Novell Announces Worldwide Availability of Only Linux-Based, Cross-Platform Systems Management Suite

WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Novell (Nasdaq: NOVL) today announced the worldwide availability of Novell(R) ZENworks(R) 7 Suite, the first systems management solution that automates the complete lifecycle of Linux* systems and allows organizations to manage their Windows* workstations from a Linux platform. Novell ZENworks automates and enforces business and IT management processes across the lifecycle of desktops, laptops, servers and handheld devices. As a result, organizations can control costs, ensure security and compliance and get the most from their IT asset investments.

"We recently implemented Novell ZENworks because of Novell's direction with Linux and have already realized simplified management and deployment of our desktops," said Richard Kebo, manager of network services for Clovis Unified School District. "We are excited about ZENworks 7 to manage our Windows and Linux systems and automate our migration to Novell Linux Desktop."

A recent report from IDC** shows one customer that is benefiting from using ZENworks Linux Management by simplifying the management tasks, requiring technical staff to spend less time on routine resource management. Today, the same task using ZENworks takes less than one hour, representing a savings of 87.5 percent in deployment time alone. The report also re-validated the analyst firm's findings that ZENworks provides an average thee-year return on investment (ROI) of 1,012 percent with a payback time of less than 100 days. In addition, the companies surveyed reduced downtime by an average of 73 percent.

The ability to manage Windows workstations from a Linux server allows customers to leverage the flexibility, power, security and scalability of Linux and provide organizations with an efficient, low-cost alternative to managing systems from a Windows server. Full lifecycle management capabilities for Linux enable organizations to quickly and easily deploy and manage Linux in their IT environment, lowering their total cost of IT operations.

"Businesses today face the challenge of managing a dynamic and diverse enterprise that includes multiple platforms and a mobile workforce," said Fred Broussard, IDC research manager. "When this is compounded by risks from outside threats such as viruses or software audits, IT departments are under increasing pressure to mitigate the risks. Solutions such as ZENworks make it easier for organizations to manage complex enterprises and reduce their overhead by automating the management of their IT resources."

David Litwack, Novell senior vice president and general manager, identity and resource management, said, "Organizations all over the world are recognizing that IT environments continue to evolve. By extending our market leading management capabilities to the Linux platform we can provide organizations the tools they need to live in a heterogeneous IT world."

More information about Novell ZENworks 7 can be found at http://www.novell.com/zenworks . About Novell

Novell, Inc. is a leading provider of infrastructure software and services to over 50,000 customers in 43 countries. With more than 20 years of experience in data center, workgroup and desktop solutions, Novell's 6,000 employees, 5,000 partners and support centers around the world are meeting customer requirements for identity-driven computing and Linux solutions. By providing enterprise-class software and support for commercial and open source software, Novell delivers increased operating flexibility and choice at a lower total cost of ownership. More information about Novell can be found at http://www.novell.com . NOTE: Novell and ZENworks are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. SUSE is a trademark of SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, a Novell business. *Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ** "Managing Linux Operational Costs," Fred Broussard and Al Gillen, July 2005