Bundling NDS free with application servers from companies such as IBM is under consideration, Novell officials said. Many of the directories used so far have been Netscape's Directory Server. So any bundle arrangement would be a smart move by Novell. NDS is the future of Novell.
Time is of the essence.
NDS will centrally manage and distribute information about objects, resources, users, and networked equipment. In addition to recent efforts to parlay NDS through Internet service providers and networking hardware vendors, Novell is now seeking bundling arrangements with the application server products from IBM, Sun, and Oracle to piggyback their way into corporate accounts, sources close to Novell said. IBM said it is in talks with Novell but that no firm proposals have been drafted. IBM has several of its own directory products. Oracle officials said the talks with Novell have not come to any conclusion and were part of an ongoing dialogue with Novell on how to work together, said John Fomook, director of product marketing for Oracle Application Server.