Triplesourced
Reporting, musing and not to mention some random scribbling on tech issues from green/sustainable IT to security. (http://adonoghue.wordpress.com/)
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:07 PM
Novell focuses future strategy around endangered mongoose
Speaking at the company's annual user conference Brainshare, Novell's CTO Jeff Jaffe has announced the company's new technology strategy which it has rather curiously decided to name after an endangered relative of the mongoose - the Madagascan Fossa.
Despite keeping references to open source and Linux to a minimum, in this morning's keynote speeches, the Fossa is obviously a play on Free and Open Source Software with the 'A' standing for agility. Novell claims that its going to revolutionise the IT world by focusing on creating "agile infrastructure".
The strategy itself according to Jaffe is based around trends of high capacity computing, policy engines, orchestration, convergence and mobility. The specifics are still to come out but Jaffe is adamant that "aside from being a vision it also real". So that's ok then.
The Fossa animal itself - is a cat-like creature which is the largest carnivore on the small island of Madagascar. Unfortunately due to the creatures rather slow maturity rate - it only reaches breeding age at four years old - it has been declared endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Interestingly Novell is celebrating its 25th year anniversary this year - having been incorporated in 1983. Although that makes it one of the older tech companies - you could argue that like the Fossa, Novell is taking its time reaching maturity. It's been struggling to work out who it is (or at least communicate that to anyone else) for as long as I can remember, having gone through multiple leadership changes - like a troubled teen wrestling with angst and confusion. Great products but shame about the marketing - is the long term diagnosis for Novell's inability to really reach the same level as long-term rival, and more recent ally, Microsoft.
Interestingly, the real-life Fossa has also suffered from having its habitat destroyed - slashed and burned - something that Novell can sympathise with after seeing Microsoft slowly eat away its Netware and directory NDS businesses following the introduction of Windows NT and Active Directory.
That's probably enough analogy fun for now - the press conference is kicking off - I wonder if they will have a Fossa available for questions?
Despite keeping references to open source and Linux to a minimum, in this morning's keynote speeches, the Fossa is obviously a play on Free and Open Source Software with the 'A' standing for agility. Novell claims that its going to revolutionise the IT world by focusing on creating "agile infrastructure".
The strategy itself according to Jaffe is based around trends of high capacity computing, policy engines, orchestration, convergence and mobility. The specifics are still to come out but Jaffe is adamant that "aside from being a vision it also real". So that's ok then.
The Fossa animal itself - is a cat-like creature which is the largest carnivore on the small island of Madagascar. Unfortunately due to the creatures rather slow maturity rate - it only reaches breeding age at four years old - it has been declared endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Interestingly Novell is celebrating its 25th year anniversary this year - having been incorporated in 1983. Although that makes it one of the older tech companies - you could argue that like the Fossa, Novell is taking its time reaching maturity. It's been struggling to work out who it is (or at least communicate that to anyone else) for as long as I can remember, having gone through multiple leadership changes - like a troubled teen wrestling with angst and confusion. Great products but shame about the marketing - is the long term diagnosis for Novell's inability to really reach the same level as long-term rival, and more recent ally, Microsoft.
Interestingly, the real-life Fossa has also suffered from having its habitat destroyed - slashed and burned - something that Novell can sympathise with after seeing Microsoft slowly eat away its Netware and directory NDS businesses following the introduction of Windows NT and Active Directory.
That's probably enough analogy fun for now - the press conference is kicking off - I wonder if they will have a Fossa available for questions?
PreviousComments on this post
Perhaps the name was merely a play on words and they haven't realized, it wouldn't be the first naming mistake they've made. Novell French for New lol.
