration/reorganization in August 2014.

Keywords: optical packet switching, telecommunications equipment, tuneable lasers, network virtualization, fiberoptic equipment, carrier-grade networking, Optical Packet Switch and Transport (OPST), Verisma, iVX8000, liquid bandwidth, network infrastructure, data transport, John Dunne, Tom Farrell, telecom hardware, optical networking solutions, dynamic network configuration, web-enabled network, service provider solutions, telecommunications technology.