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- Novell Announces LANalyzer for NetWare
-
- Networking Leader Expands Network Management Product Line with New,
- Easy-to-Use Analysis and Monitoring System for NetWare
-
- SAN JOSE, Calif. -- May 11, 1992 -- Novell Inc. today announced
- LANalyzer for NetWare, the first monitoring and analysis product
- designed specifically for NetWare networks. LANalyzer for NetWare is an
- affordable, hardware-independent network management product that brings
- sophisticated network monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities to
- virtually every Ethernet NetWare installation.
-
- LANalyzer for NetWare combines network monitoring and analysis in a
- single, easy-to-use Microsoft Windows-based system. Its graphical user
- interface provides an easily understood view of network statistics, and
- features a unique point-and-click filtering system that minimizes the
- networking expertise necessary to use the product. It includes
- specialized tests and diagnostics for the NetWare environment. The
- product also includes complete seven-layer protocol decodes for all
- versions of NetWare, as well as for AppleTalk Phases 1 and 2.
-
- LANalyzer for NetWare can be used as a network troubleshooting tool, a
- realtime monitoring system, an in-depth statistical analyzer and a
- network growth planner. The product runs on any 80386 or better
- DOS-Windows workstation and can analyze traffic on any type of Ethernet
- cabling (standard, thin-net or 10BASE-T).
-
- "NetWare customers tell us they need to supplement their server
- management and workstation diagnostics with a tool that lets them manage
- the NetWare environment as a whole," said Duane Murray, vice president
- and general manager of Novell's Network Management Products Division.
- "LANalyzer for NetWare fills that need and gives systems administrators
- the first affordable, easy-to-use management and analysis solution for
- NetWare networks. It takes network monitoring and troubleshooting out
- of the realm of network or protocol specialists and makes it available
- to all NetWare administrators. It's the first management tool anyone
- who administers NetWare networks should consider buying."
-
- According to Murray, LANalyzer for NetWare brings together three key
- Novell technologies: the NetWare operating system; the industry-leading
- high-performance LANalyzer; and the recently introduced NetWare
- Management System. "We've applied analysis and troubleshooting
- technologies pioneered in the original LANalyzer, optimized them for the
- NetWare environment, and added the intuitive Windows interface and
- management tools we're using in NMS," Murray said. "The combination
- creates a full-featured, easy-to-use analysis tool priced to
- significantly expand the market and use of this technology."
-
- Key Features and Benefits
-
- Novell's LANalyzer for NetWare offers the following features and
- functions:
-
- ~ Intuitive interface -- LANalyzer for NetWare is designed to make
- complex network analysis and management functions as easy to
- understand and use as possible. Users navigate using the familiar
- Windows mouse-driven system. The product's initial interface is an
- automotive "dashboard," which displays network statistics on three
- circular gauges with needles that move to represent levels of key
- network activity, including traffic rates, bandwidth utilization
- and errors. LANalyzer for NetWare detects common problems and
- alerts users to network anomalies through a system of warning
- lights, audible alarms and text descriptions of error conditions.
-
- ~ Point-and-click filtering -- A feature unique to LANalyzer for
- NetWare, point-and-click filtering minimizes the networking
- expertise needed on the part of the user. Rather than using
- complex software commands to set up filters to find specific
- network traffic or events, users can simply use the mouse to select
- anything of interest, such as a particular protocol, address or
- event. LANalyzer for NetWare automatically filters on those
- criteria and displays all similar conditions or events. For
- example, if users want to look at errors in opening files on a
- server, they simply highlight one of those events and LANalyzer for
- NetWare automatically finds all similar occurrences and displays
- them on the screen. The information displayed establishes a
- pattern which indicates the source of the problem.
-
- ~ Active name gathering -- Another unique LANalyzer for NetWare
- feature, the product actively queries servers and workstations to
- get the names of all NetWare and Macintosh nodes logged into the
- network. Active systems allow administrators to get the names
- quickly and on demand; passive systems must wait for stations to
- announce their names (most stations only announce their names when
- logging into a server).
-
- ~ Packet capture and interpretation -- LANalyzer for NetWare offers
- full seven-layer decoding capabilities for all NetWare and
- AppleTalk networking protocols. This allows the user to determine
- exactly what is occurring on the network at the packet level. Full
- protocol decodes help users identify and resolve networking
- problems. LANalyzer for NetWare is the only analysis product, with
- the exception of the original LANalyzer, to support all versions of
- NetWare, including NetWare 3.x, NetWare 2.x and NetWare Lite.
-
- ~ Network trend information -- The product stores long-term network
- statistics to disk. These statistics can be viewed graphically or
- exported to standard spreadsheets for additional analysis or to
- help plan future network expansion.
-
- ~ Hardware independence -- LANalyzer for NetWare runs on any standard
- Microsoft Windows 3.x-based PC. This allows LANalyzer for NetWare
- software to be stored centrally and moved to any DOS-Windows
- workstation on any segment that requires service. Hardware
- independence also leverages existing computer equipment.
-
- Pricing and Availability
-
- Novell's LANalyzer for NetWare, a complete network monitoring and
- analysis system for NetWare networks, will be available through Novell
- distribution channels in June 1992. The suggested list price is
- US$1,495. For a limited time, LANalyzer for NetWare will be offered at
- the introductory suggested list price of US$995.
-
- The original LANalyzer, recently enhanced in release 3.11A, is also
- available now. It includes the expert Automated Troubleshooting System,
- full decodes for 18 networking environments, LANalyzer operational
- software, a specialized network analysis interface card and extensive
- documentation. 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.
-
- 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.
-
- Network Management Solutions From Novell
-
- In addition to LANalyzer for NetWare, Novell's network management
- products include the original LANalyzer, an industry leader since 1984;
- the LANtern system, an SNMP-based network monitoring solution that
- provides centralized control of Ethernet networks; the recently
- introduced NetWare Management System, an integration platform and set of
- advanced network management applications; and NetWare Hub Services,
- connectivity management software that provides the foundation for the
- industry's first open, multi-vendor, hardware-independent intelligent
- hub solution.
-
- Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL) is an operating system software company, the
- developer of network services, specialized and general purpose operating
- system products including NetWare and DR DOS. 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.
-
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