Georgia Southern University’s College of Information Technology, the only one of its kind in the Southeast United States, is now one of only 10 universities in the world to teach the cutting-edge technology of virtualization on VMware software, thanks to VMware and a donation of computer equipment by Corus Consulting and Canvas Systems. 

Corus Consulting and Canvas Systems values the equipment at $126,000 but professors in the College of Information Technology said it is hard to put a price on what the donation will add to an IT student’s education and career potential long term.

“With the equipment from Corus Consulting and Canvas Systems, our students will now have access to an educational experience that not many in the world have today,” said Timur Mirzoev, Ph.D. who is already using the donated equipment in two of his IT classes this semester.  “We now have x86-based and UNIX servers, FC, iSCSI networked storage, switches, firewalls, VolP and much more dedicated specifically to education.   We believe that this type of experience will give our graduates an additional competitive edge when they start their job search in an already in-demand field.”

The new equipment is being used to teach virtualization, which allows one server to host multiple virtual computers without the loss of their purpose or function.  In addition, virtualization is changing the way businesses deploy and manage resources, simplifying and speeding IT response. 

Designated a VMware Academy, Georgia Southern University’s College of Information Technology may teach VMware courses and certify students as Virtualization Certified Professionals.  This certification saves future employers thousands of dollars in training costs and makes Georgia Southern graduates much more competitive in the job market.  The designation as a VMware Academy was one of the key elements that impressed executives with Corus Consulting and Canvas Systems and prompted the computer equipment donation.

“Georgia Southern University’s College of Information Technology is
now not only unique to Georgia and the Southeast, but the world.  We wanted to work with an institution that was both innovative and a leader in IT education. Being one of only 10 VMware Academies in the world is an outstanding accomplishment for Georgia Southern and shows their commitment to preparing outstanding IT professionals,” said Brian Hoffman, Managing Director of Technology Services for Corus Consulting and Canvas Systems. “Georgia Southern graduates will posses hands on skills with industry leading technologies that very few IT students in the world have – including many graduates of the most respected universities in the world. These graduates will be productive employees on day one.”

According to Mirzoev, virtualization will ultimately save money, make computer systems perform more efficiently and allow for fast data and resources recovery in case of a disaster.  Mirzoev says 90 percent of businesses in the world will virtualize their computer systems within the next five years.  Many U.S. government agencies already require disaster recovery plans that rely extensively on virtualization technologies.  But because only 10 universities in the world teach VMware technology, Georgia Southern University’s College of Information Technology graduates will be in great demand.  “As a University, our goal is to be one of the leaders in this field,” says Mirzoev.

Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University, offers 116 degree programs serving nearly 18,000 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. The University, one of Georgia’s largest, is a top choice of Georgia’s HOPE scholars and is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit: www.georgiasouthern.edu.

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