The entry-level version of Novell Inc’s network operating system will include software to off-load network server functions for its NetWare 3.11 customers. Computer Systems News says that the company is expected to unveil a peer-to-peer version of NetWare that is hoped will recapture the entry-level network market. The technology would enable users and integrators to construct networks without dedicated servers and to build networks in which any personal computer could act as a server. Commentators say that the entry-level products are a response to Artisoft Inc’s LANcastle and other low-end networking systems. It has been a long-standing complaint of integrators that there are no reliable alternatives for sharing files and printers on server-based networks, and those that do exist are not compatible with NetWare. The US trade weekly believes that Novell is developing code for NetWare 3.1 to foster compatibility with the peer-to-peer system and to enable users to upgrade to 80386-based server software. Some code will be embedded in a NetWare loadable module, some will be on top of the IPX drivers in NetWare 3.11 and the rest will reside in the workstation. Code in the loadable module will publish volumes and directories for the peer-to-peer system clients and that code will enable users to initiate file and print services. While these facilities have been unavailable, some integrators have been recommending a NetBIOS-based offering, but the performance is said to be substandard, and a native version based on SPX and IPX would be a significant improvement. Some sources believe that Novell planned to deliver the entry-level system this month, but that has been postponed in order to minimise the effect on NetWare 2.2. For small networks, it is possible to add dedicated servers for specific functions without upgrading to NetWare 2.2 or 3.11. Pricing is expected to be about $90 to $95 per user, and it is said that Novell anticipates around $75m in sales in the first year.
