11.08.08
Do-No-Evil Saturday – Part III: Almost Eventless Week for Novell
Abbreviated overview
IT WAS A QUIET WEEK. THERE WAS really nothing major, so let’s dive right into the few isolated things that have happened with Novell (or things which relate to Novell).
Finance
Novell’s next financial report is a month away.
Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL) will issue a press release providing an overview of financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter and full fiscal year 2008 on Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 4pm ET.
Netware
Memories of better days at the sight of computing ‘clouds’.
Local file servers appeared not long after the first personal computers, and they have gotten bigger and cheaper (many terabytes of disk space for $1,300-$2,000). Novell’s NetWare created the local file server market, then it bungled its market lead and let Microsoft take over. Local file storage does a great job for a great price, but the world has changed.
eDirectory
This new press release only touches on eDirectory, but it’s really about Edustructures and its product, SIFWorks.
– Directory-based User and Group Management. The SIFWorks ZIS Enterprise Edition now fully integrates with directories such as Microsoft Active Directory, Novell eDirectory, Apple OpenDirectory, and other systems that support LDAP. Administrative users and groups can be designated in the directory and associated security restrictions assigned in the ZIS console.
Virtualisation
There was, surprisingly enough, almost nothing that fits here, except for this pass-by mention.
Dell opens a smarter path to virtualization
The company also announced an OEM solution from PlateSpin, a Novell company, including PlateSpin PowerConvert software that enables enterprises to optimize their data center by streaming server workloads over the network between physical servers, virtual hosts and image archives, it said.
Open-Xchange’s SUSE roots return to light because the company has received some good funding at times when almost nobody can get any, let alone retain staff.
The OpenExchange groupware package was created by a German software company called Netline Information Services, and the company’s software entered the mainstream (well, sort of) when German Linux distributor SUSE Linux created a special variant of its SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 operating system that tightly coupled SLES with OpenExchange. This software was dubbed SLOX and was only distributed in this manner.
In the fall of 2004, a year after Novell had acquired SUSE Linux, Netline took its software open source through the Open-Xchange project (somehow misplacing the capped E) under a GPL license. In June 2005, Netline moved to the suburbs outside of New York City and changed its name to Open-Xchange to match its product name. Since that time, Open-Exchange has launched another “appliance edition” of its software atop an obscure Linux distro called Univention Corporate Server 2.1 and has quadrupled its installed base to 8.4 million seats worldwide.
GroupWise makes an appearance because of Omni Technology Solutions. Novell and Omni seem rather close and even the previous post had them mentioned.
Omni Technology Solutions and Chicago-based CRM consultancy, Intelestream, are pleased to deliver Riva CRM Integration™ for Novell GroupWise. Riva enables Novell customers to enhance their existing GroupWise investment by delivering transparent, bi-directional, server-side integration for leading open-source CRMs, such as SugarCRM, info@hand and Bluefin. GroupWise customers faced with recession worries can leverage their existing investment in Novell technologies and benefit from open source solutions to cut costs and drive more value out of their existing technology investment.
More about this GroupWise item here.
The product allows Novell customers to enhance their existing GroupWise investment by integrating with open source CRMs, including SugarCRM™, info@hand™, and Bluefin™. The transparent, bi-directional, server-side integration offers GroupWise customers faced with recession worries the opportunity to benefit from open source solutions as a cost cutting measure.
Blackberry and GroupWise continue to appear in conjunction with one another because of compatibility. Here are a couple of new examples.
1. Research In Motion Makes Bold BlackBerry Move
It works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which enables advanced security and IT administration within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments, as well as BlackBerry Professional Software for small businesses.
2. Update: BlackBerry Bold hits stores
Bold also works with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, offering IT administration and security for Lotus Domino, Exchange and Novell GroupWise, as well as BlackBerry Professional, an application for smaller businesses. The Bold also supports the BlackBerry Internet Service, offering push-based e-mail for as many as 10 e-mail accounts.
Lastly, GWAVA’s ‘resurrection’ in the media survives owing to another press release.
GWAVA, Novell’s largest technology partner for GroupWise, announced today the latest version of Retain 1.6, the leading archiving tool for GroupWise administrators. This release comes at a time when courts are increasingly subpoenaing companies for their email records for compliance audits — and many companies not being able to provide the information since they don’t employ an archiving and retrieval solution.
This didn’t have much effect on any notable publications. It rarely does.
Security
A couple of flaws were caught by the radar.
A security weakness has been identified in Novell Access Manager, which could be exploited by malicious users to bypass security restrictions. This issue is caused due to the application not properly terminating sessions established using the X509 authentication class, which could allow another user to take over the previous users session, using the same browser window, without being prompted to login again.
People
Senior ex-Novellers make some moves.
Trend Micro Names Cody Leser to Lead North America Channel Sales
[...]
Leser also was vice president of U.S. sales and operations at Novell Corporation, where he was responsible for all enterprise, mid and small business channel sales, government and healthcare.
Here’s some prodding.
I was contacted recently by an old acquaintence, Alan Hall, formally from Novell and now with Solera Networks. Hmm. That didn’t come out right. Alan is someone I’ve known for a while. I’m not saying he’s old.
The following is probably the most major thing from the past week. Here is the press release about Novell’s former CEO, who will be taking over DigitalBridge.
Robert J. Frankenberg, the former CEO of Novell Inc., has been appointed chairman of the board of DigitalBridge, an Orem company whose software allows information to be shared across computer systems.
This is also covered here.
Ex-Novell CEO to head Orem tech firm–Former Novell Chief Executive Robert Frankenberg was named chairman of the board of directors of DigitalBridge, an Orem-based information sharing solutions provider.
Partners
Sandlin boasts its Novell expertise. We never came across this company before though.
Sandlin has extensive knowledge of Microsoft and Novell networks, electronic messaging systems and network infrastructure providing a technical perspective to the areas of data acquisition, analysis and preservation.
[...]
Sandlin holds a bachelors of science degree in information technology, is Microsoft (MCSE), Cisco(CCNA) and Novell(CNE) certified and is a member of High Technology Crime Investigation Association. Prior to joining Servient he worked as a forensics examiner for Huron Consulting Group and was a manager with Baker Robbins & Company for thirteen years.
Marketing
Ross, a Novell employee, has uploaded another commercial to YouTube (a spoof).
Utah
Utah’s new bus service attracts a comment from a Noveller, which shows up in the local press.
Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain residents will be getting express bus service to and from Salt Lake City after voting to approve a tax increase to join in Utah Transit Authority’s coverage area.
[...]
“They have UTA van pool at work,” said Abney, who works at Novell in Provo. “I guess they’ve organized a Saratoga Springs van pool.”
This is very minor, but not much else has happened.
Audio
IDG appears to be producing lots of audio coverage now. It reads almost like a machine and it includes:
- IBM aims for Linux customers; Novell, Sun, Oracle crank out identity and access wares
- Mono 2.0 released; HP updates SOA suite
Miscellaneous
A new review at CNET covers Novell Managewise.
PowerNet Manager for Novell Managewise – ( v. 1.1 ) – complete package
Over at the Register, some unspecified Novell components — whatever they are — are being mentioned.
The system generates alerts of varying priority levels but is tuned so as not to generate a storm of notices that might easily be ignored. The technology – based on components from IBM, Novell and others – needs to be tuned to particular environments.
And there ends another quiet week. OpenSUSE probably enjoyed the most coverage this time around, particularly because of the board elections. █
