Novell ICT Program at UNT

By Mike Wright, Microcomputer Computer Systems Manager (wright1@cc1.unt.edu)

Institutions of higher learning begin to be recognized by their peers and the world around them when they are able to offer programs, services, learning, and other offerings which present both an element of uniqueness and are not easily reproducible. With this in view, it is noteworthy that the University of North Texas can announce that it now has in place the only program of its kind at an institution of higher education in the State of Texas - the Novell ICT program.

Over the last few years, UNT has developed a sophisticated Novell network to bring networked micro-computing to the desktop of all faculty and staff as well as to students through the General Access Labs. During the same period, however, the training of the network managers and other network support staff has been limited primarily to on the job training. With that in mind, the Computing Center set off on a mission in 1993 to bring to the University a complete training program that would produce certifiable network managers, thus guaranteeing that the already complicated technology currently in place would be able to be upgraded and enhanced in years to come. The obvious benefits from such an undertaking would be:

• improved individual network management skills.
• enterprise-wide network management abilities.
• a considerable cost savings to the University over the per-student prices of commercially available courses.

The Computing Center first looked to Novell for a solution because the University's network infrastructure was built upon their platform. After a number of false starts and trips down blind alleys, it was discovered that Novell offered a small but unique program to colleges and universities called the Internal Campus Training program or ICT. The ICT is a very limited program. Only the staff and faculty of the institution who directly support the network and its operations are eligible for training.

After getting through the legal hurdles and overcoming numerous changes in the program s structure by Novell, UNT was finally approved in the summer of 1994 to offer the training for NetWare 4.X, the latest operating system available which features enterprise-wide network management. The next step was to have some staff members certified as CNIs (Certified Novell Instructors) in the courses which needed to be taught to the network managers. In doing so, these courses then would be recognized by Novell as their own and the attendees could gain CNE certification by passing independently administered exams. Ovee Rahman of the Computing Center and Abraham John of the Division of Student Affairs were selected to become the trainers of record.

To become a CNE, certain minimum scores must be achieved on each of the seven courses offered in a given curriculum. To become a CNI, a much more rigorous standard is applied. First, the candidate must achieve significantly higher scores than those of CNEs on their exams. In addition, each candidate must adequately demonstrate content mastery and Novell approved teaching techniques to Novell itself through an Instructor Performance Evaluation. Through a strict grading process, incredibly high standards for teaching technique, and an extremely short period of presentation preparation time, Novell is able to exercise a great degree of latitude in selecting only the best possible candidates to represent them as trainers in the field. It is therefore with a great degree of satisfaction and pride that University can announce that both Ovee and Abraham have been accepted into this elite group of trainers.

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