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Technology Stocks : Novell (NOVL) dirt cheap, good buy? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Scott C. Lemon who wrote (28547)	10/12/1999 4:05:00 AM
From: EPS	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 42771

October 11, 1999, Issue: 784 Section: Systems & Management Novell App Eases NDS Configuration -- Company Adds Configuration Tool And Certificate Server Mitch Wagner Novell is introducing software designed to improve the customization and security of Novell Directory Services. A new version of ScheMax, a tool for configuring NDS, lets nontechnical end users make changes to the directory's repositories. Novell has also delivered a public beta of Certificate Server 2.0 that extends the software's functionality to issue certificates for users as well as servers and store the certificates in NDS. ScheMax 1.1, based on technology Novell acquired when it bought Netoria in May, lets users customize NDS schema for their own businesses, using graphical tools and wizards. Previously, users had to write C or Java code. Users can add company-specific attributes to a schema, such as security clearances, photos of users and employee numbers. The lists can be managed by non-technical end users who can be granted the authority to change passwords, change their own phone numbers and addresses, and make other changes to the schema. Data can be exported to structured text or SQL for reporting purposes. The software also lets users create "snap-ins," which are tabbed pages within a record, similar to the tabs for networking properties in Windows Control Panel. The snap-ins can include graphics and links to Internet addresses. Data is stored using XML. "ScheMax seems to work pretty well across the board," said Ray Schneider, a PC technology analyst with Graybar Electric Co., which uses ScheMax to manage a network of 7,000 users. The software gives IT managers a graphical view of the entire schema tree at once and lets them use the information for designing application-deployment and application-management software. Previously, IT managers had to write their own tools in ActiveX or Java to extract schema information from NDS. Graybar also uses ScheMax to import data from a human resources database into NDS. ScheMax 1.1 can be downloaded for a free 60-day trial at www.novell.com/download/#nds>. The software is priced at $4.50 per user in increments of 500 or 1,000 users. Meanwhile, version 2.0 of Novell's Certificate Server toolset extends the first version of the PKI software shipped in May. User certificates in the new version permit authentication, data encryption and decryption, and digital signatures. Functionality to extend the software to include user certification as well as servers will be valuable to users, said Todd Chipman, an analyst with Giga Information Group. "Up to this point they did not support end-user certificates," Chapman said. "It sounds like they've got a more complete solution in regards to the PKI infrastructure." The certificates are compliant with X.509 and SMIME, which means they can be used with secure e-mail, and can store and retrieve data using LDAP. There is a one-step procedure for downloading private keys into Web browsers. The beta software is available for download at support.novell.com.

To: Scott C. Lemon who wrote (28547)	10/12/1999 10:28:00 AM
From: ToySoldier	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42771

Scott, I personally use the Hummingbird client stack and its OK. IBM and Aventail have a co-solution partnership and therefor we are internally encouraged to use the Aventail client solution. I have had the Aventail solution demonstrated to me and it is a much more intuitive solution to work with on the client systems. Alternatively, IBM employees can avoid a SOCKSified client stack and use the "AUTOPROXY" section of their browser to SOCKSify just their browser. This also allows for firewall load-balancing. With SOCKS, there are a lot of options on how one can setup the client and setup the firewall. SOCKS is more secure and flexible than NAT, but also much more complex. With SOCKS basically I cannot think of an Internet app that would not work since it is an application layer firewall solution. The approriate ports simply have to be opened on the firewall that allow the service to be translated between the outside world and the inside world. On the firewall side, IBM uses its own eNetwork Firewall solution - what else! It is run on several large AIX boxes. With that being said, I personally think its not the best of breed solution. I have been told by a person close to this solution that IBM had to implement Aventail's SOCKS deamons because IBM's eNetwork firewall SOCKS support - well - sucks. That might help explain the IBM-Aventail partnership. This is the area of SOCKS that is a disadvantage as far as I know about SOCKS. Its extremely firewall intense. I was told that something like 6 SOCKS sessions/deamons have to be created for one browser session. Well, in an Internal corporate network like IBM's, think how much strain that would put on their firewalls. IBM's eNetwork Firewall solution - if your interested... commerce.www.ibm.com Sorry - time for another meeting.... Toy