Novell sets its sights on Solaris
The network software provider launches its long-promised directory tool for Sun Microsystems' brand of Unix.
The company has already released a version of its Novell Directory Services administration software, or NDS, that runs on Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. Now it has turned its attention to Sun's Solaris, the Unix server-based operating system leader.
"We realized it was important we have a Unix play," said Paul Corriveau, Novell's product marketing manager for NDS.
Novell is counting on NDS to spur interest in application development for Novell's software and as a tool for the company to play a greater role in infrastructure purchase for Internet applications.
The new version of NDS for Solaris works with version 2.6 of Sun's operating system and is priced using a server and per-user licensing scheme. A server license is priced at $695 while a license for each user connecting to it costs $26.
IBM recently announced plans to incorporate Novell's NDS software into a set of services for its OS/390 operating system, with shipment expected later this month.
Novell executives said a version of NDS that requires a Novell-based server, but works with Hewlett-Packard's HP-UX brand of Unix, will ship later this year.
Separately, the company announced a new update for current versions of the company's NetWare 5.0 operating system release.