Engineering & Technology News Archives

For years, UCSC Extension has offered a powerful series of Java and Java EE courses for enterprise application developers. This summer, we will introduce the new Groovy and Grails course to the track. This are invaluable tools for web application developers seeking a robust and high productivity Web framework in their familiar Java environment. Success stories from companies that have adopted Grails are abundant on the Web. The most notable example built with Grails, perhaps, is the enterprise portion of LinkedIn, the hottest IPO in the Valley this summer.

Groovy is a scripting language based on Java. Grails is a development framework based on Spring and Hibernate that provides easy-to-learn yet powerful features for complex Web applications. Java programmers will find many familiar concepts in the use of these tools. Website builders will appreciate the performance and scalability Grails offers. It's a natural fit for enterprise developers. For those who have taken our Java and Java EE courses over the years, learning Grails will help you build database flows and complex interactions with ease.

In addition to this Java-based technology, we offer training in the competing Web technologies. Ruby on Rails remains a popular framework on the Internet. Others are deploying sites using PHP or Python, and Microsoft ASP .NET offers development tools that get high marks from many developers. We have them all. Extension is the one place students can count on for practical instruction covering all the latest Internet technologies.

Electronic design for today's systems and chips frequently requires teams of engineers and millions of dollars of investment. To ensure success, verification engineers build elaborate simulation environments to test the designs before the systems or chips are physically constructed. Silicon Valley is home to the industry leaders in electronic design automation (EDA), who supply software tools for design verification. For years these companies have offered proprietary tools and intellectual properties (IP), and each comes with strengths and weaknesses. The tradeoffs sometimes frustrate users who really want the best of all tools.

Two years in the making, and announced last month, the major EDA and electronic companies have agreed on a single, open standard for verification known as Universal Verification Methodology (UVM). This is a much welcomed advancement for the $200 billion electronic industry. Engineers are embracing the new interoperable standard and companies are poised to achieve increased productivity and cost savings. UCSC Extension is proud to announce an upcoming spring quarter course on this new UVM standard. The course reviews the UVM libraries and utilities that can be used in building complex verification projects with a range of vendor tools. This will be a lab course that includes hands-on practice.

Since our students come with diverse backgrounds and interests, we offer verification courses at several levels in our VLSI Engineering program. Students can progress from Verilog language, design simulation, SystemVerilog for design, assertions, and continue on to verification test bench environments and UVM. We offer our students the most complete and up to date courses for their professional development in this field.

Web users are engaged by websites with dynamic animation and interactive features such as drag-and-drop or zooming capabilities in the browser. Yahoo Mail and Google Maps are good examples. Collectively these features are known as Rich Internet Applications (RIA). There are a variety of ways in which site developers can create rich content, and the market for these tools and platforms is getting ever more competitive.

UCSC Extension offers a strong, established curriculum in RIA. We continue to update our Internet Programming and Development and Web Design programs in response to evolving technologies in the marketplace. Adobe Flash is a mature and easy to use tool in this field. We now offer two high-value courses in Flash: Adobe Flash I -- Animation for the Web and Adobe Flash II -- Basic Actionscript Programming for the Web. Browser plug-in based technologies such as JavaScript and AJAX are increasingly popular on the Web. We have reorganized courses in this area and for beginners we recommend JavaScript and Ajax, Comprehensive. For developers who prefer the high productivity JavaScript library approach, Developing JavaScript-based Rich Web UI with JQuery will bring you up to speed on this high-demand skill. For Web designers who are not programmers, JavaScript for Designers provides an excellent introduction.

Developing Rich Internet Applications with Silverlight equips you with the Microsoft .NET framework for Web development, which has a strong following in the industry. Looking to the future, HTML5 is an emerging standard which many expect will have a major impact on the mobile Internet. The Java platform has its own technologies for delivering RIA, and the Open Source movement is a source of ongoing innovation. More developments are coming, and we are only seeing the beginning of the RIA transformation on the Web. With these advances in mind, you can count on us to provide the most relevant courses for efficient and interactive learning.

The Web Design certificate program at UCSC Extension offers professional Web designers the latest skills in page creation, Web technology and user interaction design. Courses cover what the workplace requires today, and most are taught using practical exercises in our Mac Lab. To keep up with technology trends in the industry, we recently upgraded our Lab's Web design tool suite to the newly released Adobe Creative Suite 5. Beginning immediately, instruction will include new features in CS5 that help designers create dynamic Web content more efficiently. Students can explore new tools and practice on iMacs in our Open Lab anytime.

In addition to Web design tools and techniques, we emphasize a solid foundation in graphic design and, in particular, user experience design concepts and practices. Courses such as Graphic Design Fundamentals, Graphic Design for the Web, and User Centered Design cover the essential skills needed to create engaging and successful Web sites. We design courses in sequence so that students can learn multiple disciplines in a short period of time. Nearly all courses include hands-on projects or assignments.

For students seeking a complete skill set in the Web design field, we are introducing site management courses (including content management) in the coming quarters. We are also expanding the final design project that combines all skills learned in this certificate program. For those interested in high level Web site technologies and inner workings, we offer the Internet Programming and Development certificate program. These broad, in-depth programs can benefit anyone building a professional career in Web development.

The physical world around us changes in a continuous fashion. We generally describe the raw information or signal in the scientific, engineering, industrial and medical fields as "analog data". Yet the greatest advances in information age is based on digital computing, particularly the binary systems. Data acquisition (DAQ) or data acquisition system (DAS) is the bridge that brings these two worlds together.

A data acquisition system typically involves sensor on one end and computer interface on the other end. It is the core technology for many Silicon Valley industries. Application examples can be found in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, industrial and robotic controllers, image and signal processing, medical devices, NASA and university research centers. Several local yet global leadership companies produce a range of DAQ products, covering system, software, boards and chips.

With the introduction of a center-piece course "Data Acquisition System Design and Implementation" in the fall quarter, we are bringing together a rich curriculum for the engineering professional interested in DAQ: Introduction to Analog IC Design, Mixed-signal IC Design, Fundamentals of Digital Signal Processing, DSP Applications in Audio, Imaging, and Communications Systems, and Introduction to Real-time Embedded Systems Programming. Designers, developers, application engineers, programmers, and marketers all can acquire depth of knowledge in these fields.

Beginning in the summer quarter this year, we will be consolidating two certificate programs: Network Engineering and Management, and Systems and Network Security. The resulting high-value certificate program will be Network Engineering and Systems Security. The two certificates are closely related and have shared a number of core courses. All existing courses will continue to be offered and will be included in the new, combined certificate. We will apply previous course credits toward the new certificate. There should be no impact to students currently pursuing one of the certificates, and they will be able to finish their original certificate as planned. Students just beginning a certificate program will follow the re-designed curriculum.

Silicon Valley industries demand sophisticated training. Hiring managers seek out engineering and IT professionals who can design, manage and support advanced networks with high security. Beyond the fundamental courses, we offer specializations in various networking technologies and security fields. As a result, the combined curriculum for this new certificate will strengthen students’ job prospects with a rich and diverse skill set. Silicon Valley is home to the market leaders in networking, cloud computing and systems security industries. This new certificate program will help students acquire the knowledge and hands-on lab experience needed for career advancement in these hot fields.

We will be rolling out the new certificate and combined curriculum in early June. Existing Web pages and other materials may change, but our commitment to practical, high quality instruction stays the same. We encourage you to explore this dynamic new certificate program. If you have questions, contact program@ucsc-extension.edu.

This month marks the anniversary of the launch of UCSC Extension's Internet Programming and Development certificate. This new program focuses on the latest software technologies powering the Internet. During its first year, this program received high marks from students, both for the relevance of its content and the quality of instruction.

The program features overview courses covering the traditional systems programming frameworks such as Java, C#, and .NET, which are supported by the major software companies. Courses are also available on the so-called "Web 2.0 programming languages" such as JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, and Ruby on Rails. We commonly offer two levels of courses for each language to suit students with varying backgrounds. We cover all the major platforms and languages that employers typically seek in job listings. Nearly all of these skills have seen increased demand in recent years. Determining the right system for a particular application can be challenging, as each language involves trade-offs in terms of features, speed, memory, and productivity. In most cases, employers are also seeking more than one area of expertise. For those reasons, we encourage you to acquire as broad a skill-base as possible.

We continue to enhance our program every quarter. For the upcoming spring quarter, we have added several new courses and revised numerous others. Please check out PHP, Ruby on Rails, MySQL, and Windows Presentation Foundation. This coming Summer, we will add courses on JQuery and Windows Driver Foundation. Come study with us and you'll find instruction geared towards immediate application in Silicon Valley industries.

Facebook is the largest social networking site on the Internet today, with more than 200 million users worldwide using the system to connect and communicate. Internet programmers and developers are naturally attracted to this vast network. They can use their expertise to enhance the user experience with smart applications or to promote products.

Facebook launched the Facebook Platform two years ago to provide a framework for software developers to create applications. The Facebook Markup Language and Facebook Query Language were also introduced. Since then, many innovative applications have appeared on Facebook. Nearly all major companies have some presence on the site and It has rapidly become the newest Web powerhouse. To get in the game, developers need to learn the platform environment and infrastructure such as the LAMP stack, the PHP language and MySQL database.

At UCSC Extension in Silicon Valley, our engineering and technology curriculum includes a certificate track for Internet Programming and Development. Beginning this quarter, we're offering a new course on “Developing Facebook Applications”. For those who are not yet familiar with LAMP, PHP and MySQL, we have excellent introductory courses to prepare you for professional development in this field. For those who want to build Facebook applications for mobile platforms, we also have programming lab courses specifically for Android and iPhone ™ smart phones. While we're on the topic of Facebook, take a moment to join our UCSC Extension Facebook page to keep track of school news and events.

Cloud Computing has been a prominent and recurring topic in technology news in recent years. Many of the largest Internet and computing companies are aggressively positioning themselves to take advantage of this exciting technology. The "Cloud" is a metaphor for the Internet. Cloud Computing refers to the paradigm in which computer processing tasks are decoupled from physical hardware, instead tapping in to the cumulative power of a virtually unlimited number of machines. Most likely, you have heard this promise before, but recent advances have begun to make the cost-value proposition irresistible.

What's so attractive about Cloud Computing? For users, it is the lure of uncompromised “computing anywhere”. For IT professionals, cloud computing makes scalability and redundancy truly affordable. For software developers, the programming environment and the OS must be modified for the cloud software to achieve its full potential. For hardware designers, virtualization of IO, storage and server functions are now part of the architectural design. For researchers, there is still plenty of territory to be conquered.

At UCSC Extension, we offer an overview of the core concepts in the Cloud Computing course. As the instructor points out, the cloud technology is still evolving. However, we can provide a summary of the technology in its most recent incarnation. We offer Ruby on Rails and Java courses, the two popular open source languages in the cloud. As for the infrastructure that builds the foundation for the cloud, we offer courses on Server Virtualization and Storage Networking. We are also preparing to introduce a new architecture course on Software as a Service. Stay tuned!

Wireless communication technologies connect us and transfer information essentially anywhere, anytime. The networking, cellular, consumer electronics and computing industries are embracing emerging wireless technologies such as 3G, 4G, WiMax, and ZigBees in their products and services. Engineers will be involved in designing and programming more new devices and protocols in the coming years.

Engineering schools lack a well-defined body of knowledge and courses to train students to become proficient on these new wireless technologies. One must learn radio engineering, data communications, computer networks, power management and device programming. UCSC Extension, in keeping with its tradition of offering practical professional courses, has assembled the important pieces of the puzzle.

We offer Network Engineering and Embedded Systems certificate programs with solid courses on networking fundamentals and device hardware and software for those who need the fundamentals. Beginning with the fall quarter, we will add two new courses to these certificate programs. Wireless Communications (#5455) teaches the basics of radio engineering, including CDMA, TDMA, WiFi and WiMax protocols. Embedded Programming: Internet Ready Real-time Applications (#3942) includes practical skills in programming network stacks into device functions. We also offer a Wireless Security (#5836) course in the Systems Security program. Together we can help you acquire the skills to engage in this growing field.

Virtualization refers to the separation of the user resource of computing from its physical resources. This concept is not new to IT and software professionals. However, virtualization, in particular Server Virtualization, has exploded on the IT scene in the last few years with the success of VMWare (the largest IPO since Google).

What is driving the emergence of virtualization technology is the realization that decades of CPU and storage advancements have left most powerful servers with abundant under-utilized resources. The continued one on one growth of logical and physical resources is no longer sustainable. In the era characterized by conservative use of power and budget, it is becoming imperative for companies to implement virtualization at various levels. In short, multiple “systems” can run on a single hardware and users can access a “single storage” that is managed by multiple hardware.  

The benefits of virtualization are not only of interest to system administrators and IT managers, but also to software developers who must take into account the evolving hardware interfaces.  UCSC Extension features several virtualization technology courses in the summer and fall to help our students learn these interesting technologies in the most efficient way. Server Virtualization explains the core technology that is being deployed in datacenters all over the world. Storage Networking Architecture and Design introduces the new storage paradigms. Multicore Programming teaches software developers to write software to run on several cores concurrently. Network Storage Essentials introduces the concepts of SAN and NAS. We also offer a basic course in IO technology that lays the foundation for the world of virtualization.

We are announcing an enhanced certificate program in our Software Development offering. Beginning in the Spring 2009 quarter, we will officially introduce a new certificate program, “Internet Programming and Development,” to replace the previous “Enterprise Java Programming” program.

The certificate program originally focused on the Java Enterprise Edition platform. We have a series of courses on Java EE that offers the best value for such training in Silicon Valley. Over time, however, the Internet and the enterprise applications have evolved into a multi-tier, multi-platform architecture. While Java EE is still a major player, we have started to include other technologies into our curriculum to provide complete education on Internet application development.

We retained all the previous Java EE courses in the new certificate. In addition, we have brought in several technologies now emerging on the Internet scene, such as .NET Framework, Open Source Framework, Client-side Technologies and the new Internet Architecture. We also included a wide selection of programming languages commonly used in Web development. Together they offer students a rich curriculum with practical applications.

The certificate offers comprehensive training geared to professionals working on e-commerce,
enterprise applications and interactive Web sites. Individual course topics range from basic programming languages and server development to Rich Internet Applications (RIA) and Web 2.0 technologies. Specialized lab courses augment learning through hands-on instruction using open source or commercial tools—and new courses are introduced regularly. If you have any questions about this expanded certificate program, please contact program@ucsc-extension.edu.
 

With the tremendous growth of data volume and multimedia content, the adoption of new networking technologies continues on the Internet and in the enterprises, as such advances deliver ´disruptive´ performance and cost advantages.

Optical networks, which are faster, hold more information, and allow for more traffic flow than traditional copper cabling or wireless networks. It is moving from the Internet backbone into the corporate networks. (See Optical Networks Essentials, Course # 3943) Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) delivers voice communications over the Internet. Many of our students use Skype (commercial VoIP) on the daily basis. A few of our online instructors use it to hold online office hours too. As companies search for ways to efficiently manage expanding volumes of data, storage networking is now a big part of the business for networking and computing companies.

These are examples of the new technology courses we will be offering in the coming winter quarter. All together, they will build a solid foundation for understanding the emergence of the New Networking World.

RIAs are the web sites that allow interaction with the users (web clients). They mimic the functions of desktop applications. This is what enables the Web 2.0 wave. RIAs are done by a layer called Client Engine. While RIAs offer many advantages but they also complicate the internet programming tasks.

UCSC Extension in Silicon Valley continues its tradition of providing top-quality, professional training in technologies that matter most. We offer unique courses for the client engine technologies in addition to traditional courses on application server platforms such as Java Enterprise Edition and .NET Framework. Starting 2009, we will be adding a new course on Developing RIAs with Adobe Flex and Java. This adds to our strength of existing courses on AJAX, Flash, CSS, XHTML and JavaScript.

These courses are part of the Enterprise Java, Web Design and Development and Computer Programming certificate programs. We can help you learn the job skills that are in demand.

Data storage is exploding. Some internet companies are adding 250GB storage space a day. Large enterprises and medium companies are also facing the challenge that local storage can no longer meet the demand of the collaborative workforce. Innovative network storage architectures have come into the scene in the last 10-15 years. SAN, NAS, Fibre Channel, iSCSI, InfiniBand, ATA, RAID,..., etc. Many such technologies are the inventions of leading Silicon Valley companies. For students who are associated with such technologies or want to be associated with them, finding a structured learning venue is not easy.

UCSC Extension in Silicon Valley continues its tradition of providing top-quality, professional training to engineers in technologies that matter most. We will be offering new courses on the storage networking in the coming quarters. Starting from the fall of 2008, we will have a course on ´Data Storage Essentials´, which starts with the basics. Followed in the winter (January) 2009 by courses on ´Storage Networking Design and Architecture´ and ´Optical Networks Essentials´. Also in the winter quarter, we will be adding ´Voice Over Internet Protocol Networks, Introduction´ to bring to our students another new filed on the horizon -- the internet phone.

These courses will equip you with new skills and open doors for your careers. They represent the revamped, exciting new curriculum in our Network Engineering certificate program.

UCSC Extension in Silicon Valley offers a Linux Programming and Administration certificate program. We are a sponsor of the LinuxWorld Conference & Expo to be held at the Moscone Center, San Francisco, August 5-7. All our students who are interested in attending this conference and the exhibit can obtain a free Exhibit Hall Pass (a $50 value) from the extension (ask at the front desk).

The LinuxWorld conference features 3 days of exhibits by 175 vendors offering Linux related products. With the free pass, you can also attend the keynote and featured presentations. Of course, you can meet with many company reps and do networking with other working professionals. When you visit the Exhibit Hall, don´t forget to come to our UCSC Extension booth near the entrance where our friendly staff will be there to greet you.

Linux is gaining popularity on personal computers, devices, embedded systems and enterprise servers. We have more than 10 cutting-edge Linux courses, ranging from the introduction to Kernel programming. They include device drivers, system administration and application

UCSC Extension Silicon Valley announces a new certificate program on Software Engineering and Quality (SEQ).

Our newest certificate program offers an integrated approach to solving the challenge of how to educate the workforce on the software engineering process and quality control. This program provides essential courses covering all key factors of software success: requirements, design, programming, testing and management.

The new SEQ program is a consolidation of three current certificate programs: Software Engineering (SE), Software Quality Engineering and Management (SQEM) and Software Engineering Management (SEM). Our new curriculum still maintains the three focused areas while allowing students the freedom to broaden their knowledge and develop new career opportunities. This new program prepares professionals with hands-on skills and the knowledge necessary to be successful in a career that is touched by rapid changes in software technologies and business methods.

Classes are conveniently located in Cupertino and Sunnyvale. Students receive UC-quality instruction and a certificate with 14-units of credited courses.

Hands-on learning has always been a big part of our engineering and technology education. UCSC Extension has been providing lab learning environment to complement classroom lectures for many years, investing resource and providing cutting-edge tools that are often not available to individuals.

We are pleased to announce that over the holidays we have upgraded several components of our labs. The VLSI Lab computers are now all Intel-based PCs while the server is 100% Linux based with quad CPUs. The Lab is open any time our Cupertino office is open (Monday through Sunday in most weeks). In our Mac Lab, the design suite has migrated from Adobe CS3 to Creative Suite 4. CS4 introduces a new user interface and offers better hardware support. All Web and Graphic Design courses will feature CS4 immediately. Our Database Lab has gone from Oracle 10g to 11g based, which is a major release in 3 years. Instructors are busy updating their teaching material to include the new features.

These investments reflect our commitment to professional learning. We want our students to practice with the best tools in the labs, which can help them gain experience and advance careers. We also want to thank our dedicated IT staff who have made this happen!