Novell Announces Blueprint for Net Economy Software

During the opening day of Novell's annual BrainShare conference for customers, partners and developers, the company unveiled a comprehensive new architecture that delivers on its recently announced Net services software strategy of securing and powering Net-based business. Starting today, all Novell products will be mapped against an architectural model code-named DENIM[SM] (Directory-enabled Net Infrastructure Model). The DENIM model focuses on a customer-centric framework for deploying directory-enabled products and services from both Novell and its industry partners. Products and services in the DENIM model will allow organizations to simplify, secure and accelerate their eBusiness environments. The company today also announced products, partnerships and technologies that fit within the DENIM architecture and underscore its pledge to deliver Net services software across one Net environments.

Net services is a category of software that secures and powers all types of networks whether Internet, intranets, and extranets, wired to wireless, corporate and public as one Net, across all leading operating environments.

"Net services eliminate traditional network boundaries to help create one Net, a secure and efficient foundation for conducting business inside, outside and between organizations," said Eric Schmidt, Novell's chairman and CEO. Schmidt outlined Novell's vision of a one Net environment during his opening keynote address at BrainShare 2000. Steve L. Adams, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, then detailed DENIM, noting that, "DENIM provides the architecture to ensure our products and professional services are consistent in meeting the needs of customers grappling with the significant challenge and immense opportunity of Net-based business."

In his address, Adams outlined specific criteria for DENIM-based Net services software, and announced that Novell was realigning to accelerate delivery against the DENIM model. All Net services software from Novell will be:

• In-the-Net performing persistent and specific roles that reside in the Net and bring value to people, processes and applications
• Universal providing consistent and secure value across the internal and external networks that are evolving to one Net
• Modular drawing upon and integrating with other services through open standards. Net services will also leverage and interoperate with existing network services and other IT investments
• Cross-Platform working across all leading operating environments

The DENIM model (see attached slide) is designed to serve three critical areas of Net service, and Novell's product management and marketing organizations have been refocused to reflect this new business emphasis. These areas are as follows:

• Net Management Services include Net management, security and policy management services that consolidate and simplify the management and control of all internal and external network resources, including users, client devices, servers, network hardware and application configurations. As a result, organizations can optimize the quality of service, performance and reliability that the Net provides; personalize applications to meet the unique needs of users; and automate network management and business processes throughout the Net.


Net Management Services benefits include making it possible for IT departments to automate management tasks and centralize management functions while improving quality of experience. As a result, it is possible to take on additional challenges without increasing headcount. By employing Net Management Services, IT teams can significantly increase the number of users they support without growing their internal resources.


• Net Content Services include publishing, storage and delivery services that provide seamless and continuous access to information throughout the internal and external Net environment, independent of data location, system, client device or user location. In addition, Net Content Services enable information to be aggregated and personalized to meet the unique needs of any user, application or device.


Net Content Services benefits include making it possible to manage information through all of its phases, from creation to consumption. Consequently, service providers and enterprise IT teams can store and manage information reliably and securely to meet the needs of their users. These services make information more available to users reliably and quickly whether they are using personal productivity applications or Web browsers.


• Net Portal Services provide integration, identity and knowledge services that create a flexible and secure foundation for eBusiness applications. These services extend beyond the firewall, serving trading communities such as vertical exchanges that span multiple companies. They also supply integrators and service providers with a comprehensive set of tools for developing and hosting advanced eBusiness applications for individual companies or entire industries. Among the benefits of Net Portal Services, users can seamlessly access, interact and collaborate with these applications according to the multiple roles they serve within the supply chain. Also, organizations can aggressively yet securely accelerate their transformation to eBusiness by delivering highly customized and personalized applications.

Packaged to Meet Customer Requirements

Addressing these three areas of Net services, the DENIM model will yield products that are packaged around customer need, whether they require:

• packaged software sold through Novell channels to enterprises or service providers
• appliances sold via OEMs
• Net hosted services that meet specific market/customer needs

"With the DENIM architecture in place, and the entire company focused around this new model, we can package Net services in a way that provides maximum value to our traditional channel, and aggressively build new channels in concert with Net service providers," said Adams. "We'll provide a broad portfolio of Net services products that have a common look and feel and a single focus on the directory the result will be products that have higher value for our sales channels and our customers alike."

eDirectory Foundation

At the core of the DENIM model is Novell's NDS® eDirectory. NDS eDirectory provides the foundation for eBusiness solutions that extend beyond the immediate enterprise to customers and supply-chain partners. NDS eDirectory is an open, standards-based directory service that serves as the framework for managing network resources across all leading operating systems in one Net environments.

New Net Services Software Based on DENIM

Novell also announced today products and technologies that support the DENIM model and demonstrate its commitment to providing Net services software that run across leading operating environments, including Solaris, Linux, Windows and NetWare. Novell also announced partnerships that combine the power of its Net services software with third-party products and services to result in complete Net solutions. (See separate releases for news announcements, and BrainShare News-at-a-Glance for an all-inclusive list of products/technologies/partnerships showcased during this week's conference).

Professional Services Support for DENIM

All Novell products are supported by professional services, including consulting, training and education, and technical support. Novell Consulting delivers solutions, including directory integration, that cross all platforms supported by Novell's DENIM architecture. Through Novell Consulting's Rapid Deployment program, Net services software solutions are implemented quickly and optimally, hastening the transformation to eBusiness and allowing users and network administrators to immediately become more productive.

Through Novell Education, customers have access to the Certified Directory Engineer(tm) as a cross-platform, cross-vendor certification that focuses on the integration of industry-leading directories and directory-enabled solutions. In addition, Novell provides technical support around the clock to customers worldwide, from Web-based support and online forums to e-mail and telephone inquiries, to FaxBack materials and CD-ROMs. For more information about Novell professional services support for DENIM, visit http://services.novell.com.

About Novell

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL), is a 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. Net Services software gives IT organizations a way to adapt and accelerate their transformation to eBusiness, simplify the management and control of all networks, create a secure foundation for doing business on the Net, and help deliver a consistent and high-quality experience to end users in all locations. 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/advantage.

Novell, NetWare, BrainShare and NDS are registered trademarks and Certified Directory Engineer, DENIM and eDirectory are trademarks or service marks of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.