Novell Networks the World Economic Forum

The Annual Meeting 2000 of the World Economic Forum, is to be networked and extended to the Internet by Novell, leader in Net infrastructure software. Novell, in partnership with Andersen Consulting, is providing an integrated Internet messaging solution for participants. Novell is also providing an extensive Internet Business Center which includes live web casts of sessions that will be available globally via the world wide web. Novell has been a dedicated partner to the World Economic Forum providing Internet solutions since 1996.

The Annual Meeting 2000 begins on January 27th. It is themed "New Beginnings - Making A Difference" and will be attended by over 1,000 chief executives and 40 heads of state including notaries such as Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Gerhard Schroeder, Larry Ellison and Bill Gates. Given the ever-growing economic importance of the Internet and how it can be utilized in "Making A Difference" will be a significant point for discussion. In addition, the Internet messaging system is an integral part of this year's event showcasing the technology.

Through a network of kiosks located across the Annual Meeting venue, the messaging system will allow delegates access via e-mail to other participants, details on agenda and relevant biographies and company information, as well as access to their POP3 mail account. The Internet Business Center will provide a focus for Internet activity. Novell is also installing net technologies to enable Internet users across the globe to be part of the Annual Meeting via a special Web site. Users will be able to access a complete schedule and live sessions, as well as related sites through the Web site located at http://www.weforum.org.

Dr. Eric Schmidt, Novell Chairman and CEO commented, "We are entering the Net Economy where networks and the Internet are critical to business success and economic growth. It is important for the world's business and technology leaders to meet at a forum like this to discuss how the world can best exploit the power of the Internet. By extending the Annual Meeting to the Internet we can help showcase how the Internet can create global communities and be a driver for economic growth".

Much of the business, management and technology agenda of the Annual Meeting will be dominated by talk of the Internet with sessions such as "Winning Strategies for the Internet Race" and "Clicks and Mortar: Doing Business on the Internet". Dr. Schmidt will be part of a panel discussing "How to Energize your Organization", on January 28th at 15.15. He will outline how Silicon Valley experience can bring best practice management principles to bear as the world enters the Net Economy. He will be referencing recent research conducted by the UK's London School of Economics, the Global Growth 100 Survey, which explores how the world's fastest growing companies are using the Internet to generate growth.

The Messaging System - Networking the Networkers

Novell has created a customized messaging solution for World Economic Forum. This provides an easy-to-use e-mail and Internet application based on GroupWise, Novell's high-performance, Internet-ready collaboration solution that enables businesses to gather, access and communicate information easily from a single interface. Working in concert with other Novell products and technologies such as Novell Directory Services (NDS) and NetWare 5.1, GroupWise 5.5 provides the most scalable, reliable and powerful collaboration solution available today.

The messaging solution, accessible to participants via information kiosks and workstations at strategic locations throughout the conference, runs on Novell's NetWare 5 server platform. The solution utilizes standard technologies such as ISDN and Internet Protocol (IP) to provide fast Internet access, offer a choice of multiple e-mail gateways and support all major Internet browsers. In addition to sending and receiving messages locally or on the Internet, delegates can access stored information for details about fellow delegates and the countries and companies they represent.

Several features of the Novell messaging solution are designed to meet the special needs of the world's business and political leaders, offering ultimate convenience and airtight security:

• An advanced security system that allows users to access the system by scanning in individual identity badges
• Fast response to user commands to retrieve or dispatch messages, regardless of the number of messages stored
• A customized user interface that uses touchscreen technologies and a special user interface with screen options to make sending and receiving messages easy
• Integration with Internet e-mail (POP3) for access to e-mail from outside the summit

About Novell

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL) is the broadest supplier of Net infrastructure software used to integrate and manage the diverse information resources of private business networks and the Internet. Novell's worldwide channel, consulting, developer, education and technical support programs are the most extensive in the network computing industry.

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.