“Novell Inc. is seriously considering giving away NDS in an
effort to spur adoption of directory-enabled applications and to
counter the free directory in Microsoft Corp.’s forthcoming
Windows 2000.
After struggling with licensing issues for the better part of a
year, Novell executives want to concentrate revenue-generating
efforts on the Provo, Utah, company’s directory applications, which
it will brand under the “Zen” name to be consistent with its
existing ZenWorks management software… Part of that branding will
include new Novell Directory Services security tools called Zen for
Certificate Management…”
“In addition to the possible free-pricing scheme for NDS, the
company plans to debut in late October or early November an
operating-system-independent directory appliance, code-named
Fusion…”
” ‘The money to be made is [from] what goes in a directory, not
the directory itself,” said Chris Stone, Novell’s senior vice
president for strategy and corporate development. … Some NDS
backers said they believe it’s imperative that Novell start giving
away the directory, especially as the rollout of Windows 2000 with
its built-in Active Directory draws near.”