Compaq, Novell Team on Equipment for
Storing Data on Networks
March 24, 1999, 10:21 a.m. PT
Compaq, Novell Team on Equipment for Storing Data on Networks
Provo, Utah March 24 (Bloomberg) -- Compaq Computer Corp.,
the top maker of personal computers, will sell machines that
store Internet data on computer networks, using software from
Novell Inc. to enter a fast-growing market.
Compaq will include the Internet Caching System from Novell,
the No. 2 maker of networking software, in the line of ProLiant
servers that it sells to Internet service providers. Compaq rival
Dell Computer Corp. said on Monday it will use Novell's software
to build similar machines.
Caching technology reduces the time and cost of retrieving
data from the Internet by storing frequently used information on
the computer servers that run Web sites. Compaq and Dell are
looking to sell Internet gear as PC sales slow, and Novell is
expanding its line of software products to include more Internet
management capabilities.
''There's a big opportunity in the caching business,'' said
Ted Julian, an analyst with market researcher Forrester Research
in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
According to a report from market researcher Dataquest, the
market for caching appliances is expected to grow to about $750
million to $800 million in 2003 from about $50 million this year.
Compaq will license Novell's software and begin selling the
machines ''within 90 days,'' said John Young, director of
Compaq's appliance and communication server unit. He declined to
disclose the product's price.
Dell said Monday it will sell its Internet Caching Appliance
at prices starting at $4,500.
Top networking-equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc., Network
Appliance Inc., Inktomi Corp. and closely-held CacheFlow Inc.
also make caching products. |
