Control4 Rolls Out Online Training for IP Network Installers with New Pakedge Certified Network Administrator (PCNA) Program
September 19 2017 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Control4 Corporation (NASDAQ: CTRL), a leading global
provider of smart home solutions, today announces the Pakedge®
Certified Network Administrator (PCNA) program. PCNA is a training
experience that employs a unique blend of comprehensive online
coursework with hands-on practical learning using Pakedge
networking gear to provide dealers and technicians the networking
knowledge they need to design, install, and manage wired and
wireless IP networks. The PCNA course curriculum combines
interactive coursework, online instructional office hours, and an
online certification exam to ensure networking competency for the
global Control4® and Pakedge dealer base.
Practical, hands-on training for networking has been lacking
throughout the connected home and custom install industry.
Technicians learn mainly through trial and error. The result is
that the networking foundation of many homes and small businesses
tends to be the root cause of chronic issues — caused more so by
the lack of best-practice knowledge than through defective or
failed equipment.
“Reliable and consistent network design is foundational to a
responsive and stable connected home, and it’s pivotal to our
dealers’ success and their customers’ satisfaction. Yet today, over
30 percent of support calls we receive from our dealers are tied to
network connectivity issues and not equipment failures,” said
Martin Plaehn, Control4 CEO. “In our commitment to deliver
fantastic connected home experiences via all of our dealers, we are
strategically investing to foster a community of skilled network
technicians by providing them with a best-in-class network training
and certification program.”
Dealers can train and strengthen their team’s networking
expertise by having their technicians enroll and complete the PCNA
course work from home or office, during work hours or on their own
time, without incurring the cost of travel for traditional
training. Enrollment in the six-course PCNA curriculum also
includes accompanying Pakedge networking equipment (U.S. MSRP value
of $2,300) for the hands-on tutorials, including:
- RK-1 Router with BakPak®
- SX-8P Managed PoE Switch
- WK-1 802.11ac WAP with 2x2 MIMO array
and 1.3 Gbps aggregate throughput
- P2 Power Distribution Unit, and
- Necessary cables
Through online guided tutorials, technicians can learn the
fundamentals of how TCP/IP works. They can directly experience the
material differences between different types of Ethernet cables
(CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6a, CAT7), and they can drill down into the
workings and configuration options of network routers, switches,
and wireless access points, as well as learn the logical processes
for designing networks for predictable, reliable performance.
Technicians become certified and are awarded a certificate of
completion after achieving a passing score on the online PCNA exam,
proctored by a third-party. Technicians additionally benefit from
retaining the Pakedge networking gear for their own use so that
they can continue to gain experience via daily use.
“To date, there has not been enough easily-accessible, practical
training for IP networking and there have been no hybrid learning
models combining online assignments with direct hands-on practice
with network equipment for technicians in our industry,” said Ted
Haeger, Senior Director of Training and Support, Control4. “We
believe our approach and PCNA curriculum will prove effective and
may become a new standard for technician training.”
The first two courses of the PCNA are available beginning today
for Control4 and Pakedge Dealers at www.pakedge.com/pcna. The
schedule for the full curriculum of courses is as follows:
- Course 1: Networking Essentials –
available today
- Course 2: Switches – available
today
- Course 3: Routers – available September
26, 2017
- Course 4: Wireless Access Points –
available October 3, 2017
- Course 5: Remote Monitoring &
Management – available October 10, 2017
- Course 6: Network Planning – available
October 17, 2017
A brief walkthrough video with an overview of the course
materials is available here:
https://control4.wistia.com/medias/btz6po1fi9.
Enrollment in the online six-course PCNA certification program,
including the required Pakedge gear, costs $1,250 U.S. up front,
with a $600 rebate upon achievement of a passing score on the PCNA
Exam within 60 days of registration, bringing the final cost of
certification down to $650 per technician.
For more information on Control4 visit www.control4.com. For
more information on Pakedge visit www.pakedge.com.
About Control4Control4 [NASDAQ:
CTRL] is a leading global provider of automation and networking
systems for homes and businesses, offering personalized control of
lighting, music, video, comfort, security, communications, and more
into a unified smart home system that enhances the daily lives of
its consumers. Control4 unlocks the potential of connected devices,
making networks more robust, entertainment systems easier to use,
homes more comfortable and energy efficient, and provides families
more peace of mind. Today, every home and business needs automation
horsepower and a high-performance network to manage the increasing
number of connected devices. The Control4 platform interoperates
with more than 10,500 third-party consumer electronics products,
ensuring an ever-expanding ecosystem of devices will work together.
Control4 is now available in 90 countries. Leveraging a
professional distribution channel that includes over 5,200 custom
integrators, retailers, and distributors authorized to sell the
full-line of Control4 products, Pakedge branded networking
solutions and Triad Speakers, Control4 is delivering intelligent
solutions for consumers, major consumer electronics companies,
hotels, and businesses around the world.
Copyright ©2017, Control4 Corporation. All rights reserved.
Control4, the Control4 and Pakedge logo are registered trademarks
or trademarks of Control4 Corporation in the United States and/or
other countries. All other names and brands may be claimed as the
property of their respective owners. All specifications subject to
change without notice.
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Caster CommunicationsKimberly Lancaster,
401-792-7080control4@castercomm.com
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