Axis Communications

Axis Communications AB
	The Axis Communications AB logo
Company type	Public (Stockholm Stock Exchange,XSSE:AXIS)
Industry	Computer hardware ; Research and development
Founded	1984
Headquarters	Lund, Sweden
Products	Network cameras; Print servers
Website	www.axis.com; www.axis.com/anz

This article discusses the Axis Communications. For other Axis, see Axis (disambiguation)

Axis Communications (XSSE:AXIS) is the global market leader in network video products and the leading independent provider of print servers. Axis has been developing solutions that add value to networks since 1984. With about 700,000 professional network video products and over 3 million networking products sold, Axis has the experience to meet customers' networking needs.

Product portfolio Axis specializes in professional network video solutions for remote monitoring, security surveillance and broadcasting. The company also provides products for network printing and document handling. The products are based on in-house developed chip technology, which enables devices to be securely and rapidly connected to virtually any wired or wireless network. Axis' chips are also sold to third parties.

Business Axis was founded in 1984 and is listed on the Nordic List, Mid Cap, Information Technology. Axis operates globally with offices in 17 countries and in cooperation with distributors, systems integrators and OEM partners in 70 countries. Markets outside Sweden account for more than 95 percent of sales.

History

Axis Communications was founded in 1984 by Mikael Karlsson and Martin Gren. Mikael was a recent graduate with a degree in International Business from the Stockholm School of Economics. Martin was studying advanced computer science and electronics at the University of Lund, Sweden. Both saw tremendous opportunities in the world of network connectivity, and together, they started the business, initially out of Martin's fraternity room.

File:Axis Founder.jpg

Martin Gren & Mikael Karlsson - Axis Founder

While Axis has come a long way since then, one thing hasn't changed -- its business concept of adding value to the network. Axis has been and continues to be a "connectivity" company, providing specialized hardware and software solutions that enable people with different operating systems to easily, efficiently and securely access all kinds of resources on a network. With the emergence of wireless technologies in the late 1990s and the growing importance of network accessibility, the company broadened its scope of connectivity to include both wired and wireless means.

Today, Axis' product and solutions portfolio encompass network cameras and video servers for surveillance, remote monitoring and Web broadcasting, as well as servers for printers and scanners.

Milestones

1984

Mikael Karlsson and Martin Gren founded Axis Communications.

1987

First company to introduce a RISC processor with built-in IBM mainframe 3270 coax and AS/400 midrange 5250 compatible communications, the CGA-1.

1988

First company to introduce a pocket-sized IBM 3270 and 5250 protocol converter, the AX-7 Cobra and AX-3 Cobra.

1990

Support for Internet printing through FTP was introduced

1991

First company to introduce a multi-protocol print server, the AX-5, now with TCP/IP and NetWare.

1992

First company to introduce a multi-protocol print server with TCP/IP, NetWare, LAN Manager, LAN Server and AppleTalk, the NPS 550.

1993

Release of the ETRAX 1, the world's first 32-bit RISC processor with on-chip Ethernet and Token Ring controllers.
Award: Best Print Server – by Byte Magazine for the NPS 550 RISC.

First company to introduce a pocket-sized network print server, the NPS 530.

1994

Engineer Association, the Polhem Award and Mikael Karlsson the Entrepreneur of the year AWARD by the Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri.
Award: Editor’s choice for best print server – by PC Magazine for the NPS 550 RISC
Award: “1994 Swedish IT Company” by the IT magazine “Datavärlden”.
Award: Axis founders are awarded. Martin Gren and Mikael Karlsson by the Swedish Royal

1995

First company to introduce a file server independent, multi-protocol CD-ROM server, supporting TCP/IP (NFS) and Windows (SMB), for Ethernet networks, the AXIS 850.
Award: Design award (Outstanding Swedish design) for the AXIS 150 Network Print Server.

1996

First company to introduce a print server with SNA support for IBM mainframe and AS/400 systems, the AXIS 570 (Ethernet) and AXIS 670 (Token Ring).

First company to offer a CD-ROM server with NetWare, Windows, and UNIX support, the AXIS 850/950.

Axis released ETRAX 4, setting new standards in price/performance. ETRAX 4 replaces ETRAX 3 with higher clock speed (40 MHz) and incorporating an on-chip high-speed SCSI-2 interface.

First company to introduce a CD-ROM server for Windows NT environment supporting SMB over TCP/IP or NetBEUI, the AXIS 850/950. First company to offer flash downloading of upgrade software over the Internet using FTP. First company to introduce a network camera for Internet/intranet systems, the AXIS 200 Network Camera.

Award : Guldmusen for the Axis print servers. Guldmusen is an IT award organized by the leading Swedish magazine Computer Sweden and the business magazine Affärsvärlden.
Award : Technical Innovation Award for the AXIS 200 Network Camera by PC Magazine.

1997

First company to offer a CD-ROM server with native support for NetWare Directory Services (NDS).
Award: Mikael Karlsson, Axis Board Chairman, was nominated to the 1997 Honorary listing of Europe’s 500, the association for dynamic entrepreneurs.

1998

First company to introduce a Network Document Server appliance that enables paper-based information to be easily scanned and sent by e-mail.

Release of ETRAX 100, the first 100 MIPS 32-bit RISC chip, with on-chip network controllers tailored for network appliances.

1999

First company to introduce a full-motion video server: the AXIS 2400 Video Server.
Introduced hard disk caching in the AXIS StorPoint, assuring continued leadership in the CD-ROM/DVD server market.
First company to offer a Linux-based network product: the AXIS 2100 Network Camera.
Award: The New Product Showcase by ISC Expo in New York for the AXIS 2400 Video Server.

2000

Developed and released the first Bluetooth stack for the Linux Operating System.
Start to offer ETRAX 100 with an embedded Linux SDK, to independent developers.
Award: International Award by Swedish security magazine Detektor for the AXIS 2120 Network Camera.
Award : PC-Expert Award, France. Journalist's Choice - Best Print server for SME/SMI - AXIS 5400+

2001

Release of the ETRAX 100LX, the successor to ETRAX 100, a RISC chip designed specifically with embedded Linux in mind. Adds a memory management unit (MMU) and USB support to the ETRAX family.
First company to deliver a mobile print server for wireless printing from Bluetooth-equipped mobile devices, the AXIS 5810 Print Plug.
Award: Computerworld Readers' Choice Awards in Singapore for the AXIS 2120 Network Camera in the category Hardware for the Best Network Camera.
Award: 2001 Market Engineering Leadership Award for the global network camera market - Top research firm Frost & Sullivan recognized Axis Communications as the leader in the global network camera and video server market.

2002

Release of the ETRAX 100LX Multi Chip Module, based on the ETRAX 100LX, the MCM also includes flash memory and RAM, making it essentially a Linux computer in a single 27x27mm chip.

Introduction of the 250S Video Server, with MPEG-2 video compression, enabling the delivery of DVD-quality video and synchronized CD-quality audio to authorized persons over a LAN or the Internet.

2003

Award: Premier Award for the AXIS 2460 Network DVR (Digital Video Recorder). CCTV resellers and installers in the U.K. voted for Axis in the Premier Awards 2003, in the Product Innovation category.

Award : Product Achievement Award for Digital Video for the AXIS 2130 PTZ Network Camera selected by a panel of the security industry during the SIA New Product Showcase at the ISC EXPO in Las Vegas.

Award : Best Places to Work awards in Sweden in the category for Diversity and one of the 10 best places to work in Sweden. Axis was chosen by the Swedish business publication Veckans Affärer, together with Oxford Research and the Great Place To Work Institute (EU-initiative to name the best 100 European workplaces).

Award : 2002/2003 Technology Trailblazers award in the category communication by the Asia Computer Weekly. Axis has been awarded since 1999 as one of the brightest IT vendors in the Asian IT industry.

Award : Newport School, Wales, collected the regional “Best use of Technology in Government Award” from Technology Wales 2003 (TW03) and the accolade of “the Most Innovative use of IP Technology in the UK” by Computer Weekly.

Award : December 2003 “Product of the Month” for the AXIS 205 Network Camera, delivered by the readers jury of WIK Zeitschrifft für die Sicherheit der Wirschaft / SecuMedia Verlag Deutschland.

Award : “Product of the Year” for the AXIS 205 Network Camera, delivered by the readers jury of WIK Zeitschrifft für die Sicherheit der Wirschaft / SecuMedia Verlag Deutschland.

2004

Award : The AXIS 230 Mpeg-2 Network Camera won SecuTech Award in Taiwan for its innovations and product development. Since 2001, SecuTech Awards has been tailored to encourage product innovation and honors efforts in product development.

Award : Axis Communications, the market leading IP surveillance product manufacturer, won the Premier 2004 Award in New Technology Manufacturer category in the United Kingdom in June. The key criteria for selection were customer care and sales support. Axis was selected by security installers contacted via Professional Security Installer magazine.

Award : Axis stays ahead – IMS Research recognizes Axis as the clear market leader in the fast-growing EMEA network video market. In a recent report, IMS Research predicted a continued strong development for IP-based network video products in the EMEA region. Looking at the network video market, Axis stands out as the undisputed market leader. In the network camera segment, the report found that Axis has a 59.8 percent market share. In the video server segment, Axis is also recognized as the clear leader with a market share of 35.4 percent, well ahead of its nearest competitor.

Award : Axis Communications receives the Award of Excellence in the Emerging Solution arena from Ingram Micro in the US. Axis has become an integral part of the Ingram Micro Solution Center as a leading provider of network video solutions to resellers worldwide.

”Maintaining strong relationships with partners like Axis Communications ensures that Ingram Micro remains at the forefront of the global technology marketplace” said Paul Bay, Ingram Micro vice president, vendor business management United States.

2005

Award : Axis Communications honored with 2005 Frost & Sullivan Market Leadership Award. Frost & Sullivan found Axis to be the definitive market leader in both the global network camera market and the global video server market.

“Since becoming the first company to launch a network camera in 1996, Axis has remained at the forefront of the fast growing network video market”, said Soumilya Banerjee, research analyst for Frost & Sullivan. “Through consistent performance and continuous innovation, the company has been able to build and retain its leadership position”. (February)

Award: Axis Communications receives Frost & Sullivan's 2005 Excellence in Technology Award for the AXIS 231D and AXIS 232D Network Dome Cameras. The award is presented each year to the company that has successfully developed a technology that can affect a market in terms of adoption, change, and competitive posture. (April)

Award. The Research and consulting company, J.P. Freeman Co. Inc., identified Axis as the share leader in the network video market. The 2005 report on the Worldwide Network and IP Video Market estimates that total network camera sales in the U.S. will reach $600 million by 2008.

Award: The Swedish magazine Detektor awarded Axis network camera AXIS 225FD “Best CCTV product” with the motivation “Axis gives another brilliant example of state-of-the-art network camera technology for video surveillance applications”

2006

Axis establishes a new office in Johannesburg, South Africa through taking over the personnel and offices from the company’s former distributor SCS Distribution, a well-established player on the South African market, with years of knowledge about Axis’ products and solutions

Award: Axis Communications receives Frost & Sullivan’s 2006 Award for Market Penetration Leadership in network video. The award is presented each year to the company that has demonstrated strategic excellence in product innovation, marketing, and sales strategies that have resulted in the largest gain in market share over the past two to three years.

Award: AXIS 225FD Fixed Dome Network Camera was awarded the SecuTech Award 2006 in the category Digital Surveillance. The AXIS 225FD is considered to be a smart and innovative all-in-one product, encompassing a high performance camera with progressive scan, Power over Ethernet (PoE), a built-in heater/fan, all in a vandal-resistant housing. The panel of judges commented that: "Axis gives another brilliant example of state-of-the-art network camera technology for video surveillance applications."

Award: Security Industry Association (SIA) selected the AXIS 214 Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) Network Camera for a “Product Achievement Award: Digital Video Device.” The judging took place at the 2006 ISC West New Product Showcase awards program held in Las Vegas, April 5-7. A panel of security industry professionals viewed presentations on more than 60 competitive products and selected the AXIS 214 PTZ due to its superior image quality and affordable price

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