Novell has long provided customer solutions that deliver interoperability across many platforms including Windows and Linux - to name a few.

Our customers count on the fact that Novell solutions will fit easily into their heterogeneous IT environments:

"The beauty of Novell is that it offers a homogenous solution for our heterogeneous environment. We can manage all of our current networked environments, as well as future initiatives."

 Frank Green, vice president of Network Administration at Bank Mutual

Let's take a closer look at how Novell solutions interoperate with Microsoft platforms and products:

Identity & Security Management Solutions - Businesses are faced with a perfect storm of global security threats, global regulatory pressures and global competition. Novell solutions enable our customers to meet these challenges on their platforms of choice with identity & security management solutions that simplify and secure their enterprise while controlling costs and meeting regulatory demands.  Here is how some of the key products in Novell's identity and security management portfolio support Microsoft platforms and products.

• Novell Identity Manager- Identity Manager is an automated user-provisioning and metadirectory solution that delivers streamlined user administration, increased security, cost reduction and enhanced support for regulatory compliance.  Server side, Identity Manager can be deployed on Windows NT, 2000 and 2003 (among several others non-Microsoft platforms). and supports SQL Server 2000.  Supported Microsoft client platforms and products include Windows XP & 2000 and Internet Explorer.  Connected Microsoft systems include Active Directory, SQL Server, Exchange 2000 & 5.5 and Windows NT Domain (as well as hundreds of other non-Microsoft systems).

• Novell Access Manager - Novell Access Manager doesn't force you to trade business agility for better security controls. With Novell Access Manager you get a single access management solution that protects both Web and enterprise applications and helps organizations enhance user productivity, streamline administration, increase security, and ensure compliance. For Windows users, you can get secure access to Web resources via Internet Explorer or other popular Web browsers, as well as secure access to enterprise applications with the SSLVPN included with Novell Access Manager.

• Sentinel from Novell - Sentinel delivers real-time monitoring and remediation for automated security and compliance. Empower a single view of security and compliance events across the entire enterprise.  Sentinel can be deployed to Windows Server 2000 & 2003 (among other non-Microsoft platforms).  It also supports SQL Server 2000 and 2005.

• Novell eDirectory - Novell eDirectory is the foundation for the world's largest identity-centric directory deployments. Cost effective, scalable and secure, eDirectory simplifies cross-platform management of identity. Novell eDirectory can be deployed to all the major operating systems, including Microsoft Windows Server 2000 and 2003, as well as workstations running the Novell Client for Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP.

Systems & Resource Management Solutions - Novell provides systems and resource management solutions that let enterprises define business and IT policies to automate the management of multiple IT resources. As a result, customers can eliminate IT effort, control IT costs, reduce IT skill requirements and fully manage and leverage their IT investment.

• Novell ZENworks Suite - Novell ZENworks is a comprehensive set of integrated tools that automate IT management and business processes across the lifecycle of desktops, laptops, servers and handhelds across diverse server and client platforms. The ZENworks Suite can be deployed to a broad range of server operating systems, including Microsoft servers with support for Windows Server 2000 & 2003.  ZENworks manages Microsoft-based devices including Windows* XP Professional & Tablet PC Edition, Windows 2000 Professional & 98 SE, Windows Server 2000 & 2003, Windows CE and Pocket PC devices.  ZENworks suite also supports Active Directory.

• Novell ZENworks Patch Management - ZENworks Patch Management is a powerful, automated patch management solution. With full support for patches for NetWare, Microsoft Windows*, Solaris*, HP-UX*, AIX* and Macintosh* administrators can quickly determine what patches are right for their organization and automatically apply them across their enterprise.  ZENworks Patch Management can be deployed to Windows Server 2000, 2003 and XP.  Agents support Windows 95/98/MA, NT, 2000, 2003 and XP.

• Novell ZENworks Asset Management - ZENworks Asset Management integrates asset inventory, software usage and license reconciliation to provide the most complete, accurate view of software installations and license compliance available. Take control of your license compliance and eliminate software overspending, so you purchase only the licenses your organization needs.  ZENworks Asset Management can be deployed to Microsoft Windows Server 2000, 2003 and XP and supports SQL Server and Explorer.  Microsoft devices that can be inventoried include Windows XP (including Tablet PC and Media Center Editions), 2000, NT4 and 9.x, as well as Windows Server 2000, 2003, NT Server, Virtual PC 2004 and Virtual Server 2005.

Workgroup Solutions - Organizations of all sizes face the challenge of providing a technical environment that supports the work processes of their employees. Novell delivers comprehensive and adaptable Workgroup solutions that provide the infrastructure, services and tools information workers require. Novell offers the security, unbeatable reliability and manageability employees need to efficiently get the job done.

• Novell GroupWise - GroupWise is a comprehensive collaboration solution that provides information workers with e-mail, calendaring, instant messaging, mobility, task management, and contact and document management capabilities. GroupWise deploys to Microsoft Windows Server 2000 & 2003 and to Windows 2000, XP Professional and 2003 on the client side.  GroupWise Mobile Server provides real-time wireless delivery of GroupWise to hundreds of mobile devices, including Windows Mobile, with any carrier network or WiFi.

• Novell Open Enterprise Server - Open Enterprise Server provides secure, reliable and highly-available workgroup services in an open environment that is easy to deploy and manage. Open Enterprise Server interoperates with Microsoft Windows environments in the following ways:

  • iPrint - Windows workstations can seamlessly update printer drivers and easily print to a network printer.

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  • iFolder - Windows  workstations can automatically synchronize local filesto a Novell file server where users can have anytime, anywher file access.

  • Novell Windows workstation client - Windows workstations running the Novell client can map drives, save files, browse for files all using the Windows interface.

  • Open Enterprise server supports Microsoft workstations so that an end user can map drives, save and search files, and browse directories using Microsoft security methods and the native windows workstation interface.

• Novell Open Workgroup Suite -The Novell Open Workgroup Suite provides organizations of all sizes with a secure, flexible and cost-effective IT infrastructure and a proven set of workgroup services.. This suite is made up of open, standards-based software and includes a complete infrastructure and productivity solution from the desktop to the server. Novell's Open Workgroup Suite ships with a fully supported version of Open Office for Windows, delivering seamless interoperability on Windows for all components of this alternative Productivity Suite. 

Open Platform Solutions - SUSE Linux Enterprise is a platform for the entire open enterprise, delivering new solutions that help you outperform competitors, cut costs, neutralize security threats and satisfy the most demanding customers. From desktops to data centers, the best Linux just got better.

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server - SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is designed to handle mission-critical workloads in your data center. It is the only open, scalable, high-performance data center solution that comes with integrated virtualization, application security and systems management across the full range of hardware architectures. Every enterprise has a mix of operating systems and hardware that has been acquired over a period of years. SUSE Linux Enterprise has been designed with that heterogeneous environment in mind. Leveraging SAMBA technology, SUSE Linux Enterprise seamlessly integrates into and supports existing Windows file and print environments. In addition, it plugs into existing directory and domain infrastructures, including Microsoft Active Directory and Domains, Novell eDirectory, and openLDAP. With its broad use of open standards, SUSE Linux Enterprise enables you to share information across any IT system, so that you can easily communicate between business divisions or business partners.

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop - SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is the first enterprise Linux desktop that is cost-effective, easy-to-use, is a secure desktop - and works with your existing systems. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is compatible with Microsoft Active Directory, Novell eDirectory™ and other networking and directory standards, so you can plug it right into your existing infrastructure. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop shares files seamlessly with Windows, Mac and UNIX, and it can talk to your existing e-mail servers, including Microsoft Exchange, Novell GroupWise, and any collaboration server that supports the IMAP, SMTP and POP standards. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop also supports other industry staples, including plug-n-play hardware support for USB and Bluetooth devices, wireless networking, support for printing and file standard protocols, multimedia content viewers and Microsoft file-format fidelity in OpenOffice.org 2.0.

Were you surprised to learn how Novell and Microsoft solutions work together? Let us know what products and solutions you'd like to learn about and we'll be sure to follow up with more details. In the meantime, please visit http://www.novell.com and learn more about how Novell and Microsoft are working together to support our customers.