Press Release

Novell Enhances NetWare 4.1 Support for TCP/IP, Improves Integration of Internet's Core Protocol with World's Leading NOS

NetWare/IP 2.2 Enables Customers to Better Integrate TCP/IP and Leverage the Internet; Enhancements Include DHCP /BootP Server to Simplify Management of IP Addresses

OREM, Utah -- March 6, 1996 -- As NetWare® customers increasingly make heterogenous networks a key part of their business, Novell today announced that it has significantly enhanced NetWare 4.1® support for the TCP/IP networking protocol. Improved support for TCP/IP--offered in addition to NetWare's continued support for the IPX protocol--advances Novell's long history of offering customers the freedom and flexibility to build networks that best meet their business needs.

NetWare 4.1 enables customers to make a smooth transition to TCP/IP while retaining all the NetWare services their businesses rely on as well as all the applications and networking hardware they already have in place. The enhancements announced today make NetWare 4.1 an even smarter choice for all customers choosing TCP/IP as their networking protocol by simplifying the management of IP addresses via a dual-purpose Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)/BootP server, increasing performance and scalability of NetWare over wide area links, and expanding NetWare users' printing options to include UNIX and other IP-based printers.

These TCP/IP enhancements are available through NetWare/IP 2.2, software that integrates seamlessly with NetWare 4.1. NetWare/IP 2.2 is available immediately to all customers, free of charge, via Novell's World Wide Web site and NetWire online service.

"Because Novell is committed to providing the most open, flexible networking platform available, NetWare 4.1 ensures customers can implement TCP/IP where and how it makes sense for their business," said William Donahoo, senior director of marketing for Novell. "Whether customers choose IP only, IPX only or a combination of the two, NetWare 4.1 enables them to transparently integrate the power of NetWare services with their protocol of choice."

"With NetWare/IP 2.2, our aim is to set up an IPX-IP-IPX wide area link--using common Internet circuits--between our corporate office and remote branch offices," said Major Barrie Wheeler of the Air Force Command Control Communications and Computer (C4) Agency. "Administrators and users will benefit by getting access to servers and data on both sides of that link."

"NetWare 4.1 is a key element of our strategy for giving employees easy access to the Internet," said Mike Gibbons, network administrator at Indian River Community College in Ft. Pierce, Florida. "As we move to an IP infrastructure, NetWare/IP ensures we get the network services our business relies on, while providing the speed and manageability I need to run our network."

NetWare 4.1 Integrates Seamlessly Into TCP/IP Infrastructure

NetWare 4.1 and NetWare/IP offer a complete TCP/IP connectivity solution for customers who want to integrate NetWare into an existing IP infrastructure, migrate an existing NetWare installation to IP, or establish a mixed IP and IPX environment. For customers migrating to IP and consolidating on a single network protocol, NetWare 4.1 offers a phased transition that enables them to migrate at their own speed. Customers who want to leverage the strengths of both IP and IPX are ensured full protocol interoperability, giving them the flexibility to leverage the efficiencies of IP over the WAN and the management simplicity of IPX for local connectivity. For all of these customers, NetWare 4.1 offers seamless access to the industry's leading network services--including NetWare Directory Services® (NDS®)--via IP.

NetWare/IP is fully compatible with all of the IPX-based network applications customers are already using, including all backup, database and host connectivity solutions. Additionally, NetWare/IP enables NetWare 4.1 to be fully managed from any UNIX management console via its SNMP-standard MIBs and XCONSOLE interface.

NetWare from Anywhere: Enabling Customers to Leverage the Internet

Using NetWare 4.1 with IP enables customers to use the Internet to access NetWare servers, giving them public network access to private network resources. This allows customers to use the Internet to link geographically dispersed LANs, providing LAN-to-LAN file sharing and enabling network administrators to manage remote LANs without the need for privately managed network connections. Any mobile user with a SLIP or PPP connection can use a local Internet service provider to access NetWare servers anywhere in the world.

NetWare/IP 2.2 Makes NetWare 4.1 an Even Smarter Choice for TCP/IP

NetWare/IP 2.2 builds on this foundation of providing robust TCP/IP support to provide the following enhancements:

  • Greatly simplifies the management of IP addresses via a DHCP server. Rather than requiring network administrators to manually assign a static IP address to every network client--which can be a time-consuming and difficult management task--the DHCP server manages a pool of IP addresses, automatically leasing addresses to clients as needed. The DHCP server can be configured to automatically provide all IP configuration information to NetWare clients. Because the DHCP server also supports BootP, customers can continue using the IP stack they currently have in place.

  • Assists NT Workstation users to access NT services via IP. In addition to providing NetWare configuration information to clients, the DHCP server can also provide all of the NT information--such NetBIOS Name Service (WINS) info--that NT clients need to connect to NT services via IP. This enables companies to eliminate redundant IP server systems.

  • Enables NetWare users to access UNIX and other IP-based printers on the network. All NetWare clients can access network printers running lpr/lpd.

  • Improves performance and scalability of NetWare wide area networks. The elimination of Service Advertising Protocol (SAP) traffic and the ability to configure the tuning of services updates enables network administrators to free up significant bandwidth on wide area links, improving performance throughput for LAN-to-LAN communication. NetWare IP 2.2 also gives network managers much greater flexibility in where they place IP service databases, which can greatly increase the scalability of the network.

  • Adds full support for Microsoft's 32-bit TCP/IP stack used in Windows 95 and NT Workstation. NetWare/IP 2.2 also supports IP stacks from FTP and the IP stack that is standard with all NetWare clients.

  • Supports NetWare SFT III, enabling customers to implement fault-tolerant networking via IP.

Availability and Pricing

NetWare/IP 2.2 is available immediately to all customers, free of charge, via the World Wide Web (http://netware.novell.com) and Novell's NetWire forum on CompuServe (GO NOVFF, files NIPS22.EXE and NIPW22.EXE). After April 1, 1996, NetWare/IP 2.2 will also be available from Novell Fulfillment for $49 by calling or faxing the following numbers:

  • U.S. and Canada: phone, 800-395-7135; fax, 510-657-0182

  • In all other countries: phone, 353-1703-8910; fax, 353-1703-8955

For additional information, customers can contact Novell at 1-800-NETWARE, or download information from NetWire on CompuServe or the World Wide Web (http://www.novell.com).

Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) is the world's leading network software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.

Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks and NetWare Directory Services, NDS and NetWare/IP are trademarks of Novell, Inc. NetWire is a registered service mark of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Press contact:
Kelly Hindley
Novell, Inc.
801-429-5870
kelly_hindley@novell.com