Novell Unveils Real-Time Collaboration Platform for the Enterprise and Demonstrates Google Wave Interoperability

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ENTERPRISE 2.0 -- Novell today announced the first real-time collaboration platform for the enterprise, Novell® Pulse. In addition, Novell stated it is working with Google to enable Novell Pulse users and Google* Wave* users to seamlessly work together across both systems, one of the first major collaboration vendors to provide this interoperability. Novell Pulse uniquely combines e-mail, document authoring and social messaging tools with robust security and management capabilities to meet the demands of a global, dispersed workforce. By implementing the Google Wave Federation Protocol, Novell Pulse is one of the first major Wave providers.

"We designed Google Wave and its open federation protocol to help people collaborate and communicate more efficiently," said Lars Rasmussen, software engineering manager for Google Wave. "We are very excited to see Novell supporting the Google Wave Federation Protocol in their innovative Novell Pulse product."

During a keynote session today at Enterprise 2.0 in San Francisco, Novell will demonstrate the technology preview of this real-time social and document collaboration platform. Novell Pulse includes interoperability with Google Wave through the federation protocol, letting Pulse users communicate in real-time with users on any other Wave provider.

"Security and identity management remain top concerns for enterprise companies considering real-time, social solutions," said Caroline Dangson, Research Analyst, Enterprise Collaboration and Social Solutions at IDC. "Novell has a proven record in security and identity management, which is an important strength it brings to its new collaboration platform, Novell Pulse. Novell's interoperability with Google Wave is another interesting application of its new collaboration platform in supporting mixed IT environments and demonstrates Novell's strategy toward real-time, social sharing and collaboration."

Available in the first half of 2010, Novell Pulse helps drive enterprise productivity and innovation by making it easier to communicate digitally, generate ideas and share information. People continents apart can share and edit documents, jointly browse websites, and have a digital conversation - all in real-time. Individuals can also manage content overload by filtering for people and topics to follow as well as storing files--both native and office type--along with their related groups and conversations.

Novell Pulse leverages Novell's expertise and experience developing enterprise collaboration and communication tools, as well as industry leadership in creating strong identity and security management solutions. Available on-premises or in the cloud, Novell Pulse gives enterprises the confidence to embrace real-time collaboration technologies.

"Novell Pulse gives users a single interface for teaming with co-workers and partners in real-time, bringing together content from various enterprise and social applications," said Kent Erickson, senior vice president and general manager for Workgroup Solutions at Novell. "For the first time, enterprises can tie business controls and security together with real-time collaboration and social networking technologies to improve decision making and to work more efficiently across boundaries."

Novell Pulse Product Details
Novell Pulse is a key component in Novell's collaboration strategy and open collaboration architecture, working standalone or in concert with Novell's broader product portfolio. Key features, which draw on the best of e-mail, instant messaging, document sharing, social connections, real-time co-editing and enterprise controls, include:

        -- Security
           Provisioning, sign-on and permissions leverage enterprise identity
           and access management systems, directory servers and audit tools to
           integrate with established processes, keep data safe and support
           compliance requirements.
        -- Real-time collaboration
           Collaborative editing and document sharing enables users to get
           work done with other users in real-time, from co-editable online
           documents to the ability to share and comment on traditional office
           documents in real time.
        -- Unified Inbox
           A single interface allows users to see, sort and filter all their
           personal and professional content from various social messaging
           services, email, Wave, etc. all in one place.
        -- Enterprise social messaging
           Social Blog allows users to share, follow and comment on topics and
           ideas.
        -- Real-time awareness and chat
           Allows users to know exactly when their colleagues are available
           via people, group and message activity monitoring.

Availability
Novell Pulse will be demonstrated on Nov. 4, 2009 during the Integrating Google Wave into the Enterprise keynote at Enterprise 2.0 in San Francisco. Demonstrations will also be available at the Novell booth #816. A select beta is scheduled for early 2010. Novell Pulse will be generally available in the first half of 2010 in a cloud deployment, and with an on-premise deployment option in a subsequent release. For more information on Novell Pulse, visit www.novell.com/pulse.

About Novell
Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL) delivers the best engineered, most interoperable Linux* platform and a portfolio of integrated IT management software that helps customers around the world reduce cost, complexity and risk. With our infrastructure software and ecosystem of partnerships, Novell harmoniously integrates mixed IT environments, allowing people and technology to work as one. For more information, visit www.novell.com.

Novell is a registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. *All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.