OES vs. NOW: Choosing the Right Platform for Your Small Business

OpenText continues to maintain and evolve the legendary Novell ecosystem, providing secure, reliable, and high-performance tools for file services, collaboration, identity, and endpoint management. Two of the most widely deployed offerings among small and mid-sized businesses are Open Enterprise Server (OES) and NOW (Novell Open Workgroup Suite). While the two products are related—and OES is included as part of NOW—they serve very different purposes.

This article breaks down the differences between OES and NOW, explains where each fits, and helps you determine which platform is right for your business.

What Is Open Enterprise Server (OES)?

OES is the foundational server platform built on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) that provides secure and reliable:

• File services (NCP, SMB, CIFS)
• Print services (iPrint)
• Identity integration with eDirectory
• NSS storage, quotas, salvage, snapshots
• Cluster services (optional)
• Rights-based access control
• Backup, recovery, and storage management

OES is ideal for organizations that need a secure, high-performance file and print solution with enterprise directory integration and advanced storage features.

Why Organizations Choose OES

• Extremely secure file system (NSS)
• Lower ransomware exposure than Windows file servers
• Stable, predictable performance
• Strong identity and access controls through eDirectory
• Works well in hybrid environments alongside Windows and cloud services
• Long-term support with clear quarterly update cycles

In many environments, OES simply “runs forever,” requiring minimal maintenance while providing the reliability Novell systems have been known for decades.

What Is NOW (Novell Open Workgroup Suite)?

NOW is a complete small-business workgroup solution that includes OES but expands far beyond file and print services. It is a bundled suite designed specifically for organizations with 100 users or fewer—a hard license limit.

NOW includes the core OpenText/Novell collaboration, identity, printing, security, and endpoint tools:

NOW Suite Includes:

Collaboration & Messaging

• GroupWise (email & collaboration)
• GroupWise Messenger
• Filr (file sharing, mobile access, sync)
• Vibe (team collaboration, workflows & intranet)

Identity & Access

• eDirectory
• SSPR (Self Service Password Reset)
• Identity Manager (IDM)
• Advanced Authentication (MFA)

Endpoint & IT Management

• ZENworks Configuration Management (ZCM)
• ZENworks Endpoint Security Management (ZESM)
• ZENworks Service Desk (ZSD)
• Novell Service Desk (NSD)

Platform & Printing

• Open Enterprise Server (OES)
• iPrint
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)

The Purpose of NOW

NOW is designed for small businesses that need everything in one package:

• Email
• File sharing
• MFA
• Identity management
• Endpoint management
• Collaboration portals
• Mobile access
• Printing
• Service desk tools

This is a complete collaboration and infrastructure ecosystem—no need to license components individually.

OES vs NOW: Key Differences

Below is a clear comparison that helps illustrate the distinction:

Which One Should Small Businesses Choose?

Choose OES if your small business needs:

• A secure and reliable file server
• A replacement for Windows file services
• Strong access control and directory integration
• Low maintenance and long lifespan
• Lower risk of malware and ransomware
• A Linux-based infrastructure with predictable updates

OES is perfect for SMBs that want enterprise-grade file and print services without the full collaboration stack.

Choose NOW if your small business needs:

• Email and messaging (GroupWise)
• Secure file sharing and mobile access (Filr)
• Team collaboration portals (Vibe)
• MFA and identity automation (Advanced Auth + IDM)
• Endpoint management and software deployment (ZENworks)
• Helpdesk and service desk tooling
• Everything bundled in one affordable suite
• You have 100 users or fewer

NOW effectively gives small businesses the full Novell ecosystem at a fraction of the cost.

If your organization wants an all-in-one, integrated infrastructure stack, NOW is unmatched.

Cost and Licensing Differences

OES Licensing

• Licensed per user or per server
• Scales for larger organizations
• Independent product lifecycle
• Best for hybrid and enterprise environments

NOW Licensing

• Strict 100-user cap
• One price covers the entire suite
• Perfect for organizations without large IT budgets
• Best for small businesses that want enterprise features

Security: OES vs NOW

OES Security

• Minimal attack surface
• Strong NSS permissions
• Lower exposure to Windows-based ransomware
• Encrypted file access options (NCP signatures, SMB hardening)

NOW Security

Includes everything OES has plus:

• Multi-factor authentication (Advanced Auth)
• Automated identity lifecycle management (IDM)
• Endpoint security enforcement via ZENworks
• Password self-service
• Secure mobile access through Filr

NOW provides full-stack security, not just file-system security.

Conclusion: Two Powerful Options for Small Businesses

Both OES and NOW deliver enormous value to small organizations—but they serve different needs.

• If you need secure file and print services, choose OES.
• If you need an entire collaboration and IT management ecosystem, choose NOW—provided you stay under the 100-user limit.

For many small businesses, NOW is a rare opportunity to obtain a complete enterprise-grade suite—including email, identity management, MFA, endpoint deployment, collaboration tools, printing, and file services—at a price point designed specifically for the SMB market.

Organizations with larger user counts or more complex environments can still start with OES as the core and build outward, but NOW provides one of the best small business bundles in the industry.