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VIEW EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In the early 1990s, Novell
extended the concept of a small single-server network with the introduction
of NetWare 4. With the introduction of Novell Directory Services (NDS), Novell's
new network directory, network managers could cluster multiple servers into
easily managed groups. Also, Novell introduced a GUI-based central management
program called NetWare Administrator (NWAdmin). All the while, NetWare still
provided the best file and print services for growing networks.
By
the late 1990s, networks grew even larger. Networks that once were limited
to a department here and there now suddenly found themselves connected to
larger networks. Some networks were located within the same building; others
were separated by continents and connected with WANs. And, of course, you
can't forget the impact of the Internet on business.
Novell reacted
by releasing intraNetWare. The intraNetWare release included an improved
version of NetWare 4.1 called NetWare 4.11. However, the name was misleading.
The new version of NetWare included with intraNetWare was more than a tenth
of a point revision—it included many enhancements that made the operating
system easier to install, easier to operate, faster, and more stable. It
also included the first fully 32-bit client for Windows-based workstations.
As
the name intraNetWare implies, NetWare 4.11 made it easier to create intranets
and link networks to the Internet. Novell bundled handy tools, such as the
IPX/IP gateway, to ease the connection between IPX workstations and IP networks.
And, for the first time, Novell included an application called Webserver,
which lets you create and host Web sites on NetWare servers. It also began
integrating Internet technologies and support through features such as natively
hosted Dynamic Host Core Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS).
As
Novell worked to improve NetWare and add capabilities to meet business needs,
the target market continued to grow and change. Interest increased in linking
large networks and attaching them to the Internet and WANs. Although NetWare
was considered a strong choice for file and print services, businesses viewed
the product as a weak choice for applications they wanted to deploy on their
servers. End users' storage and networking needs increased as databases and
applications grew to sizes once unimaginable. Administrators wanted an easy
way to tie things together and make managing large and complicated networks
simpler. To address these needs and apparent weaknesses, Novell introduced
NetWare 5.
But NetWare 5 isn't alone. Other new network operating
systems are appearing at a rapid clip. Microsoft is releasing Windows 2000
(a.k.a. NT 5.0); Sun has released new versions of Solaris; almost everywhere
you turn, you hear about the latest version of Linux; even IBM is readying
a Version 5 of Warp Server. But through it all, Novell has worked to make
NetWare 5 the leader of the pack.
John Sheesley
has been supporting networks since 1986 when he got his hands on NetWare
2.2. Since then, he's worked with the Jefferson County Police Department
in Louisville, KY. and Genlyte-Thomas Group. John's been a technical writer
for several leading publishers including TechRepublic, The Cobb Group, and
ZDJournals. John can be reached at jsheesley@techrepublic.com.
Editorial Disclaimer
The
authors and editors have taken care in preparation of the content contained
herein, but make no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assume
no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for any
damages. Always have a verified backup before making any changes.
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