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In-depth networking, client-server techniques lead new course list

The classes will be offered at HP training facilities throughout Europe and North America beginning in October. HP will teach a one-day, lecture-only class on the MPE/iX 6.0 operating system release, scheduled to ship to customers late next month. The course includes briefings on Java, Samba/iX and using the new multiple job queues feature.

The new coursework was HP’s response to increased business in the 3000 community, both in the existing customer base as well as from companies new to the HP 3000. Lenny Alugas, Worldwide Manager of the Education Practice in HP’s Professional Services Organization, said new products and new business called for new classes.

“We’re finding that with the resurgence of the MPE business, a lot of new customers are starting to buy HP 3000s,” Alugas said. “There’s a lot of new people beginning to learn MPE. With the division that makes the products coming out with so many enhancements to the product line, it was absolutely essential that we packaged something new for our market.”

HP will be offering a total of six courses for MPE training this fall. MPE Fundamentals and MPE System Management are familiar courses that have expanded to include new 3000 features and commands, and the three-day IMAGE Databases I course now has b-tree access methods. All have been updated, according to HP. There’s also a new two-day IMAGE Databases II: Client/Server Access to IMAGE/SQL ($900), a more in-depth MPE Network Administration ($1,350), and New Features and Functions of MPE/iX 6.0 ($450).

The five-day Network Administration course includes work on setting up a 3000 as a Web server, as well as configuring the Samba/iX file- and resource-sharing tool for Windows NT support. The 5-day MPE Fundamentals course now teaches accessing IMAGE/SQL data from Microsoft Excel and creating an IMAGE/SQL database. Customers can call the HP Fax on Demand service (800.770.4854) and request documents 46581 and 46582 to get more detail on course contents.

The classes will be offered at the majority of the 16 training sites in the US, and customers can request the classes be offered at their nearest HP training facility. “If we can fill the classes, we’ll definitely do it at every location,” Alugas said.
HP also teaches the courses on an on-site basis. This arrangement delivers the training for a flat fee, and companies realize a break-even point if more than seven employees attend the classes.

HP 3000 courses will still continue to be outnumbered by the HP Education offerings for Unix and Windows NT, Alugas said. “The volume of the business on the Unix side [for education] is so much bigger than the MPE side,” he said. “We’re being very clever, I hope, in identifying the courses our customers need.” HP now offers more NT courses than Unix courses.

To schedule courses or learn about the current course schedule, contact HP Education (800.472.5277 US, 800.563.5089 Canada, 41.22.780.8181 Europe). HP Education’s Web site is www.hp.com/education.