Key 1996 Technologies
Articles and Tips: article
01 Feb 1996
Novell Puts Developers on Fast Track with Previews and Software Development Kits
Novell finished 1995 by providing top developers with previews of key network technologies that will shape the future of NetWare in 1996, including the code-named Net2000 application programming interface, NetWare Distributed Print Services (NDPS), and Green River - code name for the next major release of the NetWare 4 operating system scheduled for summer 1996.
At two December conferences, Novell delivered on its fall 1995 promises to assist independent software vendors and corporate developers by pre-releasing Green River and NDPS. Novell also used the conferences to receive developer input for both near-term and future technology planning.
Over 60 developers at the December Partner Summit in Monterey, California received an alpha Software Developer's Kit (SDK) for Green River and a review of the robust set of network services that Novell will open to developers through its code-named Net2000 initiative. Net2000 is a key element of Novell's strategy to enable the Smart Global Network by providing developers with a universal interface to network services. It will provide the network interfaces, infrastructure, and core services necessary to build, manage and deploy business logic, content, extended services, and resources across applications, applets, objects, components, and devices throughout the network.
A separate group of 130 developers met in Provo, Utah in December to preview and receive the Alpha SDK for NetWare Distributed Print Services (NDPS), a critical component of Green River that will support control and management of print services across distributed networks. NDPS provides a set of printing options and information that virtually guarantees trouble-free printing, using a distributed database within the NetWare Directory Service (NDS) to deliver transparent access to printing resources. Novell partnered with Hewlett-Packard and Xerox to create NDPS, which will be available to customers in the summer 1996.
As a follow-up to the Partner Summit, Novell Corporate Developer Relations is hosting an opportunity for strategic developers to sit down with the Net2000 team to discuss and give live feedback on Net2000 architecture, infrastructure, components, and interfaces. This invitation-only Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting will take place in Utah on Feb. 15-16.
"This will be a developer"to"developer meeting designed to provide insight for both groups into the Net2000 initiative," said Gary Mueller, vice president of corporate developer relations. "The meeting demonstrates our commitment to assisting developers as they develop to our technology."
The Summit Partners Speak Out "The Partner's Summit reinforced Novell's new strategy and focus on networking services, and demonstrated the Company's commitment to seek input on new technology from its partners. Being in the technology strategy loop early enables us to focus on our future 4GL tool strategy and further enhance our existing NetWare development tools such as ManageWare and
NetBasic - and these enhancements will translate into greater productivity for our customers," stated Sean Moshir, president and CEO of HiTecSoft Corporation.
"I am impressed with Novell's strict focus on networking, and the company's efforts to foster relationships that fit this strategy," stated Tom George, senior product marketing manager, Gupta Corporation. "Net2000, in particular, builds on Novell's core competency and provides significant business opportunities for partners by allowing us to extend and market new value in our network applications."
"Our customers are Novell's customers and it is our mutual goal to provide the best development tools in the marketplace," stated Eric Siverts, sales manager for Base Technology, Inc. "As a strategic business partner, the major expected benefit to Base Technology will be increased sales of our NLM Software Development Kits by participating in Novell's co-operative advertising, direct marketing, Technology Roadshows and Brainshare programs."
NDPS Conference Kudos "It is exciting to see the growing interest from developers who attended the NetWare Distributed Print Services Developer's Conference," said Linda North, Network Solution Product Manager of Hewlett-Packard. -As part of HP's 'Operation Camouflage', NDPS is critical to providing our shared NetWare customers with transparent network printing."
"As a leading printer vendor, we have worked together with Novell to define an advanced printing service in response to the needs of customers," said Jim Baroody, Xerox product manager. "Xerox is pleased that our NDPS"enabled products will be supported by applications from the key industry participants at this conference."
"We consult with Novell OEMs and customers so we're very eager to learn more about NDPS," said Bill Hogan, product manager at Auco, Inc. "We definitely feel Novell's Smart Global Network strategy is the right direction for Novell and we expect our business to increase as they execute on it."
"The pre"release NDPS APIs we received at the conference will give us an early start in adding new printing capabilities to our applications. NDPS provides a powerful new framework for developing advanced network printing and publishing systems," said Jean"Cristophe Bandini, chief technical officer, Tumbleweed Software Corporation. "As the developers of Novell's Envoy portable document software and complementary products, such as Tumbleweed's Publishing Essentials, Tumbleweed Software intends to utilize NDPS to offer next-generation network publishing solutions."
Novell Delivers on Road Map Strategy In addition to bringing developers early into the development loop at the Partner Summit and the upcoming developer SIG, Novell will deliver Net2000 alpha interface specifications at its BrainShare conference in March, 1996. This deliverable will include specifications for naming, communication and security; architecture documents; and OCX components to demonstrate access to current services. The complete Net2000 SDK is scheduled for shipment by the end of 1996.
* Originally published in Novell AppNotes
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