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Novell

The network software powerhouse behind NetWare — absorbed into Micro Focus and later OpenText

Transformed — Novell rose to prominence with NetWare, the network operating system that dominated corporate networking in the 1980s and 1990s. After years of decline it was acquired by The Attachmate Group in 2011 and then by Micro Focus in 2014, and its assets later became part of OpenText.

Novell was founded in 1983 and its NetWare software became the standard for connecting PCs in corporate networks. For years, "Novell" was essentially synonymous with local area networking, and its technology sat at the center of how businesses shared files and resources.

The company declined as Microsoft's Windows networking, and eventually the internet, changed the market. Novell went through a series of strategic missteps and acquisitions, including buying the SUSE Linux business, but it never regained its former dominance.

In 2011, Novell was acquired by The Attachmate Group, which merged with Micro Focus in 2014. Novell's products became part of that larger software company, and in 2022 Micro Focus was itself acquired by OpenText. The Novell brand and its technology now exist only as parts of much larger businesses.

Quick facts

Founded: 1983, Provo, Utah
Signature: NetWare networking software
Peak: Dominant in corporate networking
Acquired: By Attachmate in 2011, then Micro Focus in 2014
Later: Became part of OpenText
Legacy: Father of PC networking

Lineage — where the name went

From a loss-making Utah hardware company to a Microsoft-led patent sale and finally OpenText — the lineage of the firm that networked the office, including the WordPerfect and Borland purchases it never made pay.

1983 — Novell Data Systems was ancestor of Novell, Inc. (incorporated under the shortened name Novell, Inc. on 25 January 1983)
1983 — Novell, Inc. appointed Ray Noorda (announced as president and chief executive in April 1983)
1983 — Novell, Inc. created NetWare (introduced later the same year)
Windows NT was succeeded by NetWare (bundling network services with Windows NT ended NetWare's run)
1994 — Novell, Inc. acquired WordPerfect Corporation (announced in March 1994 at $1.4 billion in stock and closed on 24 June)
1994 — Borland sold Quattro Pro (sold to Novell for $145 million in cash)
1994 — Novell, Inc. acquired Quattro Pro (closed alongside the WordPerfect purchase)
1996 — Corel acquired WordPerfect Corporation ($186 million, completed in March 1996)
1996 — Corel acquired Quattro Pro (part of the same sale)
1996 — Novell, Inc. sold WordPerfect Corporation (a loss of roughly $750 million on the applications gamble)
2003 — Novell, Inc. acquired SUSE (the Linux business that was meant to refocus the company)
2011 — The Attachmate Group acquired Novell, Inc. (agreed in November 2010 for $2.2 billion and completed in April 2011)
2011 — Novell, Inc. sold The Novell patent portfolio (882 patents, sold to CPTN Holdings for $450 million)
2011 — CPTN Holdings acquired The Novell patent portfolio (a consortium led by Microsoft and including Apple, EMC and Oracle)
2011 — Novell, Inc. sibling-of NetIQ (both were Attachmate Group units)
2014 — The Attachmate Group merged into Micro Focus (Novell's software folded into the larger company)
2022 — OpenText acquired Micro Focus (announced in 2022 and completed in January 2023)

Entities in this tree: Novell, Inc. (company, 1983); Novell Data Systems (company); Ray Noorda (person); NetWare (product, 1983); Windows NT (product); WordPerfect Corporation (company); Borland (company); Quattro Pro (product); Corel (company); SUSE (company); The Novell patent portfolio (product); CPTN Holdings (company); The Attachmate Group (company); NetIQ (company); Micro Focus (company); OpenText (company)

Sources

Novell - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (2026-09-05)
Micro Focus buying Novell, Suse Linux owner for $1.2 billion — InfoWorld (2026-09-05)