Novell Inc is moving in on the DEC mini world with launch of NetWare VMS, which enables MS-DOS micro users on a local net running NetWare to share data, print services and applications with DEC VAX minis. Andrew Zoltowski, general manager of Novell UK Ltd, said that research indicated that over 80% of UK VAX sites also have MS-DOS machines in the same environment. With over 140,000 DEC VAX systems installed and 1.5m NetWare workstations world-wide, the integration of micro and mini into a cohesive computing unit has been furthered. The system will give MS-DOS users access to the MicroVAX at 500Kbps. It supports machines running MS-DOS 2.0 up, Windows/386, and OS/2 Standard Edition and is compatible with NetWare v2.0a and applications written for it, and also operates with NetWare v2.1; compatibility with all Advanced NetWare releases is promised. The standard DEC VAX Ethernet controllers are used and the program can co-exist concurrently with DECnet and local area transport networks and users on Token-Ring, StarLAN and ARCnets can connect to the VAX through NetWare bridges. NetWare VMS combines NetWare security with the VAX security system so that all security provisions are under control of the VAX system manager, and users may also have the same user name and password on the VAX and the NetWare. Novell reckons that at the end of 1987, there were over 140,000 DEC VAX systems installed and there were 1.5m NetWare workstations. The system will be available here in August and prices range from about UKP4,900 to UKP23,600, $5,500 to $26,000 in the US.
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