New Citrix Certifications

In an effort to deliver more targeted training to IT professionals, Citrix Systems has updated its certification programs for users of its access management products. The new training and certifications segment programs by individual product. The new certifications include CCA for Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 and CCA for Citrix Password Manager 4.0. The new designations were designed for those candidates who want to take the CCA certification but currently administer one, specific Citrix product, according to the company.

The Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA) for Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 includes a four-day instructor-led training course called Citrix Presentation Server 4.0: Administration. This course gives trainees a solid, practical foundation in the deployment and management of Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 and its components, including Web Interface and Secure Gateway. The CCA for Citrix Password Manager 4.0 includes a two-day instructor-led training course called Citrix Password Manager 4.0: Administration. Instructors lead candidates through interactive discussions and hands-on labs that teach how to install and administer Citrix Password Manager 4.0.

The Citrix Consulting and Education department has also developed eLearning classes to help prepare students for the instructor-led courses.

Citrix is betting that recent favorable press about its certifications program will attract IT professionals to the programs: A Foote Partners' Pay Index report placed the Citrix Certified Administrator on the "hot certifications" list, stating that it grew more than 15 percent in 2004. According to the company, a key selling point of its program is that the new model eliminates costs of unnecessary training and allows users to secure critical, real-time credentials that can be immediately applied to an IT professional's current workplace.