Novell is moving ahead with plans to expand its presence in areas now dominated by proprietary software. The company intends to use JBoss Portal as a central point around which it is to build services. The company discussed its various initiatives at Brainshare, held in Salt Lake City, UT this week. Novell also said it plans to add more open source offerings into its Java server software line, Extend, which it acquired when it bought SilverStream in 2002.

As part of its new efforts, Novell has entered into a partnership with JBoss. Novell will offer services to enterprise clients around the JBoss Portal. Novell will also enhance the Web portal software, through independent contributions to the open source product. Novell supports for the JBoss Java application server. The agreement allows Novell wider latitude in creating application around the JEMS server suite.

Novell said it plans to open the Novell Open Source Technology Centre later this year in Provo, Utah. The center is being creating in order to accelerate the creation of software around open source products among corporate clients.

"As technology standards mature and commodity [sic], the waterline rises. The application server has been there for some time," said David Litwack, Novell's senior vice-president and general manager for identity services.