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Novell Workstation Manager Eliminates Need for NT Server Domains

Articles and Tips: article

01 Feb 1997


Novell recently announced that Novell Workstation Manager, a new software utility forintegrating Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0 Workstations intobusiness networks and centrally managing them through Novell Directory Services (NDS), has entered open beta and is available for free download from Novell on line forums on the World Wide Web and CompuServe. Workstation Manager eliminates the need to control NT workstations through NT server domains, which lack the flexibility and scalability of NDS.

Novell Workstation Manager is fully integrated with Novell's IntranetWare Client for Windows NT. Through NDS, administrators can now centrally create and manage NT workstation user accounts, enabling users to securely access their familiar desktop and networked resources from any workstation on the network with a single log in. The new software enables administrators to leverage NDS to simplify workstation administration and management, reduce the cost of network ownership, and deploy Novell's IntranetWare and NetWare, NT workstations, and other systems in the same, tightly integrated network environment.

"Using Workstation Manager has obviated the need to build a domain architecture alongside NDS and may well have saved one of my clients, a prestigious financial firm, close to $1 million in hardware, software, maintenance and training," said Louis Palena, consultant for Corey Hill Consulting. "We're pleased with these components (IntranetWare Client for Windows NT and Novell Workstation Manager); they have completely validated the strategic wager we have placed on Novell."

"What we have seen so far is very promising," said Kent Leary, chief systems engineer at Haworth, Inc., a large furniture manufacturer. "Workstation Manager will save us a lot of time and money with our rollout of NT workstation by providing centralized control of NT workstations through NDS, eliminating the need to buy NT servers for user administration."

Eases Administration, Saves Time The Novell Workstation Manager and IntranetWare Client forWindows NT are tightly integrated with the Windows NT operating system and support NT workstation management features such as user profiles and system policies. This tight integration allows administrators to configure and control any number of user desktops from a central location quickly and easily through NDS user profiles. Novell Workstation Manager also simplifies remote user management by allowing administrators to create a single NT workstation user account that can be accessed from any workstation on the network. User accounts are created dynamically at the desktop, providing users with a single log in to their familiar networked resources from any location.

A Forrester Report, titled "Managing Unruly Desktops," estimates that organizations spend approximately $8,170 annually in total desktop ownership costs. Of that, $3,830, or almost one half, is spent on desktop management. By eliminating the need for separate management of NT workstations and IntranetWare networks, Novell Workstation Manager reduces network administration time and expenditures and lowers total desktop ownership costs.

"Early customer response to the Workstation Manager has been extremely positive," said William Donahoo, senior director of product marketing at Novell. "Our installed base can now deploy NT workstations across their organizations while preserving the management and cost advantages of NDS and their Novell network infrastructure. Other customers are discovering that they need distributed and scalable directory services that only Novell and NDS can provide to get the most value out of NT workstations and other network resources."

Novell's NT Integration Solution Components The Novell Workstation Manager is one component in Novell's complete solution for integrating both Microsoft Windows NT workstation and server into business LANs, intranets and the Internet with Novell's advanced networking solutions. Other components of the Novell/ NT integration solution, available now or shipping later this year include:

  • IntranetWare Client for Windows NT provides NT 3.51 and 4.0 Workstation users with full support for IntranetWare services and utilities, including NDS, integrated messaging, multiprotocol support, management, security, file and print;

  • Novell Application Launcher, an extension of the IntranetWare client, leverages the full power of NDS for simplified management of networked applications, software distribution and administration;

  • Novell Domain Host Configuration Protocol Server, an integrated component of Novell's IntranetWare platform, reduces the costs of network administration by dynamically allocating TCP/IP addresses and storing information about IP addresses, IntranetWare/IP and NT Servers in one easy to manage service;

  • ManageWise agent for Windows NT, an extension of Novell's ManageWise 2.1, provides a single point of management for IntranetWare and Windows NT servers through a sophisticated graphical user interface;

  • GroupWise 5 for Windows NT, a version of Novell's extended client/server e mail system and premiere intranet application, includes both a 32 bit client and back end services that run across Windows NT workstations, servers and all other major client and server platforms;

  • Novell Directory Services for Windows NT, available this summer, provides NDS natively on Windows NT to provide customers with maximum freedom of choice and enable developers to fully leverage NDS as a cross platform applications infrastructure; and,

  • NDS/Windows NT domain synchronization and user administration technology, available Q1 1997, synchronizes Windows NT users with IntranetWare users, enabling centralized administration through NDS.

Pricing and Availability The Novell Workstation Manager beta software utility is available now electronically, free of charge, with an updated version of the IntranetWare Client for Windows NT from the World Wide Web (http://support.novell.com/home/pubbeta/) and NetWire on CompuServe (GO NWCLIENT).

For More Information For additional information, customers can contact Novell at 1 888 321 4272, or download information from NetWire on CompuServe or on the World Wide Web at http://www.novell.com. To view the Novell/Windows NT integration products roadmap, visit the Novell integration homepage at http://www.novell.com/intranetware/ntint.

* Originally published in Novell AppNotes

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The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.

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