Nationwide Governors Join in the Celebration of these Milestones by Declaring March as "Novell Certification Month" in Their States

OREM, Utah - March 22, 1998 - Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL), the pioneer and global leader in computer network and Internet education certification programs, celebrates a decade of success this month for its Certified Novell Engineer(SM) (CNE) program - the industry's first information technology (IT) certification. March also marks the 15th year of its premier technical information technology (IT) conference, BrainShare '99.

Nationwide governors are joining with Novell in the celebration by declaring March as "Certification Month" in their respective states. These governors include: Utah, Alabama, California, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Washington D.C., Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Nevada, North Carolina, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Michigan, Louisiana, Florida and Colorado with a letter of congratulations.

A Decade of Success - CNE Certification Program

Introduced in 1989, the CNE credential has become the global standard within the IT industry for advanced computer-network support and service skills training. According to Ellen Julian, analyst for the International Data Corp. (IDC), Novell's certification programs have exceeded all industry expectations and have raised the bar for other IT certifications. The success of the CNE program has continued to grow exponentially since its introduction. More than 150,000 CNEs worldwide having earned this premier credential and CNEs are being increasingly recruited by employers because of the level of expertise they offer.

Novell remains the leading provider of networking certification programs by adapting and increasing its certification program offerings to keep pace with today's technological advances. In addition to the CNE certification, Novell certifications include Master CNE(SM), Certified Novell Administrator(SM) (CNA(SM)), Certified Novell Instructor(SM) (CNI(SM)) and Certified Internet Professional(SM). During the past decade nearly one million Novell certifications have been granted or are in progress.

Novell training and certification programs are available through Novell's global network of Novell Authorized Education Centers(SM) (NAECs(SM)) and Novell Education Academic Partners (NEAPs(SM)), which include colleges, universities and high schools.

Novell Certification: A Strategic Investment

"New technology demands are being placed on organizations and management daily to either improve operational efficiencies or drive earnings per share," said Roger Blomgren, vice president of Novell Education. "As new technologies are developed, the need for specialized technical expertise is growing at an increasing rate. Novell Education trains individuals and organizations how to simplify increasingly complex technologies and multi-vendor solutions as they move their business to the new millennium."

A recent survey conducted by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) and Virginia Tech reported that more than 346,000 IT jobs were unfilled in the U.S. The report also stated that 68 percent of IT companies cited a lack of skilled or trained workers as a barrier to the companies' future ability to grow. Additionally, surveys from publications like Newsweek and Computerworld state the top-ranked IT jobs for 1999 include network administration, project management and Web development. Novell's certification credentials are recognized as the global standard in the IT industry.

Novell Career-Builder Loan Program

Continuing in the tradition of viewing lifetime learning as a priority, Novell launches its "Novell Career Builder Loan Program" to encourage certification and help individuals finance IT training not paid for or reimbursed by employers. The innovative program is designed to fit the financial needs of individuals who are working to capitalize on the opportunities offered by the IT training industry.

"As networks become central to every computing endeavor, the IT certification of network professionals is becoming crucial," said Dr. Eric Schmidt, Novell Chairman and CEO. "It's our goal that the introduction of the Novell Career Builder Loan Program will help make training for these lucrative careers more attainable than ever before."

Certification Month Activities

Salt Lake City, Utah, will host more than 5,000 international networking professionals, customers, software developers, educators and business partners at Novell's 15th annual BrainShare '99 held March 21-26. The BrainShare technical conference delivers hands-on training and technical information to networking professionals and showcases technologies currently under development by top technology vendors such as Oracle, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Dell and dozens of others.

Additionally, throughout March, NAECs worldwide will be hosting free "Certification Night Seminars" that will explain the fundamental technical skills needed to be successful in today's high-tech marketplace and will illustrate the benefits and process of becoming certified.

Editor's Note: For CNE success stories of individuals in your area, photos, or additional information about Novell's Certification Night Seminars in your area contact Paulette Brown at (770) 222-8528 or browncom@bellsouth.net.

About Novell

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL) is the leading provider of network software enabled by directory services. Novell solutions give businesses total control of their private networks and the Internet, simplifying the management of user access and identity. Novell's worldwide channel, developer, education and technical support programs are the most extensive in the network computing industry.

Novell, NetWare and CNE are registered trademarks. Master CNE, Certified Novell Instructor (CNI), Certified Novell Administrator (CNA), Certified Internet Professional, Novell Education Academic Partner (NEAP) and Novell Authorized Education Center (NAEC) are registered service marks or service marks of Novell, Inc., in the United States and other countries.

Press Contact:
Paulette Brown
Phone: (770) 222-8528
Internet: Plbrown@novell.com
Internet: browncom@bellsouth.net