Quest Software Inc. has announced general availability of Quest NDS Migrator version 4.0, enhanced to provide greater business continuity during migration from Novell NDS to Microsoft Active Directory. New features of the Quest product include automatic resource updating and a built-in graphical user interface for a new capability in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.

“Our customers tell us that one of the biggest challenges in deciding whether to migrate from NDS to Active Directory is deciding how to address system resources that are impacted by the change,” said David Waugh, vice president, Product Management, at Quest. “The prospect of manually re-mapping links and visiting each desktop to update profiles can be daunting. We have addressed this challenge with version 4.0 of Quest NDS Migrator.”

A second major benefit to the new version of NDS Migrator is a graphical user interface for the Microsoft Access Based Enumeration (ABE) capability in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, according to Quest.. ABE helps increase security by limiting users’ view of sub-folders below the shared folder to which they are given access. This provides customers migrating from NDS with functionality they have grown accustomed to, and streamlines administration for customers using Windows Server 2003 for file services.

“Quest NDS Migrator saved us valuable time and manpower,” said James Tarala, project manager for the Active Directory migration for Bon Secours Health System, Inc. “Our goal was a seamless, zero-impact migration, and with Quest’s product, it really was. We were very excited about that.” Bon Secours Health System, a Catholic health care ministry headquartered in Marriottsville, Maryland, provides integrated health care services through over 19,000 caregivers and serves people in 14 communities across nine states, primarily on the East Coast.

New features in NDS Migrator 4.0 include:

• Server-side updating – Automatically update OLE links in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files to reflect the new file paths.
  
• End-user workstation updating – Automatically update end-user desktops so profiles, mapped drives and desktop shortcuts continue to work during and after the migration.
  
• Clean-up options support – Automatically remove the Novell Client from end-user desktops.
  

"Microsoft is working closely with vendor partners like Quest to create a smooth transition plan for customers migrating their networks from Novell NDS to Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory," said Ryan Gavin, director of Platform Strategy at Microsoft. "The Quest NDS Migrator reduces the cost and complexity of the migration process, making it easier for customers to take advantage of Microsoft's reliable server platform and road map."

North American pricing for NDS Migrator 4.0 begins at $10 U.S. per migrated user account. To download the software, visit http://wm.quest.com/products/ndsmigrator.