Novell Adds to NetWare Client Family with Delivery of NetWare Client for Mac OS

NetWare Client for Mac OS Provides Connectivity to All NetWare Services And Simplifies Network Administration

The 32-bit NetWare Client for Mac OS is the latest addition to Novell's NetWare client family, which provides the best connectivity to NetWare services from all major desktop platforms. The NetWare client software is a key component in Novell's strategy to enable a Smart Global Network by extending NetWare services to a broad range of desktops, application servers and intelligent devices.

"By delivering this client to our Macintosh customers, we've fully integrated the Mac OS platform into NetWare 4 environments to simplify network use and ease administration," said William Donahoo, senior director of product marketing for Novell's Operating Systems Division. "The new open beta NetWare Client 32® for Windows 95 demonstrates our commitment to create solid clients that tightly integrate with NetWare, and the NetWare Client for Mac OS builds on that commitment. In the coming year we'll continue to deliver on our promise to give customers the best NetWare support for major desktop platforms by enhancing our existing Mac OS, OS/2, Windows 95, Windows NT and DOS and Windows clients."

"Novell's client for Macintosh is designed to give the Mac OS greater integration into existing NetWare environments without having to manage additional protocols," said Andy Felong, Apple's senior director for Communication and Collaboration Technologies. "This will give our customers access to NetWare resources, including NDS, and help administrators more easily manage Macintosh computers throughout global enterprise networks."

Enhanced Integration Eases Macintosh Management

With the NetWare Client for Mac OS, network administrators can more easily install, maintain and update Macintosh desktops in NetWare environments. The client software leverages Macintosh installation and configuration methods to simplify desktop setup, runs automated network install and update processes and creates customized preference files to ease user access.

The new client software uses the MacIPX networking protocol, a version of Novell's industry-standard IPX/SPX, to provide Macintosh users with full access to enterprise networks and to simplify management. With a single network protocol, administrators can simultaneously manage Macintosh and PC-based systems with familiar NetWare utilities from a single point on the network. The client also simplifies management by enabling network administrators to:

• Manage multiple remote servers simultaneously from Macintosh desktops with the included Remote Console application.
• Enable network security features including packet signature, password encryption and RSA public/private key encryption.
• Ensure reliable security through passwords of up to 128 characters in length.
• Ease management by using a single network protocol, IPX.
• Manage Mac OS clients with the same tools as any other NetWare client.

Full support for NDS further simplifies network setup and administration by letting managers assign and control resource access from a central point on the network. NDS is Novell's global distributed database that maintains information about every network resource to help users locate services from any point on a network. NDS brings an entire network together into a manageable information system, reducing administration and increasing productivity.

The NetWare Client for Mac OS is compatible with AppleTalk and the existing NetWare Loadable Module-based NetWare for Macintosh solution, so administrators can upgrade their networks over time. While the NLM-based AppleTalk Filing Protocol services provided some access to NetWare resources, the new client provides full access to resources anywhere on a network. Upgrading to the NetWare Client for Mac OS also relieves administrators of additional training and management responsibilities and frees up server resources to enhance performance.

Build on Macintosh and NDS to Access NetWare Services

The NetWare client is a collection of utilities and extensions that follow Macintosh user interface paradigms to simplify NetWare resource access. An NDS login dialog modeled on AppleShare acts as a single point of connection to gain secure access to all assigned network resources. The NetWare Directory Browser utility emulates the Macintosh Chooser to give users a graphical view of all available services on an NDS tree. Users will see familiar Macintosh-like printer, server and file icons to navigate NetWare resources. Leveraging Apple's alias technology, Macintosh users can move NDS objects to their desktops to create double-clickable icons of frequently-accessed printers and servers. The NetWare client also lets users:

• Log in automatically to NetWare services at startup.
• Increase ease of use by enabling them to enter a single password only once.
• Leverage fully traditional Macintosh long file names on NetWare servers.
• Dial in to remote networks using Apple Remote Access to use NetWare services.
• Incorporate advanced NetWare security with Apple alias technology to secure files, folders and resources.

Pricing and Availability

NetWare Client for Mac OS is available now to NetWare users worldwide. Customers can download the software free of charge from Novell's NetWire® forum on CompuServe (GO NETWIRE) and the World Wide Web (http://netwire.novell.com). The NetWare Client for Mac OS will be available on CD-ROM through Novell authorized resellers before the end of the year. For additional information, contact Novell at 1-800-NETWARE.

Press Contact:
Trudy Edelson, Cunningham Communication, Inc.
(408) 764-0749
Internet: trudy@ccipr.com