Mutual & Federal migrates to Novell

Following Mutual & Federal`s recent acquisition of competitor insurance company CGU Holdings, the company is migrating CGU`s current Microsoft-based network to its existing Novell platform.

With its head office in Johannesburg, Mutual & Federal`s 2 700-user network extends to 18 branches countrywide, with additional branches in Botswana and Namibia.

"Mutual & Federal`s strategy is to use Novell as our main provider for print and file sharing, with Novell Directory Services (NDS) being key in managing all user assess countrywide," says Ronald Roxburgh, network consultant at Mutual & Federal. "Microsoft products will only be used where particular applications require it, and NDS will be used to manage access for users."

Implementation of NetWare 5.1, GroupWise, BorderManager, ZEN for Desktops and ZEN for Servers began in November 2000 and, according to Graham Hallworth, Novell regional manager for sub-Saharan Africa, is scheduled for completion by the end of June. "This move will substantially reduce the total cost of ownership for our client and ensure that a high quality of service is offered to their internal clients."

Roxburgh says the migration to the Novell platform will provide the stable infrastructure which Mutual & Federal has become used to. "Additionally, we will not be forced to retain unnecessary staff to maintain the Microsoft infrastructure countrywide," he says. "The power of NDS will also ease the burden of maintaining the user profiles by utilising skills that already exist within the company."

Mutual & Federal has been a Novell house for many years and currently operates under a Corporate Licence Agreement (CLA). "By purchasing Upgrade Protection with the CLA, we have been able to make substantial savings on new software releases, and have remained at the forefront of technological developments," Roxburgh concludes.