Novell Opens NetWare Services, Enabling Developers to Build True Distributed Network Applications

Net2000 Initiative Fosters Novell Vision for a Smart Global Network

NEW YORK -- September 21, 1995 -- As part of Novell, Inc.'s Smart Global Networking strategy, the company announced today an initiative to establish an open set of application programming interfaces (APIs) that will allow software developers to easily incorporate NetWare™ networking services into distributed applications. This initiative, code-named Net2000, will result in applications that leverage Novell's strategy for enabling a smart global network -- one that will provide information and resources to users anytime from anyplace.

The Net2000 initiative symbolizes Novell's renewed effort to provide greater return on investment for developers by reducing the complexity associated with developing distributed applications. By making it easier to build network-aware applications, Net2000 will significantly grow the market for those products and services. Through the initiative, independent software vendors (ISVs) will gain entr'e into two massive markets: Novell's present 50 million NetWare users and a future global network base of hundreds of millions of users.

"To achieve our vision of a single global network, the barriers to application development must be greatly reduced. The network infrastructure must become invisible to the software developer," said Sheldon Laube, chief technology officer for Novell, Inc. "We are committed to providing developers with interfaces, tools and services that will transparently distribute application components throughout the network. Net2000 is the first step toward this vision."

Novell Distributed Network APIs Components

The Novell Net2000 initiative benefits both developers and end users. With Net2000, developers can easily build all types of client and server applications using a universal set of APIs to tightly integrate network applications with distributed services across multiple platforms. The APIs also extend access to NetWare services to heterogeneous environments, enabling network administrators to have a single global view of their network and services, including third-party solutions. Network users will also benefit from the initiative, gaining access to network and enterprise services through applications regardless of resource location or underlying network infrastructure. The initiative will effectively lower development barriers to building and implementing true distributed network applications. To provide software developers with easy application access to network services, Net2000 will provide:

* Comprehensive and Integrated Network Service Interfaces: Net2000 APIs will offer a rich set of network service interfaces to build truly distributed applications. These service interfaces will expose the core NetWare services of directory (NetWare Directory Services® [NDS®]), security, administration and management, messaging, licensing, object transaction, application management, communications and backup and storage as well as advanced new services such as Novell's Advanced File System (NAFS), Novell's Distributed Print Services (NDPS), NetWare database services, NetWare host connectivity services and NetWare remote access services. Applications written to existing NetWare APIs will continue to be supported as Novell delivers the new APIs.

* Integration with Leading Development Tools: Net2000 will integrate with a broad range of industry leading development tools from Visual C++, Borland C++ and other C++ environments to 4GL tools such as Visual Basic, Delphi and PowerBuilder.

* Multiple Programming Models and Interfaces Support: Net2000 APIs support a variety of programming models including both object- and procedural-based methodologies. Novell will provide developers with Net2000 C APIs, as well as easy-to-use Net2000 objects. For example, Net2000 interfaces will be available through a set of Novell-developed OLE/COM objects for Windows-based clients. On other platforms, Novell will deliver objects through existing interfaces such as CORBA.

* Tight Integration with the Desktop: Net2000 is tightly integrated with desktop environments, providing native support for OLE/COM, Win32, and other desktop paradigms on OS/2 and Macintosh.

* Heterogeneous Platform Support: Net2000 is specifically designed to support a consistent set of interfaces across heterogeneous client platforms including Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, OS/2, Macintosh, HP-UX and SCO-Unix. Server platform support will include NetWare, UnixWare™, HP-UX, SCO-Unix and Windows NT Server.

* Consistent and Efficient Programming: Net2000 interfaces are designed for consistency and ease-of-use, allowing developers to master a single set of APIs for quick access to multiple network services across various platforms.

* Flexible and Extensible Architecture: The Net2000 initiative goes beyond Microsoft's "WOSA" concept by allowing multiple service providers for networks as opposed to just desktops. These service providers will define and publish value to the network through a consistent interface architecture underneath Net2000.

* Transport Independence: Net2000 interfaces are inherently transport independent and will support many network protocols including TCP/IP, SPX/IPX and ATM.

Net2000 Developer Support Program

Novell's Net2000 initiative represents a turning point for the company, reinforcing its commitment to development partners. To support the initiative, Novell is expanding its existing directory services ISV program to strengthen development partner relationships. The NetWare Directory Assistance program, designed to further Novell's industry-standard NDS, will become the basis for the company's upcoming Net2000 developer assistance program incorporating both developer and marketing support. In addition, Net2000 ISV partnership efforts will integrate with Novell's DeveloperNet programs, affording ISVs a new level of support from the industry's network leader.

Availability

Novell will hold a Net2000 development partner conference this winter to provide ISVs with specific information about the Net2000 APIs. Throughout the spring, Novell's DeveloperNet program will include more in-depth technical briefings for early adopters. The Net2000 Interface will be available as a pre-release software developer's kit in late spring 1996. The 22,000 development partners already writing NDS-aware applications using Novell's NetWare 4.1 SDK are immediately eligible for inclusion in the forthcoming Net2000 program. The applications they develop today will be fully supported using the new APIs. Developers interested in additional information about the Net2000 APIs should call Novell at 1-800-REDWORD.