Comment: Novell Netware 6 is the BOMBDIGITY!

[Scarpozzi]

I've been doing some pretty extreme testing since early March... Novell Netware 6 is an AMAZING product. I'm fortunate because I work for a university and we're eligable for an Academic Licensing Agreement that will include NIMS for mail, Webaccess, iPrint, iFolder, and Netstorage solutions. I may be speaking another language, but if anyone can afford the Netware 6 package, most of those are included with Netware 6 and none require client 32! I wish I could show you the demo that I had working today, but this stuff puts Microsoft's Active Directory to shame! Especially on pricing. Just my .02 even though no one asked... I'm pumped about implementing this for 10,000 users.

 

[bozo1]

Netware has always blown away NT as a server operating system. Unfortunately, too many companies bought into Microsoft's hype and jumped ship. Of course Microsoft heavily discounting Office, Exchange, SQL licensing for companies that jumped ship didn't help when IT folks tried to resist.

I recall have Netware 3.11 servers with 250 users each doing HEAVY file sharing and printing running on 486-20Mhz machines with 24 Megs RAM and the server never getting above 15% utilization. Not to mention Netware 4.x boxes with 1500 users each, 128 Megs RAM, Pentium 90's running 5-15% utilization.

 

[N11]

I recall have Netware 3.11 servers with 250 users each doing HEAVY file sharing and printing running on 486-20Mhz machines with 24 Megs RAM and the server never getting above 15% utilization. Not to mention Netware 4.x boxes with 1500 users each, 128 Megs RAM, Pentium 90's running 5-15% utilization.

I've got a 3.11 and 3.12 chugging along nicely

1989

 

[Tiger]

Spent three weeks with it in my Net+ classes. Installed the client on 15 lab computers and Netware 6 on the server.
Other than a little snafu with the server NIC, a realtek 8139A, no big problems.
We got the network up and running a whole lot quicker using Netware and NDS than Win2K Server and AD.

 

[TheOmegaCode]

I have a co-worker who is trying to get another job which required Netware experience. So he downloaded a trial version of 6.0 and is going to install it soon. I have heard good things about this operating system. I wonder if I should mess with it... I would love to, some day, have network with Windows, OSX, FBSD, and Netware all talking

 

[Utterman]

That's great!!! It's sort of hard studying for my CNA in 5.1 when I know that 6 is already out. I just can't wait to get a server set up on this!

BTW, are you using any ZEN?

 

[SaigonK]

6 is great, Netware 5 supports alot of the featurs from 6 if you are up to date on your NDS, (8.6 or higher).
You can use I-Folder with Netware 5.1.

I cant wait for I-Print either, that is going to be great!

 

[Scarpozzi]

iPrint is an awesome product, but I like Webaccess because it allows iPrint and all the other solutions to run as gadgets in the page. Webaccess is pretty much a stripped down version of Portal services. We just got NIMS installed on Friday and ran its gadget through webaccess. It had sweet GUI and even calander options. Groupwise has even more functionality, but we haven't tested it simply because it's not in the ALA.

As far as running the newer products on a Netware 5.1 server, you can do it, but I don't reccommend it. Netware 6 licensing is awesome in the aspect that there are no longer any server licenses. You only need user licenses and can run as many servers as you want in the tree. This makes Netware 6 so much more powerful because you can designate the more intensive services to their own servers and even setup 2 node clusters. If 2 nodes aren't enough, you can pay a 1 time fee of about $5000 and run 4 node clusters. They do support up to 32 nodes, but the pricing is a little outrageous... Netware makes Microsoft's pricing look SOOO bad when you consider the functionality, the services, the price, and the ease of use. I can't believe that I used to hate Novell for their design...Client 32 is just bad, but with a web-based setup, you no longer have that problem and you can access this from home, work, a tropical island....wherever! By the way, I don't work for Novell...I'm just excited and happy (got my CNA a month ago).

-Ryan