Agile Networks, Inc. — 00:20:B6 (MA-L)

A MAC address starting with 00:20:B6 belongs to Agile Networks, Inc., a Massachusetts data-networking startup whose ATM/Ethernet switching hardware and VLAN automation software date to the mid-1990s, before Lucent Technologies acquired the company in October 1996. The IEEE holds a single MA-L block for this registrant, so any device carrying this prefix traces back to Agile's original hardware line rather than to a modern manufacturer.

Agile Networks was founded in late 1991 by Bill Siefert, who had earlier co-founded Wellfleet Communications in 1986. The company grew to roughly 60 employees building intelligent Ethernet/ATM switching and VLAN software meant to converge voice and data onto a single multimedia network, a common goal among early-1990s networking vendors before Ethernet switching consolidated the market.

Its flagship product was the "ATMizer," an intelligent ATM/Ethernet switch built around a 155 Mbit backplane with automated VLAN support, later joined by the "ATMizer LS," marketed as the industry's first Layer-3 LAN Emulation Server. Lucent folded these products into its own portfolio right after the October 1996 acquisition, alongside a longer-term plan to integrate Agile's VLAN software with Bay Networks' routing software.

The IEEE registry lists the registrant address as Concord, Massachusetts, while contemporary trade press placed the company in nearby Boxborough — the two towns are adjacent, not identical, so this is noted here rather than resolved. No CVE or security advisory has been recorded for the ATMizer or Agile Networks as of an August 2026 search; the hardware is decades past end-of-life with no current vendor support.

This 1990s switch maker should not be confused with three unrelated, similarly-named entities: Ragile Networks Inc. (OUI 74:90:1F, Fremont, CA, later reorganized as Micas Networks), a present-day wireless ISP called "Agile Networks" founded in Ohio in 2010 and acquired by altafiber in 2022, or "Agile Networks, LLC," an IT managed-services firm in Prospect Park, PA. None of these hold the 00:20:B6 registration.

Device class

ATM/Ethernet backbone and wiring-closet switches; VLAN automation software (products "ATMizer" and "ATMizer LS")

Registry block

IEEE MA-L, single /24 (00:20:B6); no MA-M/MA-S sub-allocations found

IEEE assignment

00:20:B6 → Agile Networks, Inc., registered 200 Baker Avenue, Concord, MA 01742, US [Confirmed] — the IEEE MA-L registry 0020B6

Registry / block size

MA-L (24-bit OUI); single block on record, no MA-M/MA-S sub-allocations [Confirmed] — the IEEE MA-M registry, the IEEE MA-S registry

Company founding

founded late 1991 by Bill Siefert, who earlier co-founded Wellfleet Communications (1986) [Likely] — https://www.techmonitor.ai/technology/lucent_acquires_agile_for_multimedia_networking

Acquisition

acquired by Lucent Technologies, October 1996, on undisclosed terms per contemporary trade press [Likely] — https://www.techmonitor.ai/technology/lucent_acquires_agile_for_multimedia_networking

Acquisition price (unverified)

a secondary WebSearch summary of an Avaya Inc. Form 10-12B/A reports a $135M cash purchase with $26M of goodwill impaired in 1999; the primary SEC filing could not be opened directly to confirm this

[Unknown] — WebSearch summary of SEC EDGAR filing (Avaya Inc. Form 10-12B/A), not independently confirmed

Device types / flagship products

ATM/Ethernet backbone and wiring-closet switches, VLAN automation software; "ATMizer" (155 Mbit backplane ATM/Ethernet switch) and "ATMizer LS" (Layer-3 LANE server) [Confirmed] — https://www.techmonitor.ai/technology/lucent_acquires_agile_for_multimedia_networking, ProQuest trade-journal listing "Agile Networks ATMizer ATM Switch", Gale Academic OneFile listing "Agile Networks Introduces The ATMizer LS"

Registered vs. reported address

IEEE registry lists Concord, MA; contemporary press located the company in adjacent Boxborough, MA [Confirmed discrepancy, unresolved] — the IEEE MA-L registry 0020B6, https://www.techmonitor.ai/technology/lucent_acquires_agile_for_multimedia_networking

Security history

no CVE or security advisory recorded for the ATMizer or Agile Networks as of an August 2026 search [Confirmed] — https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-128/Lucent.html, https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-1111/Alcatel-lucent.html

No IEEE registration date

the IEEE MA-L registry publishes no assignment/registration date field; none is asserted here [Confirmed] — the IEEE MA-L registry

Unrelated same-name entities

Ragile Networks Inc. (74:90:1F, Fremont, CA; later reorganized as Micas Networks), a present-day Ohio-founded "Agile Networks" wireless ISP acquired by altafiber in 2022, and "Agile Networks, LLC" (Prospect Park, PA, IT managed services) [Confirmed] — https://agilenetworks.com/company/, https://www.altafiber.com/about-us/news/altafiber-closes-acquisition-of-agile-networks, https://www.agilenetworksllc.com/