NETWARE 6: NEXT GENERATION NETWARE

For CNEs, Aug. 31, 2000, loomed large over our heads all summer, appearing to be a distant spot on the horizon while still being too close for comfort. Those of you who waited until the last minute to upgrade your CNE certification spent a very challenging month learning enough about NetWare 5.1 to pass the certification upgrade exam. And now that you've passed the test, you can sit back for a while and watch as your MCSE counterparts go through the same thing. Or can you?

Late last summer Novell announced that NetWare 6, codenamed "Six Pack," would be released before the middle of 2001. Building on the foundation of Web-based products introduced in NetWare 5.1, Novell's next generation NetWare will continue down the Web-based product path. In addition, NetWare 6 will come in three different configurations aimed at small, medium, and large businesses.

Other highlights of NetWare 6 include an updated and enhanced version of eDirectory, the ability to cluster up to 32 file servers, and the ability to utilize symmetric multiprocessing for up to 32 processors. Another long-awaited upgrade will be an improved version of Novell Storage Services (NSS), which will allow you to create NSS SYS volumes and use disk compression.

So, should you be excited about this new version of NetWare? Absolutely. But there's no need to worry about updating your CNE just yet-you should have at least two years before having to upgrade your certification. This time around though, it might be a good idea to plan on taking the exam as soon as it becomes available.