Summary: A mixed bag of news regarding key Novell products that are proprietary

IT HAS BEEN a very bad week for Novell, but a company/firm called Skymark Research intends to look into the company's financial situation.

Skymark Research, a leading provider of small- and micro-cap independent investment research, today initiated coverage on Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq:NOVL). Skymark Research is currently offering a complimentary trial subscription.

Novell's true potential is overinflated by mis-comprehension. The company seems to lack direction and soon enough it will also lack technical leadership. Jaffe is leaving.

Server Watch looks back at history and includes Novell's operating system in a list of top 10:

9. Novell NetWare — good while it lasted

During much of the eighties and nineties, NetWare was all that Novell could think about, and this lavish attention helped turn it on to the network operating system. But as NetWare started to show its age, Novell looked around for something younger, and it is now intimately involved with SuSE Linux. This was the decade in which NetWare all but disappeared from the headlines, and it surely won't be long before most people have forgotten it even existed.

From Novell's point of view, NetWare is history, but NetWare support keeps popping up in some places, such as this new press release about Exchange.

Virtualisation

An announcement about Novell's IWM is a little old by now, but some sites are catching up and Microsoft's close ally in Europe becomes a client.

Novell today announced advancements in the joint development agreement between Novell and SAP AG. As part of the ongoing initiative, SAP has integrated PlateSpin Orchestrate, part of the virtualization and workload management suite from Novell, with the SAP NetWeaver(R) Adaptive Computing Controller tool within the SAP NetWeaver technology platform. Additionally, SAP has chosen SUSE Linux Enterprise as the operating system for the latest version of the SAP(R) Discovery system, available for the first time as a virtual appliance. These advances enable customers to dramatically increase the manageability and portability of SAP applications and simplify the installation of SAP Discovery system, helping them reduce cost, complexity and risk.

No surprise here. SAP is obedient to software patents and to Microsoft, so it chooses Novell again.

Mail

Groupwise support is mentioned in some new articles about the BlackBerry (e.g. [1, 2]) and Groupwise also appears in this press release. Regarding news that was mentioned previously, there is this new release from GWAVA.

More importantly, Groupwise gets another round of public shaming because Google has gone more vocal about its win over Groupwise at Los Angeles. [also mirrored in the Washington Post]

According to Google’s blog post, the city – which is replacing its Novell GroupWise system – had evaluated 14 e-mail technology providers for a revamp of the city government’s communication and collaboration platform, and ended up picking Google Apps.

To say more about the same news, we have:

● Google Apps Launches for L.A.'s 34,000 Employees

Los Angeles officially went Google, six weeks after Google beat Microsoft and other suitors for the right to replace Novell's GroupWise platform with Google Apps in a contract valued at $7.25 million.

● L.A. Picks Google Apps And Partner CSC For E-mail System

The City of Los Angeles is replacing its Novell (NSDQ:NOVL) GroupWise e-mail system with Google (NSDQ:GOOG)'s e-mail application and laying the foundation for implementing other Google Web-based applications in the future with the help of solution provider CSC.

● L.A.'s Google Contract Is Open to All California Cities

CSC says public agencies that jump aboard will enjoy initial and recurring savings, much like L.A.'s projections. The city estimates $5.5 million of savings during its five-year deal after the city migrates from its existing e-mail system, Novell GroupWise. L.A. officials say the Google implementation will reduce the number of servers needed for e-mail from 90 to a few dozen, and cut nine positions from the Los Angeles Information Technology Agency.

Groupwise loses in Seattle too: "Seattle City Hall completes switch to Microsoft"

But since 1997, the city had used Novell's Groupwise software – and it steadily grew obsolete, KUOW's Amy Radil reported.

More places in California are being defended by Novell using a press release that says:

Novell endpoint management, identity management, networking and virtualization tools control cost and ease strain on IT support staff

A couple of new studies, one of which about mail and collaboration, are to be published with Groupwise included.

The study provides a detailed analysis of leading players, including: CommuniGate Systems, Gecad Technologies, IBM, IceWarp, Ipswitch, Kerio Technologies, Mailsite Software, Microsoft, Novell, Open-Xchange, Sun Microsystems, Zimbra, and others.

Security

Apart from some routine security updates in SUSE there was this bit about eDirectory:

WatchGuard provides five options, including standard web browser authentication using PINs or passwords. SSL challenge-and-response authentication is aimed at the use of tokens for generating passwords. The Mobile Text method calls for an OTP (one time password) to be sent via SMS to a mobile after users have entered their credentials. LDAP, Active Directory (AD), Novell's eDirectory and form-based authentication are among 11 other standard methods supported.

People

Schmidt's roots at Novell are mentioned only in this one place, but here is a person with scarce Novell experience gaining a position of power.

The trio of Stuart Elkin, Andrew Webb and Martin Kamarauskas will be assigned to build sales in new and dormant True Colours accounts.

[...]

Kamarauskas has five years’ experience in selling IT training solutions from Microsoft, Cisco, Novell and Citrix.

Leftovers

Novell was mentioned in some more new items [1, 2, 3, 4], but the significance of these items is utterly low. Another press release speaks about the use of Novell's facilities in Utah.

The Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (UVEF) today announced winners of the 2009 Annual UVEF Awards. The awards recognize Utah companies and leaders for innovation, business growth and contributions to the entrepreneurial community. Award recipients were honored at ceremonies held today at the Provo Novell Campus.

Novell's Provo campus may have become less attractive after the recent incident (shown below). ⬆

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