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Novell Improves Decision-Making, Responsiveness and Competitiveness for Networked Enterprises InForms 4.2 Improves Information Access and Eliminates Administrative Bottlenecks Through Enterprise Scalability, Electronic Signatures and Broad Database Support OREM, Utah, -- July 30, 1997 -- Novell, Inc. today announced shipment of InForms 4.2, the next generation of its enterprise business process automation software designed to help networked companies make faster, better decisions; improve their responsiveness internally and with customers; and ultimately strengthen their ability to remain competitive. Developed with Metastorm of Orem, Utah, InForms 4.2 scales to meet the needs of the largest networks and corporate intranets through tighter integration with Novell's GroupWise® and Novell Directory Services™ (NDS). The product also offers streamlined approval processes through support for digital signatures; and additional support for major databases, providing seamless access to information anywhere on the network. Through integration with GroupWise and NDS, InForms offers users improved scalability and easy access to forms and information through the familiar GroupWise Universal Mailbox interface. InForms' close ties with NDS ensures that improved process automation features such as digital signatures are coupled with the most robust network security available today. Additional direct-driver support for major client/server databases further improves companies' ability to access and leverage information by providing easy access to information contained in databases across the network. Through the use of "intelligent" forms-based applications, which can recognize and make decisions about handling specific types of information, InForms provides organizations with the ability to collect, store, transport and automate the flow and exchange of information within a workgroup or across a network, leveraging resources and applications on the network, including databases. InForms also features sophisticated application development tools that allow users to build customized forms to reflect the way their organizations operate. "InForms 4.2 is the culmination of our efforts to provide a product that addresses the needs of businesses to manage and share increasing amounts of information across the network in a simpler, more efficient way," said Stewart Nelson, vice president and general manager, Novell Collaboration Services Group. "Our goal is not only to streamline time-consuming business processes, but with InForms' improved integration with GroupWise and NDS, to do so in the most powerful, scalable and secure collaboration environment available today." GroupWise/NDS Integration Yields Performance With Openness InForms 4.2 integration with GroupWise 5.x registers InForms as a native GroupWise object, allowing forms to be sent as custom messages that open when double-clicked. The improved integration allows GroupWise to process data storage appends and updates automatically for processes developed in InForms. This feature supports an important requirement for updating central data repositories that are often not accessible for remote users. Once the form is received in the mailbox, the form's data is automatically stored in the central database. This integration with GroupWise allows users to create seamless application solutions involving the gathering, storing, transporting, routing and approving of electronic forms with their associated data. InForms provides backward compatibility when sending forms via GroupWise 4.1 and InForms 4.1. InForms is the only forms automation software that provides this level of integration with both GroupWise 4.1 and 5.x. InForms also supports other e-mail systems through MAPI and the Microsoft Custom Message Handler. These include Microsoft Exchange, MS Mail and Windows for Workgroups. Lotus' VIM standard for Notes Mail and cc:Mail continue to be supported, along with PowerTalk and QuickMail for the Macintosh. InForms continues to provide cross-platform support for an open architecture and industry standards. Digital Signatures Improve Network Security InForms has the unique ability to provide multiple digital signatures on an application or form, each having its own defined approval levels. InForms integration with NDS provides the necessary security information, such as user IDs, public and private keys, approval levels and signature images, in a central enterprise- wide storage area. Security is installed as a 32-bit snap-in module to NWAdmin, providing all the management benefits of NDS. In addition, InForms is the only forms automation product that provides real-time access to data in NDS as a data type. With the added ability to provide signature authentication and security information stored in NDS and integration with GroupWise 4.1 and 5.x, InForms becomes the de facto forms development tool for IntranetWare™ and/or GroupWise installations. Expanded Database Support In addition to the large number of common desktop and SQL databases already supported, InForms 4.2 provides direct driver support for DB2, Informix, MS-SQL Server, Oracle and Sybase. Current database support includes dBASE, FoxPro, Lotus Notes, NDS, Paradox, Sybase and any ODBC-compliant database. Performance enhancements have been added as well to provide better access to corporate data and to optimize performance for enterprise-wide solutions. A new installation process also provides a wide range of options for easier installation on the desktop or across the network. "One of the most exciting features of InForms 4.2 is its ability to store electronic signatures directly in NDS. This is a particularly strong feature of the 4.2 release now that IBM, Sun, HP and a host of others have adopted NDS," said Thomas Rogan, CEO of Corporate Computing Team. "Having only one automatically replicated repository for the signature authentication data instead of manually replicating security databases will allow our customers to deploy fully secure enterprise-wide applications with confidence." InForms 4.2 Availability and Pricing InForms 4.2 comprises two packages -- the Designer and the Filler. The InForms Designer provides users with a graphical interface for building custom automated applications that help organizations optimize business processes. The InForms Filler is the means by which users fill, print, route, approve and query the databases that store form records. InForms 4.2 retails for US $495 for the Designer/Filler package; US $199 for the complete Filler package; and US $99 for additional Filler licenses. For more information, users can call Novell at 1-888-321-4272. NDS functionality will be available 30 days after shipment of 4.2 as a free downloadable update off Novell and Metastorm's Web sites. InForms 4.2 is the first joint product release between Novell and Metastorm. In cooperation with Metastorm, plans are in place for the continued advancement of InForms. These include enhanced application development and forms functionality, continued support for open standards, continued integration with GroupWise and NDS and support for Internet/intranet Web-form application development. Metastorm is a premier developer of business process automation software. Metastorm's strategic mission is to develop and distribute superior applications and services to help customers optimize business process that improve the ability to gather, consume and process information across the enterprise. Metastorm is headquartered in Orem, Utah with additional office in Maryland, Canada and Europe. For additional information, visit Metastorm's Web site at: www.metastorm.com. GroupWise is Novell's premier collaboration product for intranets and is the industry's only expanded E- mail system to include full document management capabilities as part of a Universal Mailbox. The Universal Mailbox also gives users single-point access to personal calendaring, group scheduling, tasks, voice mail, faxes, documents, images and other message types both from the desktop and via the Internet using GroupWise WebAccess™. GroupWise WebAccess allows users to access the Universal Mailbox from any HTML-compliant Internet browser. Founded in 1983, Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) is the world's leading provider of network software. The company offers a wide range of network solutions for distributed network, Internet, intranet and small- business markets. Novell education and technical support programs are the most comprehensive in the network computing industry. Information about Novell's complete range of products and services can be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.novell.com. Novell and GroupWise are registered trademarks, and GroupWise WebAccess, Novell Directory Services and IntranetWare are trademarks of Novell, Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
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Jim Weeks |
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