Novell plots Microsoft trump

Novell (NOVL) plans to steal Microsoft's (MSFT) thunder by introducing its enterprise technology one day before Microsoft's day-long event to address the scalability of its Windows NT Server operating system.

The Novell event, to take place in New York City on May 19, is dubbed the Rock the Net Day and will serve as the launching pad for the official name of the company's Border Services technology. Novell will also use the occasion to further its Java strategy and provide more details on its Wolf Mountain clustering technology effort. Novell officials refused to disclose the official product name of the Border Services technology.

Microsoft will present a Scalability Day for the press and analyst community on May 20 in order to show the world that Windows NT is ready for use as a foundation for business-critical tasks.

As previously reported by CNET's NEWS.COM, highlights of Scalability Day will include a demonstration of Microsoft's own clustering technology, code-named Wolfpack, as well as the introduction of an enterprise version of Windows NT.

Novell president Joe Marengi said, "You have to compete with Microsoft because they're out there, but you also acknowledge the fact that Windows NT is going to be successful in the server space. So the question is: How do you take advantage of what NT is doing? How do you extend the services Windows NT is providing? That's primarily the Border Services space."

Border Services is the name of an umbrella strategy that includes a set of services that sit at the edge of the network between the public and private pipes. The set of tools includes proxy caching technology, filtering, and security features. The final product will ship in August, with an open beta program scheduled to start next month. It will be sold as a separate product by Novell, according to company officials.

Analysts have said Novell's Border Services is currently a unique product in the industry that will likely have competition from a variety of internetworking and security vendors in a short time. But in order to gain marketshare in the space, Novell will have to conquer marketing issues that have plagued the company during previous product introductions, they added.