Novell makes major announcements at its annual Brainshare conference

Novell has kicked off its 2001 BrainShare Conference by announcing major Net services products that advance a company`s ability to do business anytime, from anywhere, across all kinds of networks - internal or external, wired or wireless. The company also announced a strategic partnership with information storage leader EMC that is designed to help Novell and EMC`s joint customers reduce time to resolution of service calls and maximise uptime for business-critical storage-network systems.

In the opening day`s keynote, Jack Messman, the CEO designate of Novell, joined current CEO and future chairman and chief strategist Eric Schmidt to discuss Novell`s recent acquisition of Cambridge Technology Partners and what the acquisition will mean to the companies` joint customers. The acquisition merges Novell`s technology and Net services expertise with Cambridge`s broad-based consulting services and will significantly heighten Novell`s ability to plan and implement Net services solutions.

Novell marketing manager Trish Barwick says that more than 7000 Novell customers and partners are attending BrainShare to learn how Novell`s Net services software, that works in conjunction with products and services from a growing list of key industry partners, can deliver solutions to critical business problems.

In separate announcements, the company detailed its market momentum by unveiling new products and partnerships:

Partnerships: Novell announced a cooperative support agreement with EMC that will enable companies using Novell-EMC solutions to reduce time to resolve service calls and maximise uptime for business-critical storage-network systems to get more out of their existing technology. For additional partnership information, see the partner quote sheet

Products: Novell announced new wireless technology for Novell`s eDirector and Novell eGuide products that greatly enhances the value of directory information, improves network management and increases user efficiency. The technology supports a number of hand-held devices. including cell phones, pocket PCs and PDAs.

Novell eDirectory momentum. Novell`s NDS eDirectory product, which is at the heart of its cross-platform Net services offerings, now boasts nearly 139 million users and provides the broadest platform support of any directory on the market. Today, Novell also announced support for Compaq Tru64 UNIX and IBM AIX operating systems.

Novell announced an upcoming feature of NetWare code-named iFolder. iFolder, which will also be sold as a stand-alone product, provides revolutionary "access anywhere" information management software that liberates users from reliance on any particular device to retrieve information or files. iFolder updates data across multiple workstations, and data is even available from Web devices.

Novell announced availability of Novell Portal Services 1.0, eBusiness software that presents users a single, unified view to the Net. Novell Portal Services boosts employee productivity and enhances relationships with customers and partners by collecting in a single view the files, collaboration tools, information and applications a user needs.

Novell introduced the Novell Single Sign-on 2.1 Bundle, directory-based password management software that helps organisations minimise drain on IT resources while ensuring a high standard of network security. In addition to today`s announcements, Novell will unveil a series of customer successes at BrainShare that underscore the market progress of its Net services strategy and provide real-world examples of how companies are using Novell to achieve a one Net environment. "A wide range of activities are planned for the more than 7000 attendees at this year`s BrainShare. A 64 000 square-foot exhibit hall includes demonstrations of cutting edge technologies and new products from Novell and its partners that will help companies take full advantage of a one Net world. Sponsors of BrainShare 2001 that have contributed to the technology demonstrations include BindView, Compaq, Computer Associates, Dell IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Metastorm and Veritas, among many others," says Barwick.

"The centerpiece of this year`s BrainShare Technology Lab will be the `One Net Solutions Village` -- an exhibition designed to clearly demonstrate how Novell and partner technologies are solving real business problems, getting intranets, extranets and the Internet to securely work together as one Net. The One Net Solutions Village will address solutions to key customer challenges, such as cross-platform complexity, security and the need for speed," concludes Barwick.