Unique System Unifies Voice Mail, Fax, Calendaring, E-Mail,
Electronic Forms and Task Automation for Easy Collaborative
Computing
OREM, Utah, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The convergence of telephones and computers took a major step forward today as Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq-NNM: NOVL) announced voice messaging capabilities have been added to GroupWise, the company's unique messaging system. Voice messaging joins other message types currently integrated within GroupWise including electronic mail, faxes, calendar items, Internet messages and electronic forms. With GroupWise, users have a single point of access for all incoming and outbound messages and can now receive, listen, respond, store and forward voice mail messages from their personal computer, laptop or telephone. Information managers can now consolidate voice and text messaging systems into one system, moving voice messaging from proprietary legacy systems to more cost effective, flexible networks which will significantly reduce current voice mail system overhead. (See related GroupWise product announcement.)
Today's announcement is a key step to Novell's vision of pervasive computing, where people connect with each other and the information they need anytime, anywhere. GroupWise's Universal In Box allows users simpler access, use, and management of their incoming data/messages because the data is received and accessed in one place. GroupWise is an example of the new network applications that are becoming prevalent in the move to pervasive computing. These next generation applications are integrated with the underlying network operating system and its services. Simpler user interfaces that hide the complexity of networking will make network use transparent so that even novice users can enjoy the benefits of the net (a forms management system). When integrated together through the network and standard APIs, these applications provide a powerful and flexible system that automates personal tasks and business processes, leading to greater efficiency for individuals and groups working collaboratively. For example, through the integration of SoftSolutions and GroupWise, customers can remotely access, search, and retrieve documents through SoftSolutions profiles and GroupWise Remote.
PerfectOffice, the first network suite, also comes with GroupWise client software. When the suite is used in a GroupWise networked environment it brings integrated e-mail, calendaring and scheduling to WordPerfect 6.1 (the suite's word processing program), to Quattro Pro 6.0 (its spreadsheet), to Presentations 3.0 (its presentation graphics program), to Envoy 1.0 (its workgroup publishing tool) and to InfoCentral 1.1 (its personal information manager). No matter which PerfectOffice application you are in, you can e-mail or fax a document directly from that application using GroupWise.
GroupWise leverages NetWare 4 for its underlying network operating system, Netware Directory Services (NDS) and its native administrative
capabilities. NetWare 4 provides the advanced system management, performance,
Because of NetWare 4's NetWare Directory Services (NDS), administrators of NetWare and GroupWise environments will be able to consolidate users' network, e-mail, and voice mail addresses into a single directory that requires a single logon, is easier to manage and reduces overhead. NetWare's unequaled scalability translates into GroupWise's ability to soar above the competition's limits of handling only 10-20,000 users. At NetWorld + InterOp in September, 1994, GroupWise handled 88,000 users' messaging needs.
The high degree of interoperability of both NetWare and GroupWise means that administrators can choose to retain their legacy PBX-based voice messaging systems, use the voice messaging capabilities of GroupWise and manage them together. Or they may elect to rightsize their voice messaging business to GroupWise, getting an open voice messaging system that can forward to other messaging applications while retaining the same secure, high volume environment of a legacy system at less cost.
To date, GroupWise has text-to-speech recognition through voice processing, and voice processing integration with voice messaging. In its third phase of development, GroupWise's voice messaging will be integrated with call control through NetWare Telephony Services, the industry's leading PBX/data network integrations platform. Currently, twenty-two PBX vendors are providing telephone switches that support the Telephony Services Application Programming Interface (TSAPI) including AT&T, Alcatel, Northern Telecom, and Siemens/ROLM. Using TSAPI, more than one hundred independent software vendors are delivering client/server applications such as desktop dialing programs, visual voicemail, integrated messaging, conference call bridging, and data/call synchronization. When GroupWise is integrated with TSAPI, customers will have access to nation wide caller ID for incoming voice messages and will be able to use the telephone as a speaker for their computer. TSAPI will also provide a tighter interface between GroupWise and legacy PBX-based voice mail systems.
The business of Novell, Inc. is connecting people with people and the information they need, enabling them to act on it anytime, anyplace. Novell is the world's leading network software provider. The company's products provide the distributed infrastructure, network services, advanced network access and network applications required to make networked information and pervasive computing an integral part of everyone's daily life.
NOTE: Novell, NetWare, PerfectOffice, QuattroPro NetWorld are registered trademarks and GroupWise, GroupWare, SoftSolutions, InForms, Presentations, Envoy, NetWare Directory Services (NDS), NetWare Telephony Services, Telephony Services Application Programming Interface (TSAPI) are trademarks of Novell, Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.
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/CONTACT: Jessica Kersey of Novell, 408-577-8739/
(NOVL)
CO: Novell Inc. ST: California IN: CPR SU: PDT
TM -- SJ016 -- 4575 02/06/95 19:45 EST
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