Novell Announces RTOS Vendor Program Which Brings Integrated Networking Solutions to the Embedded Systems Marketplace

Orem, UT -- May 23, 1995 -- Novell, Inc. Today announced a new program to assist vendors in integrating Novell NetWare and real-time operating systems in embedded solutions. This new Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) Vendor Program marks another step forward for the Novell Embedded Systems Technology (NEST) initiative to create embedded system applications that connect intelligent devices to NetWare networks. The first RTOS vendors to join the program include Accelerated Technology Inc., Integrated Systems Inc., and Wind River Systems, who together share over 60% of the RTOS market. RTOS applications, ranging from automotive and industrial controls to interactive multimedia, use embedded software to respond to situations in real-time (as in the anti-lock brakes of a car).

This program is an instrumental component of Novell's mission to build a billion user network by the year 2000. By incorporating the client component of NetWare, NEST brings NetWare's security, directory services, routing and management capabilities to all intelligent devices. NEST is designed so that developers can easily build networking capabilities into intelligent devices independent of operating system, processor type and applications. Using NEST, developers can create consumer applications such as remote care tune-ups, or business applications such as accessing e-mail through interactive TV services.

"RTOS vendors have very focused expertise in multiple vertical markets," said Darl McBride, vice president and general manager of Novell's Extended Networks Division. "By providing an established networking standard (NetWare) pre-ported to their operating systems, RTOS vendors are able to offer their customers a fully customized solution and help shorten the time to market for network-connected devices. "

Each RTOS vendor plans to port their operating system to NEST as well as market and resell the NEST Client Software Developer's Kit (SDK) to their development communities. By porting Nucleus PLUS to the NEST Portable Operating Environment (POSE), Accelerated Technology has provided a path for embedded system developers to add Novell's popular NetWare support to their products," said Neil F. Henderson, president and co-founder of Accelerated Technology, Inc. "We have found Novell to be extremely helpful and cooperative in our development efforts, further enhancing our overall product offering."

In partnership with the RTOS vendors, Novell is taking the network beyond the PC and embedding the power of distributed communication into non-traditional computing markets. "We believe Novell's NEST will a pivotal technology for many of Wind River's customers--particularly those developing printers, copiers, multifunctional peripherals and other networked office products," said David Larrimore, vice president of marketing for Wind River Systems. "Wind River pioneered networking for the embedded systems market and we are pleased to be working with Novell to extend the reach of Novell's LAN-enabling technology."

Novell is committed to actively working with RTOS vendors to extend the network into diverse environments such as business and factory controls, interactive television and smart homes. "Because Novell used Integrated Systems' FlexOS during the development and testing of NEST, we are in the unique position of supporting it through both our real-time product lines pSOSystem for deeply embedded markets, and FlexOS for point of sale," said Moses Joseph, vice president of marketing for Integrated Systems. "Developers using the FlexOS development kit and the expanded pSOSystem/NEST package for everything from home security and entertainment to office automation and global communications applications, now have quick and easy access to the widest variety of standard networking protocols."

NEST

NEST is a small, modular and operating system independent architecture that enables everything from home electronics to automobiles to communicate over computer networks. NEST allows users to take advantage of advanced Novell technologies such as NetWare Directory Services (NDS) -- whether they are connected from a home PC, a personal digital assistant (PDA), their car or their television set. NEST brings NetWare's security, directory services, routing and management capabilities to all intelligent devices. Announced and made available in February, 1995, NEST gives OEMs developing intelligent devices an inexpensive and simple way to include an embedded network connection in their products. NEST is currently in use by more than 50 major vendors, including Lexmark, Ricoh, Canon, QMS, Fujitsu, Digital Products, Andover Controls, Xerox and Castelle.