Welcome to the 7th issue of our Customer Newsletter 1-12-2009

In this issue

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for Engineers courses
• HP Modular Smart Array 2000 iSCSI
• BLADE Network Technologies workshop
• Armed Forces Service Leavers

This is a pre-announcement of three Microsoft Windows Server 2008 courses to be delivered starting early 2010.

Like their predecessors, they are specifically designed for Service and Support Professionals. They provide a cost effective and efficient way to gain the necessary Operating System skills without having to attend weeks of training - most of which is only of interest to system administrators.

1. A 5 day Windows Server 2008 for Engineers course.

This will replace the current Windows Server 2003 for Engineers course (which will no longer be scheduled but will be available on request). It will cover the essential concepts of the Windows Server family including those new in Windows Server 2008. It concentrates on job relevant Operating System knowledge and the effective use of the inbuilt diagnostic tools. When diagnosing system failures it is desirable to be able to distinguish between a hardware failure and an operating system malfunction or misconfiguration and thereby avoiding the unnecessary consumption of spare parts. The intended audience is Service and Support Professionals who have not received prior Microsoft Server training or have knowledge that is in need of an extensive update.

2. A 2 day Windows Server 2003 to 2008 Update for Engineers course.

This course in intended for those who have previously attended Windows Server 2003 training. It covers the new aspects of Windows Server 2008 which can assist or interfere with diagnosis and maintenance activity. As an example, with Windows Server 2008 it is possible to build a “headless” system – i.e. a configuration with no graphics or mouse capability. Such a configuration is operated from a command line interface. Service and Support Staff need to know how to access system information, event logs and so on ... in such a configuration.

In more detail, the topics covered  will be:

• System requirements, versions and packaging
• Server Manager functionality and changes
• New Installation Options, e.g. minimal installation (headless)
• Security changes, certificates, password granularity, firewall changes
• File Services Self-Healing NTFS changes
• Changes to Backup functionality
• An introduction to virtualisation in Windows Server 2008 (Hyper-V)
• BitLocker
• Network Load Balancing and iPV6 changes
• PowerShell
• New and changed diagnostic tools – Performance Monitor, Reliability Monitor and the Event Log
  

3. A 3 day Hyper-V for Engineers course

This course is intended for Service and Support Professionals working in a Hyper-V virtualisation environment.  It covers Client and Server virtualisation provided by Microsoft Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V and Presentation virtualisation with Remote Desktop Services. Service and Support staff need to work safely and in a way as to not compromise customer data or system availability when working in virtualised environments. This course, while covering some basic concepts, concentrates on what can and what cannot be done safely when maintaining Servers that host virtualised systems. Either one of the above courses, the full 5 day Windows Server 2008 course or the two day update (or equivalent knowledge) is pre-requisite to the Hyper-V course. Typically the Hyper-V course will be scheduled in the same week as, and follow the 2 day Microsoft Server 2008 Update course.
 

HOST are pleased to announce the following course.

Course Name: HP StorageWorks 2000i Modular Smart Array Configuration and Management
Course Number: S638
Duration:1 day
Available Dates: 8th January, 5th March, 7th May 2010

This course builds on existing MSA course offerings by expanding the iSCSI content in more detail and providing practical exercises in an iSCSI environment. It covers the best practices of MSA iSCSI Configuration and Management. While intended as a supplement to current Storage courses, it is equally suited to those unfamiliar with MSA technologies. The course will use the new MSA model 2324i and so also serves as an introduction to the Second Generation (G2) of MSA 2000 products from HP. Click here to view the full course description.

BLADE Network Technologies (BNT), the developers of the original LAN switches for the HP BladeSystem infrastructure, have authorised HOST Computer Services Ltd to deliver training on their BladeSystem GbE2c Layer 2/3 and the recently announced G8xxx ‘Top of Rack’ switches.

A one day workshop is now available which covers the configuration and management of BLADE Network Technologies switches for the HP c-Class BladeSystem. This workshop comprises:

• GbE2c L2/L3 Switch
• G8xxx Series RackSwitch
  
• BLADEHarmony Manager
• The opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a non-production environment.

HOST has recently received approval from the MoD and subsequent appointment as an Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) Approved Provider. The ELC scheme is the means by which those about to leave the Armed Forces receive funding for retraining in preparation for their future civilian careers. This together with the HOST participation in the Career Transition Partnership means that we meet a number of Service Leavers as we are involved in their training towards a future career in the IT Industry. Some Service Leavers are already experienced - we take these to more advanced levels. Others have decided on a change in career direction and for these we supply foundation courses.

While we do not offer a “Placement” service, we can introduce Service Leavers to likely employers. We make the introduction with the permission of both parties and they take it from there. If you are interested in this service – please let us know the required profile of the intended employees and any specific contact information. We will then make the introductions as and when we see suitable applicants. There are no charges for this service.