Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

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

To: vinod Khurana who wrote (21281)	3/20/1998 10:38:00 AM
From: Roger Lagerquist	Respond to of 42771

You're downgrading from Netware 4.10 to NT? Please share your experiences with us, good and bad.

To: vinod Khurana who wrote (21281)	3/20/1998 10:44:00 AM
From: Kevin Millecam	Respond to of 42771

Here's some "good" to balance the already posted "bad:" "Novell to unveil GroupWise" c\|net online, 3/12/98; Erich Luening www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,20003,00.html?owv Luening unveils details about Surge, which will debut at BrainShare next week. Among the features to expect are document echoing, support for LDAP, S/MIME, and Internet-based communications protocols. "NT is the buzzword for intranets, but I'm rooting for Novell BorderManager" Computer Shopper, 3/98; Steve Rigney www.zdnet.com/cshopper/content/9803/279480.html Rigney reiterates that users should not embrace NT without first considering using BorderManager on their existing NetWare platform as BorderManager offers users all of the intranet features that come with Windows NT and "even a few more." He highlights BorderManager's firewall, proxy caching server, VPN server and remote access server and asserts that if you are a NetWare user, "why not stick with what you already have and know?" "Directory standard a shoo-in" Inter@ctiveWeek, 3/9/98; Joe McGarvey www.zdnet.com/intweek/pnnt/980309/293874.html This trend article places Novell at a crossroads as it begins to show signs of a turnaround. Stephen Dube of Wasserstein Perella Securities contends that with the delayed release of Windows NT, Novell has a "window of opportunity" to reinforce NetWare 5's position in the marketplace when it ships this summer. He considers Novell's installed base an "invaluable asset" and states that Novell's steady flow of new products, together with a timely release of NetWare 5 "should help solidify Novell's financial footing." "Novell delivers on agenda" InternetWeek, 3/16/98; Amy Rogers www.techweb.com/se/directlink.cgi?INW19980316S0001 This positive article celebrates the near one-year anniversary of Eric Schmidt as CEO of Novell and recaps the successes he has garnered for the company. Stuart Pastman of the Deloittes & Touche LLP's technologies group is quoted saying, "I definitely would not count them out. They have good products and a high degree of customer loyalty, and if they focus on the right things, they can succeed." "Schmidt's happy anniversary" Network World, 3/16/98; Christine Burns and John Gallant * Registration needed to view article This interview with Eric Schmidt, as he approaches his one-year anniversary at Novell, details his thoughts on how he has positioned Novell to face the threat of Microsoft's Windows NT. "Schmidt's pedaling influence" Network World, 3/16/98; Christine Burns * Registration needed to view article This article encompasses glowing testimonials from Novell insiders who extol Eric Schmidt's management style and the changes he has made in the company. Michael Simpson is quoted saying that Schmidt "can make a product out of a good idea and get it out on the market quickly." "Latest NetWare 5.0 beta improved" LAN Times, 3/16/98; PJ Connolly www.lantimes.com/lantimes/98/98mar/803b016a.html Connolly's review of the second beta of NetWare 5 noted dramatic improvement and stated that the second beta gave an enticing glimpse of what the product will be like when it ships. "The groupware choice - careful analysis takes the mystery" VARBusiness, 3/16/98; Jackie Poole www.techweb.com/se/directlink.cgi?VAR19980316S0028 Poole refers to a recent study by the Gartner Group that indicated business requirements, rather than costs, drive groupware product selection. The study also revealed that GroupWise received a strong vote of support in the simple office automation category. According to Bill Towey, president of Powerscourt LLC, "when infrastructure influences the decision, GroupWise is most likely to win."

To: vinod Khurana who wrote (21281)	3/20/1998 5:12:00 PM
From: ToySoldier	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42771

Sorry to here your Downgrading to NT. Vinod, I would honestly like to hear your organization's business case on what the net benefits your company is expecting to realize from this migration. If its not confidential, please give us the details on how many NetWare servers will retire, how many NT servers will be installed, your anticipated migration costs (including retraining costs of your Administration and Support staff), and the quantified benefits expected that will exceed these huge migration costs and increased TCO operational costs. Migration from any platform to another is not one most industry players take lightly and in fact try to avoid at all costs. Your company must have encountered some huge costs or disadvantages in using NetWare. For the life of me, I can't predict what those costs/disadvantages would be (that will not be experienced in an NT world - if not magnified), but this would be very important for me to know. I am a Network Systems Consultant and maybe I am missing something here that you can enlighten me on. I'm gonna make a prediction (call it ESP) that your IT decision makers made this decision purely on the industry trend DeJure (i.e. "well everyone else appears to be going that way, so will we") and not based on true Business Requirements Gap Analysis followed up by a Solution Alternatives Cost/Benefit Analysis. If they did, I truly believe that your organization would not be making this decision (I blabbed about this whole topic about a week ago - look up if your interested). Your organization has become yet another NT Lemming - watch out for that cliff! But please prove me wrong by telling us the details of your decision process. And hey, Good Luck to you and your organization - trust me, You'll Need It! ToySoldier