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Newsletter of the Melbourne Novell Users Group

March 1998

Novell SQL Integrator for NetWare

New Novell Solution Eliminates Barriers to Database Access on Multivendor Networks

Novell SQL Integrator for NetWare Also Eases Inter-Database Application Development

PROVO, Utah -- March 17, 1998 -- Novell, Inc. today announced Novell SQL Integrator for NetWare, a database management solution that enables customers to access information stored in multiple databases distributed across diverse platforms on business networks, intranets, and the Internet. Novell SQL Integrator leverages the manageability and scalability of NetWare, the leading server platform for intelligent network solutions, by making it fast and efficient for customers to access network-based data, regardless of its location, database type or platform. The new Novell solution also simplifies database application development by eliminating the need to create the complex "joins" that enable applications to access data from disparate databases.

Novell SQL Integrator for NetWare, now in beta testing, will be available in May under a licensing agreement between Santa Barbara-based B2 Systems and Novell, Inc. Based on B2's proven technology, the solution interoperates with thousands of database solutions based on SQL, Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) or Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) standards, including such leading databases as Oracle, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, and Sybase.

"We've been using SQL Integrator technology with up to 150 concurrent users, and it has given them access to information they otherwise would not have," said Jeff Kingston, director of information systems for Massachusetts-based clothing manufacturer Petra Fashions. "We are able to deliver DBMS-based applications much faster, and the applications are giving us a lot more of the data we need to see. Having this technology available as a NetWare process will add a great deal to Novell's position in the database management arena."

"We have seen our technology improve end-user efficiency by providing better access to data in a more useful context, which enables better decision-making," said Richard Bassin, president and founder of B2. "Making it available on a superior server operating system such as NetWare means that more customer sites can expect to reap the benefits of more efficient access to all the information they need regardless of type or location."

Streamlining Database Development

As Internet reliance continues to grow among corporate users, databases that track a wide range of information are becoming more important, especially as more large organizations implement enterprise-wide intranets and extranets. Novell SQL Integrator for NetWare provides these customers with transparent access to data, as well as greater flexibility in developing new ways to cross-reference data. For example, a customer database can track customer preferences, while an inventory database, running on a different platform, can cross-reference that information.

Novell SQL Integrator for NetWare shortens development cycles for these cross-platform, distributed solutions by eliminating the need to create inter-database hooks. Novell SQL Integrator for NetWare transparently creates those hooks using standard APIs like ODBC and JDBC. Developers can also write applications that communicate directly with the SQL Integrator API.

"Database services are an important component of Novell's strategy to provide the leading server platform for intelligent network solutions," said Christopher Stone, Novell senior vice president of strategy and corporate development. "Novell SQL Integrator fits perfectly into Novell's Open Solutions Architecture by allowing developers to leverage NetWare and other Novell services in solutions that can access multiple databases located anywhere on the network. The resulting solutions combine the speed, scalability, and manageability of NetWare and Novell Directory Services (NDS) with unimpeded access to network information."