Company: Cisco Systems
Based: San Jose, CA. Founded: 1984 Founders: Leonard Bosack & Sandy Lerner Specialty: Develops, manufactures and sells networking hardware & telecommunications equipment including routers, switches, wireless systems, WAN acceleration hardware, security systems, energy and building management systems, media aware network equipment, unified computing, unified fabric, data center switching, storage networking, and cloud computing services. |
Cisco Systems / IBM / Pixar - Desktop Switching ASIC Computer Chips (2006)

Item #988 & 1011
This Lucite paperweight from Cisco's DSBU (Desktop Switching Business Unit) features examples of the following IBM ASIC computer chips:
- Cisco Strider (port ASIC chip)
- Cisco Strider CR (port ASIC chip)
- Cisco Madmax (switching ASIC chip)
- Cisco Madmax CR (switching ASIC chip)
Strider, Strider CR, Madmax, and the Madmax CR were all custom ASIC switching chips manufactured by IBM for Cisco for use by Pixar.
The ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) is basically a CPU that is not a general purpose CPU, but is a CPU for making switching decisions very quickly, faster than could be done by software using a standard CPU. The ASIC chip is responsible for all routing decisions being made.
New in original wood-grain cardboard box. Measures 6" L x 7" H x 1" W. Includes care instruction sheet, and 4 unused self stick rubber feet.