Next generation high speed router start-up, Berkeley Networks Inc, has completed its second round of venture funding raising $8.8m from Intel Corp and various venture capital organizations. The privately-held San Jose California-based company is developing a next generation switch and router that will use Windows NT for the operating system and give the switch intelligence using NT to provide routing, security, management and directory services. Microsoft Corp has already been talking up its Steelhead addition to NT (CI No 3,120), now known as routing and remote access services, or RRAS, which can convert standard servers into mid-range routers and remote access concentrators with the addition of an extra network card. Berkeley is planning to add the NT networking capabilities to its switch alongside high performance application aware switching, which will increase the performance. The company claims that the switch/NT combination will reduce the cost and complexity of networks. Berkeley was founded in June 1996 and to date has raised $14.6m in venture funding from New Enterprise Associates, Information Technology Ventures, Advanced Technology Ventures, SunAmerica, Vantage Point Ventures and Intel Corp. Berkeley Networks is planning to announce its first products in January.