Novell Inc yesterday launched NetWare MultiProtocol Router v2.0, its router software that runs on a standard iAPX-86-based personal computer: the new release simplifies configuration, offers improved management features, built-in filtering, and adds OSI routing to the IPX, TCP/IP, AppleTalk and Novell NetBIOS protocols already supported. It comes bundled with the NetWare Hub Services monitoring and management system for integrating hubs into NetWare systems to create an integrated system for building router-hub connections using off-the-shelf Hub Management Interface-compliant hub boards to install in standard personal computers. The new release adds Telnet and X Window, improved SNMP management capability; built-in Service Advertising Protocol filter and routing of IPX, TCP/IP, AppleTalk and OSI over wide area links using the new WAN Links v2.0. NetWare WAN Links v2.0 enables routing of IPX, TCP/IP, AppleTalk and OSI traffic across X25-based public or leased line private networks. The familiar NetWare interface is integrated into the improved configuration and installation utility in the new release. In order to encourage development of boards for NetWare WAN Links v2.0 Novell also announced the Wide Area Network Interface Specification, which defines the programming interfaces for developers that want to incorporate wide area links such as Frame Relay, SMDS or ISDN into their wide area network boards for a NetWare MultiProtocol Router or server. The new WAN Links offers enhanced and combined functionality of previous Link products into one; routing of IPX, TCP/IP, AppleTalk, and OSI over wide area links; support for Point-to-Point Protocol and X25; and improved SNMP management capability. Point-to-Point is designed to provide vendor interoperability by defining a standard for running multiple network-level protocols, such as IPX, TCP/IP and AppleTalk, over serial wide area network links, directly interconnecting one manufacturer’s router to another in an IP environment via high speed serial lines. In addition to traditional IPX-based remote console utilities, Telnet and X Window support have been added to allow for remote management from TCP/IP and Unix workstations using the Simple Network Management protocol. WAN Links provides access to a DSU/CSU supervisory port for management that makes trouble-shooting possible from any workstation on the network. The WANIS interface is being distributed to encourage the growth of network computing over wide area links. The specification extends the concept of Novell’s Open Data Link Interface to the wide area environment and is intended to enable developers to integrate their wide area network adaptors with the NetWare MultiProtocol Router, NetWare or NetWare for SAA more quickly. It also shields end-users from having to learn separate installation and configuration utilities for each manufacturer’s adaptors. NetWare WAN Links v2.0 costs $1,300 between now and October 31, and thereafter $1,500. The NetWare MultiProtocol Router v2.0 costs $1,000 including NetWare Hub Services; all ship in September.
