Network Support Encyclopedia 15/novell-nsepro-1992-vol15.iso/download/anatek.rel

Text File | 1992-07-07 | 4KB | 66 lines

 Novell Acquires Annatek Systems Inc.
 Electronic Software Distribution and Management Innovator

PROVO, Utah -- June 11, 1992 -- Novell (NASDAQ:  NOVL) today announced the
signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Annatek Systems Inc.,
developer of automated software distribution and management systems that
centralize software distribution, installation, update, version tracking,
and event scheduling between mainframes, servers, desktop clients and
other network resources.

New software distribution services from Novell will significantly reduce
the cost of software maintenance on Novell networks and improve
ease-of-use.  The additional services will add to the current suite of
NetWare products that provide network management, communications,
database, messaging and integration services on the network.  Annatek's
current product family, Network Navigator, will continue to be developed
and supported.

"Automated software distribution that dramatically reduces the cost of
software management has become a mission-critical requirement for many
Novell customers," said Jan Newman, Novell executive vice president and
general manager NetWare Systems Group.  "Annatek has distinguished itself
as the leader in delivering these services.  Combined with development
work already underway at Novell, we expect Annatek to accelerate our
abilities to provide network managers with comprehensive software
distribution as part of the array of services available with NetWare
network solutions.  Annatek reflects Novell's strategy to extend the
capabilities of NetWare network computing solutions."

Novell will exchange $10 million cash for all outstanding shares of
Annatek stock.  The nine year old Boulder, Colorado company was privately
held and funded with venture capital.  Annatek has become a part of
Novell's NetWare Systems Group and will continue to operate from its
facilities in Boulder.

"It's gratifying to measure Annatek's success by the customer needs we've
met in supporting innovative information system managers at many large
organizations," said Frank Richardson, president and chief executive
officer of Annatek.  "We've built a profitable and stable organization
that has proven itself as a trusted vendor partner.  In joining Novell we
are reinforcing these qualities by becoming an important part of Novell's
rapidly growing network systems solution business."

Commenting on the merger, William Kirwin, vice president PC Policies &
Strategies at Gartner Group said, "Annatek's Network Navigator is the most
functional software distribution package on the market.  With the
Annatek/Novell merger, there's an opportunity for network software
management to become more effective, even as the network is becoming more
complicated."

Novell intends to offer standard software distribution and management
services from network servers running the NetWare operating system.  These
new services will allow NetWare servers to manage the simultaneous
"fan-out" distribution of software to desktop computers, whether the
software is initially installed directly on a server,  on other network
resources, or downloaded from a host computer.

Novell, Inc. is an operating system software company and developer of
network services and specialized and general purpose operating system
software products, including NetWare and DR DOS.  Novell's NetWare network
computing products manage and control the sharing of services, data and
applications among computer workgroups, departmental networks and
business-wide information systems.