Novell Enhances Value and Extends Market Reach of Industry's #1 Directory Service

• Novell's eDirectory user base increases to nearly 139 million users
• Expands leading portfolio of Net services software across all types of networks and all leading operating systems
• More than 1,800 applications built on eDirectory

Novell, Inc., the leading provider of Net services software, today announced enhancements to Novell® NDS® eDirectory, including the addition of key platform support for Compaq* and IBM* operating systems to drive new value to customers worldwide. Novell has led the market for the last nine years with eDirectory, a foundation for businesses to build, secure, integrate and maintain highly customized eBusiness relationships with customers, partners and employees over the emerging unified global network one Net. With close to 139 million users, Novell eDirectory has 10 times more active users than any other directory in the market today. eDirectory has proven its leadership with tested reliability, scalability, security and standards compliance and Novell plans to extend these strengths to further its market position in the enterprise and service provider markets.

"Industry feedback validates our stability at the top of the market, but we think companies are only beginning to scratch the surface of what they can achieve with eDirectory," said Paul Smart, vice president and general manager of Novell's Net Directory business. "We are starting to see large deployments by companies like CNN, Toyota and United States Navy that are turning to Novell to help manage the complex challenges of merging their disparate employee, customer and partner networks into a single Net. The addition of support for leading Compaq and IBM systems will only increase the attractiveness of eDirectory as an Internet infrastructure foundation."

As the only directory on the market that works across leading operating systems, eDirectory is emerging as an attractive development platform. To date Novell has more than 1,800 applications built on eDirectory, twice as many as any other directory vendor; these applications range from supply-chain management to personalization to security.

Novell Enhances Cross-Platform Support
Building on its commitment to ensure its leading portfolio of Net services software runs on all leading operating systems across all networks, Novell has made eDirectory 8.5 available for Compaq Tru64* UNIX* and has announced plans to release a beta of eDirectory for IBM's AIX* operating system. By running across leading operating systems like AIX, which is available on the IBM eServer pSeries* UNIX line, eDirectory allows customers to deploy cutting-edge eBusiness services while leveraging their current IT investment and lowering administration costs. With the addition of these operating systems, eDirectory remains the only directory service to run on Win2000/NT, NetWare®, Solaris*, Linux*, Compaq Tru64 UNIX and AIX, providing the only tested solution for managing these disparate operating systems present in most large organizations today as a single network. NDS eDirectory 8.5 for AIX beta will be available from Novell within 30 days.

"Adding the resource and identity management capabilities of Novell's eDirectory to IBM's eServer pSeries servers gives customers in the enterprise, government and financial services markets an extremely reliable platform for the deployment of eBusiness services and applications," said Per Larsen, vice president IBM eServer. "The integration of Novell's directory technology with one of the industry's most deployed UNIX operating systems presents a substantial market opportunity for both IBM and Novell."

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, NetWare and NDS are registered trademarks, BrainShare is a registered service mark, and eDirectory is a trademark of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. *All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.