[ale] Novell NetWare GroupWare

Sat May 28 17:49:59 EDT 2005

James,

Thank your for your information.

I too have wondered what Novell is all about and don't understand what
it's forte is. 

Do you run Windows apps on it or what ?

I obviously don't understand what it's supposed to do. Someone stated
that it's DOS based but is it an OS ?

Where do the applications come from ?

How does it relate to Linux, Apple, or other "stuff" ?

Basically, how is it intended to function ?

Appreciatively,

Courtney

On Sat, 2005-05-28 at 16:12, James Taylor wrote:
> I can see you are basing your information older versions of the product, and it sounds like, no direct experience administering a properly configured system.
> 
> You don't have don't take my word for it. I'd be glad to have you talk to some our clients that are running the from 5 to 10,00 user networks on NetWare and GroupWise.  Maybe you could talk to the ones that have very happily migrated from Windows and Exchange to NetWare and GroupWise.
> 
> -jt
> 
> 
> James Taylor
> The East Cobb Group, Inc.
> james.taylor at eastcobbgroup.com
> 678-697-9420
> 
> >>> fd0man at gmail.com  >>>
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> Greg wrote:
> > As I am never surprised at the experience and problem solving abilities of
> > this group I have a question to pose for those interested in responding.  I
> > suppose I should put some disclaimer here that I am techno-athiestic and
> > rather non - apologetic about it so if use of the M **S** word offends then
> > I promise I won't be insulted if you kill-file me.
> > 
> > Does anyone have any experience with / opinions on Novell's NetWare and
> > GroupWare with regard to a small home network that uses Windows, BSD,
> > Solaris, and Linux clients ?  I am looking for a solution to support the
> > following :
> > 
> >  - network file sharing
> >  - a shared printer
> >  - NT domain administration
> >  - Escalade RAID controller card as well as PCI disk controller cards
> >  - to tie in 2 Windows 2K Pro clients using Outlook 98.
> >  - the occasional MS laptop that needs to connect to the network
> > temporarily.
> > 
> > 
> > My questions specifically :
> > 	1.  Is it overkill for a small 12 box or so network ?
> 
> Yes.  Also, it's a PITA.  And I don't trust it for the larger sized
> networks it was designed to work with, anyway.
> 
> > 	2.  How does GroupWare 6.5 work with regards to Outlook 98 ?  I have read
> > the plugin stuff but have not actually tested it.  I am not interested in
> > using Kontact, Thunderbird/Sunbird, Evolution, or anything else.  Upgrading
> > to Outlook 2003 is a possibility if needed ... dim but I might consider it.
> 
> Not a clue there, but I can tell you that I hated it's mail
> functionality back in the days that I used it.  (Slightly before version
> 6).  YMMV.
> 
> > 	3.  Can it run on old gear ?  (old gear == 700 MHz, 512 MB RAM box with a
> > lot of hard drives in it)
> 
> Yes, but can Linux+Samba+gnupop3d+postfix do what you need?
> 
> > 	4.  Any software raid solutions ?
> 
> Not that I know of for Novell... but I'm sure you can find addons somewhere.
> 
> > 	5.  Cost - I have seen the demo downloads on the Novell site, but it
> > doesn't say if it blows up after 30 days or not.  I can get a copy of
> > GroupWare 5.5 cheaply but it's moot if I need to pay big bucks for NetWare.
> > Novell seems to want to be Open Source or rather identified with them, enjoy
> > others writing code for them to use, but still wants to sell proprietary
> > software for big bucks (kinda like Sun and Java) that they control.  I am
> > not interested in spending money here.  I can live with what I've got if I
> > need to as opposed to spending $$.
> 
> I'd not go for it, at all.  I just plain don't like their software...
> it's propretary and not as flexible as many other configurations.  And
> I've never met a Novell Admin that didn't wish they used something else.
> 
> > 	6.  NetWare seems to be an OS according to some literature and other stuff
> > seems to treat it as an application - which is it ?
> 
> It's an OS in that it takes over the system, but you can exit it's
> server back to DOS (or at least, you used to be able to).  Weird setup.
> 
> > 	7.  Does it support printing and have a pretty good set of device drivers
> > if it is an OS ???
> 
> Couldn't tell you, but I wouldn't use it for that... "Applications" for
> it are compiled NLM files.
> 
> > 	8.  How are updates ? easy, hard, impossible ?
> 
> Couldn't tell you... I never got that far.
> 
> > 	10. Is easily administered ?
> 
> Sometimes... when it's configuration interfaces *work*.
> 
> > 
> > 
> > The current solution is a Debian system running software RAID 5, SAMBA 3,
> > cups, and a hey GroupWare solution (that's when one user says "Hey don't
> > forget about our appointment at foo's with bar next Tuesday at 8:00 am !!!
> > ") along with PC-based Outlook 98 / PDA.  I plan on replacing the software
> > RAID with an Escalade card.
> > 
> > I guess I could find an old copy of MS Exchange Server but I would like to
> > explore other options if possible ...
> > 
> > All opinions welcome, and if some of you start twitching and arm waving at
> > the multiple references to Microsoft .... well .... you were warned at the
> > beginning ...
> > 
> 
> While many solutions have their places in the market, I believe that
> Novell's place was secured back in the 3.x days and that's about it.
> They made *great* software way back before SMB became a serious player
> in the market.  If what you're looking for is something that can manage
> mail and appointments (and I know you already said you don't want to do
> this, but I'll throw it up in the air anyway):  Mozilla Suite with the
> Calendar extension, or Firefox or Thunderbird with the calendar
> extension, or even your favorite mail program + Sunbird.  Why?  Sunbird
> uses standard .ics files (iCal standard), and you can send the file to
> someone that uses the software, in an e-mail, and they can double-click
> and import the calendar and it's alerts and such.  I rather like it.
> 
> Eventually, Sunbird should be a much more featureful setup then it
> currently is.  It's still in the early(ish) stages of development.
> 
> 	- Mike
> 
> - --
> Michael B. Trausch                               <fd0man at gmail.com>
> Website: http://fd0man.chadeux.net/     Jabber: mtrausch at jabber.com
> Phone: +1-(678)-522-7934              FAX (US Only): 1-866-806-4647
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