Novell Updates Groupwise; Adds Windows Patch

A day after debuting SuSE Linux 9.1, Novell on Friday introduced an all-Linux version of GroupWise, its collaboration platform, and rolled out a patch-management system for Windows.

The new GroupWise 6.5 for Linux will hit the streets on April 15, said Novell, with support for the open-source operating system on both the client and server sides.

GroupWise is Novell's collaboration platform--it competes with the likes of IBM's Lotus Notes/Domino and Microsoft's Exchange/Live Communications Server--which includes e-mail, calendaring, instant messaging (IM), contact- and document-management, and workflow services.

Part of the Provo, Utah-based company's Nterprise family, GroupWise now runs on Linux--both its own SuSE Linux Enterprise Server and Red Hat's Enterprise Linux distributions are supported--as well as Windows 2000/NT and NetWare.

Later this year, said Novell, it will add native support for GroupWise 6.5 for Linux to the Ximian Evolution e-mail and workgroup client for Linux systems. In 2003, Novell went on a Linux spending spree, first acquiring Ximian in August, and then picking up SuSE in November.

In the next 30 days, Novell also plans to add basic GroupWise plug-in support for the open-source Gaim IM client, which will let Linux desktops connect directly to the GroupWise Messenger server included in GroupWise 6.5 for secure instant messaging.

Also on Friday, Novell unveiled ZENworks, new security patch-management software for Windows shops. ZENworks Patch Management includes vulnerability detection features to assess risks and report on the patches necessary for each server, desktop, and laptop on the network, automatically deploying the proper patches.

Scheduled to ship March 29, ZENworks will sell for $18 per year per device.