Novell announced Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS and SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 support in Novell eDirectory, the most widely deployed directory service on the market. Along with the expanded Linux support and existing support for platforms including Novell NetWare, Windows NT/2000, Solaris and AIX, advanced authentication features have also been added to the next version of eDirectory.

Novell eDirectory will also ship with built-in support for advanced authentication methods, such as biometrics, smart cards and tokens. With the inclusion of Novell Modular Authentication Service (NMAS), organizations will be able to require multiple authentication methods and set up a graded authentication, where a user's access rights can be altered based on the strength of authentication used. For example, an administrator could access some basic resources with a simple password but would need to use a digital certificate or a combination of methods for further access.


Mike Neuenschwander, senior analyst at Burton Group, said, "Novell is taking a mature, stable product and now refining it to strengthen its position in the marketplace. The added security features in eDirectory are easy to use while offering significant flexibility and administrator control."