Critical.
Authoritative.
Strategic.
Subscribe to CIO Magazine »

Novell through the years

1979: Novell Data Systems is founded in Provo, Utah, as a maker of computers and disk operating systems.

 1983: Safeguard Scientifics, a venture capital firm, reincorporates NDSI as Novell, Inc, with Ray Noorda becoming president and CEO.  Company introduces NetWare, a network operating system that by the early 1990s would claim a 70% market share.

1986: Introduces GroupWise messaging and collaboration software.

1993: Acquires Unix System Laboratories from AT&T, securing rights to the Unix operating system (parts of which would be transferred to the Santa Cruz operation two years later).

1994: Acquires WordPerfect and Quattro Pro from Borland, only to sell them to Corel shortly afterward. Robert Frankenberg replaces Noorda as CEO. NetWare 4.0 is released.

1996: Announces plan to make company's products "Internet-ready."

1997: Eric Schmidt becomes CEO.

1999: Microsoft Windows 2000 tops NetWare for NOS market leadership position.

2001: Acquires Massachusetts-based Cambridge Technology Partners, whose CEO Jack Messman would later become CEO of Novell.

 2002: Acquires SilverStream Software, which specializes in Web services-oriented application development.

2003: Acquired open source application developer Ximian, as well as SuSE, maker of a leading Linux distribution, marking the company's commitment to a future product line based on Linux.

2005: Released Open Enterprise Server, which offered a choice between a NetWare or SuSE Linux Enterprise Server kernel.

2006: Ronald Hovsepian replaces Messman as CEO. Company announces controversial joint patent agreement with Microsoft.

2009: Reorganizes into two business units called: Security, Management, and Operating Platforms; and Collaboration Solutions.

March, 2010: Declines buyout offer from Elliott Associates, L.P., which owns about 8.5% of the company's stock.

Nov. 22, 2010: Agrees to be acquired by Attachmate for $2.2 billion, which includes the $450-million sale of certain intellectual property assets to CPTN Holdings, a technology consortium led by Microsoft.

Read more about software in Network World's Software section.

Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

More about: Attachmate, Borland, Cambridge Technology Partners, Corel, etwork, Linux, Microsoft, Novell, Safeguard Scientifics, SilverStream Software, SuSE, Ximian
References show all

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the CIO comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Coverage
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Tags: acquisitions, at&t, business issues, corel, corporate issues, Linux, mergers, Mergers / acquisitions, Microsoft, non-Windows, Nortel acquisition, novell, operating systems, software, Technology Partners
Latest Blog Posts
Whitepapers
  • Business Process Management, Service-Oriented Architecture, and Web 2.0: Business Transformation or Train Wreck?
    As a result of more and more organisations adopting new technologies and business practices surrounding BPM, SOA, and Web 2.0, fundamental changes have arisen in the way IT and business stakeholders work together. Make this into an opportunity - read on.
    Learn more »
  • BPM Basics for Dummies
    This book helps you understand what BPM is really all about. We wrote it because BPM is so useful and so powerful — and because it is also very accessible. We wrote this book for you — the individual. You may be a business manager, or an Information Technology practitioner, or maybe an ambitious career individual who wants to know what BPM is all about and how to apply it.
    Learn more »
  • 10 Essential Steps to Email Security
    Modern business is reliant on email. All organisations using email need to answer the following questions: How do we control spam volumes without the risk of trapping a business email? How do we prevent infections from email-borne viruses? How do we stop leakage of confidential information? Can we detect and stop exploitation from phishing attacks? How do we control brand damage from occurring due to employee misuse? How do we prevent inappropriate content from being circulated?
    Learn more »
All whitepapers
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis.
Recent comments