Novell Ships Z.E.N.works -- Brings New Ease of Use, Reliability to Windows Experience
for
Desktop Users
Powerful Desktop Management Tool Enabled by Novell Directory Services
PROVO, Utah -- May 18, 1998 -- Novell, Inc. today added to its
product-driven
momentum with first customer shipments of Z.E.N.works, a breakthrough desktop
management
tool and the latest in a series of new Novell solutions that leverage Novell's industry-leading
NDS
(Novell Directory Services) to make networks work for customers.
The directory-enabled power of Z.E.N.works improves productivity for users of networked
Windows
PCs, enhancing reliability, improving Help Desk support, and making it faster and easier to
access the
full range of applications and resources on the network. In addition, Z.E.N.works empowers
network
managers and other IT professionals with a range of new software management and distribution
and
desktop management and maintenance capabilities that simplify and reduce the total cost of
maintaining
Windows PCs on the network.
"Z.E.N.works is a whole new way of management," said Michael Simpson, director of marketing
for
Novell. "The financial and human resource returns to businesses are enormous. It's not just about
fixing
problems, but making the PC and network experience seamless for users and thereby making the
administrators' job easier."
Directory-Enabled Desktop Management
Z.E.N.works simplifies the use of Windows-based PCs by leveraging NDS, the most mature and
multi-functional directory service available today. With Z.E.N.works, users automatically receive
new
and updated applications which have already been personalized with information stored in NDS.
Additionally, when a user is working from another workstation and requests an application from
a server,
Z.E.N.works launches the nearest copy of it, a capability unique to NDS that saves time for the
user and
bandwidth and money for the user's organization.
NDS moves the dependencies for running applications and accessing network services from the
traditional PC, to the network, by providing a central trusted repository of information about the
applications, equipment, policies and users that make up a computer network. User preferences,
procedures and security rights are all maintained in NDS. This allows for dynamic application
distribution and management as well as desktop management and maintenance.
Improving Life on the Network
"Z.E.N.works has enabled us to provide our users with a seamless network interface, which most
organizations are still striving to achieve," said Dan Tesenair, network engineer for Health First,
a
Florida healthcare provider. "The ability to manage the users' environments, workstations and
applications from a central directory will prove to be a major cost savings for us by drastically
decreasing
the need for support staff at our 70 remote locations. We have estimated the annual cost savings
to be in
the millions."
Users are able to roam from one PC to another while maintaining their familiar interface and
always
having the network resources they require, such as printers and servers, readily available. When
support
is required, users need not answer technical questions about their profile or hardware
configuration.
Instead, the user simply selects the Help Request icon and an E-mail which includes workstation
configuration and error messages that are stored in NDS, can be sent to the support person,
ensuring
accurate and timely support.
Administrator Benefits
Z.E.N.works eases network administration and management, enabling network managers to
securely
diagnose and solve software-related problems without visiting each networked computer. An
Open
Database Connectivity (ODBC) interface into NDS and a built-in data extraction tool are
available
allowing network managers to generate various types of reports, including simplified hardware
inventory
management. This is especially useful and time-saving when, for example, a network manager
needs to
determine the memory capacity of PCs before an application is distributed. Additionally,
dynamic
policies and procedures are automatically established and stored in NDS, making them easier to
deploy
and manage.
Z.E.N.works is a Year 2000-compliant toolset and can be used to easily deploy other vendors'
Year 2000
patches and upgrades. Also, Z.E.N.works supports Microsoft's desktop management initiatives
such as
ZAW (Zero Administration for Windows) and ZAK (Zero Administration Kit).
Pricing and availability
Z.E.N.works is available at a cost of $39 per user MSRP. To order, contact your authorized
Novell reseller
or call 1-800-NETWARE. Additional information on Z.E.N.works is available on Novell's Web
site at http://www.novell.com/products/zen
works.
Z.E.N.works is free to ManageWise customers who have current maintenance
contracts with Novell that were purchased prior to April 30, 1998. In addition, a Z.E.N.works
Starter Pack will be available, free of charge, for all current NDS users,
later this year. The Starter Pack includes all functionality currently available in Novell's
Application
Launcher (NAL) and Workstation Manager products. The full
Z.E.N.works
functionality must be purchased separately. Z.E.N.works supports users running Windows 3.x,
Windows
95 and Windows NT operating systems.
About Z.E.N.works
Novell's Z.E.N.works, Zero Effort Networks for users, is the first directory services based
desktop
management tool. Z.E.N.works makes using Windows-based desktops easier for end users and
reduces the
cost of owning networked PCs through NDS and policy-enabled application distribution, desktop
management and workstation maintenance. Z.E.N.works removes barriers to user productivity
and allows
network administrators to leverage NDS to insure the user is focused on business, not
technology. With
self-healing application delivery, desktops customized for the users needs and easy problem
resolution,
Z.E.N.works makes the network effortless for the user.
About Novell
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, as
well as the network computing industry's most comprehensive education and technical support
programs.
Information about Novell and its complete range of products and services can be accessed on the
World
Wide Web at http://www.novell.com
Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. Novell Directory Services, NDS,
ManageWise, NAL, Novell Application Launcher, Workstation Manager and Z.E.N.works are
trademarks
of Novell, Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks are the property of their respective
holders.
Press Contacts:
Katrina Larson
Novell, Inc.
(801) 861-5593
kalarson@novell.com
Cherie Stewart
Cunningham Communication, Inc.
(650) 858-3731
cstewart@ccipr.com
Z.E.N.works - - Industry Support
Analysts
Burton Group
"Overall, Z.E.N.works is another in a continuing series of encouraging signs from Novell.
Z.E.N.works
requires a commitment to NDS, and so will appeal primarily to existing NetWare 4.x customers.
But it
will also help Novell build a more credible case for the NetWare 5.0 upgrade and in its
continuing battle
with Microsoft. Because it leverages NDS, Z.E.N.works proves the concept that directory
services will be
an essential enabler of more effective management tools."
Jamie Lewis, Burton Group; "Novell Z.E.N.works," March 26, 1998
Gartner Group
"Z.E.N.works aims at reducing total cost of ownership by providing users with access to their
customized
desktops and applications, enabling electronic software distribution and providing help-desk
tools to
reduce the amount of dispatched support. Many enterprises committed to NDS should find this
product
compelling."
Neil MacDonald, Gartner Group; "Who Will Find Inner Peace with Novell's Z.E.N.works?"
March 4,
1998
International Data Corporation
"Z.E.N.works promises to be the best of both worlds to Novell network administrators:
administrative
control of user dependencies and applications and the potential for a major reduction in the
number of
desktop visits by technicians."
Bill Peterson, IDC; "Z.E.N.works: Will it Enlighten Novell's Direction?," March 1998
"Z.E.N.works definitely demonstrates proof of concept and gets [Novell] out to market a good
six months
ahead of Microsoft."
Rick Villars, IDC; InfoWorld, "Novell's Z.E.N.works Aims to Boost NDS Manageability,"
February
11, 1998
META Group
"Existing Novell users should exploit NetWare, NDS, and Z.E.N.works for management,
supplementing
with NT and Unix application servers."
Dave Cearley, META Group; "A Simpler Novel[l] Approach," March 30, 1998
Summit Strategies
"Novell's Z.E.N.works (Zero Effort Networks) jumps into the total cost of ownership (TCO) ring
with the
goal of pummeling Microsoft's ZAW (Zero Administration for Windows) initiative.
Z.E.N.works, which
is currently in beta release and scheduled for second quarter shipment, has the potential of
becoming a
serious contender for the TCO championship belt."
Christopher Carrigan, Summit Strategies, "Novell's Z.E.N.works Takes on Microsoft's
ZAW,"
February 19, 1998
Customers and Partners
Compaq Computer Corporation
"Combined with enterprise management tools such as Compaq Insight Manager, Z.E.N.works
helps to
provide seamless desktop management for network administrators. Z.E.N.works also leverages
the tight
integration between Novell Directory Services and Compaq servers for greater ease of
deployment."
Steve Kirchoff, vice president of management solutions; Compaq Computer
Corporation
Computer Aided Engineering Center of the University of Wisconsin,
Madison
"Z.E.N.works is a really cool product. The ability to manage our NT workstations through NDS
is a big
plus. With Z.E.N.works we no longer need to manage .POL files on multiple servers. Instead we
use
NWAdmin and store the information in NDS. The ability to remotely control a workstation will
enable us
to remotely diagnose problems without having to travel to other buildings."
James E. Drews, network administrator; Computer Aided Engineering Center of the
University of
Wisconsin , Madison
Health First
"In the short time this product has been in use, Z.E.N.works has brought more power, control,
and ease of
use to our organization than is possible with any other suite of desktop management tools on the
market
today. It will continue to leverage the support model that Health First has adopted into the 21st
century."
Mark Amey, director of technology services; Health First, Inc.
Mycroft
"Z.E.N.works is an immediate win for customers because it appeals to the desktop user, the
administrator
and the executive, which will make Z.E.N.works easy to sell. It delivers an immediate return on
investment by making the network easier to use for the end-user and saving the network
administrator's
time. We expect Z.E.N.works to be the cornerstone of a lot of business for us. As a reseller, we
are
looking to implement business solutions for our large enterprise clients, and it is unusual to find
a product,
or even a suite of products, that encompasses all the desktop and application management
functions found
in Z.E.N.works. Plus, most of our customers have invested in a directory and Z.E.N.works is the
first
product that illustrates the value of that investment."
Jon Freeman, president; Mycroft
Plano School District, Texas
"Based on our previous success with the Novell Application Launcher, we hope to further
enhance our
enterprise network with Z.E.N.works. We have over 15,000 workstations at more than 50 sites
and since
we are always short on personnel resources, Z.E.N.works will make it easier to manage our
Windows-
based desktops and provide us with a user-friendly, reliable network."
Judy Hays, instructional network engineer; Plano Independent School District
University of Michigan Medical Center
"Z.E.N.works provides us with the flexibility our roaming doctors need. It is just the type of
product we
have been asking for because it will give us the ability to manage our desktops more easily and
distinguish between users and workstations. Overall, it is a powerful product with added benefits,
like
remote control and inventory management and it will help us fulfill our Year 2000
requirements."
David Hasselbach of the University of Michigan Medical Center
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