sunflash-Distributed to mailing list sun/NC/north-carolina sunflash-Send requests, problems to owner-sunflash@suntri.east.sun.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Three SunService Announcements SunFLASH Vol 57 #26 September 1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 57.26 Three SunService Announcements 1. Enhancements to the SunSpectrum Program, 2. Certification Program for Solaris System Administrators, 3. and Additions to SunTutor. 57.26.A SunService Enhances SunsPectrum With Two New Support Offerings Business-wide Pricing Option Simplifies Adding New Systems to Existing Support Contracts SunSolve Online(TM) Provides Quick, Easy Access to Patches 57.26.B SunService Offers Certification for Solaris Sytem Administrators Teams with Drake to Develop Tests for Three Skill Levels Available in the US 57.26.C Enhanced SunTutor Teaches Key Skills for Administering Solaris 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: SunService Enhances SunsPectrum With Two New Support Offerings Business-wide Pricing Option Simplifies Adding New Systems to Existing Support Contracts SunSolve Online(TM) Provides Quick, Easy Access to Patches MILPITAS, Calif.-- September 21, 1993 -- SunService, a business unit of Sun Microsystems, Inc., today introduced two new, innovative enhancements to its SunSpectrum(TM) service and support program, the flagship product of the company's Systems Support business. The new Business-wide Pricing Option gives customers an easy way to cover all their new systems automatically and allows them to better administer and manage their support costs. Under the Business-wide Pricing Option, larger customers (those with more than 500 seats already under service contracts) forecast the number of workstations that will be added at a given site during the contract period; then when those systems are actually brought online, they are automatically covered under the customer's previously negotiated support contract. The customer no longer needs to add each new system to the support contract at the time it is purchased. If more systems are added than were forecasted, the customer simply pays the difference at the end of the period. If fewer than expected are added, SunService refunds the difference. In addition, any discounts available under the customer's existing contracts apply to the added products. "We think this will make life easier for our largest customers because there is no need to change the contract every time a new system is added," said Larry Hambly, president of SunService and corporate executive officer of Sun Microsystems, Inc. "Now the customer can negotiate a contract that accounts for growth with full confidence that all new systems will be covered." The Business-wide Pricing Option will be implemented throughout the next three months with general availability around the world by January, 1994. Customers should check with their local SunService representative for availability in their area. SunSolve Online(TM): Fast, Easy Access to Patches To further enhance SunSpectrum support, SunService has added new capabilities to its popular SunSolve(TM) support tool. SunSolve Online(TM) is now available through Internet(R) and SprintNet(R), so users can now access software patches via FTP (File Transfer Protocol) over the network for fast problem resolution. Previously, customers who needed a patch sent a request to the SunService Solution Center and received the patch in the mail. The new version significantly speeds up the process so that patches are available within seconds. "SunSolve Online is the automatic teller machine (ATM) of the computer industry," says Larry Little of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. "I now have instant access to the latest SunService information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The fact that I can FTP patches directly to my computer in real-time is terrific." The new version of SunSolve Online will retain the EarlyNotifier(TM) service, which pro-actively notifies customers of significant problems. SunSolve Online will also continue to be offered worldwide through varying methods. Customers who do not have modems or access to Internet can still obtain the most current technical information with SunSolve CD(TM), an update that is sent to them quarterly on CD-ROM; or, in the U.S. and Canada, with SunSolve FAX(TM), which lets customers use their touch-tone telephones to access a subset of current SunSolve information via FAX. SunSolve Online is available to all SunSpectrum support contract customers. It is updated nightly with the most current support information from SunService's Worldwide Solution Centers, including common questions and answers, technical notes, and bug and patch descriptions. "We're committed to getting important information to our customers on a timely basis, and that includes making it convenient for them to access the information," said Hambly. "With the latest enhancements to SunSolve Online, customers now have several easy options for accessing the latest information directly from SunService engineers: Internet, SprintNet, CD-ROM, or FAX." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: SunService Offers Certification for Solaris Sytem Administrators SUNSERVICE OFFERS INDUSTRY'S FIRST CERTIFICATION FOR SOLARIS(R) SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS Teams with Drake to Develop Tests for Three Skill Levels MILPITAS, Calif. -- September 21, 1993 -- SunService, a business unit of Sun Microsystems, Inc., today announced the availability in the U.S. of certification testing for system administrators who work with systems that run the Solaris(R) operating environment. Part of the SunService Education business, the program is the first in the industry that certifies Solaris system administrators. The computer-based tests, designed and developed jointly by SunService and Drake Training and Technologies, an independent testing organization, evaluate the applicant's overall knowledge of Solaris operating environment system administration as well as test proficiencies at key system administration tasks. Tests are available for three skill levels: fundamental system administration, administration of stand-alone systems, and system administration in server-based environments and are administered by Drake Training and Technologies. Applicants who score a passing grade are certified by SunService to have demonstrated core competency in the area being tested. "This is a true win-win situation for the trainee and his or her company," said Larry Hambly, president of SunService and corporate executive officer of Sun Microsystems, Inc. "The tests are rigorous, so the student has a tangible learning goal to work toward, and the certification itself validates the company's investment in training. The end result is a more productive system administrator, which in turn makes for more productive users." While no formal coursework is required to take the certification tests, each test is fully supported by the portfolio of classroom, video and SunTutor(SM) courses offered by SunService Education (for details please request a copy of the SunService Educational Services catalog). The tests can also provide an objective measure of a student's current knowledge base, making it easier to determine which additional courses, if any, are appropriate for each trainee. "SunService has joined a growing number of Drake clients that recognize the importance of certifying UNIX system professionals," said Steve Nordberg, vice president of computer industry marketing and sales for Drake Training and Technologies. "We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with SunService to implement their certification program, which is destined to have significant influence on the UNIX market." Students who wish to take a test register with Drake, and take the exam at one of Drake's U.S. testing centers. The computer-based test is closed-book and timed. Grading is pass/fail. Results are available immediately on completion of the test, along with an analysis of the results broken down by topic. The cost per test is U.S. $150. The test covering fundamentals of Solaris system administration is available immediately in the U.S. The test for stand-alone system administration will be available starting October, 1993 and the test for system administration skills in server-based environments will be offered beginning November, 1993. Drake is the global leader in computerized certification testing, operating a network of more than 400 testing centers located in major markets throughout the world. Drake administers exams for leading computer industry manufacturers, professional associations and government agencies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Enhanced SunTutor Teaches Key Skills for Administering Solaris 2 NEW SUNSERVICE(TM) PRODUCT PROVIDES INTERACTIVE TRAINING AT THE DESKTOP FOR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS Easy-to-Use SunTutor(SM) Product Teaches Key Skills for Administering Solaris(R) 2.x Systems MILPITAS, Calif.-- September 21, 1993 -- SunService, a business unit of Sun Microsystems, Inc., today introduced the latest addition to its SunTutor(SM) line of interactive learning products, Solaris(R) 2.x System Administration. The CD-based course takes maximum advantage of the advanced multimedia capabilities of Sun(R) workstations, and allows students to learn a wide range of system administration skills at their own pace. The easy-to-use course also serves as an ongoing reference tool, right on the desktop. This latest addition to the SunTutor product line from SunService Education is equally useful to new system administrators and system administrators who are upgrading to Solaris 2.x. Featuring full-color graphics, text, animations, simulations, and an interactive index and glossary, the product teaches by fully engaging the student with practice exercises and providing feedback on the user's performance. In addition, one of the new SunTutor features, the Progress Map, shows students at a glance what they have accomplished, allowing them to easily pick up where they left off from the course. "The Solaris 2.x system administration course is a terrific alternative to traditional classroom learning for many students," said Larry Hambly, president, SunService and corporate executive officer of Sun Microsystems, Inc. "You go at your own pace, you interact with the program on your own terms, and you don't have to leave the office. That's a huge cost and convenience advantage, both for the student and his or her company." The course takes advantage of the multitasking capabilities of the Solaris operating environment to provide truly interactive learning. The program runs without interrupting the user's host environment, and allows students to pick and choose among topics and tools in any order they wish. Students explore topics by clicking on icons and using simple navigation features. Feedback is then provided through practice sessions that check the student's understanding. SunTutor: Solaris 2.x System Administration is offered in two volumes and is designed to support the Solaris Certification testing program offered by SunService. Volume One provides instruction on several topics, including installation and backups. Volume Two includes instruction on user accounts and security. Pricing and Availability Volume One of SunTutor: Solaris 2.x System Administration will be available in October through authorized SunService resellers, including Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC), and SunExpress, a Sun business unit that provides quick delivery of Sun(R) products. Volume Two will be available in the first quarter of 1994. The suggested U.S. list price for Volume One is $495 (with a five-user license); Volume Two is priced at $695 with a five-user license. SunService, a Sun Microsystems, Inc. business, provides systems and network support, education, and value-added services worldwide to end users of all Sun products. SunService has the largest number of UNIX(R) system experts in the industry and is the industry's largest UNIX training organization. With headquarters in Milpitas, Calif., SunService began operating on July 1, 1993. Sun Microsystems, Inc. is an integrated portfolio of businesses that supply distributed computing technologies, products, and services. Its innovative open client-server computing solutions include networked workstations and multiprocessing servers, operating systems software, silicon designs, and other value-added technologies. According to analysts, the company's products command the largest share of one of the computer industry's fastest-growing market segments: workstations and servers. Founded in 1982, Sun is a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. # # # # Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, SunService, the SunService logo, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, the Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation logo, SunExpress, the SunExpress logo, SunTutor and Solaris are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. 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