I have no idea what you guys are saying. Maybe you should get this from a real Novell Guru.

Novell may cost more out of the box (more on this later), but its ultimate cost is MUCH less. Unix/Linux is hard to configure, and the corporation needs to be trained to use this. Windows has endless problems, patchs, service packs, etc, making it impossible to keep Microsoft's 99% uptime statement (you need to restart, often).

Windows can't connect with Unix/Linux and Mac's out of the box, Unix/Linux can't connect with Windows and Mac's out of the box either. Novell not only has support for Windows, but it supports Unix/Linux and Macs seamlessly. I've written a few posts on this, the technology is called the "Native File Access Pack," and it does exacly what it says. Unix/Linux sees the Novell Server, its printers and file shares, as NFS shares. Windows sees the Novell, its printers and file shares, as standard Windows computers on a workgroup (or a domain). This DRAMATICLY decreases costs (it requires minimal configuration, no learning curve, etc).

Now, to pricing. Novell offers upgrade pricing. Meaning, if your running a prior Novell OS, or even a Windows/Unix/Linux server OS you can get upgrade pricing. These costs are DRAMATTICLY less. And unlike Windows servers, you don't buy a per connection licence, you buy a user licence.

Novell is shifting strategies, and supporting many open source projects. Apache HTTPD Webserver, Apache Jakarta Application Server, and PHP, currently run on NetWare, with plans for the release of MySQL very soon.

Lastly, do you guys ever wonder why we see Novell in many large Universities and Hospitals? There's so many users, it would be almost impossible to manage without advanced management tools, which Windows may have, but is an incredible pain to use (Active Directory), and Unix/Linux falls short on.

NetWare might not have the complete ease that Windows has,
and it doesn't have the raw power that Unix/Linux offers, but on the greater scale, it offers a more reliable, full featured package then Windows or Unix/Linux.

I hope this sheds some light on your misguided souls!

from what i can see... novell is a dying technology. In the universities, unix/linux is the biggest players. I'm not sure about corporations, but the company my dad works for does not use novell, they use a domain. This ultimately decreases costs. I'm not sure what they use in companies, but i am hearing less and less about novell, how their still alive, i'm not sure and what their user base consists of, i don't know, i'm not an analyst, just a hobbyist.

Hofstra, for one, uses Novell for the computers in their business department. Their computer science, math, and engineering departments are Sun-based (running Solaris, a UNIX variant).

I wonder if it was popular before, solaris is a hell of a good operating system!!

http://qs.money.cnn.com/apps/stockquote?symbols=NOVL

Look at that link got to like the 3 Penny Stock ROFL LMFAO

Novell 3 was as stable as ever all these new versions just have one new thing TCP/IP well 6. Tek I am not dogging Novell personally I dont know one big company that doesn't use Novell and I haven't seen many that use UNIX. & as for Windows yeah 3 user Domain lol lol.

BTW Novell has services for UNIX/MAC/WINDOWS but dude so does Windows that have the lovely File Print Services for Macintosh File Services for Machintosh and Print Services for UNIX!!! Wow MS is just the ideal OS now.

They even have a built in Novell Client I mean come on Tek your being sour grapes about Windows ROFL!!!!!

I hate to do this to Tek by sticking my 2 cents in... being a newbie here and all.. But... here goes...

Back in 94 till about 96 or 97 Novell was HUGE. Microsoft was having a hard time getting a foot in the door because Windows NT was complete CRAP and too difficult to configure (Server wise). However, NOW the shoe is on the other foot. The bottom line is CNE certification isn't worth anything anymore and Novell isn't doing much new business. All they really have left is existing business. This percentage of existing business is decreasing as more and more companies (large and small) convert over to Microsoft.

I personally let my Novell Certification expire and don't care to renew it. There is simply no future there for TEchs anymore. I work for a very well known world wide IT based company and am based here in NY on a HUGE account which has tasked me and my team with decommissioning over 200 Novell Servers and implementing a complete Microsoft Active Directory/Unix environment.

So, even the much larger companies are switching over. Novell is destined to take it's place on a dusty old shelf with Lantastic ... LOL

Although, personally I will continue to run it at home for a while.

RX

Some truth in that but other then that I dont buy it. I am putting my 2 cents in first Novell is old yes CNE places that want that cert are places that are willing to pay you more then $120,000 a year. CNE's are so rare now that people who have that are something. Such as yourself what are you 3.0 Cert of earlier?

Second off Random you probadly just got unlucky at one company once or twice in the little NY State. Yes NY State is small you guys isn't nothing compared to California, Los Angeles will soon be bigger then NYC.

Thrid off I know you dont care about city size well I do. That is why I bring this point.

Active Directory/Domains are shitty compared to mangement in Novell. I dont know if you ever used a box like Windows 2000 Advanced Server but you notice once you add more then about 50 people to it your screwed. The thing with Novell is you add 4000 users no problem but with Windows 2000 sure you can add 5000 users using batch files but watch what happens when they all connect one by one or all at the same time. UNIX is cool but not close to Novell yes I was doging Novell but it is still my fav NOS and yes I run Windows 2000 Server at home because I need the services they offer WINS/DNS/DHCP but beyond that I can do other things such as apps that require Windows 2000 Server-Side OS's and my software I have are designed for the server side.

Your right not more jobs left over but people didn't pay $5000 7 years ago for Novell so they can throw it away 7 years later kinda like my 486DX that cost $3000 still got and going to have it intill the 1THZ processor comes out.

I see your point but at the same time nothing will ever be better then Novell for Network/User Management and if so not for another 5 years or so.

BTW I dont want to hear the stories with Farm of Windows 2000 boxes you need 50 of those to compete with Novell 5!!!

I was CNE certified for 4.x just to answer your question. But I think you missed my point.

My point is not to say that Microsoft's networking solutions are better or stronger than Novell. I don't even think a high percentage of the issue has to do with pricing. My point is that Microsoft has grown bigger, marketed themselves better, and has been capturing new business... thus giving them a stronghold in the industry.

You see... here is an analogy. You may be a good man... you may be better than most men. But if the perception is that you are rotten then you can't get a date anywhere.. LOL

It doesn't matter if Novell is a more robust OS or not. What matters is that they got lazy, failed to keep the industry interested in what their products, and lost ground.

I strongly disagree with your comments regarding W2K Server being a problem after 50 Users. I come from an environment with over 12, 000. Although it's a fact that Microsoft requires MUCH more powerful hardware and more power on the backbone for TCP/IP... yes it's wise to set up multiple Domain Controllers, DNS Servers, DHCP servers, etc... But saying 50 users is a ridiculous over exaggeration.

Netware as a product I find much better, more responsive, less of a headache... But Novell's company failed to market themselves strategically enough to keep their foot in the door. Now in order for them to overcome this they would have to make a drastic and dramatic change to make the industry excited again.

Also, don't down play New York or make this a New York thing. This will get ugly if we go that route. New York is a heavy hitter in the IT industry with some of the worlds highest cost of living rates and thus some of the most competitive industry average salaries. I haven't made less than 6 figures in 4 years. Even through all the the recent 9/11 events and economical issues. Do the research then talk to me about NY...

Otherwise, let's keep it Novell vs Microsoft. Fair enough?

RX

dude you took it the wrong way and I am being serious dude lol

but man LA OWNS NEW YORK mannnnnn yeahhhhhh California has everything you guys wish you had lol hahahahaha hope that didn't get to you too much but seriously
I done my research you do yours I agree on everything you said about MS and Novell. End of topic