EDITORIAL CONTACTS:                                   PRCS4700154

Lynn Alens, HP
(408) 447-1008

Susan Lider, Novell
(408) 473-8665




                     HP AND NOVELL ANNOUNCE

                STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP TO DELIVER

               ENTERPRISEWIDE NETWORKING SOLUTIONS

       Novell To Develop NetWare for PA-RISC Architecture;
                     HP Distributes NetWare


     MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 10, 1991 -- Hewlett-Packard
Company and Novell Inc. today announced a strategic relationship,
the culmination of dozens of joint projects initiated by the
companies over the past several years.


     Highlighting seven of the current joint projects are plans
to develop NetWare to run directly on Precision-Architecture
RISC* (PA-RISC) computer systems and HP's plan to distribute
Novell products through its worldwide sales channels.


     The relationship capitalizes on Novell's expertise in
networking and HP's expertise in enterprisewide, open-systems
computing solutions.  It originated as a response to customer
demands for the ability to access enterprise information
transparently from their desktops.


     This is Novell's first announcement that it will develop
NetWare, an industry-leading network operating system, on a
market-leading RISC architecture.  When it becomes available in
1993, NetWare will run directly on PA-RISC and x86 processors
enabling companies to integrate high-performance PA-RISC servers
within NetWare computing environments.


     "Our expanding relationship with HP enables us to better
meet the needs of the growing community of computer users who
rely on systems products from both companies," said Raymond J.
Noorda, Novell president and CEO.  "The closer integration of HP
and Novell products, along with the addition of HP's worldwide
sales and support capabilities, are an important complement to
our efforts to work with our industry partners to provide
customers comprehensive network computing solutions."


     "This announcement makes public the close relationship HP
and Novell have developed during the past years and charts a path
that will carry us far into the future," said John A. Young, HP
president and CEO.  "Novell's development of NetWare for PA-RISC
is a strong testimonial for the technology that drives our
computer systems and will significantly benefit companies
implementing enterprisewide networks."


NetWare to Run Directly on PA-RISC

     NetWare running directly on PA-RISC processors, without the
aid of other operating systems, will take advantage of the
scalability and high performance of the PA-RISC architecture.
NetWare on PA-RISC processors is expected to have the features
and functions of NetWare on x86 microprocessors, supporting the
integration of desktop systems with each other and with midrange
and mainframe host systems.


     NetWare on PA-RISC processors will offer customers a growth
path beyond the large installed base of networked x86-based
systems and servers.  Customers will be able to complement their
current network servers and migrate applications to high-end
PA-RISC business systems to increase performance of
enterprisewide operations.  NetWare on the PA-RISC architecture
will be part of Novell's development of processor-independent
NetWare operating-system software.


     The development effort is underway by Novell with support
from HP.  The companies will announce availability and
distribution at a later date.


HP Distributes NetWare

     HP has signed an agreement with Novell to distribute Novell
products, including NetWare, through its worldwide direct sales
channels.  HP also will offer a NetWare site-licensing agreement
to selected large HP customers.


     Products available through worldwide distributor channels
will include standard Novell software with value-added
enhancements from HP that provide a foundation for improved
systems integration, user interface, file-server performance and
task automation.


     The agreement makes Novell products more widely available,
gives large HP customers a single source for Novell products and
enables users to purchase HP-enhanced Novell products.


     HP also will explore opportunities to provide preconfigured
NetWare for HP Vectra personal-computer (PC) systems and servers.

Customers will not have to purchase NetWare separately, and will
be able to connect HP Vectra PCs to an existing network quickly
and easily.


     Additional product details, availability and pricing on
Novell products for distribution by HP are scheduled to be
announced in the first half of 1992.


Additional Joint Projects

     The companies also announced five additional projects
currently underway between the two companies.  They include:

     o    HP NewWave software -- Elements of HP NewWave desktop
          manager and network licensing (NetLS) will be applied
          to NetWare that provide increased functionality for
          Novell networking solutions.  This will reduce the time
          and skill level necessary to use and administer a
          NetWare network.  Product availability is expected to
          be announced in 1992.

     o    NetWare on HP 9000 computers -- NetWare services are
          fully supported and marketed by HP for its HP 9000
          computer systems running on top of the HP-UX* operating
          system.  Customers, through their NetWare networks,
          will be able to access business-critical commercial
          UNIX-system-based applications supported on HP's
          high-performance RISC-based HP 9000 Series 800 business
          servers.  HP 9000 NetWare licenses are expected to be
          available in the first quarter of 1992, ranging in
          price from $2,725 to $24,900, U.S. list.  NetWare
          services, running on top of the MPE/iX operating
          system, currently are available for the
          HP 3000 computer systems.

     o    Network printing -- Novell-specific network-printing
          products, such as network-printer interface cards for
          Ethernet and Token Ring, are available today from HP
          for the HP LaserJet printers and HP DesignJet
          electrostatic plotters.  The integrated network
          interfaces provide flexibility in locating a peripheral
          where it is needed on the network and increase printing
          and plotting throughput.  HP and Novell continue to
          work together to bring to market a broad range of
          printers and plotters that connect directly to the
          network and increase overall ease-of-use.

     o    Worldwide customer support -- The companies will
          continue to expand their relationship with the goal of
          providing high-quality service and support to mutual
          customers.  Customers will benefit from the
          availability of HP's comprehensive worldwide support
          capabilities.  HP currently supports NetWare networks
          as part of its worldwide multivendor network-support
          program.  As a result of this agreement, HP will
          support Novell products directly as they become
          available from HP.

     o    Electronic messaging and directory services -- The
          companies are investigating the integration of Novell's
          MHS messaging environment with HP mail systems using
          industry-standard interfaces for Open Systems
          Interconnection X.400 and X.500 messaging protocols.


Future Projects

     The companies have other planned projects that are scheduled
to be announced beginning in 1992 that will provide even tighter
integration of information across the desktop and the enterprise.

An important area of development is network management.
Technology under investigation initially would enable coexistence
on a network and could lead to interoperability between HP
OpenView network-management software and Novell network-
management products.


     Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL) is an operating-system software
company, the developer of leading network-services software and
the supplier of DR DOS, DR Multiuser DOS and FlexOS.  Novell's
NetWare network-computing products manage and control the sharing
of services, data and applications among computer workgroups,
departmental networks and businesswide information systems.


     Hewlett-Packard Company is an international manufacturer of
measurement and computation products and systems recognized for
excellence in quality and support.  The company's products and
services are used in industry, business, engineering, science,
medicine and education in approximately 100 countries.  HP has
89,000 employees and had revenue of $14.5 billion in its 1991
fiscal year.


RISC stands for reduced-instruction-set computing.

HP-UX is based on and is compatible with USL's UNIX operating
system.  It also complies with X/Open's* XPG3, POSIX 1003.1 and
SVID2 interface specifications.

UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories Inc.
in the U.S.A. and other countries.

X/Open is a trademark of X/Open Company Limited in the UK and
other countries.


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