Novell History

Novell Corporate History

Novell helped invent the corporate network in the early 1980s and continues to drive technology for business today. Network software began with the sharing of files and printers within local area networks (LANs) and evolved into the management of wide area networks that enabled enterprise-class computing and, ultimately, the Internet. Today, Novell continues this technology leadership with its unique combination of the best-engineered Linux and IT management software to help lower cost, complexity and risk on virtually every platform. We give our customers the infinite IT flexibility and agility they need to meet and exceed their organizational objectives.

Novell Data Systems began life in 1979 as a computer manufacturer and maker of disk operating systems. In January 1983, Safeguard Scientifics, a venture capital firm, reincorporated NDSI as Novell, Inc., to design and market software and hardware used for data networks. In May 1983, Raymond J. Noorda, an experienced engineer and marketer, became president and CEO of the new company.

Under Noorda, Novell helped found the corporate network market with the introduction of the LAN. In 1983, Novell introduced NetWare, the first LAN software based on file-server technology. Novell developed a PC networking system that designated one machine to manage the network and control access to shared devices, such as disk drives and printers. Through the 1980s, corporate requirements for networks grew significantly, with LANs being increasingly replaced by wide area networks, which unified large corporate environments. By the early 1990s, Novell's NetWare operating system, updated to add key features for distributed enterprises, led this market with a nearly 70 percent share.

In 1996, recognizing that the Internet was beginning to revolutionize the traditional network market, interim CEO John Young initiated a program to make the company's products Internet ready.

Eric Schmidt took over the reins at Novell in March 1997, accelerating efforts to leverage Novell's core networking strengths in the Internet arena. The following year both NetWare 5, the server operating system, and Novell Directory Services (NDS) began shipping with native support for IP, the Internet communications protocol.

With the increased heterogeneity in corporate networks and the need for interoperability across the Internet, in 1998, Novell began to promote NDS as a means to tie diverse platforms together. The company also began shipping products that used information stored in the directory to simplify the management of networks and better secure access based on the identities of users. In late 1999, Novell released eDirectory, a true cross-platform directory service that epitomized Novell's commitment to interoperability and open standards which are key Internet requirements.

In July 2001, Novell acquired consulting firm Cambridge Technology Partners to strengthen its ability to deliver both services and products to customers. The combination of Novell's industry-leading technology and Cambridge's business expertise gave Novell new strength to deliver networking solutions to help companies solve their business challenges. Jack Messman, the CEO of Cambridge, became president and CEO of Novell.

In July 2002, Novell took another significant step forward with its acquisition of SilverStream Software, a leader in Web services-oriented application development. The addition of SilverStream gave Novell a powerful, three-pronged Web services story: the expertise to convert business processes to Web services, a leading Web services application platform, and Novell's traditional secure, scalable, and reliable networking and identity management infrastructure on which to run Web services-based applications.

Novell's acquisition of Ximian in August 2003 added another key component to Novell's cross-platform story. With top Linux developers and leading solutions for Linux on the desktop, management of Linux desktops and servers, and collaboration between Linux and Windows environments, Ximian significantly enhanced the platform options Novell could offer customers. Ximian also brought strong Linux credibility to Novell in the form of two of the open source movement's leading visionaries, Miguel de Icaza and Nat Friedman. Ximian (now Novell) sponsorship of two top open source projects, GNOME for the desktop and Mono as an open source platform for running Microsoft .NET applications, gave Novell increased weight and visibility in the open source community.

In January 2004, Novell took another critical step in rounding out its Linux story when it completed its acquisition of SUSE Linux, Europe's leading Linux vendor and one of the top commercial distributions on the market. With SUSE Linux, Novell now offers the full range of Linux solutions, from the server to the desktop, with additional enterprise-grade networking services and technical support unmatched by any other Linux vendor. By combining its global technical support and channel distribution network with the Linux expertise of SUSE, Novell has created a compelling new option for enterprise customers interested in deploying Linux strategically. SUSE's strong technical leadership on Linux and its success in the marketplace further established Novell as a major influencer in the open source movement.

Expanding on its commitment to the open source community, in August 2005, Novell launched www.openSUSE.org, aimed at promoting the adoption of Linux worldwide, by providing free and easy access to the world's most usable Linux distribution, SUSE Linux Enterprise. The openSUSE project also opens the development process for SUSE Linux Enterprise by inviting open source developers to participate in the review, testing, and development of SUSE Linux Enterprise, thereby allowing developers from around the world, including China through www.openSUSE.org.cn, to contribute to future versions of the distribution.

Today, with more than 20 years of experience, Novell's software for the open enterprise continues to deliver increased operating flexibility at a lower total cost of ownership, by providing enterprise-class solutions and support for proprietary and open source software to over 50,000 enterprises in 43 countries around the globe.

In June 2006, Ron Hovsepian was named president and CEO of Novell. In this role, Ron is driving the company's two-pronged enterprise Linux and IT management software strategy by focusing on meeting customer demand and delivering value through Novell's innovative technology and a strong roster of customers and partners.

Later in 2006, Novell signed a landmark collaboration agreement with Microsoft on Linux and Windows interoperability and support. More information on this agreement and work being done is available at www.moreinterop.com.

During 2007 and 2008, Novell acquired Senforce Technologies, SiteScape and PlateSpin Ltd. These acquisitions have enhanced Novell's offerings in management and collaboration.

• Senforce Technologies, a leader in endpoint security management, augments Novell's enterprise systems management services capabilities.
• SiteScape, a leader in open source team collaboration, extends Novell's leadership in, and commitment to, innovative and open collaboration solutions.
• PlateSpin Ltd., a leader in workload lifecycle management solutions for the enterprise data center, brings solutions to improve the speed and quality of server consolidation, data center relocation and disaster recovery.

Today, with more than 25 years of experience, Novell delivers the best engineered, most interoperable Linux platform and a portfolio of integrated IT management software that help customers around the world reduce cost, complexity and risk. With its infrastructure software and ecosystem of partnerships, Novell harmoniously integrates mixed IT environments, allowing people and technology to work as one.