DSC Local Networks Europe, until recently Nestar Systems (the change reflects US parent company DSC Communications Corp’s desire for a higher profile in Europe) has launched an enhanced version of its personal computer local area network operating system, and has released details of a marketing strategy intended to bring it some of the action in a UK market presently dominated by Novell Inc through its distributors and OEM customers. The new product is called Nexos 386 version 2.7, and will supersede the old 2.63 model; potentially the most crucial feature of the 2.7 is its ability to co-exist with Novell networks and to provide simultaneous log-in and file transfer to Nexos and Novell NetWare servers, meaning that the large installed base of NetWare users are still potential Nexos customers. DSC describes the product as a multi-user, multi-tasking network operating system for IBM Personal, XT, AT and Micro Channel-based machines and compatibles. It uses a system administrator called GENSRV that provides a windowed menu of system set-up parameters which DSC says make for easy installation – something to please the value-added resellers. Remote capabilities include dual remote log-in support, enabling users to log on through modems, and printers attached to workstations on the network can be shared as remote printers. Version 2.7 supports NetBIOS, MS-DOS 4.0 and around 30 interface boards including ARCnet, Token Ring and Ethernet cards; a TCP/IP communications product is available as an extra to provide access to Unix. As a response to customer demand, a program has been written to put the driver above the 640Kb memory limit, thus freeing more of it for applications such as computer aided design and desktop publishing. DSC is quite naturally eager to point out that in tests conducted by Lanquest, the Nexos 386 system outperformed its Novell counterpart on applications such as document transfer and save on MS-DOS 3.10, Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet file load and save, Ashton-Tate dBase III retrieval and sort, and 1Mb file transfer; this performance, addition of native 80386 code and alphabetically-ordered file structure. Nexos 2.7 will be marketed from DSC Europe’s headquarters in Weybridge, Surrey, which will provide hardware and software support and has a maintenance division, through value-added network resellers and corporate data processing departments. The resellers will receive full support from Weybridge, which also has a software and hardware validation laboratory for this purpose; the same marketing programme will be followed in the rest of Europe. The decision to sell through value-added resellers and not on the OEM market is partly based on the perception that Novell’s NetWare is over-distributed – a point acknowledged by Novell distributor Compex last week – and DSC reckons that the resellers will be particularly attracted by the fact that their profit margins for Nexos should be higher than for NetWare. Managing director Bill Butt says DSC will be competing directly with Novell on green field sites, while Nexos’ ability to co-exist with NetWare will enable it to get a foothold on established Novell sites. Butt is aware that Novell’s 60% share of the local net market by value is safe for the foreseeable future, and his initial intention is to take DSC to around the same market ranking as 3Com in second place. The Nexos 386 32-bit system has a recommended retail price of UKP2,500 for the 255-user per server version; UKP1,200 for the 8-user. The 16-bit 80286 product comes in at UKP1,100 for 24 users, UKP895 for eight users. The Nexos interface cards for Ethernet, ARCnet and Token Ring range from UKP300 to UKP650.
