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Novell Support Connection Web Site Connects Customers, Support Partners to Solutions Anytime, Anyplace OREM, Utah -- July 1, 1996 -- Novell, Inc., today announced the availability of a new, expanded Internet Web site to provide service and support solutions to customers and partners. The Novell Support Connection Web site offers a one-stop resource for a broad range of technical support knowledge and solutions from Novell. The Novell Support Connection Web site makes finding support information faster and easier with improved search capabilities and better navigation features. In addition, the new site offers information on Novell service partners and other technical services agreements as well as providing electronic incident submission and tracking. The site includes downloadable files, patches, drivers, and Technical Information Documents (TIDs), much the same as Novell's previous support site, NetWire. Information is updated daily to ensure site contents are current. "The Novell Support Connection Web site is a comprehensive tool for partners and customers to access Novell's extensive networking support knowledge," said Rich Nortz, senior vice president, Novell Technical Services. "We have talked at length with our customers and partners to ensure our site's organization and information meet their needs to access support information quickly and easily." The new Web site can be accessed through the Internet at http://support.novell.com. The site expands Novell's electronic support, providing a full range of services offered by Novell. "Novell has hit the mark with the Novell Support Connection Web site," said Jeffrey Tarter, publisher of Softletter. "The site makes full use of the Internet's capabilities in terms of appearance, search functions, downloadable information, ties to partners and the availability of electronic incidents. Novell's new site is by far the best technical support site on the Internet." Adam J. Apalategui, President of The Network Group, a Novell Platinum Service Partner, agrees. "We need to get solutions quickly and easily," said Apalategui. "Providing this full range of information on line allows access to support 24 hours a day without making a phone call, so we increase our clients' productivity and our ability to stay competitive."
Improved Search The Novell Support Connection Web site uses Fulcrum Technology's search engine to assist users in finding the support information they want and need. Natural language searching makes it possible for users to submit a search as if they were asking for information from a support engineer. Searches can be conducted based on product type and version or by selecting multiple products and versions to find more specific information. Relevancy ranking determines which documents and information are the most likely solution to a query. The search engine computes how many "hits" occur in each document and gives the highest ranking to the document with the most "hits." Another consideration in relevancy ranking is how unique a given search word is to each document. If the word occurs in only a few documents, it is considered more relevant than other search terms that appear repeatedly in each document. Another search benefit is wildcard searching for files, which allows users to find files without knowing the exact name of the file. File Finder searches for compressed file names, as well as names of files contained within compressed files, then sorts the files by date, displays the file size, and includes hyperlinks to immediately download the files. Users can also browse for files by product and view information about the file before downloading it to ensure they are getting the file they need.
Electronic Incidents Novell service partners and Premium Service customers can submit and track support incidents electronically through the Novell Support Connection Web site. Using an assigned Personal Identification Number (PIN), Premium Service customers and service partners can submit incidents directly and securely to Novell support engineers, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This feature gives our customers and partners a high degree of flexibility in logging their support incidents. The Novell Support Connection Web site also provides electronic tracking of incidents submitted to Novell Technical Services, whether the incident was submitted electronically or by telephone. Premium Service customers and service partners can follow the status of support incidents, eliminating the need to call for status updates. "Approximately 35 percent of the calls now coming into our telephone support lines are to request status on incidents," said Nortz. "Electronic incident status tracking will save customers time and add to their efficiency by giving them immediate access to the status of their incidents."
Service Partner Database Users of the Novell Support Connection Web site have the ability to search a database of Novell service partners to find local professionals for qualified technical support for Novell products. Searches can be based on any combination of geographic location or product expertise in order to best match the customer's support needs. Novell Inc.'s (NASDAQ:NOVL) business is connecting people to other people and the information they need, enabling them to act on it anytime, anyplace. Novell is the world's leading network software provider. The company's software products provide the distributed infrastructure, network services, advanced network access and network applications required to make pervasive computing an integral part of everyone's daily life. Novell is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.; NetWire is a registered service mark of Novell, Inc.
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