Citrix Systems, Inc. today announced the availability of a suite of new, innovative online training courses with integrated virtual labs for IT professionals pursuing Citrix training and certification. These latest self-paced online (SPO) offerings give students who cannot travel to a Citrix Authorized Learning Center (CALC) or find a conveniently scheduled virtual instructor-led course the flexibility to learn remotely yet still have a rich, robust training experience, including hands-on practice with Citrix products.

With the current state of the global economy affecting company budgets everywhere, employees' ability to travel to training has become more limited. IT professionals who depend on training and hands-on practice to keep up with constantly changing technology are especially impacted. In these situations, the new SPO offerings with virtual labs provide an attractive alternative solution, allowing IT professionals to maximize their time and save travel costs. The new online courses focus on Citrix technologies in the virtualization and networking space, providing professionals with in-demand skills that are of high relevance and value for companies looking to simplify and reduce costs.

“We are pleased to be able to provide IT professionals with innovative training that addresses the hot topic of virtualization in a range of delivery formats to meet the varying needs and budgetary constraints of companies today,” said Julieann Scalisi, managing director of worldwide education for Citrix. “We consistently strive to ensure that our customers' training needs are met, and through these new training and virtual lab offerings, we are expanding our focus and eliminating barriers to ensure that all students are able to enhance their skills, and careers, in this fast-paced, ever-evolving IT industry.”

Previously available to Citrix partners only, the new SPO courses are now available to customers for the first time. Course features include training simulations and remote access to the virtual Citrix lab environment for hands-on learning for up to 30 days. Currently available courses include basic administration for Citrix^R XenServer^TM, Citrix^R XenDesktop^TM, Citrix provisioning capability, and Citrix^R NetScaler^R.

In addition, students who attend an SPO or instructor-led training course may purchase incremental virtual lab time. These separate offerings, called Citrix Practice Labs, give students the opportunity to extend learning gained from a Citrix course, continue hands-on practice in a live Citrix environment, and reinforce key learning tasks. Because there is no infrastructure to buy or install, the lab offerings reduce time, costs and risks involved in setting up an actual practice environment. Citrix Practice Labs currently feature the following products: Citrix XenServer, Citrix XenDesktop, Citrix provisioning capability and Citrix NetScaler. Citrix Practice Labs can be easily purchased as an add-on to any relevant course.

Vouchers for Citrix SPO courses and Practice Labs may be purchased directly from Citrix (in certain geographical areas only) or from Citrix Authorized Learning Centers (CALCs). For more information, please visit http://www.citrixeducation.com.