Novell Inc denies the transition to intranets from the traditional corporate local area network is a tricky one, and says it sees the evolution of the intranet as one of the keys to the success of its business. Future products, it says, will be increasingly Internet and Java-based. Novell views corporate intranets as a natural evolution of departmental networks and says the Local Area Network, in which area it has a large presence, is gradually evolving into the intranet. However, research carried out by Research International Ltd about attitudes to and levels of understanding of intranets in the UK, France, Germany Spain, Italy, Holland and Sweden, shows only 13% of companies so far have intranets in place, and one third of those surveyed admitted to not knowing about corporate intranets. Among those with awareness, the major problem was persuading the board of the value of an intranet to the company. Andrew Sadler Smith, Novell’s UK & Ireland sales director said the company will be doing more and more in the Internet field and says the recent appointment of Dr Eric Schmidt as chief operating officer (CI No 3,177) from Sun Microsystems Inc will propel Novell into the Java market place. The company, claims to have 70% of the network market with its Novell Netware, and believes it will have no trouble coping with this major shift from local networks to the intranet.
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