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

To: Bearded One who wrote (23388)	8/5/1998 1:38:00 AM
From: DJBEINO	Respond to of 42771

Novell gives boost to server software Novell will add digital certificate and encryption technologies to its NetWare 5 server software to be launched next month. The security enhancement of NetWare 5 was part of the network software vendor's electronic commerce initiative, said Nick Jackson, business development director of Novell Asia-Pacific. Mr Jackson listed five conditions for a company to conduct e-commerce - a network platform, Internet readiness, a high level of security, a powerful database and development of front-end applications. Novell offered the first three, with NetWare 5 providing a secure, Internet-ready platform, said Mr Jackson. Novell would maintain strong relations with database and Java companies to work on the last two. The new security features of NetWare 5 include a public key infrastructure, which enables a corporate user to issue digital certificates to verify the identity of the server with which it communicates or transfers files. There also is an international cryptographic infrastructure, which eliminates the need for multinational companies to develop separate applications with encryption capabilities for each region. A single network application can run anywhere in the world consistent with legal requirements. Novell also has addressed the year-2000-compliance issue, which is a prime focus for the newly formed Novell greater China region. In Hong Kong and Taiwan, Novell is assisting customers to fix the millennium bug problem in its software. Users of NetWare series three and four are recommended to upgrade to version 3.2 and 4.11 respectively, which are tested to be Y2K-ready. Users can download the software from Novell's year-2000 Web site [www.novell.com/], where they also can check the Y2K readiness of other products from the company. Novell customers also can get enhancement packages from distributors. Ralph Liu, Novell's managing director in greater China, said the company's Y2K project in the mainland was more an educational programme. The company hoped it could make mainland customers realise the importance of using legal software so as to obtain vendors' support services. It is promoting a CLS (convert to legal) programme. Novell has reinformed its turnaround effort by reporting sequential revenue growth and the third consecutive improvement in earnings in its second quarter. The company is facing a challenge however from Windows NT, which has achieved robust growth. According to IDC, NetWare's share of the server operating system market in 1997, in terms of unit shipments, was 26.4 per cent - down 6 per cent from 1996, while Windows NT rose to 36 per cent from 24 per cent in 1996. In revenue terms, 19 per cent of US$5.6 billion server operating systems sold last year were NetWare, while 34.2 per cent were NT. The technology consultancy also expects the number of machines installed with Windows NT Server to surpass NetWare-installed machines in 2000. However, Novell tended not to take a hostile attitude to NT, said Mr Jackson, as the entire networking industry kept growing. "Our success doesn't depend on the failure of NT." Instead, Novell could benefit from the growth of NT, Mr Jackson said, as the company's management software such as BorderManager and Zen (zero-effort networks) could work in the NT as well as Unix environment.

To: Bearded One who wrote (23388)	8/5/1998 8:03:00 AM
From: Frederick Smart	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42771

Bearded One...... <<I guess what I'm saying is that I'd like to see more analysis of how many copies of Netware 5, ZEN, BorderManager, etc... will Novell sell in the next 5 years under different economic scenarios. If we can't get together and figure that out, then we're all a bunch of gamblers at a casino hoping that the money keeps pouring in from 401K's and that someone gives Novell a good mention on CNBC. >> Points well taken. Let's try to establish points of focus: 1) Start by trying to measure the impact that NDS on native NT will have on Gate's e-commerce and Internet server initiatives. NDS will bring immediate order to the entire NT infrastructure - but will app developers climb on board? If Novell gives it away the developers HAVE to. If companies do not embrace NDS now, the companies that do will have a huge leg up on organizing, securing and wiring their entire corporate enterprise toward "openness" which is what cos. HAVE to move toward. If they give away NDS for native NT, what excuse does anyone have. How can e-commerce hungry companies stand by while they wait for the first bug-free copy of AD - 2-5 years down the road. I see huge opportunities in the Telecom area alone for NDS. 2) Let's move on to "Java Space". Novell's Tengeh server and Open Solutions approach, combined with their blazing fast JVM, stand to become a magnet for Java developers the world over. You don't hear too much about Java? Well this is where it's all heading, especially since the marketplace will demand Internet integration with legacy systems NOW - not in 2-5 years. Java is best suited to fill this cross platform space. 3) Let's move onto discuss how Novell is taking the issue of "security" in e-commerce dead serious. Look into the work they're doing providing great security, encryption and certification authority foundation blocks to cover more than just the thin layer basics. Utah is the ONLY state in the union that has its own Certificate Authority for a wide variety of businesses, etc. 4) Don't forget BorderManager - a hot, attractive product ISPs and others are moving toward. Now let's put some thought into all this - with potential numbers, scenarios, what ifs. Let's really get to understand the huge "gap" opportunity that the marketplace could potentially allow Novell to fill - with complementary products - that fit, work NOW, as opposed to later. Let's watch as Java starts climbing aboard and assumes a more direct application development role with NOSs everywhere. It will be very interesting if you like investing. If you don't have a sense as to where this is heading - I agree, its no different than gambling. So those are the key areas to focus on. Comments welcome......