Cisco Joins Forces With EMC to Advance IT Skills in Cloud, Big Data and Data Center Technologies

Grazed from MarketWatch.  Author: PR Announcement.

Cisco today announced it is joining forces with EMC to offer comprehensive technical education solutions in the areas of cloud architecture, virtualization, storage, data center networking and data science. The joint education solutions from Cisco and EMC, which also incorporate courseware from VMware, will offer advanced training and certifications to help organizations acquire the skills required to successfully architect, build, and transform their IT infrastructures, adopt cloud computing, and realize the promise of big data and data science…

Explosive data growth and new transformational technologies such as cloud computing, converged infrastructure, unified networking and big data are changing the way organizations are running their businesses today. These new technologies affect not only IT systems and infrastructures, but also the practitioners that design, install, operate and manage them. New job roles are emerging that require next-generation skill sets. New skills and knowledge are needed for organizations, managers and individual end-users to maximize the benefits of these new technologies.

Key Facts/Highlights
       
        —  The education solutions will combine the latest curricula from Cisco,
            EMC and VMware, to offer a logically organized framework to address
            disciplines such as Cloud Architect, Systems Administrator, Storage,
            Backup and Recovery, Data Center Networking, Data Center Network
            Design, Systems Management, and Data Scientist.
        —  Learning paths will make it simple for IT managers and practitioners
            to create education development plans by prescribing the specific
            course of training required for proficiency in each discipline. For
            example, the Systems Administrator learning path includes the
            following courses: Cloud Infrastructure and Services, VMware
            vSphere(R): Install, Configure, Manage, and Cisco Data Center
            Unified Computing Implementation (DCUCI). The Data Center Network
            Architect learning path includes the following courses: EMC Cloud
            Infrastructure and Services, Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFD),
            and Configuring Cisco Nexus Data Center (CCNDC). Other courses include
            EMC’s Data Science and Big Data Analytics and EMC’s Information
            Storage and Management.
        —  Bundles will offer convenient, flexible and value-priced purchase
            options for each of the prescribed learning paths and will make it
            easy for users to find, purchase and consume the most appropriate
            courseware for their needs. Courses will also be offered individually
            for those who prefer an a la carte option.
        —  Cisco will deliver its training as instructor-led training (ILT) and
            EMC (or in some cases VMware) will deliver the EMC and VMware training
            as ILT. Select courses will be available for customer onsite
            instruction by either Cisco or EMC. Additionally, some EMC courseware
            is offered through EMC’s convenient video instructor-led (VILT)
            training.

Supporting Quotes:

        —  Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, vice president and general manager
            ofLearning@Cisco, said: "Today’s data center is composed of
            heterogeneous technologies, with the cloud blurring the lines between
            technology silos. IT organizations must cultivate new cloud
            architecture skills, understand how to use big data and maintain deep
            domain expertise with a renewed understanding of virtualization and
            technology convergence. With this offering Cisco and EMC are leading
            the way in transforming skills for the next generation of IT
            professionals."
       
        —  Tom Clancy, vice president of EMC Education Services, said: "EMC,
            Cisco and VMware are industry leaders offering best-of-breed data
            center and IT infrastructure technologies and services, through a
            strong and collaborative relationship. The education solutions Cisco
            and EMC are offering through this collaboration are conveniently
            packaged, flexible and value-priced. Our solutions will provide
            organizations, as well as the IT professional, a prescriptive and
            simple way to acquire the right skills at the right time, regardless
            of where they are in their journey to cloud computing, addressing big
            data or employing a data science strategy."
       
        —  Hatem Naguib, vice president, Alliances, VMware, said:
             "Today’s IT
            administrators are faced with a data center environment that is
            continuously evolving. VMware, Cisco and EMC’s education offerings
            will empower customers to easily and efficiently obtain the skills
            required to leverage new virtualization, cloud and data center
            technologies for the benefit of their organizations."
       
        —  David Vellante, CEO and chief analyst, The Wikibon Project, said:
            "Enterprises are transforming from siloed data center operations to
            cloud computing and converged infrastructures to improve efficiency
            and agility. IT pros likewise need to adapt their skills to support
            such modern architectures. That means new ecosystem-focused training
            and educational programs — such as the new offering from Cisco, EMC
            and VMware — are needed to help IT pros stay relevant and valuable to
            their organizations."