Merce can assist your IS management team acquire skills to a depth where they can install, configure, and manage an entire Merce-enabled network from the OS level up to advanced configuration and optimisation challenges, without the assistance of the Merce PSG or Merce Support Group. We have many structured training modules for our customers. These structured training offerings fall into three broad categories:

• overview modules designed for IS management and decision makers
• basic technical training modules for hands-on systems administrators in the foundation areas (e.g. networking, Linux) as well as introductory layers of Merce
• advanced technical training for experienced systems administrators

Some of these modules, specially some of the basic technical training modules, have rough equivalences with other training offerings in the IS industry, but others (e.g. M22, M23) are probably unique. This page lists the structured training offerings.

None of the training modules listed have any examination component. There will be a participation certificate provided for those who attend a complete module.

This will be a conceptual module, for hands-on system administrators as well as strategic managers. This will cover conceptual issues in Unix and Linux, for those professionals who have little or no exposure to these concepts. This is not a hands-on module; there will be no exercises at the computer terminal. Issues like Unix file system concepts, process concepts, permission and access rights concepts, security implications of Unix configuration, industry penetration and acceptance of Unix and Linux, industry standards for Unix and Linux standardisation, etc will be covered here.

• Prerequisites: None
• Duration: One day (about seven hours lecture time)

This will cover many of the basic Linux and Unix concepts which a non-programmer system administrator needs to know in order to install and configure a modern version of Linux for server use. The participant will learn how to partition and format disks, install the OS, create users, install and configure a few network services, and perform basic operational tasks. Desktop issues, e.g. how to watch a DVD on Linux, are excluded. Programming issues, including shell scripting, will be discussed in the Advanced Linux Administration module (see below). The module will include setting up of the common server-side sub-systems including the Apache Web server, the Samba file server, and an email MTA. The module will include basic diagnostic tools, troubleshooting, and basic backup and recovery.

This is a hands-on module, and practice exercises will be included.

• Prerequisites: None
• Duration: Five days (about 12 hours of lecture time, 28 hours of practice sessions)

This module will cover advanced system administration concepts including shell scripting, Linux boot process, advanced network configuration parameters, Linux file system types and features, resource exhaustion issues (CPU load, disk space, inodes, file descriptors, process table, etc.), advanced backup and recovery, log file structure and analysis.

• Prerequisites: Linux Installation and Administration (OS11) or equivalent level, clear concepts about TCP/IP networking, and some programming experience
• Duration: Five days (about 15 hours of lecture time, 25 hours of practice sessions)

This module will be for strategic decision-makers as well as hands-on system administrators. It will cover the design goals of Merce and its internal architecture at a conceptual level. It will discuss the typical deployment scenarios where Merce adds value and the challenges for a stable IS infrastructure deployment.

We usually deliver this module through senior technical specialists and product design members in our Merce development team, to provide maximum value to the audience. It is expected that this module will have greater interaction, approaching a consulting experience.

• Prerequisites: Experience in enterprise IS infrastructure management
• Duration: About 2 hours

This module covers installation of Merce on a certified platform, initial configuration, and fundamentals of operation. It includes information aggregation before commencement of installation, network requirements for successful Merce operation, and testing of a new Merce installation for correct operation.

• Prerequisites: Hands-on familiarity with the OS platform on which Merce will be installed, plus basic knowledge of TCP/IP and network protocols
• Duration: Three days (about 7 hours of lecture time, 14 hours of practice sessions)

This module is for advanced system administrators with in-depth experience in Unix/Linux, email services, Web servers and TCP/IP networking. The module covers the basics of Sendmail, Apache and Squid, Merce's interaction with these services, debugging of networks, problem symptoms and their solutions. This is a hand-on module with practice sessions.

• Prerequisites: Linux: Advanced Administration (OS12) and Merce: Installation and Operation (M11)
• Duration: Three days (about 9 hours lecture time and 12 hours practice sessions)

This module is for advanced system administrators who need to manage high-volume email sites. Any medium sized or large organisation with more than 500 users may qualify as a high-volume email site and may also be targets for spam assaults. Such sites have to fine-tune email flow and tackle email backlogs with special management techniques. Merce is a very stable foundation for high email volumes, but it needs to be optimised differently for the set of conditions at each site, when tackling volumes which push hardware and network links to their capacities. This module will cover such situations by using a practical approach and addressing problem scenarios uncovered by Merce PSG and Merce Support Group from real-life case experience.

Prerequisites:Linux: Advanced Administration (OS12) and Merce: Installation and Operation (M11).
• Duration: Two days (about 8 hours lecture time and 6 hours practice sessions)

This module will provide an overview of the design, features, and internal architecture of Merce Insight, the network monitoring sub-system of Merce. This module is meant for senior managers as well as hands-on system administrators to get an overview of Merce Insight and evaluate its applicability for an enterprise deployment.

• Prerequisites: None
• Duration: Four hours of lecture time

This module is for hands-on system administrators and covers both first-level installation and configuration of Merce Insight, plus optimisation and advanced fine-tuning. It will discuss typical problem scenarios and their detection and analysis using Merce Insight.

• Prerequisites: Linux: Advanced Administration (OS12) and Merce Network Management and Troubleshooting (M21)
• Duration: Two days (about 8 hours of lecture time and 6 hours of hands-on sessions)

A Merce server can handle many roles, one of which is that of an Internet gateway. Such a gateway will not have any end-user files or mailboxes, but will carry traffic between the enterprise WAN and the Internet. The stability, security, and performance issues for configuring such a gateway are covered in this module. The two primary services covered in this module will be email flow and Web browsing traffic.

• Prerequisites: Linux: Advanced Administration (OS12) and Merce: Advanced Email Management (M22)
• Duration: Three days (about 10 hours of lecture time and 12 hours of hands-on sessions)

Merce servers may need to be reinstalled after a complete hardware failure. Recovery of some corrupted files is easier than bare metal crash recovery (BMCR), a scenario for which many data centre staff are unprepared. A less catastrophic situation needing BMCR is when an old server is decommissioned and replaced with a new one, possibly with a different version of operating system and more recent hardware. Therefore, the subject of comprehensive backup and recovery deserves in-depth treatment. This module is for hands-on system administrators and will cover both backup and recovery of specific subsections of a Merce server as well as comprehensive BMCR.

• Prerequisites: Linux: Advanced Administration (OS12) and Merce: Installation and Operation (M11)
• Duration: Three days (about 6 hours of lecture time and 15 hours of hands-on sessions)

Merce PSG has conducted customised training programmes for customers who need insight into specialised areas. Some of these topics include:

• Design of a DR backup for a Merce-enabled enterprise
• WAN monitoring with specific focus on SLA verification
• Integrating thin client desktops with a Merce-based back-end server farm
• Integrating MS Windows servers into a Merce-enabled enterprise

We can conduct customised training programmes for you, if the subject falls within the area of our technical activities.