Novell shares may quadruple if new technology is adopted

Novell Inc. rose 3 3/8 to 23 1/2 in early trading. Shares in the maker of networking software could quadruple to 80 in five years if it can persuade computer hardware and software makers to use its directory-services technology, Barron's said Saturday.

Novell Directory Services -- which will compete with Microsoft Corp.'s Active Directory, when it's introduced -- lists the terminals, printers and security clearance levels of a computer network in a kind of Yellow Pages. That cuts costs for companies of operating such networks.Since October, Provo-based Novell has recruited Lucent Technologies Inc., Cisco Systems Inc. and Oracle Corp. to support its Directory Services technology. Novell rose 1/16 to 20 1/8 Friday.