Novell Delivers Lynchpin for eBusiness Solutions

• New iChain 1.5 architecture provides security and management infrastructure for eBusiness
• iChain helps eBusiness increase revenue potential, reduce administrative overhead and increase and maintain customer loyalty
• Novell Net services software chosen by Cap Gemini Ernst& Young and Gulfstream Aerospace to simplify the complexities of communications and eBusiness

Novell, Inc., the leading provider of Net services software, today announced iChain 1.5, a robust security and management infrastructure that provides a foundation for all eBusiness solutions. An extension of Novell® NDS® eDirectory, iChain gives companies the ability to simplify and accelerate their transformation to eBusiness and to securely extend traditional business relationships and processes to employees, customers and partners on the Net. Novell also announced today that Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) and a manufacturer of Gulfstream business aircraft, has selected iChain as the security platform for its presence on the Net. iChain has also been chosen by Cap Gemini Ernst& Young, the world's fifth largest IT Services and management consultancy company, as a foundation for a business-to-business eCommerce exchange for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence.

Gulfstream is leveraging existing Novell directory services for rapid deployment to employees. The combination of iChain and eDirectory makes it possible for Gulfstream to provide customers and partners with secure access to personalized content and services over Gulfstream's Web site. This secure link simplifies the complexities of eBusiness and provides the power and flexibility of the infrastructure needed to succeed in the Net economy.

iChain Delivers eBusiness Platform for Ministry of Defense
"We chose Novell's iChain architecture because they offer the most flexible and scalable LDAP directory in the marketplace today. It is a secure, flexible platform that can empower a number of eBusiness applications like procurement, order fulfillment, human resources, asset tracking, and eCommerce," said Andy Mulholland, chief technology officer at Cap Gemini Ernst& Young United Kingdom. "In the case of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), iChain provides the foundation for us to develop a flexible, standards-based solution for addressing their unique business needs across and beyond the enterprise."

Cap Gemini Ernst& Young was chosen by the MoD as their preferred supplier for its new eCommerce system, the Defense Electronic Commerce Services (DECS). The implementation of DECS will enable the MoD to conduct business electronically with its suppliers across all industry sectors. It is anticipated that DECS will help MoD achieve 20 percent savings over the next five years by significantly reducing costs in their supply chain and shortening delivery times.

"Gulfstream Aerospace and the Ministry of Defence both have a clear vision of all the things that can be accomplished through a one Net environment. Their determination to recast their business and deliver new value to customers in the one Net economy reflects their understanding of the new business models required as companies move to eBusiness," said Paul Smart, vice president and general manager of Net Directory Services, Novell. "As we continue to market our directory services as critical components of new Internet and eBusiness solutions alliances with Cap Gemini Ernst& Young and other CSI partners will help bring solutions to market faster. The adoption of iChain by these market leaders underscores the important role these products play in an eBusiness infrastructure."

About iChain
iChain 1.5 securely links "B-to-everything." iChain is a security and management infrastructure that integrates core services including Novell's eDirectory and award winning Internet Caching Server for conducting eBusiness activities on the Net. These technologies are integrated with other best-of-breed technologies through Novell Consulting and Consulting Systems Integrator partners for a solution that links business processes and allows them to be moved securely to the Net. The benefits include increased revenue potential, reduced administration costs and increased customer loyalty and satisfaction.

iChain 1.5 includes the following components:

• iChain Authorization Server Provides multi-factor authentication to network resources, Web Single Sign-on and fine-grained access controls.
• iChain Internet Caching Server Serves up content quickly, reducing end-user search and retrieval time.
• eDirectory 8.5 Provides integrated management by storing user information, company roles, digital communities, and access rules in a single centralized location that can be shared with other applications and business processes.
• iChain Community Services A free Web download, it allows for the creation of communities of users and the ability to define policies and rights for those users. Custom portals can be created for the various digital communities based on areas of interest.

Pricing and Availability
iChain 1.5 will be available within the next 30 days through Novell Consulting and Consulting Systems Integrator Partners. iChain is competitively priced based on numerous factors such as number of users and individual customer requirements. iChain pricing begins at $5 US per user, which includes the price of eDirectory. Novell offers flexible subscription plans for ISPs, ASPs and other customers of very large directories as part of its ICSP program. Under this model, iChain pricing begins at $0.25 US per user per month and includes the price of eDirectory. Under both models, the price does not include the cost of ICS hardware. For more information about iChain, go to www.novell.com/products/ichain. For more information or to contact Novell Consulting go to www.novell.com/consulting.

About Novell
Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL), is the leading provider of Net services software that delivers services to secure and power all types of networks the Internet, intranets, and extranets; wired to wireless; corporate and public across leading operating systems. Novell's Net services software provides the foundation for one Net a single global network that supports new applications and forms of business. Worldwide channel, consulting, education and technical support programs, along with strategic alliances, combine Novell Net services software with third-party products and services to form complete Net solutions.

For information on Novell's complete range of products and services, contact Novell's Customer Response Center at (888) 321-4CRC (4272), or visit Novell's Web site at http://www.novell.com. Press may access Novell announcements and company information on the World Wide Web at http://www.novell.com/pressroom. In addition, detailed comparisons between Novell products and competitive offerings from other vendors are available on the Web at http://www.novell.com/competitive.

Novell and NDS are registered trademarks, and eDirectory and iChain are trademarks of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.