BlueCat takes DNS training to the next level

DNS training is a key part of any core infrastructure transformation. BlueCat has a training model that gives your team all the skills they need.

Older instructor teaching younger student a focused hand technique, illustrating hands-on DNS skills training
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BlueCat addresses a growing shortage of skilled DNS, DHCP, and IPAM (DDI) administrators by launching a redesigned Customer Learning Portal and updated education program to help enterprises close the infrastructure skills gap. The portal breaks DNS topics into bite-sized, searchable courses and curated learning paths, offers product demos, how-to videos, and hands-on simulations, and is compatible across devices to support flexible, snackable learning. BlueCat also consolidated training into an annual All-Access Learning Pass with seat and unlimited enterprise licensing options, added progress and metrics tracking for managers, and enabled direct purchase through an online eCommerce portal with a limited-time launch discount.

What changes did BlueCat make to its online learning experience to help teams with limited DNS skills?

BlueCat overhauled its online learning portal with a new back-end system that makes content easier to find and consume. Content has been broken into bite-sized courses that are tagged for searchability and organized into curated learning paths for structured study. The platform supports multiple learning styles—product demos, how-to videos, and hands-on simulations—works on all device types for flexible access, and enables teams to refresh skills or build a consistent knowledge foundation across administrators.

How does the All-Access Learning Pass work and what licensing options are available?

BlueCat consolidated all training into a single annual learning subscription called the All-Access Learning Pass, which includes all BlueCat Learning content. Licensing options include per-seat licenses for small needs and an enterprise site license that provides unlimited training across the entire organization. The enterprise option additionally gives training managers the ability to track user progress through standard learning paths, see where users start and stop courses, and run course metrics for visibility into adoption and engagement.

How can customers purchase BlueCat training and are there any promotions mentioned?

Customers can purchase the annual training subscription directly through BlueCat’s online eCommerce portal at shop.bluecatnetworks.com. For organizations preferring traditional procurement, purchase orders, site licenses, or instructor-led engagements remain available through an Account Executive. The article notes a limited-time launch discount of 30% off available until March 31st, 2020, for customers arranging purchases through those channels.

Skilled DNS administrators are increasingly hard to find.  As the IT field continues to gravitate toward application development and cloud computing, experience in the relatively unsexy field of network infrastructure is starting to fade.

That skills gap is putting large enterprises in a bind.  (Or in a BIND.  We’ll be here all week.)  Since most candidates for technical positions lack detailed knowledge of DNS, DHCP, and IPAM (DDI), IT teams often have to go elsewhere to get the technical abilities they need to properly administer a network.

That’s why BlueCat is committed to DNS training as a core piece of our services offering.  We know that there’s a great deal of value in core infrastructure management, both for network administrators looking to gain marketable skills and for IT teams looking to fill a knowledge gap.  Many BlueCat customers invest in training even if they feel they know DDI inside and out – they want to refresh their skills and ensure that everyone on the team has the same knowledge foundation.

The way people consume training is also starting to change.  The days of in-person, instructor-led sessions or stale, hours-long e-learning courses are quickly fading away.  In their place, people are binging on smaller, “snackable” courses which focus on specific issues.  They want to learn about DHCP in the same way they plow through Game of Thrones.  While many will follow a pre-set learning pathway, they want the freedom to skip around.

That’s why we’ve launched a new BlueCat Customer Learning Portal and instituted some exciting changes to our education program.

New User Experience

Our online learning portal has been completely overhauled, with a brand new back-end system that allows you to find the content you need, when you need it.

DNS involves a lot of very detailed, weedy topic areas.  That’s why our content has been broken into individual bite-sized courses and tagged for easy searchability.  For those looking to build a comprehensive understanding of our technologies or follow a more structured framework, our courses are also organized into curated learning paths.

BlueCat’s training courses are compatible with all device types, giving you the flexibility to learn when you’re at your desk, on the go, or at home.  We use multiple learning styles to keep things interesting and promote engagement with the material.  There are product demos, instructional “how-to” videos, and hands-on simulations of BlueCat products.

All-Access Learning Pass

Instead of segregating our content in individually purchased courses, all BlueCat Learning –  from A record to Zone transfer – is now packaged together and included in a single annual learning subscription.

If you just need training for one or two people, you can go with a seat license model.  We’ve also added a new option that extends the “buffet model” for training resources across the entire organization.  Now you can buy unlimited training for your whole organization, no matter how many people it has.  This enterprise option also allows training managers to track progress through our standard learning paths, see where users start and stop courses, and run other metrics tracking.

Online eCommerce Portal

To make it easier than ever before to access BlueCats Learning, you now have the option of purchasing your annual subscription directly from shop.bluecatnetworks.com. If you prefer to use the more traditional purchase order method, or if you are interested in either a site license or an instructor-led engagement, contact your Account Executive to take advantage of our limited time launch discount of 30% off until March 31st 2020!

Learn more about BlueCat’s DNS training.


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BlueCat provides core services and solutions that help our customers and their teams deliver change-ready networks. With BlueCat, organizations can build reliable, secure, and agile mission-critical networks that can support transformation initiatives such as cloud adoption and automation. BlueCat’s growing portfolio includes services and solutions for automated and unified DDI management, network security, multicloud management, and network observability and health.

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