Novell And Intel Announce And Ship ManageWise 2.0 -- Major New Release Of Market Segment Leader

First Solution to Unify NetWare Administration and Management Capabilities

ManageWise 2.0 builds on Novell's strategy of providing management as a network service, integrating its capabilities into the network rather than a centralized system. It takes advantage of network processing power, reduces network traffic and provides shared access to management information. ManageWise now distributes network trending, thresholding and critical device monitoring. In addition, ManageWise 2.0 is the first management solution to employ the power of NDS as a security framework for SNMP management, enabling IS personnel to authenticate managers on the network and govern their access to management functions.

With one of the most extensive SNMP agents ever developed, ManageWise 2.0 enables NetWare servers to be managed from any SNMP-based management console. ManageWise also makes its network mapping and analysis services available to other consoles, enhancing their ability to oversee the LAN. These capabilities enable enterprise and departmental managers to share information while working cooperatively to solve network problems.

ManageWise 2.0 is also the first product optimized for management outsourcing, enabling remote site management over dial-up links and Novell's NetWare Connect Services. Using ManageWise, network resellers can extend their service businesses by offering enterprise-class service to smaller networks while minimizing on-site visits. "As networks increase in scope and complexity, and eventually merge into the Smart Global Network, management services will become increasingly critical to the seamless and reliable exchange of information," said Prem Uppaluru, vice president and general manager of Novell's Management Products Division. "ManageWise 2.0 is what users need to solve problems today and provides the extensible framework necessary to manage the network of the future."

"ManageWise is offering solid PC LAN management value," said John McConnell, president of Colorado-based McConnell Consulting. "The focus on function rather than tools will pay off with simpler management processes and the innovations for outsourcing will also be very valuable for managing remote offices."

Enhanced end to end management of Novell environments

ManageWise 2.0 adds extensive network and server trending capabilities, merging capacity tracking and planning functions into the overall management solution. Network managers can review a complete history of network and server performance for periods of up to two years. This allows them to plan for capacity changes as networks grow and usage increases. In addition to NetWare 3.12 and NetWare 4.1, ManageWise 2.0 now supports NetWare SFT III, NetWare SMP and NetWare IP, letting users manage even the most mission-critical and processor-intensive Novell environments.

"We needed a product that could manage the network as an interrelated system", said Clem Bowen, system programmer of Buck Consultants, a benefit consulting firm with headquarters in New York. "With ManageWise 2.0, we are able to get an end to end look at servers and desktops, as well as to use it as an integrating point to manage infrastructure devices like hubs, printers and routers. ManageWise is saving us time and money."

Distributed management services for dynamic computing environments

For the first time, ManageWise gives users the option to use the NDS security framework to authenticate managers and control access to SNMP management functions. This lets network managers use existing authentication procedures to govern access to sensitive management information, just as they use NDS to assign rights to other network services.

In another unique capability, ManageWise incorporates a distributed critical device monitoring service that eliminates the need for continuous polling. If ManageWise detects a critical device failure, it alerts the console to the error and gives operators the opportunity to take corrective action before the situation worsens. This service reduces network traffic, improves scalability and eliminates the "alarm storms" that usually accompany failure of a critical device, such as a router.

The network and server trending capabilities of ManageWise are also implemented as a distributed service and do not require polling.

These new services complement existing ManageWise services, including network mapping and inventory, virus protection, desktop management and network analysis.

NetWare management from enterprise consoles

Enterprise-class service through management outsourcing

The Novell reseller channel can now use ManageWise to provide enterprise-class service to their smaller customers. Resellers can deploy ManageWise services at customer sites, while using the ManageWise console to view and manage the remote networks from their own office. The reseller will be immediately notified of any problems on the customer networks, and can diagnose and fix the problems without a site visit.

Customers receive more effective and timely network service, improving their business productivity. Resellers can leverage their network expertise, providing better service at less cost.

"ManageWise has given us proven capabilities for effectively managing customer networks remotely", said Bill Towey, president of Powerscourt, LLC. "By deploying ManageWise at customer sites, our engineers can spend more quality time managing their clients' networks rather than traveling to remote locations. ManageWise provides customers with a more reliable network, and enables Powerscourt to increase its revenue."

Affordable pricing for smaller customers

Market leaders deliver ManageWise enhancements While ManageWise 2.0 offers comprehensive management for the Novell environment, users can also customize their management system by adding any of more than 100 shipping third-party applications. These products -- from networking leaders like American Power Conversion, Bay Networks Inc., Cabletron Systems Inc., Compaq Computer Corp., Denmac Systems Inc., StonyBrook Software Inc. and 3Com Corp. -- let ManageWise users tailor their management solution to their specific networking environments.

ManageWise replaces NMS

Pricing and Availability

Press Contacts:
Steve Genova for Novell Inc.
(408) 338-1900 steveng@maimail.com

Mary Hopkins
Intel Corporation
(503) 264-7049