Continuing the internet push it started in the enterprise space, Novell Corp yesterday launched the first fully IP-based version of its Netware operating system suite for small businesses. Prior to that, Novell’s suite of products for companies with 50 or less employees was based on its proprietary protocol, IPX, but moving over to IP will now enable those businesses to embrace the internet and e-commerce as much or as little as they want, said Rick Balazs, product marketing manager for Novell small business products.
As well hand-holding small businesses onto the web, Balazs said the version 5.0 of the suite, which includes the latest release of its GroupWise product and caching technology taken from its BorderManager enteprise offering, aimed to make it easier for administrators to install the software and get the network up and running with as little difficulty as possible.
To that end, rather than simply offering just one installation path, as was the case in the past, Novell is introducing two ways to get the software installed. The first, called Express Installation comes in the form of a CD-Rom. All users have to do is answer three questions and the software gets installed automatically, including the directory technology and all the other components.
The other option called the ‘customer installation option’ is basically the same but allows for greater customization. Instead of just setting up the network and letting it run, administrators or Vars can select particular partitions within NDS (Novell Directory Services), for example restricting certain users access to certain parts of the network.
The suite also includes new administration tools to make it easier to do such tasks as add new users, change security rights and so on, Balazs said. Importantly, it also lets administrators distribute new software applications centrally, from one point on the network, without having to go and install each application manually like before. Similarly, he claimed that its Novell internet connection expert saves time and money by enabling users to access the internet from one connection, rather than going through multiple ones, separate for different users. It also took the administrator about 30 screens worth of instructions to set web connections up, Balazs said, Now we’ve got a graphical wizard which automatically configures that set up routine, he said. We’ve gone from a 30 to 40-step process to answering a few questions and being able to automatically configure the system to connect to the web when required. In addition, the suite also now supports access via DSL modems, which it didn’t before.
Balazs said Novell had also linked up other suppliers to offer their products along with its small business package. As well as Netscape’s enterprise application server for Netware, it’s also offering Ragula’s FatPipe Internet product which enables companies to reduce download time by delivering web pages over multiple modem lines. A five-user license to Oracle’s 8i database is also included as is NetObjects Fusion web page design tool, Netscape Communicator and Network Associates NetShield and Virus Scan. It basically provides the base for anything they want to do for their internal network as well on the web, Balazs said. For users upgrading from existing Novell software, a five-user license to version 5.0 will cost $699, and those buying it for the first time will have to pay $1,295. Additional users cost $70. Balazs added that Novell was in the midst of an 80-city tour training resellers to help small businesses get up and running on the new suite.
