Novell software 4 or 5

[Jason Clinton]

Jeremy Fowler wrote:
> One thing you can't dispute is that
> Novell has always been stable and secure when properly configured on reliable
> hardware. Not as stable as Linux, but I would argue its probably more secure.
> When's the last time you heard about a Novell security bug that puts all their
> systems at risk? How many Netware viruses are out there that can bring your
 > network to a screeching halt?

Actually, if I could interject, I could dispute this.

Viri and security bugs don't infect the network layer, they affect the operating 
system's implementation of it. IIRC, Novel still uses the standard Microsoft 
TCP/IP/NETBIOS stack for its comunications which means that your Network is as 
vulnerable as ever. Spend a little while looking up ARP poison attacks that can 
be carried out on the MS TCP/IP layer for confirmation of this fact.

Novel's software these days amounts to little more than a feable attempt at 
sustaining a company that didn't change with the times. It's a simple 
authentation and network archtecture maintenace system that anyone with adequate 
  *nix skills could implement.

Though, I do agree that if you have a company that's paying you to look after 
it, more power to you. I personally, though, wouldn't mind seeing Novel's 
proprietary network 'technology' going the way of the Do-Do.