Novell Releases Upgrade to eDirectory, Expands Product's Role as a Foundation for eBusiness

• Novell eDirectory 8.6 is the latest version of the industry's most scalable, reliable and deployed directory service, adding new features which make it easier to use and manage
• Novell reveals details about the product's subsequent release, code-named 'Falcon,' which will introduce new Web-based and wireless management capabilities to eDirectory as well as support for Web services standards
• Novell eGuide 2.0 also now available to customers

Novell, Inc., a leader in eBusiness solutions and Net services software, today announced the availability of Novell® eDirectory™ 8.6 and revealed details about the subsequent release of Novell's market-leading directory software, code-named "Falcon." eDirectory 8.6 is the latest version of the industry's most scalable, reliable and deployed directory service, adding new features which make the product easier to use and manage, enhancing its attractiveness as a foundation for eBusiness. Deployment of eDirectory helps customers create one Net, where all types of networks work together, by centralizing the management of users, access rights, platforms and network resources. This centralized management lowers administrative and support costs and lays the foundation for directory-enabled solutions in areas such as eProvisioning, user access control, desktop management and many others.

As companies move their business processes online, one of the top challenges they face is integrating their corporate network with the Internet. They must manage multiple users and machines across different platforms, while ensuring the reliability and security their partners and customers require to do business. Directory technology has emerged as a key element in meeting this challenge. Novell, long the leader in the directory market, expands the eBusiness capabilities of its directory with eDirectory 8.6, which delivers improved scalability, new features to help developers build on the directory, and new search and backup functions.

International shipping company Unitor, which last year made 201,575 deliveries to 1,063 ports and 145 shipyards around the world, chose Novell eDirectory as the foundation for a solution that delivered secure access to business applications for a highly mobile workforce.

Because Unitor's employees often move between locations, the users had to have the same authorization rights, regardless of where in the network they logged in; the interface had to be personalized, and the user support capable of centralization. By deploying eDirectory in conjunction with Novell NetWare® and Novell ZENworks® for Desktops, Unitor was able to give their employees a consistent, secure network experience, regardless of their location.

"As a shipping company, Unitor only makes money when we're going from point A to point B, not when our ships are sitting in ports," said Unitor's LAN/WAN Supervisor Petter Ruud. "The Novell solution, based on eDirectory, helps us minimize that time spent in port, by giving employees consistent access to the network, regardless of where they log in, or what machine they're using. We chose to standardize on eDirectory because it is the most scalable and practical directory service on the market. This gives us an infrastructure that optimizes each individual user's productivity, while at the same time being highly cost-effective and easy to run."

The subsequent release of eDirectory, "Falcon," which is scheduled to ship in April 2002, will introduce new Web-based and wireless management capabilities to eDirectory. These features will allow customers to manage the directory and the users, access rights and network resources within the directory from a Web browser and a variety of handheld devices. The Falcon release will also deliver enhancements to existing XML support in eDirectory, including support for emerging Web services standards like SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration). Supporting these standards will allow customers to use eDirectory as the authentication mechanism for next-generation Web services.

New Features in eDirectory 8.6

Version 8.6 of eDirectory offers customers a number of new features and enhancements, including the following:

• Scalability and Reliability Novell continues to improve the ability of eDirectory to manage large numbers of customers and partners over the Internet. The enhancements in eDirectory 8.6 provide superior performance, even when accessing, replicating or bulk loading massive amounts of data. As companies bring core business processes online, the number of electronic relationships to manage increases exponentially. eDirectory 8.6 can manage these loads reliably.
• Dynamic Groups Directory groups can now be easily and automatically created according to any directory attribute (e.g., a group consisting of all members of the accounting department). This feature is particularly valuable to LDAP developers who rely on dynamic groups to populate user groups. For example, dynamic groups are useful in developing and managing applications where users are granted access to certain network resources based on attributes, such as "title," in their user object.
• Persistent Search This function allows LDAP queries to persistently track information in the directory on an ongoing basis. For example, an LDAP-compliant application could establish a persistent search for any occurrences of a "title" attribute being changed to "manager." When an employee's role is changed to manager, the application would automatically receive a search result and be able to perform other actions based on this change, such as sending an e-mail with policy guidelines and resource information. This feature saves time and money by reducing manual input of data.
• Live Continuous Backup All data within eDirectory can now be backed up while the directory is in production, without taking the system down. This feature simplifies administration and enhances performance in high-scale environments.

"Novell eDirectory 8.6 marks another technology milestone for the industry's most deployed directory service," said Paul Smart, vice president and general manager of Novell's Net Directory business. "Analysts and customers alike continue to praise eDirectory for its ability to support solutions that solve business problems problems like efficient network management, controlling access to internal and external applications, and building customer loyalty through greater personalization and customization. And unlike so many competitive offerings, eDirectory is a mature, tested product that has helped solve those business problems for customer after customer."

Novell eGuide 2.0 Now Available

Novell also today announced the general availability of Novell eGuide 2.0, a Web application that allows users to quickly find and make one-click connections with people, places and things across the Net. With Novell eGuide, users can access data stored in eDirectory and other LDAP-compliant data sources data such as names, phone and fax numbers, locations, e-mail addresses and network IDs. Once users locate a person, they can launch communications such as e-mail and instant messaging from within Novell eGuide.

In addition to providing a white pages application, Novell eGuide can be easily customized to display user photos, maps, building floor plans, organization charts based on directory attributes or any other information stored in the directory. Novell eGuide supports both anonymous and authenticated modes and allows different levels of access based on a user's profile. For example, the same Novell eGuide application could be provided to both customers and employees, but only authenticated employees would be able to view employee-specific information, such as an accounting cost center. Alternatively, access to an employee's home phone number in the directory could be limited to the employee's manager.

Availability and Pricing

Novell eDirectory 8.6 will be available Dec. 17 from Novell channel partners, Novell Consultant and System Integrator partners or directly from Novell by calling (888) 321-4272. eDirectory is bundled free of charge with many of Novell's products. The standalone product is priced at $2 per user, and volume and upgrade discounts are available. For more information, go to http://www.novell.com/products/edirectory. Novell eGuide 2.0 is available free of charge to all eDirectory customers. ISVs, equipment manufacturers and developers interested in learning more about the eDirectory Redistribution Program, can go to http://developer.novell.com/edirectory for more information.

 

About Novell

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL), is a leader in eBusiness solutions and Net services software designed to secure and power the networked world. Novell and its eServices division, Cambridge Technology Partners, help organizations solve complex business challenges, simplify their systems and processes, and capture new opportunities with one Net solutions. Novell provides worldwide channel, consulting, education and developer programs to support its offerings.

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. Information on eBusiness and integration solutions from Cambridge Technology Partners can be accessed at http://www.ctp.com. Press may access Novell announcements and company information on the World Wide Web at http://www.novell.com/pressroom.

 

Novell, NetWare, Cambridge Technology Partners and ZENworks are registered trademarks, 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.