Novell Does Small Business Better, Doubling License Count in Novell Small Business Suite

Novell today announced the Novell® Small Business Suite 6.5 will feature licenses for up to 100 users, doubling the previous limit and making the Novell Small Business Suite even more cost effective than competing small business networking packages, such as Windows* Small Business Server 2003 with its 75-user limit. Novell also announced the December open beta availability of Novell Small Business Suite 6.5, the latest version of Novell's complete networking solutions suite for small businesses, which will ship in early 2004.

"The Novell Small Business Suite has always been designed with small businesses and their trusted solution providers in mind," said Chris Stone, Novell vice chairman – Office of the CEO. "The award-winning, advanced network technologies in the Novell Small Business Suite, combined with the hundreds of partner line-of-business applications that support the suite, have been addressing the biggest computing needs of small businesses for many years – running applications in a dependable, secure and affordable environment. The Novell Small Business Suite 6.5 continues and expands that application support, dependability, security and affordability, raising the number of licensed users to 100 to keep customers on track as they grow."

Since Novell's April introduction of the Novell Small Business Suite Starter Pack program which allows qualified Novell resellers to deploy limited-license versions of the Novell Small Business Suite free of product cost, new installations of the suite have doubled and more than 1,500 solution providers have joined Novell's small business program. The next Novell Small Business Suite will include Novell NetWare® 6.5 and its advanced network services on the industry's most secure and reliable platform, along with full-fledged collaboration with Novell GroupWise® 6.5, management services with Novell ZENworks® for Desktops 4, and network security through Novell BorderManager® 3.8. Novell Small Business Suite 6.5 will also feature simplified licensing and configuration wizards to make it easier for resellers to implement Novell networking solutions for customers.

Joe Cook, owner of Cook's Computer& Software Service, a Novell solution provider partner in Broken Bow, Okla., said, "I am more excited about Novell Small Business Suite 6.5 than I have been about anything in computing in the past 15 years. The need for network reliability, security and return on investment is not limited to big corporations. The ability to respond rapidly to customers is often even more critical for small businesses, where even one lost customer hits the bottom line quickly. Novell's solution is giving my customers the tools they need to stay ahead."

Novell Small Business Suite is part of Novell Nterprise™, a set of offerings that improve communication, simplify and automate network management, and allow workers to be productive regardless of location, device or platform. Novell Small Business Suite 6.5 begins open beta testing in early December. Pricing and general availability will be announced at a later date. For more information about the Novell Small Business Suite, visit http://www.novell.com/products/smallbiz.