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- NOVELL ENHANCES LANALYZER WITH RELEASE OF VERSION 3.11A
- For Immediate Release
-
- New Release Gives Users Faster, More-Efficient Network Diagnostic and
- Troubleshooting Capabilities Across Broad Range of Networking Environments
-
- SAN JOSE, Calif. -- January 13, 1992 -- Novell, Inc., today announced shipment
- of LANalyzer v3.11A, a new version of its expert network analyzer that expands
- the unique Automated Troubleshooting System, adds extensive new report
- generation capabilities, offers protocol decodes for 18 of the most widely
- used networking environments, and features a new down-sized Ethernet interface
- card.
-
- "Networks have become the foundation of many of today's businesses, and
- network managers no longer have the luxury of prolonged trial and error
- problem resolution. They need answers fast," said Duane Murray, vice
- president and general manager of Novell's Network Management Products
- Division. "LANalyzer helps increase network uptime, a key to the growth of
- network computing, through its ability to zero in on a virtually unlimited set
- of network problems quickly and efficiently. Release 3.11A substantially
- enhances an already solid product and extends its scope into the vast majority
- of the networking environments in common use today."
-
- LANalyzer v3.11A builds on the expert system concept pioneered by Novell in
- mid-1990 with the release of LANalyzer v3.0, the first network analysis
- product capable of interactively leading the user step-by-step through the
- diagnostic process. LANalyzer's Automated Troubleshooting System (ATS) acts
- as a network "sieve," filtering out extraneous traffic and identifying and
- diagnosing network malfunctions in the most prevalent networking environments
- and topologies. LANalyzer is currently the market-leading network analyzer
- and has the largest worldwide installed base.
-
- "The best thing about LANalyzer is that it's easy to use," said Ron Cooney,
- facility manager, ground systems development environment, Loral Space
- Information Systems in Houston, Texas. "Other analyzers tell you as much, but
- you don't know what you're looking at. With LANalyzer you do." Cooney uses
- LANalyzer to maintain a network that includes more than 200 nodes, most of
- them DEC 5000 and 2100 workstations, and 10 NetWare servers.
-
- "The first day we got it out of the box we had a packet problem on the
- network," Cooney added. "With LANalyzer, I was able to detect the problem and
- solve it less than an hour after taking the product out of the box. Anyone
- familiar with networks can easily understand how to use LANalyzer. We use the
- product proactively, detecting and resolving potential problems before anyone
- is affected. As a network manager, I couldn't do my job without LANalyzer."
-
- New in LANalyzer v3.11A
-
- ~ Expanded expert system -- ATS now includes more than 175 pre-defined
- testing routines, up from 146 in the last release, that can detect
- hundreds of specific network malfunctions. These include duplicate IP
- addresses, routing loop errors and beaconing token rings. These tests
- also track network "vital signs" such as token rotation time, Ethernet
- packet collisions, and broadcast storms. All tests can be edited to
- desired criteria, and experienced users can create their own tests using
- LANalyzer templates.
-
- ~ Standardized report generation capabilities -- LANalyzer integrates its
- reporting capabilities with the two most popular spreadsheet
- applications: Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3. By using a set of macros
- included in LANalyzer software, users can display specified information
- from LANalyzer trace files and plot the results in full color using Excel
- graphing tools. Similar capabilities for Lotus 1-2-3 have been part of
- LANalyzer since mid-1990.
-
- ~ Protocol decode support for five additional network environments --
- LANalyzer is the only network analyzer to offer decodes for NetWare Lite,
- Novell's new peer-to-peer networking software. In addition, this release
- includes full decodes for the LAT terminal emulation protocol from
- Digital Equipment Corporation; SNMP over IPX, an emerging network
- management protocol; OSPF (Open Shortest Path First), a newly defined
- high-speed IP routing protocol; and X-Windows, commonly used to transfer
- graphical user interface information over a network.
-
- LANalyzer now includes protocol decodes for 18 distinct networking
- environments. All decodes are part of the core product and are included
- at no extra per-protocol charge.
-
- ~ More power in a smaller package -- The new down-sized Ethernet card can
- be installed in virtually any standard PC chassis, including most new
- notebook computers. It runs 20 percent faster than the full-sized card
- it replaces, while consuming half the power. The new card is also the
- first analysis controller to feature built-in 10BASE-T support,
- eliminating the need for a separate transceiver.
-
- Pricing, Availability and Update Information
-
- Novell's LANalyzer 3.11A, consisting of LANalyzer's expert Automatic
- Troubleshooting System, full decodes for 18 networking environments, LANalyzer
- operational software, a specialized network analysis interface card and
- extensive documentation, is available now through LANalyzer authorized
- resellers. Versions for Ethernet or Token Ring (4 and 16 Mbps) topologies
- list for US$12,500. A combined Ethernet and Token Ring version lists for
- US$19,980.
-
- Current LANalyzer users covered under the LANalyzer Update Program will
- receive a free update to 3.11A software. Suggested pricing applies in the
- United States and Canada only. For pricing outside the United States and
- Canada, customers should contact their local Novell Authorized reseller.
- Interested parties can call either 800-243-8526 or 408-473-8333 for authorized
- LANalyzer resellers in their area.
-
- Novell's Network Management Products Division provides monitoring, diagnostic
- and analysis solutions for computer network managers, service organizations
- and software developers. Its products include the LANtern* network monitoring
- system, one of the leading SNMP-based monitoring systems, and the
- award-winning LANalyzer network analyzer. The division also develops Novell's
- intelligent hub technology.
-
- Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL) is an operating system software company, the
- developer of network services, specialized and general purpose operating
- system software products including NetWare, DR DOS, DR Multiuser DOS and
- FlexOS. Novell's NetWare network computing products manage and control the
- sharing of services, data and applications among computer workgroups,
- departmental networks and business-wide information systems.
-