Features, Functions Make OSs

After losing to Microsoft in last year's VARBusiness Annual Report Card (ARC), Novell's NetWare bounced back nicely this year by winning the Server Operating Systems category and topping its rivals in several key measurements, including Product Quality/ Reliability, Richness of Features/Functionality and Technical Innovation.

"Novell's partner program is light-years ahead of everyone else's. Novell has always been much more aware of the channel as an integral part of their organization," says Bill Boyd, director of technology management at Strategic Link Consulting in St. Charles, Ill.

In the opinion of some analysts, Novell's success is attributable to both superior technical quality and its concerted effort to not compete with its own VARs. Novell finished first in the 2005 ARC for managing channel conflict; Microsoft did not do as well with Windows Server 2003 and Small Business Server, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

"NetWare has always had a very good profile in terms of reliability, scalability, manageability and the fact Novell has always done its best not to compete directly with the VARs," says Dan Kusnetzky, vice president of system software research at IDC.

Novell lags noticeably in one area: Marketing Support. It needs to make a bigger noise in the marketplace so resellers and users are more aware of its products and services. This is where the Microsoft marketing machine continues to excel.

"The challenge for Novell has not been its features or overall technical quality; creating demand for their products is where they fall down. They need to create more pull into their environment so more partners can come in to sell their products," Kusnetzky says. "Microsoft has always been the leader in this category."

Reflecting this deficiency, perhaps, is that Novell tied for second with Microsoft's Small Business Server in Sales Partnering, while Windows Server 2003 squeezed by the two of them to grab the No. 1 spot.

One technical advantage Novell leverages against Microsoft is the microkernel that powers NetWare. This allows the Provo, Utah-based company to layer a different "personality" on top of the server operating system.

For instance, VARs and corporate IT shops can put NetWare Services for file, print and directories on top of the Linux operating system as well as NetWare. This affords VARs more flexibility in piecing together customized solutions because they can mix and match the complementary strengths of each environment.

"The microkernel [in NetWare] absolutely does allow us to pursue sales opportunities we otherwise could not get to. What is beautiful about it is that it's not restrictive. No matter what environment you go after, it is going to work," says Joe Marcotte, sales representative with Big Sur Technologies in Tampa, Fla.

With the server version of Microsoft's next-generation operating system, code-named Vista, expected to be out in the first half of 2007, it is unlikely that the company will move up in the Technical Innovation area in time for next year's ARC. Loyal VARs still committed to Windows, particularly to Windows Server 2003, can only hope Microsoft will continue to deliver a steady stream of security and management updates.

Novell's NetWare also surpassed Windows Server 2003 and Windows Small Business Server in Presales and Postsales Support, and Quality of Technical Support. Novell ranked No. 1 among VARs in these three criteria, while Windows Server 2003 and Small Business Server were third and fifth, respectively, in Quality of Technical Support.

"Novell has a set of processes in place that makes it slightly easier for their partners to get in touch with their senior support people," Kusnetzky says. "Too often, [their competitors] make VARs jump through hoops to get to them."