NetFire™ JVM Expected to be World's Fastest and Most Scalable

PC EXPO, NEW YORK CITY, NY — June 17, 1998 — Novell, Inc. today announced it is working with Intel on a Virtual Machine for executing Java™ software applications (JVM) for Novell's NetWare® operating system. This fully compatible JVM from Novell® is designed to leverage the performance and scalability of Intel processor-based servers, including symmetrical multiprocessing (SMP) servers and forthcoming IA-64 Architecture machines. Novell's goal is to continue to provide customers with the fastest, most scalable, and compatible implementation of the JVM, the software engine that executes applications written in the Java programming language and directs them across the enterprise network and the Internet. Novell intends to incorporate the JVM (code-named "NetFire") into NetWare in 1999, ensuring users continued access to a premiere network server platform for industrial-strength, mission-critical applications.

Novell will license technology from Intel and will collaborate to improve performance and scalability of the JVM for Novell's NetWare in order to support transaction-intensive and other mission-critical applications. Users of server-based applications written in the Java programming language will benefit through streamlined software development cycles and increased business productivity through better access and management of network information.

The companies will optimize NetFire and its related compiler technology to take full advantage of Intel microprocessor features. NetFire will also leverage Novell's high-performance NetWare operating system. Novell's NetWare 5 will ship later this summer with the world's fastest JVM as measured by the industry- standard VolanoMark benchmark. Novell intends to further increase the JVM performance and scalability with NetFire, which will be exclusive to NetWare and compatible with applications targeted at the initial NetWare 5 JVM.

"The use of Java technology on the server has great potential, but needs the right environment in order to deliver on those possibilities," said Christopher Stone, Novell's senior vice president for strategy and corporate development. "The NetFire work being done by Novell using Intel technology will provide customers the performance and scalability needed to take advantage of the efficiencies in application development and deployment that Java can provide for enterprise and Internet applications."

"With their extensive base of customers running NetWare on Intel processor-based servers and networking expertise, Novell is well-suited to enhance performance and scalability on Intel-based servers,." said Will Swope, vice president of business desktop marketing, Business Platforms Group, Intel Corporation. "The NetFire project complements our overall goal to provide the best performance on the Intel architecture."

Support for Industry Standards

Novell is committed to a JVM implementation designed in conformance with industry standards. Applications written for standard JVMs will run on NetFire, and developers will be able to create applications for NetWare using standard Java technologies and tools. The NetFire JVM will continue to allow developers to use Novell's Open Solutions Architecture™ software development kit (SDK) to create Internet applications that utilize Novell Directory Services™ (NDS™), Novell's industry- leading directory service, and a range of other intelligent network services allied with the NetWare platform.

About Novell

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, 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 as http://www.novell.com.

Press Contact:
Jonathan Cohen
Novell, Inc.
(408) 577-7268
jcohen@novell.com