What Does Token Do?

Total employees51
HeadquartersRüschlikon
Founded2014

Token Ring (IEEE 802.5) was a local area network (LAN) technology prominently developed and marketed by IBM in the 1980s, later standardized by the IEEE. It employed a token-passing access method where a small data frame, the 'token', circulates around a logical ring of workstations or servers. This design provided deterministic access, preventing collisions common in early Ethernet networks and ensuring predictable performance, especially under heavy loads. While eventually superseded by faster and more cost-effective switched Ethernet technologies, Token Ring was a significant networking solution for enterprises for over a decade, particularly in environments requiring high reliability.

Where Is Token's Headquarters?

Token officeToken officeToken officeToken office
*Images sourced via web search. Rights belong to original owners

HQ Function

Primary IBM research and development hub where foundational work on token-passing ring networks and key aspects of the Token Ring architecture were conducted.

Notable Features:

World-renowned IBM research facility with a legacy of significant technological innovations, including Nobel Prize-winning discoveries. The Zurich lab is known for its cutting-edge research environment.

Work Culture:

A highly innovative, research-intensive, and collaborative environment that fostered technological breakthroughs. It combined academic rigor with a focus on developing viable commercial technologies.

HQ Significance:

Symbolized IBM's strategic commitment to leading-edge research and development in networking technologies, forming a cornerstone of its enterprise computing strategy during the 1980s and 1990s.

Values Reflected in HQ: Commitment to deep scientific research, robust engineering, technological leadership, and creating comprehensive enterprise solutions.

Location:

As a flagship networking technology from IBM, Token Ring achieved significant global presence. It was marketed, sold, and supported through IBM's extensive worldwide operations, with major adoption in large enterprises across North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions. IBM's global network of R&D labs, manufacturing plants, and customer support centers facilitated this widespread deployment, particularly in industries like finance, manufacturing, and government that valued its reliability.

Street Address:

Säumerstrasse 4 (IBM Zurich Research Laboratory)

City:

Rüschlikon

State/Province:

Zurich

Country:

Switzerland

Where Else Does Token Operate Around the World?

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

Address: 3039 E Cornwallis Rd, Durham, NC 27709, USA (General address for IBM RTP campus)

Served as a primary hub for IBM's networking division, coordinating development, production, and deployment strategies for North America and supporting global operations.

La Gaude, France

Address: IBM La Gaude, 06610 La Gaude, France (Historical IBM Research and Development Center)

Key IBM R&D and product development site for networking and telecommunications in Europe.

Buying Intent Signals for Token

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading Token? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, Token' leadership includes:

Werner Bux - Lead Researcher and Architect, IBM Zurich Research Laboratory (Pivotal in Token Ring design and performance analysis)
Norman C. Strole - Senior Engineer/Architect, IBM (Key contributor to Token Ring architecture and the IEEE 802.5 standard)
Hans-Georg Krojahn - Development Manager, IBM (Managed Token Ring adapter development projects at IBM Böblingen, Germany)
[Conceptual IBM Leadership Role] - VP of Networking Systems, IBM (Representing executive leadership overseeing IBM's networking strategy during Token Ring's peak)

Who's Investing in Token?

Token has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

IBM (Primary developer, principal investor, and global promoter of the technology)
Texas Instruments (Key strategic partner for the design and manufacturing of Token Ring chipsets)
SynOptics Communications (Later Bay Networks, a prominent vendor of Token Ring hubs and MAUs)
Major global enterprises (Significant 'investors' through large-scale adoption and deployment of Token Ring infrastructure)

What Leadership Changes Has Token Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

As Token Ring is a historical technology standard and not an active, standalone company, this section regarding recent executive changes is not applicable. The key individuals involved in its development and promotion have long since transitioned to other roles, retired, or passed away. No executive movements are tracked for 'Token Ring' as an entity.

Departures

N/A, Not applicable for a historical technology project.

New Appointments:

N/A, Not applicable for a historical technology project.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byToken?

Discover the tools Token uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Token Email Formats and Examples

Not applicable. Token Ring is a networking technology and standard, not an organization with its own employees or email system. Personnel involved in its development at companies like IBM would have used their respective corporate email formats.

N/A

Format

N/A

Example

0%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About Token?

IBM Press Release / IT Industry ArchivesOctober 15, 1985

Token Ring LAN Announced by IBM, Promises Robust Enterprise Networking

IBM officially launched its Token-Ring Network, a 4 Mbps local area network technology. Based on the token-passing principle and standardized as IEEE 802.5, it was positioned as a reliable and high-performance solution for enterprise customers, directly competing with Ethernet....more

Network World / Computerworld (Representative)Circa 1990

Token Ring Gains Market Share in Corporate Environments

Token Ring technology saw widespread adoption throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly in large corporations and financial institutions that valued its deterministic performance and robust error handling, often integrating with IBM's SNA architecture....more

IT Industry Publications (e.g., InfoWorld)September 1997

IBM Introduces 100 Mbps High-Speed Token Ring (HSTR)

In an effort to compete with Fast Ethernet, IBM and other vendors introduced High-Speed Token Ring, increasing the speed to 100 Mbps. However, it faced challenges gaining broad market acceptance against the momentum of Ethernet....more

Gartner / Industry Analysis Reports (Representative)Early 2000s

Token Ring Market Declines as Switched Ethernet Dominates

The rise of more cost-effective and increasingly faster switched Ethernet solutions (100 Mbps, Gigabit Ethernet) led to a steady decline in new Token Ring deployments. While maintaining a presence in legacy systems, its overall market share diminished significantly....more

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