Foundations University now accepting enrollments

IBM (bless their little cotton socks) are running some free Foundations training in a virtual university format on 9th and 10th September. Unfortunately it'll be running from 9am to 5pm US Central Time which means from somewhere round midnight till 8am for those of us living Down Under. That unfortunate fact by itself wouldn't stop me, but since I've already promised to run a R8 System Admin course on those two days plus my sister is in town on her once-in-a-blue-moon holiday from her day job in Kabul (yes... Kabul in Afghanistan... don't ask... it's a long story) it means that I would be burning the candle at both ends plus in the middle if I tried to do the Foundations course as well. I'll take a rain check and sign up for the November intake.

Enrollment priority is given to ISVs who are members of IBM partnerworld and are looking to Foundationize their products. I don't see anywhere that says your product needs to be based on Lotus Domino, so this could be your chance to be first to market with the Foundations Games Pack :)

Here's what you get:

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IBM Lotus Foundations Start technical workshop
IBM Lotus Foundations Start is a complete software appliance that provides the essential software you need to focus on running the business, not managing computer systems. It allows a small business to use e-mail; create, share and centrally manage documents; and ensure information is backed up and protected. If you need to know how to install, configure and use the new Lotus Foundations Start, this workshop is for you.

What you will discover by attending: After attending the workshop, you will be able to do the following:

• Install and configure Lotus Foundations Start applications such as IBM Lotus Notes and IBM Lotus Domino, Lotus Domino Access for Microsoft Office, and anti-spam
• Restore and recover from a failed main drive
• Describe product features in terms of capabilities, such as autonomic behavior, backup, and fault tolerance
• Perform administrative tasks such as importing multiple users and optimizing Lotus Notes clients
• Describe the key security features in Lotus Foundations, such as Web-based administration, firewall, VPN, router support, backup, restore, disaster recovery, anti-virus, and anti-spam
• Install Domino Access for Microsoft Office and set up users
• Describe the messaging and e-mail environment of Lotus Foundations, including mail capabilities, protocols, and third-party integration with Microsoft Office
• Provide examples of the servers that are part of Lotus Foundations, such as POP, IMAP, SMTP, IP-based printing, Web, and FTP servers
• Explain the high-level architecture of Lotus Foundations Start
• Discuss integrated applications available for Lotus Foundations, such as Samba, Apache, PPTP and intelligent database backup
• Explain the hardware and software requirements for Lotus Foundations Start

Highlights

• Knowledge of product installation and operation
• Live instructor-led lectures
• Hands-on lab exercises that will:

• >> Install the core product on a third-party hardware platform
• >> Conduct package installations and configuration of server applications
• >>Install and configure client applications
• >> Administer the Lotus Foundations server including account setup, disk configuration, integrated services facilitation, and user account creation and removal from the Web
• >> Perform system recovery

Prerequisites: This workshop is for people who will install, configure, and maintain Lotus Foundations. Suggested skills and knowledge are:

• Basic familiarity with Lotus Foundations
• Computer application and installation
• Familiarity with Internet terminology
• Experience with Lotus Domino and Lotus Notes (optional)

Virtual workshop participants:

• Must have Internet access using a high speed connection
• Lectures will be via interactive instruction voice over IP (VoIP)
• Noise canceling headset and microphone for improved VoIP interaction
• Should consider having a telephone as backup

This is a technical class and does not include a product introduction. ****************************************************************************

Other news:
Lotus Australia is having their annual Sales conference (sorry... Sales University) this week at a top-secret location somewhere south of the border in the Yarra Valley. These events are a quite excellent opportunity to rub shoulders with assorted Australian Lotii and possibly even pick up some web marketing tips from older and wiser Business Partners.

Belinda and Adam are coming also and while I'm soaking up the technology and industry gossip they'll be checking out wildlife parks and doing all of the things that these Resorts offer but us conference attendees never get around to doing. Adam's pretty good at putt-putt for a three year old, but somehow I couldn't find the link for the putt-putt course on their list of local golf courses. I'll ask at reception when we check in.

All of that means that I won't be blogging for the rest of this week but if all goes well I'll be back next Monday with more Foundations goodies to share.
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