1983: Safeguard Scientifics, a venture capital firm, reincorporates NDSI as Novell, Inc, with Ray Noorda becoming president and CEO.  Company introduces NetWare, a network operating system that by the early 1990s would claim a 70% market share.

1986: Introduces GroupWise messaging and collaboration software.

1993: Acquires Unix System Laboratories from AT&T, securing rights to the Unix operating system (parts of which would be transferred to the Santa Cruz operation two years later).

1994: Acquires WordPerfect and Quattro Pro from Borland, only to sell them to Corel shortly afterward. Robert Frankenberg replaces Noorda as CEO. NetWare 4.0 is released.

1996: Announces plan to make company's products "Internet-ready."