The 400 School Takes to the Web with 'Virtual Classroom' for i/OS

Published: March 2, 2010

by Alex Woodie

The 400 School last week introduced its "Virtual Classroom for IBM i," a new series of hands-on, multi-day training sessions led by i/OS expert Dan Riehl that provide a way for individuals and small groups of people to get in-depth training on the platform from the comfort of a Web browser.

Riehl, who recently left i/OS security software developer PowerTech to make it on his own as an i/OS security guru and educator, says he founded The 400 School to provide a venue for education for smaller groups of users, as opposed to the large groups that training companies typically target.

"While there is a demand for operations, administration, and RPG IV programming classes, there remains very few venues that can provide that training for individuals and companies that need to train one or two people," Riehl states in a press release. "With the new Virtual Classroom, the same live training that we present at our customer sites is now available to individuals and companies all over the world, regardless of the number of students."

The 400 School currently has four training sessions on the docket from early April through late May--with time in between courses, of course, for the granddaddy of i/OS education and training sessions, the annual COMMON conference, which this year is taking place May 2-6 in Orlando, Florida.

The 400 School kicks things off with a five-day session, "Introduction to RPG IV Programming Workshop," beginning April 12. From April 19-21, Riehl will put his security hat (he recently started an i/OS security firm called IT Security and Compliance Group) and present a three-day course titled "System i (AS/400) Security Workshop."

After COMMON, things pick up again with another five-day session, "RPG IV Interactive Programming Workshop," scheduled for May 17-21. The last session, "System i (AS/400) Administration and Control," is slated for May 24-28.

Students don't need anything more than a PC, a phone, and a fast Internet connection to participate in the live training sessions. Streaming video of The 400 School's classroom and System i screens are beamed across the Internet into the students' browsers. To get audio, students call in over the phone (or use a cheap VoIP package). Students have the option to use a Web cam to share their own video feeds, but a Web cam is not required.

Riehl emphasizes that these sessions will require the same level of student attention and dedication as conventional classes held in a classroom. "This is not some boring pre-recorded presentation, not a CBT [computer-based training course]," Riehl states. "This is live, a full hands-on, lab-style learning experience. Using a Web browser, students go to our Virtual Classroom to access our IBM System i, and to learn and interact with their expert instructor and fellow students from around the world."

The three-day class on security is listed at $1,495, while the five-day programming and administration classes are listed at $2,395. For more information or to sign up, visit The 400 School's Web site at www.400school.com.

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