Novell E-Provisioning Solutions Due Out This Summer

Novell

Plans call for Novell to introduce an extended employee provisioning solution based on PeopleSoft and SAP ERP software and another prepackaged product/services solution for the education market. After that, Novell plans to launch an e-provisioning solution for CRM needs based on the Siebel and PeopleSoft Vantive technology and services practice of Cambridge Technology Partners, which Novell acquired last August. The software and services company plans a similar identity provisioning solution for suppliers to serve supply chain needs, executives said.

The identity provisioning solutions are based on Novell's eDirectory and popular DirXML application. DirXML takes eDirectory and information stored in it and integrates it with Microsoft Active Directory, Oracle, SAP and PeopleSoft applications.

Provo, Utah-based Novell launched its first line of e-provisioning solutions following the Cambridge Technology acquisition. The new line of packaged solutions, being developed under the code name Mercury, will offer out-of-the-box functionality for specific customer and vertical segments. The identity provisioning solution for employees, for example, expands support for SAP ERP features. The first one focused exclusively on PeopleSoft functionality.

Novell plans to debut the first Mercury solution in July. That will be followed up in October with an enhanced graphical workflow interface code-named Pioneer, which will be incorporated in the Mercury solution sets, Novell executives said.

At BrainShare, Novell also launched a series of solutions called Novell Workspace and Zenworks Synergy, designed to address collaboration needs and content/application provisioning, respectively. Novell plans to launch customer-specific solutions based on those offerings as well.

While the e-provisioning, collaboration, content/application provisioning and access/security solutions will combine Novell's technology with Cambridge Technology's services, Novell emphasized at the show that large systems integrators such as Deloitte and Touche and other solution providers will participate in the deployment of all of its solutions.

One Novell channel executive said that Novell Platinum partners with experience deploying eDirectory and dirXML--including Ikon Solutions, SunTel Services and The Harding Group--are well-positioned to deploy the e-provisioning solutions.

"They have those needs at the midmarket level," said Starla Cox, director of North American channel and partnering at Novell. "Our goal is to have 250 partners trained on those more sophisticated technologies."