Novell unchains storage options

By Deni Connor
Network World, 07/16/01

Novell is expected this week to announce one of the first directory-compatible network-attached storage systems that lets customers store and share all versions of their NetWare, as well as Windows, HTTP, Unix and Linux files in a single location.

The NetDevice NAS is a storage package built on a NetWare 5.1 kernel that supports storage capacities limited only by the hardware it is installed on. The NetDevice is a "soft" appliance, like the company's Volera Excelerator. Novell supplies the software, and customers installs it on hardware contained on a recommended configuration list provided by Novell. Because the software is not tied to specific hardware, soft appliances have the advantage of being redeployed as another type of single-function appliance or server, as necessary.

The NetDevice software supports HTTP, secure HTTP, Unix/Linux Network File System, Microsoft Common Internet File System and Novell's NetWare Core Protocol (NCP).

It is one of the first NAS subsystems to support Novell's NCP file system and NDS eDirectory. Future releases of the software will include support for Macintosh and Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning users.

The NetDevice NAS connects to any 10/100/1000M bit/sec Ethernet network and will run on any NetWare 5.1, Windows NT/2000, Linux or Unix file server. It will also work in NetWare 3.X and 4.X nets. Novell is finalizing its approved equipment list with vendors such as IBM, Compaq and Dell. But a customer could expect to install the NAS software on a Dell PowerEdge 2550 server attached to an external storage array.

A number of other vendors, such as Quantum, Maxtor and Procom, also market NAS devices for NetWare networks. With the exception of Maxtor, these NAS systems are for older bindery-based NetWare 3.X networks. The bindery was a flat-file database that contained information on users, servers and workstations on the network. NDS eDirectory replaced it in NetWare 4.X and 5.X.

"The lack of NDS support [on vendors' NAS boxes] has kept me from implementing NAS," says Jon Nori, MIS director for Destiny Image Publishers in Shippensburg, Pa.

"I have Novell, Microsoft and Macintosh storage spaces on my network spread across various servers. I like being able to manage all my users and resources from one central location," he adds.

The NetDevice NAS uses Novell's NDS eDirectory, which manages and controls user access and authentication to the device and provides a central management utility to manage all NAS devices. It also uses Secure Sockets Layer encryption for Web-based file access and RSA encryption for links to NDS eDirectory.

The NAS software supports Windows Domain Controllers, Windows workgroups and Unix's Network Information Services (NIS) namespaces, allowing for management of users from Unix or Windows, as well as NDS eDirectory. NIS simplifies network administration by containing information and addresses for users, workstations, servers and other resources on the network.

The NetDevice NAS is managed from Novell's ConsoleOne utility or a browser-based tool that can reside on any Unix, Linux or Windows workstation. Managers can also upload configuration file changes to the device using FTP. When Novell introduces changes to the software, network managers can download them and apply them using Novell's Softchip technology.

Installing the NetDevice NAS is easy, Novell says. The network manager installs the hardware, connects it to an Ethernet port on the network and points a Web browser to the device. The NAS device will ask for an IP address. Then, the network manager needs to specify which file systems need support and, if they are putting the device into an existing NetWare network, merge the NAS device with any existing NDS trees.

The NetDevice NAS will be available in August priced at $1,800.