Anna-Laberge Hospital Centre Innovates with Novell Solutions

Novell, the leading provider of Net services software today announced it was selected by the Anna-Laberge Hospital Centre (CHAL) to manage the hospital's network of 550 PCs. CHAL, Quebec's newest hospital founded in 1988, is well known for being a technology innovator. Faced with the growth of its installed base over the next few years, the CHAL IT management team needed practical solutions that would meet the needs of its users in terms of ease of access, upgrading, application integration, start-up, maintenance and inventory management. Novell ZENworks and Single Sign-on products provide the answer. MediSolution Ltd., Canada's leading provider of information technology to the healthcare sector, was chosen as integrator for the deployment project.

The CHAL IT management team assessed several products in search of an integrated solution that would allow the hospital to improve efficiency, reduce costs and simplify application management and user accessibility. After performing a comprehensive study, CHAL selected Novell ZENworks for Desktops 3 and Single Sign-on.

For Monique St-Jean, CHAL's IT Director, a review of user requirements, combined with the functional analysis provided by ZENworks and Single Sign-on, clearly demonstrated the need for simplified access code and password management, systematic application upgrades, more complete integration of new applications, and a faster and more efficient start-up procedure.

"With the technology developments of the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the constant evolution of supplier applications, we expect to replace approximately 200 PCs over the next two years," said Monique St-Jean. "While we were searching for tools that would enable us to simultaneously reduce maintenance costs and increase productivity, we identified remote monitoring as the key to improve efficiency with maintenance, start-up, application integration and upgrades. Novell ZENworks for Desktops 3 is the product that best meets our needs while being the most affordable and the easiest to use."

MediSolution is responsible for the implementation of the five modules of Novell ZENworks for Desktops 3 and Single Sign-On at the Anna-Laberge Hospital Centre. These modules will provide:

• Remote monitoring;
• Inventory management;
• Information technology policy and security management;
• Application deployment (application upgrading andstandardization); and,
• Simplified access procedure for various applications via unified password management.

MediSolution estimates the implementation will be completed by mid-February 2001.

With ZENworks and Single Sign-on, the Novell products at the Anna-Laberge Hospital Centre will improve the quality of information available to employees, provide advance management of its installed PC base and reduce maintenance costs," said Serge Michelin, Sites and Technology Manager, MediSolution Ltd. "It will also improve workstation utilization time and increase reliability. In short, the entire CHAL network will be more efficient and reliable."

Novell Products: ZENworks for Desktops 3 and Single Sign-on ZENworks for Desktops 3 is a Net services software that reduces the cost of managing user workstations by nearly 50 percent (source: IDC). Built on Novell's eDirectory technology, ZENworks for Desktops simplifies desktop management and securely extends networks by allowing administrators to centrally manage and personalize company desktops, including those of mobile users. With support for all Windows desktops, including Windows 2000, ZENworks for Desktops 3 accelerates a company's transformation to eBusiness by allowing automated software distribution, remote desktop management and self-healing capabilities for applications.

ZENworks for Desktops 3 frees IT staffs from time-consuming, repetitive maintenance tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic technology challenges.

Novell Single Sign-on provides secure, single-logon access to applications, mainframes, platforms and Web sites. It is an innovative security product for accessing applications to which users have rights, with a single logon. In conjunction with Novell Directory Services (NDS), NSSO eliminates the need for users to remember more than one password, reduces password-related help desk calls and alleviates redundant password administration tasks.

"We are delighted that the Anna-Laberge Hospital Centre has selected Novell to deliver a proven solution that meets the needs of the hospital," said Don Chapman, Vice President and General Manager of Novell Canada. "In light of today's declining healthcare budget, Canadian hospitals are looking for new and innovative ways to save costs and improve services. The Anna-Laberge Hospital Centre has once again proven itself to be a technology innovator by partnering with Novell."

About Anna-Laberge Hospital Centre (CHAL)

CHAL (Centre hospitalier Anna-Laberge) is the newest hospital clinic in Quebec. Inaugurated in 1988 to respond to the growing health needs of the population, CHAL is currently experiencing a high increase in activities primarily focussed on acute care and short-stay surgery.

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 and 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. Novell Canada, with its head office located in Markham, Ontario, has sale and service offices in Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, London, Calgary and Vancouver. Please visit Novell Canada's Web site at: www.novell.com/offices/americas/canada/.

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