27/06/2023
Beware the training courses out there that are 'Well past their sell by date', some advice from our Technical Director on how to avoid wasting money on obsolete courses. Obviously, the answer is simple: Just get onto an OTT Certification course! Read on for details...
Well past its sell by date!
Whilst surfing around, I stumbled across somebody else’s allegedly ‘advanced’ DWDM training course. I looked at the details and was shocked to find that it was about 20 years out of date, certainly in terms of the technology covered, but also in terms of the learning methodology.
The course included some transient, long-obsolete technologies such as the use of bubbles to steer light in optical switches. I’m sure that only a few industry old timers will remember talk of these. There was no mention of the key technology at the heart of modern Wavelength Selective Switches, in fact no mention of wavelength selective switches nor ROADMs at all!
It is true that some of the foundational aspects of fibre optics and optical networking change relatively slowly, and these aspects are covered on OTT’s foundation level course, the Certified Optical Network Associate (C**A) course. But at the leading edge of optical networking a lot has changed in 20 years! If you compare that other ‘advanced’ course with OTT’s really advanced Certified Optical Networking Engineer course, you will find hardly any overlap. All of the latest developments are on OTT’s CONE course and none of them are on that other course.
When it comes to the question of ‘What makes a good training course?’, expectations have also moved on in the last 20 years. On the course programme, look out for clear objectives that state what you will be able to do with your learning, look for exercises and case studies that apply the learning in context. Also, of course, certification is important and should be based on a thorough assessment of your ability to put into practice what you have learned. So, for example, on OTT ‘s optical networking certifications you will design optical networking solutions to meet the specified objectives of the assignments, as well as passing an exam to make sure you have taken on board the key concepts.
If you see a course programme that consists of nothing but long lists of jargon in bullet points, then alarm bells should start ringing!
But perhaps the most scandalous aspect of that other course was that despite the very obvious deficiencies they were still charging top dollar prices, what a rip-off!
OTT’s Optical networking certifications are focused on how to apply modern optical networking technology to solve the challenges facing network operators and hyperscalers, today and in the coming years:
• Increasing capacity
• Extending reach
• increasing flexibility
• Controlling latency
• Going open and interoperable
• Providing quality of service.. and all of this while keeping costs under control and reducing electrical power consumption so that the Internet doesn’t cost the Earth…
Please get in touch for details of OTT’s Certification programmes, available from our network of licenced training delivery partners around the world.
**A+ = the full picture of !
