Novell Demonstrates Integrated Network Telephony Solutions

Announces Growing Support for NetWare Telephony Services

OVERVIEW

Novell today will demonstrate integrated voice and data-communications network solutions and will describe the increasing industry support behind its NetWare Telephony Services at the Computer Telephony Conference and Exposition, Dallas. In addition to the keynote address by Novell President and CEO Bob Frankenberg, the company will present the first public interoperability demonstration of NetWare Telephony Services in a multi-desktop, multi-Private Branch eXchange (PBX) environment. The demonstration will highlight how Novell is working with its partners, including independent software vendors and PBX manufacturers, to assure that customers enjoy the benefits of "network telephony" today.

KEYNOTE

In his keynote address, Frankenberg will highlight networked telephony as a key component in Novell's pervasive computing strategy of connecting one billion people by the end of the decade. Novell's strategy is to integrate NetWare and voice networks through a single link at the server, which means customers can take advantage of the existing network infrastructure while preserving their investments in hardware and software. Novell will concentrate its efforts on three major areas: (1) providing mission-critical enterprise solutions for telephony-intensive applications, (2) offering sophisticated and affordable telephony solutions for workgroups and small businesses, and (3) creating solutions for individual knowledge workers.

INTEROPERABILITY DEMO

In the first public demonstration of its kind, Novell will show that, because of the open architecture of NetWare Telephony Services, customers can select the communications hardware and applications software that best meets their computer telephony requirements. In the multiple client-desktops, multi-PBX demonstration, NetWare Telephony Services will "link" the workstation applications and PBX systems to provide enterprise, workgroup and personal solutions. Six of the industry's leading PBX systems will be used in the demonstration: AT&T's Definity System, Comdial's DXP, Fujitsu Business Communication Systems' F9600, Mitel's SX2000, Northern Telecom's Meridian, and Siemens-ROLM Communications' 9751. Third-party software (SoftPhone from AnswerSoft, FastCall from Aurora Systems and Call Script from Q.Sys) will run on OS/2, Macintosh and DOS/Windows workstations.

SOLUTIONS

Novell will also reveal that PBX drivers and software applications for its NetWare Telephony Services are available and shipping today. Nine PBX manufacturers--AT&T, BBS Telecom, Comdial, Ericsson/Officia, Fujitsu Business Communication Systems, Mitel, NEC, Philips Kommunikations and Tadiran--have drivers available now. Four other PBX manufacturers--Alcatel, Northern Telecom, Panasonic and Siemens-ROLM Communications-- are expected to have drivers available during the second quarter of this year. This represents a majority of the worldwide installed base of PBX systems. Sixteen software vendors, including Active Voice, Digisoft and Telemagic have Telephony Services API (TSAPI)-compatible products available now. Additionally, systems integrators such as Norstan Integration Services and software providers such as Inacom Corp. have announced that they will actively market and support networked-telephony solutions. (See listings and third-party releases.)

NETWARE TELEPHONY SERVICES

NetWare Telephony Services links existing telephone and computer networks, giving customers improved communications and productivity. This integrated approach eliminates the cost and administrative overhead of installing special hardware in every personal computer, adding secondary phone lines and connecting every PC to a desktop telephone. This approach offers tremendous benefit to customers. Corporations can use network telephony to better reach and serve their customers through information-assisted dial in, for customer-service centers, order-entry centers, telemarketing groups and the like. Small businesses can enjoy the same benefits using integrated voice/telephony/fax and E-mail applications Individuals can become more productive by using such capabilities as directory-assisted PC dialing, full-featured PC screen phones and telephony-enabled contact management.