Novell's pricing model for ZEN for Servers doesn't make sense
 
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As I mentioned two weeks ago (Directory Newsletter, 2/7/00), Novell has officially released ZEN for Networks and ZEN for Servers. I promised you a closer look at the products, and I'll get to that in an upcoming issue.
Today, though, I want to point out something that, to me, is a really wacky aspect of ZEN for Servers. ZEN for Servers provides automated server management from a central console, allowing administrators to set individual policies that manage multiple servers at once. It also provides fan-out distribution of server content, and automates the distribution and installation of server software to servers anywhere on a network.
It really is a great, directory-enabled application - one which any large NetWare (or Novell Directory Services Corporate Edition) site should jump right on. It's what's called a "no-brainer." Too bad Novell marketing didn't use a few brains when coming up with a pricing model.
This application - which is server-to-server, and which has no user component (except, of course, for the administrative user) - is priced on a PER USER basis. Now, you and I know that the number of users is no indication of the number of servers you have, nor does it reflect the complexity of your net. You could run a 5,000-user network from two or three servers, or a 10-user network with a dozen servers. The 5,000-user network is not a potential customer of ZEN for Servers, simply because the pricing model puts it out of range of most IT budgets. The 10-user net, though, gets a real bargain since the product will be used extensively to manage the 10 servers.
Everybody who thinks Novell's marketing has gotten better, please take one step backward - Novell certainly did.
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Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. His most recent book is "Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks" published by SAMS. Dave's company, Virtual Quill, provides content services to network vendors: books, manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing, technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill provides "words to sell by..." Find out more at Virtual Quill or by e-mail at info@vquill.com
Directories archive
Past newsletters.
Network World, 02/07/00.
Novell expands scope of system management with ZENworks 2
Network World, 07/21/99.
