First Look: Novell Small Business Suite 6

Wayne N. Kawamoto
Managing Editor, www.smallbusinesscomputing.com

Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL), a provider of Net business solutions, announced that Novell Small Business Suite 6 is now available worldwide through Novell Authorized Resellers and solution providers.

The latest version of Novell’s networking solutions suite for small businesses, the Novell Small Business Suite is designed to let customers integrate their local networks with the Internet, and create a unified network they can manage more easily and cost effectively.

According to the company, the emergence of the Net offers small businesses an inexpensive and effective way to reach new customers, yet small businesses rarely have the financial and technical resources to manage the complex challenges of moving business processes online. Few have dedicated IT resources. With network administration typically the most expensive element of any IT system, small businesses need a solution that is easy to run, reliable and secure, and which gives them the tools they need to leverage the Web. Novell Small Business Suite 6 is designed to meet this need.

Novell Small Business Suite 6 offers core networking and storage capabilities to small businesses with up to 50 users. The suite includes Novell NetWare 6 with its “access anywhere” features such as Novell iFolder, iPrint and NetWare WebAccess that allow file, print, directory, e-mail and other core network resources to be accessed and managed from any desktop, from any device, in any location. This may significantly reduce costs and management complexity.

The suite also provides full-fledged collaboration with Novell GroupWise 6, desktop management with Novell ZENworks for Desktops 3.2, and network security through Novell BorderManager Enterprise Edition 3.6. Partner products Tobit FaxWare*, Network Associates VirusScan* and NetShield*, and FatPipe* Internet Software provide additional collaboration, security and broadband features.

Pricing
List price for Novell Small Business Suite 6 is $1,295 for a server with a five-user license. Additional user licenses are $70 per each individual user or $300 for five additional users or $1,250 for 25 additional users.