For the past several years, Contemporary Controls has brought learning to people with the sponsorship of the ‘Virtual Industrial Ethernet University (IEU)’. Because of the evolving nature of the workplace and the equipment that supports it, learning is of continuing concern in this technology.
IEU went online in 2003, providing objective, content-rich education on Ethernet, especially as it relates to installations on machines and in factories. Students are certified in both basic and advanced Ethernet topics.
There are nearly 2000 students enrolled in IEU, studying all or some of the 19 courses. Students take tests to verify comprehension, and all material is based on the IEEE Std. 802.3 and relevant Request for Comments (RFCs). The material is vendor-neutral since the purpose of the virtual university is to educate the public for the benefit of the industry. In addition, students are able to explore more topics through 11 lectures on the site provided by industry experts.
Bill Lydon, a business development consultant who has been in the controls and automation field for more than 25 years, made this observation. "I have reviewed the Industrial Ethernet University offerings, and I am sure control engineers, manufacturing, and IT people will want to use this free resource. Many companies struggling with Ethernet waste a great deal of time and money solving configuration and network setup problems because they do not have a solid understanding of this technology. Taking advantage of this online site is a great way to gain knowledge on subjects including Hubs vs Switches, Internet Protocol, Subnetting, SNMP, Virtual LANs and much more."
So far, 200 students have mastered and completed the minimum 10 courses to qualify for 'graduation.' Upon graduation the student receives a certificate of accomplishment. Many graduates feel IEU sets a good example of online learning. "I found the courses to be excellent," says one graduate. "I was able to achieve my goal to improve my understanding of Ethernet protocols and use advanced topics such as security issues."
However, graduation is not mandatory. The student can select his or her courses of interest. To sign up at no cost, students may visit the 'campus' at www.ieu.cc
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