Bonum Certa Men Certa

Novell News Summary - Part II: SCO Case Resumes, Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Hits the Headlines as Novell Makes Announcement

Hope in the dessert



Summary: Highlights of Novell news, including the important announcement of Cloud Security Alliance

THE news about the takeover [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] is very major and we will cover it separately in the next post. Novell's proprietary business did not receive much coverage because of this news about a takeover bid, but there are still some bits worth going through.



Pulse



Novell's PR people try to increase awareness of Pulse, for which this promotional video has been created.



Zenworks



The NHS contract with Novell (mentioned last week) continues to receive coverage in the British press, including:

Has the NHS found a cure for worms?

The NHS has ex€­panded the scope of its long-running contract with Novell to include advanced patch and software asset management functions to guard against malware such as the Conficker worm, which struck another UK hospital in February.


NHS Pages Novell For Cloud Workload Management

The NHS has expanded its networking deal with Novell, which will now provide workload management as well as security for cloud applications


There is also this new instructional video about ZCM 10, among other new instructional videos and an old advert for ManageWise, which was uploaded to YouTube some days ago.

SCO



Tom Harvey from The Salt Lake Tribune wrote about the SCO-Novell lawsuit resuming.

At long last, it's time for the main event in the long-running legal battle between The SCO Group and Novell over who owns the copyrights of the Unix software than runs many businesses computer systems.


Groklaw continued covering the Novell-SCO case, but there was nothing particularly out of the ordinary. Posts from Groklaw include:

Novell's Trial Brief, Jury Instructions, and Objections to SCO's Rule 26(a)(3) Pretrial Disclosures - Updated 2Xs: SCO's too.

Novell's trial brief and proposed jury instructions have been filed in SCO v. Novell. Of course, the parties were asked to try to file the latter jointly, and they have done so a little bit on two instructions, but on others, they couldn't agree so they tell the court they will file separately the rest of the proposed jury instructions. Novell has done so. When SCO does the same, I'll add it to this article. And Novell has filed Amended Objections to SCO's Second Amended Supplemental Rule 26(a)(3) Pretrial Disclosures. What, you are asking, is that?


Stewart Rules on Daubert Motions: SCO's Experts Can Testify

Friday's Bankruptcy Agenda Posted - We Need a Volunteer - Update: Hearing on Darl Motion Set 3/15

New *Joint* Voir Dire Questions

Sale Motion Re-notice on Mobility Sale & Dueling Definitions in Utah

Changes and Additional Documents to the Yarro Deal Filed

There are more filings in the bankruptcy, related to the proposed Yarro deal, and because that hearing is coming up soon, on Friday, I'm posting them quickly, before even reading them myself. Specifically, there are proposed changes to the deal, so take a look. Exhibit A is the redlined draft. Exhibit F is "proof" that Seung Ni Capital, LLC actually exists, or at least that it has written up Articles of Organization. It's a Utah LLC. Or at least the page we get to see has a stamp "Received - Mar 01 2010 - Utah Tax Commission [address]." However, the Collateral Agent Agreement says it's a Delaware LLC, and it calls it Seung Ni Capital Partners, L.L.C. Is that the sound of wings I hear?


More MOR's, and an Amended Agenda for Friday's Hearing

More Pretrial Briefs in SCO v. Novell - Updated: letter re Brainshare

It's interesting that Brainshare was brought up in there.

Brainshare



Novell's PR people wrote about BrainShare too and so did Ross, who will present there.

I’m doing five sessions at BrainShare this month, March 21 – 25 in Salt Lake City, Utah. I look forward to seeing you there. Come find me and say hi.


Here is a new video about BrainShare.



Virtualisation



The news coverage here was mostly repetition of old news, such as:

1. Novell and Citrix collaborate on virtualization

The agreement also allows Citrix to participate in the PlateSpin Recon for Assessment Program. This gives Citrix services and Citrix channel partners the ability to offer customers virtualization, server consolidation, and cloud readiness assessments using Novell's toolset acquired from PlateSpin. The PlateSpin Recon tool provides consolidation planning and capacity management and gives customers a view of their physical and virtual infrastructure. Providing this type of information is needed in order to accelerate the move to virtualization.


2. Red Hat sees three-way struggle for virtualisation space

However, he said, the advantage would lie with the two operating system companies, adding that although Novell and Citrix had teamed up to contest the same space, they stood more of a chance in the desktop virtualisation arena.


3. A virtual meeting of minds

“Inside the cavernous exhibition hall, delegates milled round booths, inspecting white papers from exhibitors such as Novell, AT&T and Imperva. Off to one side, contact details were exchanged in a networking lounge while in a darkened auditorium the audience listened to a keynote panel discussion: “Data is valuable: bad guys want it.”


4. Novell boosts workload management

Novell is investing in the emerging market of intelligent workload management (IWM) and cloud computing.

Matthew Lee, Novell channel manager for data centre solutions, says it has tied its IWM strategy to the virtual and cloud environment. “We've diversified completely into the IWM space. A major driver for this was the demand from CIOs for flexibility and control.”


Here is Justin Steinman reading some Novell 'advertisement' for intelligent workload management (IWM). Novell's PR people have released this podcast about PlateSpin. It's probably quite an asset for Novell to sell to someone if it gets taken over.

Mail



Tigermail was mentioned last week because Novell is losing business in mail and collaboration. "Bye bye Novell, hello future," says the client.

The long awaited move to Gmail from the outdated Novell Tigermail is finally here, and it can only hold good things for the DePauw community. Students and staff can breathe a sigh of relief; no more accessibility issues for Mac users, no more awkward desktop client for Windows users. It's a big step out of the networking dark ages and a step towards a campus more fully, effectively connected.


Here is another new migration from Novell to Google.

Cloud Sherpas helped Lincoln Property migrate to Google Apps from Novell GroupWise mail and contacts data for 950 users. The company also implemented SherpaTools, to offer additional IT management functions for admins and new features for employees.


Security



This is where a real development has occurred. The following press release about Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) started a lot of discussion.

Novell and the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), today announced a vendor-neutral initiative to deliver the industry's first cloud security certification, education and outreach program for cloud providers. Known as the "Trusted Cloud Initiative," it will help cloud providers develop industry-recommended, secure and interoperable identity, access and compliance management configurations and practices. Now, organizations considering adopting cloud-based computing will have a trusted standard to alleviate concerns about security, governance and control of their data and IT assets.


This has already been covered in:

Novell, CSA reveal certification

Novell, Cloud Security Alliance Join Forces For Certification

Novell (NSDQ:NOVL) teamed up with the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Monday to launch a new cloud security certification program in a bid to spur more mainstream cloud adoption and increase confidence in cloud security.


Cloud Security Alliance And Novell Deliver Vendor-Neutral Trusted Security Certification Program

Novell backs Trusted Cloud Initiative

Cloud Security Alliance To Tackle Cloud Standards

Novell and the Cloud Security Alliance have announced a vendor-neutral "Trusted Cloud Initiative" for developing standards and certification of cloud security, compliance, identity management and other best practices.


From RSA we have the following about Novell:

RSA: Toward A Trusted Cloud

The vendor neutral Trusted Cloud Initiative, led by the Cloud Security Alliance with initial additional leadership from eBay and Novell, will publish its version of what a cloud identity ecosystem will look like as well as private and public cloud identity guidance later this year.


Security as a Service Accelerates at RSA Conference

Also of note: Identity management services seem to be shifting to the cloud. It’s safe to expect the Novell Cloud Security Service, still in beta mode, to grab some of the RSA Conference spotlight. And watch for partner moves involving Websense and Juniper Networks.


The 'Microsoft press' says that "Feds, Cloud Security Take Center Stage at RSA 2010":

The consortium's membership includes IBM, Microsoft, Sun/Oracle, CA, HP, Jericho Systems, Novell, SafeNet, the U.S. GSA, DoD and Department of Veterans Affairs.


There are also the following where Novell gets quoted:

Cloud computing security challenges unite hosting providers, security specialists

One consideration is that Novell has to function like a Switzerland of technology protocols, supporting SAML 1.1, SAML2, WS-Fed, InfoCard and OpenID, as well as Shibboleth on the enterprise side. The Novell Cloud Security Service is a "true multi-tenant hosted security solution," according to Chakravarty. "It can be hosted either at the SaaS's hosting provider or by one of Novell's partners."


Tightening the IT infrastructure belt

Often customers deploy only specific components of a product to achieve the business goal, while the remaining features, which could enhance productivity, are left untouched.

This is the view of Novell end-user computing business unit lead, Jessica Robinson, who argues that IT departments today must ensure they fully utilise existing investments to maximise their potential.


People



Novell's Ron Hovsepian got together with a few people to discuss the hype of 'cloud' computing [1, 2] and Eric Schmidt's previous role at Novell (prior to Messman and Hovsepian) is brought up here, regarding Microsoft's antitrust hypocrisy.

Dave Heiner, in a bog posting, said that complaints in competition law cases usually come from competitors. When Eric Schmidt, now CEO at Google, was CEO of Novell that company didn't hesitate to complain about Microsoft, he said. And Google "hasn't been shy about raising antitrust concerns about Microsoft in the last few years".


Partners



As usual, Novell gets mentioned along with some vendor names where overlap and/or collaboration exist. Here are the few examples we found this week:

Cloud computing security challenges unite hosting providers, security specialists

PivotLink, for instance, which offers cloud-based pay-as-you-go business-intelligence services, including an analysis service for data related to Salesforce.com, is in partnership with Novell to beta-test Novell's cloud security service, which includes various identity-management capabilities based on software hosted at GoGrid.

"We get our authentication from the Novell service, which plugs into the customer's service," says Bob Kemper, senior vice president of development at PivotLink. "Today we use the identity management and their authorization to manage the security level. Novell integrates with the required enterprise systems for access to information."


Torque sees growing demand

Mdwaba, who is also Kelly's deputy CEO, adds that the company's recent scoop of three awards with Microsoft, Novell and Cisco is unusual in the industry, and gives it a competitive advantage.


Interactive Ideas Builds New Software Renewals Team

Differing software licensing and subscription models for both proprietary and open source software, plus the complex nature of managing the data involved to pro-actively target the important recurring revenue that subscription and maintenance renewals offer, Interactive have now created the dedicated renewals specialist position to make the process as easy as possible for the reseller channel and provide valuable support to key vendor partners such as Red Hat, Solarwinds, Novell, Acronis and Sunbelt.


Novell was also mentioned in some press releases of other companies [1, 2, 3].

Recent Techrights' Posts

Attacks on Techrights Make Techrights Stronger and Attract More Whistleblowers to Techrights
The harder they attack us, the more productive we become
An American War on GNU/Linux, Software Freedom, and British Investigative, Science-Based Reporting - Part III - Very Strong Legal Basis for an Appeal
The case is now being escalated to a Foreign Secretary and former Deputy Prime Minister
No Slop Found in RSS Feeds, Only in Google News
No slopfarm will survive for very long, certainly it'll go bust as soon as readers (if it had any) know what it is
What the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Action Fraud UK Have in Common
Don't let London become the world's "crime capital"
Dr. Andy Farnell on How GAFAM, NVIDIA and Others Lie to People Via the Sponsored Media to Prop Up Lies Under the Guise of "AI"
Lots of key aspects are covered
 
Garrett Announces LibreLocal Instance in Northampton, Massachusetts (USA)
his message was the only one last month
Microsofters' SLAPP Censorship - Part 8 Out of 200: Gross Misuse of UKGDPR to Protect the Agenda of American Back Doors (Mass Surveillance)
Responding to bunk claims regarding UKGDPR and claims of 'analytics' in our sites
Links 10/03/2026: Oil Prices Rising, South Korean/US Military Assets Redirected
Links for the day
Links 10/03/2026: Rust Rewrites by Slop "20,171 Times Slower", "You MUST Review LLM-generated Code"
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, March 09, 2026
IRC logs for Monday, March 09, 2026
The Register MS Has Just Taken Money From Google (Where the Former Chief Editor Now Works) for Femmewashing and Ponzi Scheme Promotion
now The Register MS not only promotes a Ponzi scheme but also bags money to pretend Google respects women
People at IBM Are Still Smart Enough to Understand What's Really Going on
"I would never refer someone to work at IBM that I liked! I hope all of you have reviewed IBM on Glassdoor."
European Patent Office (EPO) to "Eventually Eliminate the Tasks Performed by Formalities Officers"; EPO Run by People Without Experience in Patents
full paper
RMS is 73 Next Week
Richard Matthew Stallman (RMS) turns 73 exactly 7 days from now
Iran & FSFE: blackmailing women, from football to the French Government (CNIL)
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Police investigations, lawsuits & Debian leader election candidate shortage
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Richard Stallman (RMS) Has Defeated Cancel Culture, a Mostly American Phenomenon
RMS is talking now
Links 09/03/2026: Many Security Breaches and a Pandemic of Censorship
Links for the day
People Who Work or Worked at IBM Hate It
bluewashing is only the first step
Richard Stallman (RMS) Talks in 30 Minutes, Next Stop Bern (Last Stop)
We assume he'll travel back to Boston after that
IBM's Fedora as a Booster of Slop Disguised as Code or Computer Programs
Maybe we should also stop seeing a doctor and instead ask chatbots about symptoms?
Richard Stallman (RMS) Talk Five Hours From Now
there is growing recognition for what he really did for everybody
EPO Strike 10 Days From Now, Planning Assembly Tomorrow, Last Couple of Strikes Had High Participation Rates (1,500-1,600 Staff Went on Strike)
The next strike is in 10 days' time and then there will be another strike
Links 09/03/2026: GAFAM Outsourcing, "MAGA Political Meddling" in EU, Indonesia Bans Social Control Media for Children Under 16
Links for the day
Using Slop (and Slop in Articles) to Attack Copyleft 'on Budget'
This article is pure BS from an anti-GPL and anti-RMS 'activist'
Why The Register MS Sold Out to Microsoft: They're Losing Lots of Money, The Register MS is Bleeding to Death, Based on Its Own Financial Records
With over 6 million pounds in debt (nearly 10 million US dollars) we guess it's likely some other company will take over the site (if it deems it worthwhile)
Microsofters' SLAPP Censorship - Part 7 Out of 200: Like With the Serial Strangler From Microsoft, Misuse of UK-GDPR to Try to Hide Embarrassing Facts
They do and say really bad things, then allege it's a "privacy violation" to mention those things
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, March 08, 2026
IRC logs for Sunday, March 08, 2026
Gemini Links 09/03/2026: Exponentials and Tailscale
Links for the day
Sloppyleft
Article by Alexandre Oliva
Hard to Replace 'Human Touch'
The reason many people insist on using GNU
Richard Stallman Gives Talk in 20 Hours at Ostschweizer Fachhochschule Campus in Rapperswil-Jona
The talk is in English
The Slop Companies Gamble at Our Economy's Expense and They Know It's a Losing Bet (So It's a de Facto Robbery)
The crash of this bubble isn't just inevitable, it's already happening and receding sporadically because of false announcements about money that does not actually exist (to "buy time")
Suppressing Speech by Blackmail, the Iran Story
When Debian wanted to stage a seemingly legitimate election it needed to have more than one candidate running; so eventually the female partner of a geek rose to the challenge (had no coding skills at all, no technical history in Debian) and lost to the "incumbent German"
Too Focused on Buzzwords the Media is Paid to Saturate the Collective Mind With
Just because companies do really bad things in the digital realm does not imply "AI" or follow from "AI"
Discrimination and Prejudice Against Female Journalists
we can shame people who attack a reporter on the grounds of gender
An American War on GNU/Linux, Software Freedom, and British Investigative, Science-Based Reporting - Part II - Trying to Put People in Prison for Committing the Act of Journalism
This is abuse of process
Attack on Copyright and Copyleft by Code Conversion Is Nothing New, It Predates Slop (Code Produced by LLMs) by Several Decades
Even back in the 90s many people converted programs from one language to another. That could invalidate copyleft (and copyright), which already existed
Almost a Slopless Weekend for "Linux"
Let's hope slop will come to an end or sites will cease linking to slop
Insiders Explain Why IBM is Dying and the Inherent Culture Problem
There are many ways to shave this IBM cat
Links 08/03/2026: Microsoft Lost $400 Million on "Project Blackbird" and Half the States Sue Over Illegal Tariffs
Links for the day
Links 08/03/2026: Cisco Holes Again and "Blatant Problem With OpenAI That Endangers Kids"
Links for the day
Activism/Journalism in Our Blood
one must fight for one's principles
Gemini Protocol in Its Prime
What's particularly neat about Gemini Protocol is that it's fast and cheap
Microsofters' SLAPP Censorship - Part 6 Out of 200: Intentionally Misnaming Women, People Who Offered to Testify That They Too Had Been Subjected to Similar Abuse
Today it is International Women's Day
Even Fedora Leadership Cannot Figure Out the Microsoft Kill Switch/Back Door, 'Secure' Boot
It does not actually enhance security
Bruce Perens: Richard Stallman "Has Achieved His Goal"
Stallman's next talk is tomorrow
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, March 07, 2026
IRC logs for Saturday, March 07, 2026