Melbourne Novell Users Group

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Newsletter of the Melbourne Novell Users Group September 1998

Novell Release NDS for NT 2.0

Novell Dramatically Cuts Network Ownership Costs with NDS for NT 2.0

Novell Improves Cross-Platform Administration with Powerful Directory Solution for Companies with Corporate and Branch Office Networks

PROVO, Utah -- September 1, 1998 -- Novell, Inc. today reaffirmed its commitment to providing products that will lower the total cost of network ownership, announcing beta availability of the next version of NDS for NT(TM). Based on Novell Directory Services(R) (NDS(TM)), Novell's industry- leading directory technology, NDS for NT 2.0 extends beyond the corporate office and enables geographically-dispersed companies to manage NT branch office networks more efficiently. End users benefit from faster, more reliable single log-in through the introduction of an NDS database replica on local NT Servers.

NDS for NT 2.0 is at the heart of Novell's effort to improve overall manageability of heterogeneous enterprise networks. Building on the success of NDS for NT version one, which began shipping in December 1997, Version 2.0 further reduces the costs and complexities of managing mixed NetWare(R) and Microsoft NT Server environments. Customers can now run NDS-integrated applications in NT branch environments, while taking advantage of NDS to manage access to NT Server applications integrated with domains as well.

"NDS has been widely adopted in corporate networks and has been proven to be the industry's best at reducing cost and complexity -- which has always been Novell's strength," said Michael Simpson, director of marketing, Novell. "NDS for NT 2.0 delivers a major milestone by providing the foundation for other directory-based solutions that many customers are anxious to implement today in NT branch locations, like Z.E.N.works desktop application management."

Improved Service for Branch Office Users

In companies with branch offices that deploy NDS for NT 2.0, end users realize increased speed and reliability when accessing network resources. NDS for NT 2.0 extends the manageability of NDS to branch offices by allowing an NDS replica to reside directly on local NT Servers.Remote offices no longer need to manage NT domain trust relationships for most deployments to realize the benefits of NT applications. Because branch office users can leverage a local NDS replica, they are able to access network resources without communication across a WAN link to their corporate headquarters or larger site for authentication. This added benefit in NDS for NT 2.0 will decrease management costs stemming from repairing delayed or failed access to the network and it will save end-users' time during the log-in process.

"We are implementing NDS for NT as we roll out NetWare 5 because it eases administrative overhead, manages both platforms with a single tool and it eliminates the complexity of domain and trust management," said Jeff Miller, senior network engineer of Chicago Mercantile Exchange. "With NDS for NT we will be able to manage NT domains with the same reliability and scalability of NDS on NetWare servers."

New Product Simplifies User Administration

>From its inception, NDS for NT has helped give companies the freedom to design an efficient network architecture that includes both NetWare and NT Servers. NDS for NT greatly simplifies ongoing network management by enabling administrators to make NetWare and NT part of the same enterprise network with single sign-on for users and single point administration for network managers. This results in significantly lower management costs because time spent administering a mixed environment is dramatically reduced.

The next generation of NDS for NT dramatically simplifies management of mixed NetWare and NT networks and improves network scalability and performance with new and enhanced attributes:

NDS Applications in the Branch Office -- NDS for NT enables NDS-based applications that run on NT Server to use a local NDS database. Only minor modifications, if any, are required. Examples include Z.E.N.works, BorderManager Authentication Services (RADIUS) and GroupWise for NT.
Set Up and Manage File Shares -- NT tools are now integrated so the file shares can be created and administered from one utility interface, Novell's NWAdmin(TM).
Password Synchronization -- Version 2.0 of NDS for NT gives the network administrators the ability to ensure that NDS and NT passwords stay consistent during password changes.
Single Point of Administration -- With NDS for NT, network administrators only administer one set of network objects because the domain information is stored only in NDS and there is no duplicate data store.
Choice of Management Utilities -- NDS for NT offers flexibility, enabling administrators to manage their users and groups with Novell's NWAdmin and/or Microsoft's User Manager.
Freedom From Managing Domain Trust Relationships -- This product reduces management time by alleviating the need to manage complex domain trust relationships in most deployments to link multiple resources between domains.
Application Support -- NDS for NT fully supports and simplifies the deployment of any application that requires an NT Server or domain.

ManageWise SNMP agent for NT, which monitors an NT Server from the corporate office, is an additional add-on possibility. NDS for NT 2.0 not only supports currently available versions of NetWare and NT, but NDS for NT 2.0 is also compatible with the upcoming NetWare 5 which will be available by September 20, 1998. Future versions of the product will support Microsoft NT Server 5.0 and Active Directory when available.

Pricing and Availability

The beta version of NDS for NT 2.0 is available immediately and can be downloaded free of charge from the World Wide Web at http://www.support.novell.com/beta/public/. NDS for NT 2.0 is expected to ship in the fourth quarter of 1998 and pricing will be announced at that time. Customers with questions about NDS for NT may visit Novell's Web site at http://www.novell.com/nds/nds4nt for more information.

About NDS for NT

NDS for NT is the directory service that utilizes the power of Novell's proven directory technology to simplify NT Server and application deployment in mixed NetWare/NT enterprise environments. It provides better administration through a single, common point, eliminating the complexity and cost of domains. NDS for NT reduces companies' network management costs, provides users with single log-on to all resources wherever they are located on the network, and provides familiar single-point administration for all NT and Novell users and resources.

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