Netware 6 Now Shipping

Per the Press Release:

PROVO, Utah — Oct. 17, 2001 — Novell, Inc., a leader in eBusiness solutions and Net services software, today announced that Novell® NetWare® 6 is now available through Novell Authorized ResellersSM and solution providers. NetWare 6 is the latest version of Novell's premier platform for delivering Net services across all types of networks, storage systems and client desktops. Designed explicitly for today's Net economy, NetWare 6 can be plugged into existing networks to integrate those networks into one Net, empower new services and maximize existing technology investments. In addition, NetWare 6 allows Windows*, Macintosh*, UNIX*, Linux* and Web-based client workstations to connect and store files and data on NetWare servers without any Novell client software on the workstation.

Unlike the competition, Novell doesn't require a rip-and-replace strategy; adding NetWare 6 to a network brings significant benefits without significant cost. NetWare 6 licensing is user-based, meaning a user can access the network at any time, from any device and any location based on that user license. NetWare is more cost effective than competitor offerings, because there are no server license fees and a single user can access the network using several different devices without penalty.

Organizations such as TransAmerica Business Credit, California Highway Patrol, University of Maryland and Auditor of State of Ohio have been testing the NetWare 6 beta version and are scheduled to roll the shipping version out internally over the next few months, giving their users and customers access to the powerful Net services provided by NetWare 6 - including anytime, anywhere access to files, printers, e-mail, calendar, corporate address book and other resources via a Web browser. These customers are among those who received the more than 400,000 NetWare 6 beta copies that were distributed.

"NetWare 6 will let our users access network services and the information they need to do their jobs from any location, any desktop, at any time," said Bruce McLeod, system architect for the California Highway Patrol. "And NetWare 6's iPrint will give our desktop and mobile users faster and easier printing from wherever they happen to be. Those capabilities - combined with the fact that NetWare has always let me run my organization with fewer servers - helps us do more with less, improving the return on our investment in this new technology as well as the ongoing return with our existing infrastructure."

Michael Simpson, vice president of Novell's platform solutions team, said, "NetWare 6 grants users freedom to be mobile without giving up the advantages of office-based network access, while continuing the NetWare tradition of delivering the industry's most reliable, secure and real-world-tested networking services. NetWare 6 itself is a set of Net services, letting organizations tie disparate networks into a single network - one Net - that is seamless to end users, inside or outside the enterprise."

Key Net services provided by NetWare 6 include:

Novell iFolder™ — "access anywhere" information management software, Novell iFolder lets users securely access and synchronize their files, anywhere in the world, across all types of networks and on any Internet-enabled machine.
iPrint — makes Internet printing a reality by allowing customers to use a simple Web browser to find and install a printer and securely print with the click of a mouse, so there are no location restraints on either the user or the printer. That means savings in terms of faster setup and reduced support calls, along with giving mobile users the ability to print anywhere.
NetWare WebAccess — a scaled-down version of Novell Portal Services, NetWare WebAccess significantly reduces costs and management complexity by providing user access via a Web browser to files, printers, e-mail, calendar, corporate address book, etc., all through a customizable portal, regardless of desktop operating system or device.
Cross-platform desktop support — NetWare 6 allows Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, Linux and Web-based client workstations to connect and store files and data on NetWare servers without any Novell client software on the workstation.
"With the state of the economy and shrinking IT budgets, our customers are making sure they're doing the right thing, particularly with their network operating platform," said Terry Beck, president of Harding Group, a Novell solution provider partner in Arlington, Texas. "The introduction of NetWare 6 gives us the opportunity to provide real value to our customers. With NetWare 6 as a platform, we can build solutions that offer our customers non-stop access to network resources without upsetting their existing network. We are already seeing tremendous opportunities for growing our business with the release of NetWare 6."

Pim Bilderbeek, vice president of European eBusiness & Networking Research for IDC, said, "The interconnection of a multitude of business-critical networks, from both inside and outside the firewall, is driving the need to simplify networking - at a time when more and more users go online via various fixed and wireless devices. Distinctions between networking categories are blurring as we move towards a world characterized by pervasive computing and always-on network connections. Point solutions will come under increasing pressure as vendors strive to provide an end-to-end approach based on a distinct networking vision and the centrality of solving business problems."

Regular list price for NetWare 6 is $184 per user license. Within 30 days, NetWare 6 will be available in Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese Traditional and Chinese Simplified. Additional NetWare 6 product and pricing information is available at <a href="http://www.novell.com/netware6." target="_blank">http://www.novell.com/netware6.</a>