Novell today announced the August availability of Novell NetWare 6.5, advanced network services for business. NetWare 6.5 includes business continuity, open source, Web application services and “virtual office” capabilities to reduce network costs and complexity while giving users around-the-clock access to the tools they need to be productive.
Novell NetWare 6.5 Delivers Advanced Network Services for Business
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I had no idea Netware was the industry’s most reliable and secure platform. Thanks OSNews!
Though I’ll assume you were being sarcastic.
Though, I must say Netware is one of things that once you got it working the way you wanted (which sometimes took time and effort), you pretty much could forget about it with the exception of occasional required updates. I suppose, in a way, they are kind of like the Apple of the network operating system world, but with a somewhat better reputation, somehwat larger market share, and far fewer scary zealots. They were doing many useful, innovative things earlier and better than Microsoft did, and for a while, they were king. Microsoft eventually caught up enough to please vendors and gradually forced them into a niche. Windows2000 provided a major piece of that puzzle by finally introducing something that was almost half as good as Novell Directory Services, but Novell’s marketshare was slipping since Win95 and NT4. Just like Windows 3.1 was almost half as good as MacOS.
Back in the day (late early 90’s) I hoped that Novell would have kept WordPerfect, bought Lotus, FoxPro, and MacroMind Director and turned them into the ultimate single user and networked groupware/collaboration office suite back in the Windows 3.x/Macintosh System 7.x days. It would work perfectly with Netware and take over the universe.
But we all know THAT never happened. Microsoft ate FoxPro and IBM ate Lotus. Macromind became the king of online interactive rich media content after changing their name to Macromedia and Novell gave WordPerfect to Corel (after finally getting it right with WP 6.2 for Windows). I forgot what happened to dBase.
I hope Novell pulls an Apple and releases something that has Gates and Co. seething with jealousy (and coding like mad to catch up) all over again. Not that Netware 6.x is bad, because it’s likely very extremely good (i.e. reducing the need to have the full Netware Client installed, Native File Access, improved Linux and MacOS support, Java, integration with much OSS). But I’d like to see them turn the industry on its ear again.
Oh well, here’s to the future. If (and this is highly unlikely) Novell goes under, I hope their stuff either gets bought up by a good company who will continue it (i.e. NOT SCO or Microsoft).
–JM
Was that ever long!
I ask this not in jest… but seriously, I used to
run Novell (ok took care of a few novell servers),
some time ago. I have not even seen one in some time.
Ok, here we go:
How many people still use Novell?
Seriously… does anyone have a number?
Just curious, how many corporate servers still
use it…
Hrmmm.
I say second as I do believe OSX is the first. The only problem with OSX is that it runs on expensive Apple hardware.
I have not read everything there is to read about Novell 7 but from what I gather, could it be the a Linux Server with a good directory services and a GUI interface to all our beloved linux services (i.e. Apache, MySQL, BIND, IMAP, etc).
If this is the case I would say they have a real chance to make a huge come back.
RE” Bobdole43 (IP: —.client.insightbb.com)
What planet are you on? sure, say that about their low end machines but their server? what planet are you on?
Last I looked at some numbers, Netware was holding at around 6 to 9 millionish give or take servers for market share. They are very prominent in large enterprises mainly. Netware isnt the real story though. Edirectory is Novell’s crown jewel and is number one in the world with just shy of a billion licensed users. Oh…and opposed to Active Directory, Novell’s Edirectory can run on virtually any platform and can actually scale.
> Ok, here we go:
> How many people still use Novell?
The company I work for has used Novell for over 15 years. We currently are running version 5. Every now and then we get a Windows consultant who thinks we need to replace the NetWare box with Windows NT/2000/Server 2003. The typical response is “Over my dead body.” We have dozens of XP workstations, a few 2000 servers and an NT based Exchange box. The NetWare box gives us the least trouble of anything we own. It’s uptime is measured in years, it doesn’t need to be rebooted, it doesn’t crash, it doesn’t lock up, it just runs. I think most of these Windows consultants have never managed a NetWare server. If they had, they’d say “Leave it alone.”
Well, you should consider updating your Novell server at least every other year. Unfortunatly this requires a reboot. But this way i learned that actually somebody works around midnight, besides me, that is 😉
Who uses Netware? People that actually know what they’re doing! We use Netware, BorderManager, GroupWise, iFolder, NDPS, etc. There wouldn’t be a Microsoft server in the place if the bean-counters hadn’t gone and bought an accounting package that required SQL Server. So, that one box running nothing but SQL Server for 10 people is about triple the capacity of the Novell boxes running the entire company of over 200 people. Me switch from Novell / Netware? Over my dead body!
I’m not anti-Microsoft, but I am pro-Quality. When Microsoft offers real quality, I’ll use it.
-Farren
“Is Novell going to become the second truely GUI friendly linux?
By Bobdole43 (IP: —.client.insightbb.com) – Posted on 2003-07-24 04:11:58
I say second as I do believe OSX is the first. The only problem with OSX is that it runs on expensive Apple hardware. ”
First off, OSX ISN’T linux. Never was and never will be. And no Novell isn’t going to turn into some sort of GUI thing. Point and click for a few services isn’t going to be some saving grace for linux. There are already plently of those to go around and they certainly don’t always make life easier.
Give me some simple text files to edit as opposed to a incomprehensible registry anyday. And YES admining a windows box invloves registry editting. Anyone win32 admin who says he never has to edit the registry to adjust OS parameters or service settings is a bald-faced liar.
What does Linux/Unix not have that almost every Microsoft Shop is running?
Directory Services / Exchange.
It has been a long time since I have been a part of Groupwise but from what I remember it is the most like Exchange of anything else out there.
Maybe I’m completely off base here but it seems to me that you marry Novell’s directory servies / Groupwise with Linux / Unix proven servies (apache, mysql, etc) and you have a real competitor to Microsoft.
I’m very excited about the upcoming NetWare 7.0! Novell has some incredible services.. eDirectory and ZENworks being two of the best. The NSS filesystem is also excellent. However, the NetWare system lacks decent memory protection, so sometimes one bad program running on the server will take down everything else. I’m hoping that Novell services implemented on a Linux kernel with good memory protection will the answer to my prayers.
“Back in the day (late early 90’s) I hoped that Novell would have kept WordPerfect, bought Lotus, FoxPro, and MacroMind Director and turned them into the ultimate single user and networked groupware/collaboration office suite back in the Windows 3.x/Macintosh System 7.x days.”
WordPerfect + QuattroPro + Presentations + Envoy + Groupwise + Bundled Borland Paradox = Novell PerfectOffice in 1993, unfortunately it was something that drew Novell away from what it did best, file and print services. There was even a PerfectWorks.
Their plan may have been to take over the universe when they bought DR-DOS. Microsoft sure thought so and insured beta copies of Windows 3.1 wouldn’t run on it. That was the first big blow to Novell. The second was successful marketing of a vastly inferior Microsoft product to PHBs (pointy haired boss, Dilbert) who dictated the replacement of Netware servers.
Novell then sold all the good parts a kept the dud Groupwise, a perfect example of Novell being distracted from what they do well. Yes, as an administrator Groupwise makes it easy to coordinate network authentication and rights. As a user, Groupwise blows dogs as an email client (nobody here uses the groupware part).
768 days of uptime on a Netware 5 box here.
“Anyone win32 admin who says he never has to edit the registry to adjust OS parameters or service settings is a bald-faced liar.”
Or someone who should not be an administrator.