APC launches Data Center University

End-to-end global power solution provider, AmericanPower Conversion (APC), has launched Data CenterUniversity (DCU), an online educational institutionfor Information Technology (IT) professionals who areinvolved in building and operating server rooms anddata centres.

DCU, according to APC, includes both classroom andWeb-based courses with the initial launch offering 14foundational courses and six advanced courses in thesubject areas of data center design, build andoperations, just as courses are available online atwww.datacenteruniversity.com.

Officials of APC informed ITREALMS Online that allcourses focuses on vendor neutrality and do notpromote APC products, saying that focus on thecritical technologies and best practices are relevantto scaleable, modular data centre infrastructure.

Actual data centre executives, the firm said, withdecades of combined experience participated in thedevelopment of the courses.

This is in addition to individuals being able tocomplete most of the online, on-demand courses in lessthan one hour, even as DCU is an educational partnerof IEEE.

Country general manager, Africa at APC, Mr. CarlKleynhans, said that the firm's goal is to providedata centre professionals with training on real worldissues, not just theories.

"We expect that throughData Center University's continuing education courses,this institutions could help address the criticalshortage of qualified data centre professionals in theindustry," he said.

Stressing that DCU would provide individuals withstandardised training in the fundamental issues ofdata centre design, build and operations, as well asoffer them the knowledge and skills needed toeffectively manage real world issues in today'ssophisticated data centre.

IT professionals, he said, could now accesshigh-quality data centre education through thisvendor-neutral, one-stop and fast track educationalinstitution.

Emphasising that DCU gives IT professionalsunprecedented opportunity to broaden knowledge on awide variety of topics related to data centre designand management, comprising the latest high densityapplications that are creating challenging designissues for enterprises.

Other courses available include fundamentals ofcooling, fundamentals of power, and fundamentals ofphysical security.

He also disclosed that from now until March 31, 2006,the university would offer all online coursesfree-of-charge.Web-based education is self-paced and availableon-demand via the customer education.

Pointing outthat data center university addresses the great needfor advanced education in the disciplines of planningnetwork-critical physical infrastructure and designingdata centers."

As APC's core expertise has expanded into areas suchas data centre cooling and rack systems for bladeservers, Data Center University is a natural fit," hedeclared.