Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Networking
    • Servers

    Novells OES Server May Draw Business Customers

    Written by

    Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
    Published March 22, 2005
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Jack Messman, CEO of Novell, is cautious about forecasting the future of the Open Enterprise Server, which combines NetWare services on top of either the Netware or SuSE Linux Enterprise Edition kernel.

      “We believe in Linux,” said Messman. “Were migrating all 6,000 of our desktops from Windows to Linux. But with an enterprise operating system like OES [Open Enterprise Server] its going to take several quarters before customers decide if theyre comfortable with it.”

      That being said, “Some customers have been waiting for it even before it went into beta,” Messman added.

      When asked about the Microsoft report that the Yankee Group had found that NetWare users were moving from NetWare to Windows Server 2003 or, if they were considering Linux, moving to Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Messman said, “Thats not what were seeing.”

      Its not that he expects an immediate upturn in revenue from OES. “It takes an enterprise time to consider switching its main operating system,” Messman said, “but we do see a lot of interest in OES both from our old customers and new ones.”

      Michael Zepernick, president of Computer Integrated Services Co. of New York LLC, a Novell Inc. platinum reseller and a Microsoft Solutions Provider, said, “A year and a half or two years ago, people were moving to Server 2003 from NetWare, but now I see people going to SLES [SuSE Linux Enterprise Server.] That tide has stopped, and people are now giving strong consideration to moving to OES.”

      In part this is because of “old NetWare users who went to Microsoft and are now looking at OES because of Linux. The jury is still out on its adoption, but it is encouraging to see interest again in Novell,” Zepernick said.

      Its not just dyed-in-the-wool Novell customers thinking about switching to OES.

      /zimages/5/28571.gifClick here to read about Novells server-to-desktop Linux Small Business Suite 9.

      “Were seeing a lot of interest in OES in NYC. No one is widely adopting it yet, naturally, but were getting more people asking about it,” said Zepernick. “We already have had some customers for it.”

      This includes some shops that have been Windows only, too. “We put in our share of Windows 2003 servers,” said Zepernick. “We offer people real professional choices. We lay out the options so they can make the best choice, and OES is becoming one of those choices.”

      As for Red Hat, “Our SMB [small and midsize business] customers want to know who will maintain their systems that will support the software ecosystem. They know Novell can deliver, while Red Hat doesnt have the service infrastructure they need to feel comfortable,” Zepernick said.

      Ed Anderson, Novells vice president of Linux services, said that Microsofts claims simply show that “Microsoft is making a statement of their concern about Novell and Linux coming up in the world.”

      If anything, Anderson said, “Were seeing customers who have stuck with Netware 5.1, customers who are moving to OES because of the Linux kernel. If they had really wanted to leave, now would be the time, but we dont see that.”

      “Older NetWare customers, the ones running systems that just kept working and stopped getting support, are also now showing up for OES,” Messman said. He doesnt know exactly how many of these there are. “For years, we relied almost entirely on our reseller channel and we didnt do a good job of tracking end-user customers.” However, Messman adds, “There does appear to be a significant number of them.”

      One of the reasons why theyre coming out of the woodwork, according to Anderson, is, “With OES, partners and customers can see things that are familiar to them. Theyll see that OES is not a totally alien experience. OES is about taking the best of NetWare services and adding the richness of Linux, and theyre finding that an attractive package.”

      Software developer and integrator Lumen Software Inc. finds OES attractive because it makes an ideal platform for its LTSP (Linux Terminal Server Platform) S2D thin-client product. With S2D, users get a server-based thin client that can be used to turn older 486 and Pentium systems into useful workstations.

      Lumen turned to OES because “OES gives us the directory and management services we needed but couldnt get from another Linux,” said Ted Lymer II, cofounder and chief sales officer.

      It wasnt because of Linux per se that Lumen turned to OES, Lymer explained. “We dont do Linux for Linux, we do it because it does the best job,” he said. “With OES, we can support enterprise-level thin clients.”

      /zimages/5/28571.gifTo read about Novells upcoming SuSE Linux Professional Desktop, click here.

      Customers like Comair, a Delta Airlines subsidiary, also have reason to like OES.

      Comair has long been a NetWare customer, but Comair infrastructure services manager Roger Fenner was quick to point out that the IT meltdown the company suffered during the last holiday system had nothing to do with NetWare.

      Indeed, Fenners experience has been quite the opposite. “Wed go around and say, Huh, that server has been up for a year and a half, should we reboot it? Nah!” Fenner said.

      With that kind of reliability, why is Comair moving to OES? Because, Fenner explained, it will give them the same services but with a path for the future.

      “Prior to Novells purchase of SuSE, we didnt know what Novell would do with 64-bit computing. Since 64-bit SLES already existed we knew wed have an upgrade path,” Fenner said. “In the airline business efficiency is all, and we needed to be sure our services would be reliable today and tomorrow.”

      And, for Comair, thats exactly what the SLES-powered version of OES will be delivering.

      /zimages/5/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest open-source news, reviews and analysis.

      Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
      Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
      I'm editor-at-large for Ziff Davis Enterprise. That's a fancy title that means I write about whatever topic strikes my fancy or needs written about across the Ziff Davis Enterprise family of publications. You'll find most of my stories in Linux-Watch, DesktopLinux and eWEEK. Prior to becoming a technology journalist, I worked at NASA and the Department of Defense on numerous major technological projects.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×