Novell adds B2B to Net strategy

Novell has strengthened its ecommerce portfolio with the launch of two business-to-business (B2B) online services and the formation of partnerships with IT companies such as Compaq, IBM and PeopleSoft.

In a move that takes the company yet further from its operating system (OS) roots, the company will build on its NDS eDirectory services and extend it beyond the enterprise to supply chain partners and customers.

Novell today announced iChain software to power Internet-based networks, which will link business directory systems across the Web and enable them to bill digital content.

This follows an earlier announcement this week of ZENworks for Networks - a network management tool that automates quality control across multiple networks (see 'Novell's to expand B2B NetServices' http://www.silicon.com/a35544).

Novell's NetWare OS has been steadily losing ground against Microsoft Windows and Linux for the past two years.