04.25.09

Novell News Summary – Part II: SCO, GroupWise Migrations, Lots of Sentinel, and McAfee Partnership

Posted in Google, Identity Management, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, SCO, Security, Servers, SUN, UNIX at 7:55 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Summary: The remainder of Novell’s news from this week

THIS IS the weekly post which deals with news about Novell’s proprietary software. We shall begin with SCO.

SCO/UNIX

The only Web site to have covered the developments in SCO vs Novell is Groklaw. It published the following 3 posts:

i. SCO’s mobile hopes

Does that sound like they know what the different mobile products are? Maybe they know, but it’s not so clear to me. Is Me Inc now FCmobilelife? Or is Me Inc Mobile something entirely different? I thought SCO said Me Inc was a victim of the economy, but I don’t know what that means for FCmobilelife. Is it flourishing? How would we know? Can anyone find a clue in the latest 10K, linked to above?

ii. SCO Motion for More Exclusivity Denied, the March MORs, and A Proposed Amicus in the Novell Appeal

In the appeal of SCO v. Novell, there are some events to note as well. There is a request to file an amicus brief by Wayne Gray. Yes, that Wayne Gray. The iNUX trademark guy. To help you contextualize, the Middle District of Florida’s Tampa Division recently granted motions on summary judgment brought by X/Open and Novell in the Gray v. Novell et al iNUX/UNIX trademark litigation, tossing out all 11 claims in Gray’s complaint.

iii. Clerk Signs Off on Novell’s Costs In the Amount of $99,639.09

The Chief Deputy Clerk has signed off on Novell’s bill of costs, payable by SCO, in the amount of $99,639.09:

Will Novell ever see a nickel? Novell owns UNIX and memories of Lotus return in this writing about Sun getting acquired (along with its UNIX assets that may be sensitive to Novell’s wrath).

It’s probably a little early to be looking for implications of Oracle buying Sun (no, it’s official, here’s the press release). They’ve only just confirmed it’s happening, and as one of the journalists who covered Novell buying Lotus many years ago I can confirm things aren’t done until they’re done, frankly.

Going back to legacy, Novell is also mentioned as a (distant) past guest in “Let’s Talk Computers.” This time it’s about Microsoft.

Virtualisation

The ‘Microsoft press’ has published an article where it mentions Novell. Repeating what we saw last week (mentioned previously in a similar context), Forrester Research, Novell and BlueLock are appearing together in a webinar about virtualisation.

From the Microsoft news platform, which treats everything but the Microsoft-controlled offers as secondary:

Balkansky skillfully danced around the question, saying that customers will want VMware’s overall features and the maturity of its products more than they want XenServer or Hyper-V. He may be right — VMware has the name and reputation, both well-deserved. But Citrix and Microsoft (along with Virtual Iron, Red Hat, Novell, IBM and so on) are building reputations in the business, too. And they’re attacking VMware hard on price. Will the attacks take their toll? That’s a great unknown now. In general, I like the fact that VMware is more seriously recognizing the lower end of the market, and targeting it with affordable options.

About the upcoming webinar:

Also, on Thursday, April 30th, rPath is hosting “Tackling the Last Mile of IT Process Automation,” a webinar presented with Forrester Research, Novell and BlueLock. Attendees will hear from industry experts on emerging approaches to automating “the last mile” of IT processes.

Also:

The webinar, sponsored by rPath, will focus on strategies for automating application deployment and maintenance across traditional, virtual and cloud environments. Experts from rPath, Forrester Research, Novell and BlueLock will provide a framework for understanding how the cloud works as the host for application deployment.

Mail

Novell is trying to gain GroupWise users at Microsoft’s expense. There is a new migration route.

Novell yesterday announced a new promotion designed to help organizations move to Novell GroupWise 8 at a significantly reduced cost. Organizations currently using a competitor’s messaging platform can now exchange each existing competitor license for a free GroupWise 8 license. Customer who take advantage of this offer for their integrated collaboration environment will only be required to commit to one year of maintenance support for each user seat.

Here is the press release.

GWAVA, Novell’s largest collaboration partner, in conjunction with other software vendors, announced today a worldwide event series that addresses the high cost of deploying complex collaboration solutions like Microsoft Exchange with Sharepoint or IBM Lotus Notes. This seminar series, developed for CTOs and Information Technology managers, also applies to organizations dependent on legacy software such as Tobit David, Sun One (formerly iPlanet) and other aging collaboration solutions. It focuses on the total cost of ownership on these platforms vs. migrating to GroupWise on Linux.

In a separate press release from Mirapoint, Novell’s GroupWise was mentioned along many other possibilities for mail/groupware.

With the newly updated RazorSafe appliances, Mirapoint’s customers may now choose from even more powerful solutions for meeting compliance regulations affecting businesses of all sizes. Its expanded RazorSafe 200, 400, and 6000 product line adds seamless integration with email clients including Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, Novell GroupWise on top of existing web access, and supports all major email servers, including Microsoft Exchange, Novell GroupWise, Lotus Domino, and Mirapoint Message Server.

Identity/Management

Sentinel was in the headlines this week. It started with this press release about SAP certification.

Novell today announced that its Novell® Sentinel™ 6.1 security information event management (SIEM) product has achieved SAP-certified integration with the SAP NetWeaver® technology platform. For customers, the integration significantly reduces risk and cuts the costs of managing security because IT administrators can respond to critical situations as they occur.

This was also published lazily in CIOL under a different headline :

Novell has announced that its Novell Sentinel 6.1 security information event management (SIEM) product has achieved SAP-certified integration with the SAP NetWeaver technology platform.

See how the words change very subtly (compare with the original press release). It's junk. It's not journalism.

The bigger news for Sentinel was this about the Navy choosing it.

Novell announced that the U.S. Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC) has selected Novell(R) Sentinel(TM) to automate and centralize security monitoring across hundreds of diverse locations worldwide. With more than 700,000 users worldwide, NCDOC is one of several military cyber defense teams in the Department of Defense (DOD) and is responsible for around-the-clock protection of the Navy’s computer networks.

A lot of coverage soon appeared, including:

i. Can you cut information security in hard times and survive

Based on Novell’s Sentinel event management software, Prometheus keeps watch on the Navy’s global network, used by more than 700,000 sailors and support staff. On a typical day, it handles anywhere between a few hundred thousand to several million alerts, leaving the 180 staff members charged with monitoring the network to deal with the real problems.

ii. Novell Sentinel To Interoperate With SAP NetWeaver

Novell Sentinel ties identities, systems and data together to deliver a centralised view of business operations through an automated process that can stop violations before they happen.

iii. Navy awards deal for cybersecurity support

The U.S. Navy has contracted Novell to support cybersecurity initiatives to help counter threats to naval computer networks.

Massachusetts-based Novell was awarded the contract from the Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command. According to a news release, Novell will supply its Sentinel technologies to “automate and centralize security monitoring across hundreds of diverse locations worldwide.”

iv. Novell to secure US Navy networks

The platform integrates identity data with security event management, which facilitates the efficient monitoring of resources across geographically dispersed networks.

Here is some more coverage about ID management. It mentions Novell.

The two are listed among the Top 5 identity management vendors as judged by consulting firm Burton Group. IBM, CA and Novell are the other three.

There is a similar story about Oracle’s impact on identity management now that it inherits Sun’s portfolio.

Jonathan Penn, vice president with Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research Inc., said that excluding strong authentication, which neither company has, the combined organization will have as much as 25% of the identity management software market, giving it No. 1 status, outpacing competitors such as IBM, CA Inc., Novell Inc. and Microsoft.

[...]

To that end, Penn said IBM, CA, Novell and Microsoft to a lesser extent will undoubtedly be poised to exploit opportunities among Sun’s identity management customer base, sowing fear and uncertainty to try to poach customers.

On Information Card Foundation (ICF) from RSA:

Information Cards bring a familiar offline paradigm—the cards you carry in your wallet—to the online world. They work with a new software tool called a selector that operates as an extension to your Web browser. Selectors are available today from ICF members Azigo, Microsoft, and Novell, as well as from several open source projects.

ICF and Novell were mentioned in finextra.com as well, just a few days ago.

The Equifax I-Card is among the first commercial I-card-based products to launch from members of ICF, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing a simpler and more secure digital identity on the Internet. Led by Deutsche Telecom, Equifax, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle PayPal and Parity, the ICF promotes the rapid build-out and adoption of Internet-enabled digital identities using information cards.

Storage

There is almost nothing here except for this:

Two days before, on April 14, Sun Microsystems rolled out its Open Network Systems plan, which also incorporates Intel’s Xeon 5500 chips—also known as Nehalem EP—as well as Sun’s own Solaris operating system, networking and storage technologies and integrated Flash memory capabilities.

Other vendors—from heavyweights such as IBM and Dell to Novell to newcomers such as Schooner Information Technology—also are moving in that direction.

Security

Speculations that Novell would buy McAfee may be far behind us, but those two companies have just announced a partnership:

Novell and McAfee, Inc. Announce Partnership to Deliver Stronger Security Policy Enforcement, Deeper Visibility into End-User Activity and Compliance Assurance for Enterprise Customer

[...]

At the RSA Conference 2009, Novell and McAfee, Inc. (NYSE: MFE) today announced a partnership that will enhance McAfee® ePolicy Orchestrator® (ePO™) with a holistic view of both network events and users. This combined approach will accelerate and pinpoint response to potential threats and provide administrators the much-needed ability to automatically enforce security and identity access-related policies, making it easy to prove compliance and ensure trusted access.

There is plenty of coverage, e.g.:

i. McAfee, Inc. Expands Security Innovation Alliance, Adds Systems Integrator Partner Category

There are eight new members that have joined the program as Associate Partners, including Authenex, Cryptotech, eIQnetworks, Novell, S21sec, Solidcore, Triumfant and Telos. Across North America and Europe, McAfee now has more than 55 SIA partners committed to helping customers drive operational savings with McAfee Compatible products.

ii. Novell and McAfee Tie Up to Enhance Interoperability

Novell and McAfee announced a strategic partnership that gives McAfee’s ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) solution users a holistic view of both network events and users. This combined approach reportedly allows real-time response to potential threats and provides administrators the much-needed ability to automatically enforce security and identity access-related policies, making it easy to prove compliance and ensure trusted access.

iii. Novell and McAfee Form Enterprise Security Alliance

Novell and McAfee have formed an alliance that will enable McAfee’s ePolicy Orchestrator, ePO, enterprise security product customers to use Novell’s Sentinel software to monitor and remediate network activity in real time to manage and mitigate business risk.

iv. McAfee, Novell Get Into Strategic Partnership

McAfee and Novell recently announced a strategic partnership, which would give McAfee’s ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) solution users a holistic view of both network events and users.

v. Novell Partners With McAfee

McAfee ePO customers can use Novell Sentinel to create an ‘identity aware’ environment to better manage and mitigate business risk.

vi. EMC, Symantec kick-off security barrage at RSA (also in here and here)

While McAfee isn’t trotting out new products at the conference, the security firm did have news related to its Security Innovation Alliance program, in which third-party vendors participate to integrate McAfee technologies, particularly the APIs for its ePolicy Orchestrator management console. The SIA program, now at 55 partners, this week officially added Authenex, Cryptotech, eIQnetworks, Novell, S21sec, Solidcore, Trimfant, and Telos, the firm said today.

People

Eric Schmidt, who used to run Novell, will be coming to Utah later this year.

The Utah Technology Council (UTC) is thrilled to announce Eric Schmidt, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Google Inc., as the keynote speaker for its 11th annual Hall of Fame black-tie gala this year. The 2009 Hall of Fame will be held on Friday, October 23, 2009, at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City.

Move Networks has just bought Inuk Networks and there is an element of Novell in there.

Move Networks says, he led the company to eight consecutive years of revenue growth and profitability, growing annual revenues from $3 million to $229 million. His resume also includes executive positions at Vinca, Novell and WordPerfect.

Messaging Architects gains some Novell DNA as well.

Previously, Mr. Riediger was a Technology Sales Specialist and a Product Sales Specialist at Novell, with a focus on Collaboration. Additionally, he worked in Business Development for the Novell Teaming+Conferencing solution in the German-speaking area. Prior to joining Messaging Architects, Mr. Riediger worked for i365, a Seagate company specializing in data backup, electronic discovery, disaster recovery, and regulatory compliance, with responsibility for direct sales.