Novell BorderManager
| Company type | Software product |
|---|---|
| Industry | Network security, software |
| Founder | Novell, Inc. |
| Products | Proxy server, firewall, VPN access gateway |
| Parent | Novell, Inc. |
Novell BorderManager was a versatile network security solution created by Novell, Inc., serving as a proxy server, firewall, and VPN access gateway. Novell has since recommended that customers migrating to Novell Open Enterprise Server on Linux adopt SuperLumin 4.0 Proxy Cache as the preferred firewall and proxy technology.
History
BorderManager was built on top of the NetWare kernel, utilizing NetWare’s high-performance file services. Differing from earlier proxy technologies, Novell engineered BorderManager’s proxy functionality to acquire web content through direct server-to-server connections, resulting in improved speed combined with NetWare’s proprietary enhancements. This design made its proxy engine among the fastest in the market.
In 2003, Novell announced the launch of Open Enterprise Server (OES), which became available in March 2005 as the successor to NetWare. OES separated traditional NetWare services such as file and print, giving users the option to operate on either NetWare or Linux kernels.
Novell declared an end to further development of the NetWare kernel, positioning Linux as the strategic platform for OES and future 64-bit architectures. To facilitate this shift, Novell began porting key applications to Linux and investigated alternative methods to deliver firewall and VPN capabilities, many leveraging free or open-source solutions like Squid. A complete software port was not feasible due to proprietary caching engine components dependent on Volera Excelerator technology.
Novell collaborated with Astaro to rebrand the Astaro Security Gateway as Novell Security Manager; however, this offering was discontinued from Novell’s pricing structure on February 15, 2007.
Future
In late summer 2006, Novell announced an upcoming BorderManager 3.9 version. At the 2010 Novell BrainShare event, the company introduced "SuperLumin 4.0 Proxy Cache" as the recommended future platform for BorderManager users and extended General Support for BorderManager until March 7, 2012, providing customers ample time for migration.
By November 2011, Novell further prolonged General Support for BorderManager 3.9 through September 30, 2013, assisting clients in their transition to Novell Open Enterprise Server. The advised upgrade path continued to be SuperLumin Nemesis.
Third-Party Filtering Solutions
A variety of third-party filtering products are compatible with Novell BorderManager, including:
- Connectotel - LinkWall Suite and ContentFilter
- Secure Computing - N2H2/Bess
- SurfControl
References
Further reading
External links
- Official Novell BorderManager page
- BorderManager Cool Solutions – community-driven tips, tutorials, and utilities
- Novell Connection article about BorderManager
- Craig Johnson Consulting – resources on BorderManager and NetWare
- Novell Security Manager official site
- Novell Access Manager official site