Friday, March 12, 2010

Novell Netware

What is Novell Netware?


Novell NetWare is a Novell network operating system (NOS) that provides transparent remote file access and numerous other distributed network services, including printer sharing and support for various applications, such as electronic mail transfer and database access.

NetWare is a network operating system developed by Novell, Inc. It initially used cooperative multitasking to run various services on a personal computer, and the network protocols were based on the archetypal Xerox Network Systems stack.

NetWare has been superseded by Open Enterprise Server (OES). The latest version of NetWare is v6.5 Support Pack 8, which is identical to OES 2 SP1, NetWare Kernel.

HISTORY

In 1981 a small company called Novell Data Systems received investment of $8 Million to make and sell a new computer system. At the time, the only desktop systems around were made by Apple, Commodore Tandy and Psion. This new system would include a Printer, data drive as well as the base processor. Unfortunately, one month prior to the release of Novell Data Systems computer, IBM introduced their first PC. Jack Messman was working for the Venture Capital company that had invested in Novell Data Systems. Jack was tasked to recoup as much as of $8 Million as possible and was sent to Provo to oversee orderly liquidation of the company.

Whilst working late one night, Jack heard some commotion in the small warehouse attached to the offices he worked. Jack went to investigate, a fortuitous decision. What he discovered were three young men playing a game, the same game, but on different machines. The name of the game was ‘Snipes’ the very first PC networked game. A text based maze game, the idea was to ‘blast’ your opponent whilst negotiating the maze.

The company was renamed to Novell and by 1983 had gone public, also during 1983 Jack rejoined the board of directors.

By the late 1980’s Novell NetWare was the clear industry leader in Networking File and Print with over 70% market share.

What are the key events or dates in Novell's history?

1979 Creation of Novell Data Systems – Hardware company

1981 Jack Messman hires Superset to develop a data sharing PC network

1981 Product Named NetWare

1982 Ray Noorda appointed

1983 Novell goes public

1992 NetWare 4 released with innovative directory services

1999 NetWare 5 Released introducing open standards, cross platform services and pure IP support

1999 NDS renamed to eDirectory with version 8.5 release. Major performance and architecture changes including cross platform support for Windows, Linux, Solaris and UNIX

2001 Cambridge acquired giving Novell a focus on business solutions

2002 Silverstream Acquired giving application integration, client interaction and Web Services

2003 Novell launches Secure Identity Management Solutions that run in any environment

2003 Novell announces clear support for Open source community and Linux Kernel for NetWare 7

What do you see as Novell's future?

With the acquisition of Cambridge Technologies and Silverstream Novell can now deliver a complete solutions approach. Traditionally Novell has been seen as a product based company, now, with all the pieces in place Novell offers business solutions to real customer needs, end to end, meaning from the person (or application) that requires resource to the resources themselves. This encompasses, security, identity management, profiling, customized delivery, application integration, single sign on as well as the traditional file and print services now greatly enhanced. All our solutions are now oganised, under the One Net Vision, into collective solutions. NSURE – provides Secure Identity Management. Nterprise – delivers cross platform services, exteNd – gives application integration and Web Services with Ngage we can deliver project management, consultancy (business and technical) and Education along with our partners.

Current NetWare situation

While Novell NetWare is still used by some organizations, its ongoing decline in popularity began in the mid-1990s, when NetWare was the de facto standard for file and print software for the Intel x86 server platform. Modern (2009) NetWare and OES installations are used by larger organizations that may need the added flexibility they provide.

Microsoft successfully shifted market share away from NetWare products toward their own in the late-1990s. Microsoft's more aggressive marketing was aimed directly to management through major magazines; Novell NetWare's was through IT specialist magazines with distribution limited to select IT personnel.[citation needed]

Novell did not adapt their pricing structure accordingly and NetWare sales suffered at the hands of those corporate decision makers whose valuation was based on initial licensing fees. As a result organizations that still use NetWare, eDirectory, and Novell software often have a hybrid infrastructure of NetWare, Linux, and Windows servers.

Netware Lite / Personal Netware

In 1991 Novell introduced a radically different and cheaper product -Netware Lite in answer to Artisoft's similar LANtastic .Both were peer to peer systems, where no specialist server was required, but instead all PCs on the network could share their resources.

IMPLEMENTATION

Each agency should develop its own internal implementation plan. Such a plan should take into account such factors as:

• Availability of administrator time especially after business hours

• A timetable for upgrading the workstation client software

• Upgrading of server hardware

• Any downtime impact on user schedules

ITS will maintain a separate tree ("NCTEST") for testing purposes. Agencies may wish to install a test server to test various NDS organization structures before implementing them in production. Such servers should be installed in agency created test trees. Please contact ITS to obtain unique IPX internal numbers to assign to servers.

A significant factor in the successful implementation and operation of NetWare is the use of a server backup software product that works properly with Novell Directory Services. It is important that any backup product be fully compliant with Novell's Storage Management Specification (SMS). Generally, workstation-based backup products are neither NDS nor SMS compliant and therefore do not adequately backup trustee rights, server specific information, etc. Based on an evaluation of backup products, ITS recommends using Veritas' Backup Exec.

Administrators should obtain the latest versions of the ITS documents referenced above prior to beginning the actual installation.

Agencies will typically choose to upgrade/install NetWare servers over a weekend. NetWare is distributed on CD-ROM and therefore having a CD-ROM on the server is recommended.

Requirements

Verify that you:

• Are operating a Windows-based system with CentreWare DP software installed and at

• least one printer driver installed Are a NetWare Network Administrator, an administrative person with ADMIN/

• SUPERVISOR, or ADMIN/SUPERVISOR EQUIVALENT within login rights to the

• NetWare Server(s) servicing the Phaser printer Have a basic knowledge of NetWare

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