There’s nothing like attending a sales conference when you have a lot to celebrate. I recently had the chance to spend time with Novell’s global salesforce in Orlando, FL to kick off our fiscal year, train on the hottest industry topics and recognize those who made the greatest strides reconnecting and building relationships with our customers in the past year.

The annual fiscal year kickoff is a great time to look closely at what’s driving success, what our challenges are and where we’re headed. I want to hone in on one of the items Novell President, Bob Flynn, named a success: Novell’s “re: focus” campaign.

As a Novell marketing leader, I was gratified to see this campaign make the cut. But reveling in congratulations is a passing pleasure. Understanding why our “re: focus, re:turn, re:kindle” campaign was, is and will continue to be a success is the key to why you should continue your relationship with Novell or try us for the first time.

From my perspective, re: focus is more than a marketing campaign—it’s Novell’s approach to doing business. The campaign merely distilled what Novell is about, what we’re committed to and what our customers can expect. In short, the campaign is about Novell’s ideals: build great products, deliver exceptional value and nurture lasting relationships.

But words are only words. Success comes from saying what you’re going to do then going out and doing it. This is why I make the claim that re: focus is a way of being for Novell—not just a campaign.

How do I know?

We recently asked our customers this question: Why are you with Novell? The responses were like a mirror to our ideals of great products, exceptional value and lasting relationships. Watch this video on why our customers are with us. How many of our competitors can hang that on their wall?

To see our brand ideals reflected back at us in the reality of our customers’ experiences is heartening. Are we perfect in every way, all the time? Heck no. But the point is, these ideals are the beacon that illuminates our target as we move forward with long-time customers—and the road we traverse as we earn new business relationships.

Eventually, you’ll see our re: focus campaign replaced with a new message, but our brand ideals—our commitment to you to build great products, deliver exceptional value and nurture lasting relationships—will endure. Thank you to all our customers for helping us see what it is that makes Novell great and for standing up to say, “I AM Novell!”

A few weeks ago, Novell President and GM Bob Flynn discussed where Novell stands on delivering on our promises of a renewed focus and commitment to our customers. Today, I am pleased to let you know we have another great announcement that reconfirms this commitment: Novell ZENworks 11 Support Pack 2 is now available. It brings integrated Mac device management, a new product—ZENworks Full Disk Encryption—and two new ZENworks suites.

With this release, we have listened to our loyal customers and our dedicated engineers have created a solution that addresses one of the main challenges facing enterprises today—the struggle between security and workforce productivity. This challenge effects all aspects of business and these new ZENworks offerings provide a way to easily manage devices, ensuring compliance regulations are met without compromising efficiency or productivity.

Our motivation is our customers. We know that now more than ever, Mac devices are being used in your businesses and we have been tasked with a way to streamline management of all the devices in your organization. The integrated support for Mac with this release allows you to take control of all your systems with the same confidence you’ve always had in Novell, without worrying about security issues.

Major new features of ZENworks 11 Support Pack 2 include:

• ZENworks Full Disk Encryption: Simplifies the deployment and management of Full Disk Encryption, including centralized key management and support for both hardware-based and software-based Full Disk Encryption options.
  Integrated Mac device management: Allows customers to take control of Mac devices, using the same familiar tools used today for their Windows and Linux environment; includes remote control, automated software deployment and patching, and asset management capabilities for Mac devices.
• Novell Endpoint Protection Suite: A security-focused companion suite to the existing Novell Endpoint Lifecycle Management Suite, this new suite includes ZENworks Full Disk Encryption and the award-winning ZENworks Endpoint Security Management products, with an optional ZENworks Patch Management subscription—all at a discount on MSRP.
• Novell Total Endpoint Management Suite: A comprehensive suite that helps the enterprise seamlessly manage workforce productivity and security from a common set of tools; this suite combines the Novell Endpoint Lifecycle Management Suite and the Novell Endpoint Protection Suite into a single-purchase offering.

As we continue on our path to refocus on our collaboration, endpoint management and file and networking customers and technologies, we look forward to sharing future announcements like this with you. Check out all of what’s new with ZENworks 11 SP2 by visiting the Novell ZENworks page and checking out this video.

If you’re local, look for us at Utah Technology Council meetings and events, on the Pillar of the Valley billboard as you drive south on I15 or in nearly any business in Utah Valley by picking up the current issue of Utah Valley BusinessQ. In the magazine, Bob Flynn talks about Novell’s long history in Utah Valley’s software industry and the company’s formula for longevity. It’s all about finding and maintaining the right balance across trusted relationships with customers and partners, innovative and battle-tested technology and an uncompromising commitment to engineering excellence.

Novell employees are the real pillar behind our longevity and in the past eight months, Novell has opened over 70 local job opportunities — more than half of them technical — and is currently hiring in numerous departments.   We know that our success depends on our ability to listen to our customers, take their feedback and work with them to develop innovative solutions to better their businesses.

We’re looking to Utah Valley to help us enter a new era where the people of our local community will once again play a pivotal role in the success of one of the world’s most long-lived and successful technology companies.  With this in mind, we look forward to continuing to reengage with both the Utah Valley community and our loyal customers around the globe.

Six months ago in this post, I outlined Novell’s plans to demonstrate renewed focus and commitment to our customers. As you can see from this video from BrainShare 2011, our future is about getting back to basics. We’re refocused on our innovative and battle-tested technology. We’re rekindling relationships by listening to the needs of our long-time, loyal customers. And, we’ve returned to the innovation and engineering excellence that put Novell on the map.

Novell’s future is tied to how we deliver on our solutions and our word. So how have we delivered since July 2011?

Re: focus:

At BrainShare, we showcased detailed product roadmaps for how Novell plans to deliver more frequent releases of our core products.  You can get the roadmaps here. And mark your calendar for the next BrainShare, February 3-7, 2013 and join us in Salt Lake City.

In 2011 we committed to helping you optimize the value you derive from your current investments by enabling customers to upgrade to latest versions at their own pace.

We’ve lengthened Extended Support for NetWare 6.5 and Novell ZENworks 7 Suite by a year, and extended General Support for Novell GroupWise 8 and Novell BorderManager for the same time period. You can get more details on our Product Support Lifecycle portal here.

Also, we’re packing more value into the products you may already have: we added Novell Vibe and ZENworks Endpoint Security Management to the Novell Open Workgroup Suite and now offer a free Mac client to Novell Open Enterprise Server customers.

Re: turn:

Last year Novell invested in its engineering resources through hiring for its Provo, Utah headquarters. For example, since August 2011, Novell’s GroupWise engineering team grew by 33%. The result of our commitment to engineering excellence is reflected in the major product announcements we’ve made recently, including Open Enterprise Server 11, Novell Vibe 3.2, ZENworks Application Virtualization 9 and Novell GroupWise 2012.

Re: kindle:

We're re-energizing our customer relationships. Last year, for example, our collaborative DNA led to a new way to develop our solutions that put listening at the forefront. The GroupWise Roadmap Project—a global customer outreach program where we ask customers what innovations are most important to them—is helping us build and prioritize our collaboration roadmap. The results of this outreach program assure we’re developing our solutions based on what our customers need most to run their business.

And to keep our customers up-to-date and the conversation flowing, we’ve launched a dynamic and interactive roadmap application to illustrate the features and benefits of each released and planned version of GroupWise and collect input from you. Customers can select which version of GroupWise they currently have so they can instantly determine where they are on the roadmap and see what they’ll get by upgrading accordingly. They can also give us feedback and requests, which go directly to the product management team.

We have a bright and exciting future ahead in 2012. Our focus is first and foremost on customers. I’m looking forward to reporting to you regularly on what we’re doing to continue to earn your trust.

How did readers respond? Here are the numbers from Hell’s weather report:
- 793 Shared on FaceBook
- 1,776 Tweets
- 299 Shared on LinkedIn
- A lot of readers commented – too many to count

This is not about Mac vs. PC. This perennial debate is about productivity.  Is one truly better than the other? No.  Does this really matter? Yes. Why? Because it’s not about which platform is best, it’s what the user perceives to be the best. If I believe my computer makes me more productive, I win.

At Novell, we constantly ask, “how can we assure IT organizations have the tools they need to do their jobs better without impeding workforce productivity?” Our focus on workforce productivity leads to enhancing interoperability and choice.

Novell Kanaka for Mac helps IT organizations eliminate manual work-arounds to integrate their Mac users. The plug-in uses native Mac* AFP protocol support making it the most comprehensive and advanced cross-platform server for mixed Windows*, Linux* and Mac clients.

Today, Novell announced customers can download the latest, complimentary plug-in. Open Enterprise Server customers with a current maintenance license and can download Novell Kanaka for Mac through the Novell Customer Center at http://www.novell.com/center.

With Open Enterprise Server 11, customers will be able to:

+ Streamline management across one Linux platform–SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 SP1
+ Get improved update and patching performance
+ Do more with file storage, using enhanced storage management through Novell Linux Volume Manager
+ Enjoy improved VMware compatibility for virtualizing Open Enterprise Server
+ Regularly receive new features and enhancements via the new Feature Channel, eliminating the long wait for the next support pack
+ Join the preview program for Novell Filr–and be entitled to licenses once it ships

Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 is both a mature product and the platform for file and print innovation, satisfying customers all over the world.   Users are still working with files–in more ways on more devices–and Novell is leading the pack in delivering solutions that allow them the flexibility they need, while allowing IT to maintain organizational control.

Click here to read why IDC recommends Open Enterprise Server.

For more information on Open Enterprise Server 11, watch the video and read about the solution features at www.novell.com/oes.

For a complete look at what’s new in Novell Vibe 3.2, check out the list below.  We want to remind you to stay tuned for additional features coming this winter, including off-line file synch for Vibe workspaces and a new Microsoft Office add-in.

To learn more or to download a free Starter Pack, visit: http://www.novell.com/vibe

New features of Novell Vibe 3.2 include:

• New mobile apps for iPhone and Android devices: As a web-based collaboration tool with a mobile interface, people have long been able to access their Novell Vibe team workspaces via their mobile devices. NEW with version 3.2 are actual iPhone and Android applications. Now users can store their credentials for one or more Vibe sites for fast and easy mobile access.
• File management:  Do your files proliferate faster than lightning speed? Ehancements provide more control over files.  Now you can turn file versioning on and off, set a maximum number of minor file versions, set the system to auto-delete old versions and delete multiple versions at once. You can also set quotas on file size.
• Expanded capabilities with landing pages and task management: With our rapid release process for Novell Vibe, each version brings subtle but highly requested enhancements providing users with an upgraded experience.  Vibe 3.2 includes improvements to landing page formatting for tables, background colors and images.  We’ve also made it more efficient to keep team members on track with enhanced task updates through task and calendar sync from Novell Vibe to Novell GroupWise.
• Improvements with workflows and surveys:  Survey builders have more flexibility with the simple ability to move questions up or down in the question list. Workflow steps now change dynamically based on the value of a field in a preceding step, and a workflow can now modify the value of a field entry.
• Performance, usability and quality improvements: Additional asthetic changes include usability improvements and a fresh look and feel for system notifications via email.

Since Novell’s acquisition earlier this year, the company has been reorganized into four businesses units focused on speed, simplicity and success.

The majority of Novell’s heritage offerings are now part of three business units: Novell, NetIQ and SUSE. Attendees got a glimpse of the future for each business unit as each president took the stage. You can see the keynotes here:

Novell: Bob Flynn, President, General Manager, Novell
NetIQ: Jay Gartner, President, and General Manager, NetIQ
SUSE: Nils Brauckmann, President and General Manager, SUSE

Bob Flynn, president and general manager for Novell shared with the audience what a renewed focus on customers will look like in the months to come. The business unit structure allows Novell us to be 100% focused on the technologies it delivers. This includes collaboration solutions (GroupWise and Vibe), endpoint management solutions (ZENworks) and file and network services solutions (Open Enterprise Server and Novell File Management Suite).

Flynn’s commitment to reestablishing trust and confidence with customers while also delivering more frequent product updates received a resounding applause from the audience. Specifically Flynn touched on Novell’s commitment to GroupWise as a critical part of the company’s success by inviting his team to provide a sneak peak of its new version, GroupWise 2012.

Flynn exited the stage allowing his teams to showcase new product features in Novell’s collaboration, endpoint management and file and network services solutions.

With a reassuring commitment to the audience and Novell customers, Flynn stated: “The measure of our success is how we execute against these commitments I’m making to you this morning. We’re going to help you maximize the value of the products you get from us.”

It’s been about 2.5 months that I have been in the role of President and General Manager of Novell, and since joining The Attachmate Group, Novell has taken many steps towards defining the next great chapter in its evolution and history.

I want to take this opportunity to articulate our renewed focus and plans – where we are going, how we want to build on the strengths we have in our innovative and battle-tested technology, loyal customers, strong partners, and dedicated employees.

With our portfolio streamlined, our product focus is on collaboration, file and networking, and endpoint management technologies. From a customer success perspective, our focus is on engineering excellence and lasting customer and partner relationships. Our future is tied to how we deliver on our solutions, our word and how our customers perceive and define successful outcomes.

My team and I have much to share with you at our customer and partner event, BrainShare (October – 10 – 14, 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah) and we encourage you to come hear first-hand our plans. For now, I can tell you that we have a lot to share with you over the coming months. We are committed to:

Delivering higher-quality solutions and greater customer value faster: To do this, Novell is hiring more R & D resources in Provo, UT and reinvesting in our core products with more frequent releases. In CY Q4, look for a series of product announcements to our core product families: Novell GroupWise, Open Enterprise Server, ZENworks and Novell Vibe.

Enabling customers to upgrade to latest versions at their own pace: For long-time customers, we’re making it easier to upgrade at your own pace by aligning and extending support for NetWare 6.5, Novell GroupWise 7, Novell ZENworks 7 for Desktops and the Novell ZENworks 7 Suite.

Enabling a portable workspace across wired and mobile devices securely: In today’s economy, employees need to be productive from anywhere and have the ability to access files from the device of their choosing (desk, laptops, tablets, mobile devices). Novell is ensuring GroupWise and Messenger functionality is accessible via today’s devices. Moreover, with ZENworks, we’re bringing together the ability to monitor and enforce endpoint and data security in one place and integrating management and secure file access across devices.

We are combining the ideas of social sharing with enterprise file discovery and access across devices with innovations that are complementary to Novell Open Enterprise Server. We’re leveraging our new File Management Suite to continue to drive down the cost of managing and storing data even as user output from new applications and devices skyrockets.

Consolidating and leveraging social experience across collaboration portfolio: Novell is incorporating key social experiences from Novell Vibe into GroupWise to bridge social and traditional email collaboration for our customers. We’re accelerating the consolidation of the Vibe platform with Novell Vibe OnPrem as the foundation as well. We’re incorporating the most user-requested functionality from Vibe Cloud into the combined platform rapidly over the next several releases. These strategic decisions and renewed focus have led us to the decision to decommission the Novell Vibe Cloud service as of September 30, 2011. We will communicate directly with Vibe Cloud users on what this means to them in the coming days.

I am honored to lead Novell and this great team into the next chapter of its long and decorated history. We have a bright and exciting future ahead. Our success will be measured on the success of our loyal customers and partners. Today’s Novell is more focused than ever on delivering enterprise-class capabilities in a social, mobile and multi-platform world. We are committed to helping you optimize the value you derive from your current investments and providing compelling reasons to extend your Novell investment to meet your business objectives.

Be sure to register for BrainShare to get the latest updates on these topics and more. I look forward to seeing you then. Can’t wait until then? Share your thoughts here.

GroupWise Calendar and Task Sync: A top priority for Novell Vibe OnPrem customers who also utilize GroupWise, this new connector leverages Novell Data Synchronizer to initially sync calendars and tasks from Vibe OnPrem to GroupWise. Bi-directional synchronization (from GroupWise to Vibe OnPrem) will be added in the next release.

Task management improvements: As more customers utilize Vibe OnPrem for project collaboration, new capabilities have been incorporated to improve productivity of task management, including sub-tasks; task ordering; completed time stamp; changing Priority, Status and Progress in list view; auto-date calculation; and quick search for folders.

User experience improvements: To meet customer demand for better access to information updates in their Vibe OnPrem system, enhancements to the “What’s New” user interface and Vibe OnPrem’s landing pages have been added.  The What’s New activity stream is now more interactive, and building landing pages to suit your purpose is easier than ever, with drag and drop editing, HTML and iFrame widgets, as well as new displays for calendars, tasks and surveys.

Enhancements for customers migrating from Sitescape Forum: For customers still using the Sitescape Forum product, making the transition to Novell Vibe OnPrem is easier, as the product  now offers folder views, workflow transitions, notifications, the ability to disable/retire users, individual form/folder notification schedule; and access through multiple domains.

Search improvements: As key components of Vibe OnPrem and how it performs, the search engine and index now feature basic stemming support, better handling of punctuation characters, stop-word filtering and improved search matching with acute characters.

Novell Vibe OnPrem 3.1 is currently available. To learn more or to request a trial, visit: http://www.novell.com/products/vibe-onprem