Novell
Headquarters:
404 Wyman Street
Waltham, MA 02451
781 464 8000
Employees: 3,600
CEO: Ronald Hovsepian
Stock Symbol: NOVL
Website:
http://www.novell.com
Career Page
Novell is a worldwide leading provider
of enterprise software and services, combining open source and
commercial technologies based on open standards. The company
provides enterprise-wide operating systems based on Linux and
open source and the security and systems management services
required to operate mixed IT environments.
The company offers solutions in five main
markets: data center, security and identity, resource management,
workgroup, and desktop, to help customer's build, secure, manage,
connect, and free their open enterprises in a way that makes
sense for them and at a pace that works for them.
For fiscal 2009, Novell reported revenue of $862.1 million and net loss of $212.7 million.
History
Novell Data Systems began life in 1979
as a computer manufacturer and maker of disk operating systems.
In January 1983, Jack Messman and Safeguard Scientifics, a venture
capital firm, reincorporated NDSI as Novell, Inc., to design
and market software and hardware used for data networks. In May
1983, Raymond J. Noorda, an experienced engineer and marketer,
became president and CEO of the new company.
Under Noorda, Novell helped found the corporate
network market with the introduction of the LAN. In 1983, Novell
introduced NetWare, the first LAN software based on file-server
technology. Novell developed a PC networking system that designated
one machine to manage the network and control access to shared
devices, such as disk drives and printers. Through the 1980s,
corporate requirements for networks grew significantly, with
LANs being increasingly replaced by wide area networks, which
unified large corporate environments. By the early 1990s, Novell's
NetWare operating system, updated to add key features for distributed
enterprises, led this market with a nearly 70 percent share.
The company went public on January 17,
1985.
Eric Schmidt took over the reins at Novell
in March 1997, accelerating efforts to leverage Novell's core
networking strengths in the Internet arena. The following year
both NetWare 5, the server operating system, and Novell Directory
Services (NDS) began shipping with native support for IP, the
Internet communications protocol.
With the increased heterogeneity in corporate
networks and the need for interoperability across the Internet,
in 1998, Novell began to promote NDS as a means to tie diverse
platforms together. The company also began shipping products
that used information stored in the directory to simplify the
management of networks and better secure access based on the
identities of users. In late 1999, Novell released eDirectory,
a true cross-platform directory service that epitomized Novell's
commitment to interoperability and open standards which are key
Internet requirements.
In July 2001, Novell acquired consulting
firm Cambridge Technology Partners to strengthen its ability
to deliver both services and products to customers. The combination
of Novell's industry-leading technology and Cambridge's business
expertise gave Novell new strength to deliver networking solutions
to help companies solve their business challenges. Jack Messman,
the CEO of Cambridge, became president and CEO of Novell. This
marked the return of Messman as CEO of Novell.
In July 2002, Novell took another significant
step forward with its acquisition of SilverStream Software, a
leader in Web services-oriented application development. The
addition of SilverStream gave Novell a powerful, three-pronged
Web services story: the expertise to convert business processes
to Web services, a leading Web services application platform,
and Novell's traditional secure, scalable, and reliable networking
and identity management infrastructure on which to run Web services-based
applications.
Novell's acquisition of Ximian in August
2003 added another key component to Novell's cross-platform story.
With top Linux developers and leading solutions for Linux on
the desktop, management of Linux desktops and servers, and collaboration
between Linux and Windows environments, Ximian significantly
enhanced the platform options Novell could offer customers. Ximian
also brought strong Linux credibility to Novell in the form of
two of the open source movement's leading visionaries, Miguel
de Icaza and Nat Friedman. Ximian (now Novell) sponsorship of
two top open source projects, GNOME for the desktop and Mono
as an open source platform for running Microsoft .NET applications,
gave Novell increased weight and visibility in the open source
community.
In January 2004, Novell took another critical
step in rounding out its Linux story when it completed its acquisition
of SUSE Linux, Europe's leading Linux vendor and one of the top
commercial distributions on the market. With SUSE Linux, Novell
now offers the full range of Linux solutions, from the server
to the desktop, with additional enterprise-grade networking services
and technical support unmatched by any other Linux vendor. By
combining its global technical support and channel distribution
network with the Linux expertise of SUSE, Novell has created
a compelling new option for enterprise customers interested in
deploying Linux strategically. SUSE's strong technical leadership
on Linux and its success in the marketplace further established
Novell as a major influencer in the open source movement.
Benefits
Novell offers competitive salaries and
excellent company benefits such as medical, dental, life, liberal
vacation benefits, tuition reimbursement, and a 401k company
matching contribution.
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