Novell invests in UNIX System Laboratories

Business Wire

April 3, 1991

Provo, Utah -- Novell Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL) Wednesday announced the purchase of a minority equity position in UNIX System Laboratories Inc., the AT&T subsidiary that develops and licenses the UNIX operating system and other standards-based software to vendors worldwide.

Novell characterized the move as an expansion of its investment in standards-based operating system technology. Specific financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Novell's investment is part of an AT&T placement of 20 percent to 30 percent of USL ownership with 11 computer industry concerns.

``Novell is delighted to take part in the emergence of USL as a new company poised to drive the rapid commercialization of UNIX System V and open systems computing,'' said Raymond J. Noorda, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Novell. ``We bring a long-standing commitment to UNIX, and to utilizing and helping develop industry standards that respond to customer needs.

``By supporting the employees of USL, Novell is broadening its commitment to standards-based operating systems technology and the expansion of customer choices through open systems.''

Novell has developed UNIX networking technology since 1983 when it introduced TCP/IP communications products for UNIX computers. Novell-licensed products now provide NetWare services on UNIX host computers available from eight leading computer vendors, including Altos, Data General, Hewlett- Packard, MIPS, NCR, Prime, Unisys and Wang.

In March of this year, Novell began shipping NetWare NFS as an optional NetWare service enabling UNIX workstation users to share file systems and other NetWare server resources with DOS, Windows, OS/2 and Macintosh computer users.

Novell Inc., develops NetWare systems software products that manage and control the sharing of data across a variety of network computing environments, including computer workgroups, departmental networks and business-wide information systems.

CONTACT: Novell Inc., Provo Peter Troop, 408/473-8361 or Nancy Morrison, 801/429-5833