Active Storage With Training and Certification Program

Along with the announcement of ActiveSAN, Active Storage, Inc.‘s metadata controller appliance for Xsan and StorNext networks, came the news that Active Storage is preparing to launch a comprehensive training and certification program for this new class of product, featuring some of the most respected professionals in the Xsan community.

LeRoy Dennison, Active Storage’s partner and solutions manager and former Apple senior manager of technical training will lead the new program.

"It seems appropriate, that on the day Apple stopped selling Xserve, we announce a new path for Xsan administrators worldwide to leverage their skills in Xsan deployment and maintenance by announcing ActiveSAN and its equally exciting certification and training program," said LeRoy Dennison, partner and solutions manager at Active Storage, Inc.

ActiveSAN is a server-based appliance that incorporates Active Storage product design and the performance and reliability of an Intel Nehalem server platform, in a 1U rack form factor. ActiveSAN utilizes the Linux operating system and the Quantum StorNext SAN file system. It features an Active Storage-designed user interface and management suite for ease of use in deployment and management of the operating system and StorNext.

While ActiveSAN systems will be configured and ready for use out of the box, professional installation is recommended, due to the complexity of any shared storage network. The new training and certification program is designed to provide Xsan administrators and instructors with the knowledge required to ensure successful deployments of Xsan and StorNext networks using ActiveSAN.

The ActiveSAN Training and Certification program will be open to all Xsan certified engineers and system administrators and will be available in conjunction with the general availability of ActiveSAN. However, working with the Xsan trainer community, Active Storage will hold a ‘Alpha Class’ ahead of the general availability of ActiveSAN in order to ensure the development of the best training experience for attendees. Classes are planned to be held on an ongoing basis, and will also be available from ActiveSAN certified trainers.

Classes are expected to be both challenging and thorough, as Dennison is drawing on his experience as Apple’s former senior manager of technical training and has a tremendous understanding of Xsan environments, along with the ability to leverage the knowledge and experience of the Active Storage engineering and technical staff. A component of the program is conveying to all participants how this new solution will benefit integrators, resellers and technicians alike.

"The demise of the Apple Xserve left many Xsan users wondering what to do with aging infrastructures and future projects," said Robert Kite, Ph.D., author of the Apple Training Series book Xsan 2 Administration" and Apple Practice Manager at SARCOM. "Of course, many of us looked to Active Storage to provide the solution. Who better to provide an entire community with a path forward than (Active Storage CEO) Alex Grossman, the head of the team at Apple that developed the Xserve and Xserve RAID? With the announcement of the ActiveSAN, Active Storage has reinforced their leadership position in providing solutions to the SAN market. I am very excited to begin offering this solution to my many clients in the media and education community."