Training Options for IT Pros Training Options for IT Pros By Ed Tittel April 23, 2012 9:00 PM Tags : Security Virtualization Servers Linux Management Cloud Computing Hardware & Software Training Networking Careers Ibm Dell Hewlett Packard Microsoft Cisco Citrix CheckPoint Vmware Computer Generated Solutions Element K Executrain Fast Lane Firebrand Global Knowledge GlobalNet Training InfoPro Worldwide Learning Tree New Horizons Skillsoft Oracle EC-Council Infosec Institute ISACA ISC-squared SANS Institute Secure Ninja Access Data Digital Intelligence CCE Bootcamp Prodiscover Computer Forensics Technical Resource Center CompTIA Linux Professional Institute Red Hat The Open Group Project Management Institute DLD Table of contents 1. Introduction to IT Training 2. Multi-Focus IT Training Companies 3. Vendor Specific IT Training Companies 4. Information Security Training Companies 5. Computer Forensics Training Companies 6. Other IT Training Companies 7. Making the Most of IT Training 1. Introduction to IT Training Ed Tittel Ed Tittel is a 30-year-plus veteran of the computing industry, who’s worked as a programmer, a technical manager, a classroom instructor, a network consultant and a technical evangelist for companies that include Burroughs, Schlumberger, Novell, IBM/Tivoli and NetQoS. He has written and blogged for numerous publications, including Tom's Hardware, and is the author of over 140 computing books with a special emphasis on information security, Web markup languages and development tools, and Windows operating systems. Grading CriteriaThe selection of programs included in the tables come from research by the author for PearsonITCertification.com. The grading criteria for these training programs come from two observations; “breadth of coverage" and “depth of coverage." “Breadth of coverage” implies that a high-scoring training company covers the vast majority of significant or popular vendor professional certification programs (e.g. Cisco, CompTIA, Microsoft, ISC-squared, and so forth). "Depth of coverage” implies that a high-scoring training company covers more than just the most popular elements of a vendor’s professional certification catalog, so that deep Microsoft coverage, for example, would include key Windows Server 2008 topics such as administration, enterprise administration, active directory, and virtualization administration, Windows desktop topics such as Enterprise desktop support, enterprise desktop administrator, consumer support technician, and so forth. IT Training Companies: What they do and how we rank them. This In-depth article includes several quick-read tables to assist IT pros looking to increase their knowledge and advance their careers. . When it comes to finding IT training companies that can teach various certification curriculums—usually with an eye to passing one or more cert exams, and earning some kind of cert credential—there is no shortage of options from which to choose in today’s marketplace. Though instructor-led training (ILT) remains a favorite option, it is also still the most expensive way to prepare for IT certification. That said, for those with funds to cover costs that usually hover around $1,000 per classroom day, ILT remains one of the best ways to train up to earn various IT certifications. But there is an increasingly large array of other options available to would-be certification candidates, as the various tables in this story will attest. At the complete opposite end of the cost spectrum, self-study remains a favored option for those with more time and energy than money to invest in certification—though that means such individuals must avoid programs that absolutely require classroom training to earn their credentials, such as elements of the VMware or Oracle certification offerings, for example. (For more information on self-study options and budgets, see my companion story “Most Bang for Your Certification Bucks.”) The best news for those who want to strike a price point somewhere between ILT and self-study is the increasing number and range of online training options for IT certification available. Various training providers now offer instructor-led online (ILO training), and online or standalone courseware and blended learning offerings—mixing video, text, simulations, and other materials together to deliver a combination of learning styles for students—are also increasingly prevalent. Online labs (e-labs) let students obtain hands-on experience over the Internet, while virtual labs (vlabs) do the same via software simulations or virtualized and local runtime environments. Online mentoring from some training providers gives students access to subject matter experts in the certs they’re chasing. As a result, they get questions answered and get assistance with tricky issues or difficult concepts to master training materials, key topics and concepts. In the five tables that follow we look at a variety of training organizations, including big global training companies (Table 1), major high-tech corporations with cert programs and learning delivery organizations (Table 2), and training companies that specialize in information security (Table 3) and computer forensics (Table 4). This collection of training organizations concludes with a grab-bag of other major certification providers with strong training interests (Table 5). Next 1. Introduction to IT Training1. Introduction to IT Training2. Multi-Focus IT Training Companies3. Vendor Specific IT Training Companies4. Information Security Training Companies5. Computer Forensics Training Companies6. Other IT Training Companies7. Making the Most of IT Training Comment on this article ... Comment(s)| Comments