Any suggestions on setting up an ATC (Authorized Training Center)?

[Encryption]

Hello,

I am currently working towards my Masters degree at Texas A&M University-Commerce. I received my BS here so I have many contacts here at the university. Also, I worked a Check Point at their support center in Grand Prairie, TX and at Irving, TX after it relocated and I have some contacts there.

Do you think given permission from the University that Check Point would allow an ATC to be setup in a Lab where the systems would not be dedicated towards ATC use? They of course would be setup so that during training I would have exclusive use of them.

Also, I know because of my employee contract with Check Point that I would have to get their permission but I spoke with my Supervisor (Mark A. Lindsay; Manager, Diamond / Premium Support) before leaving and he made it pretty clear that Check Point wouldn't have a problem with me getting involved in that type of business and the only reason that clause is there is to keep employees from competing with Check Point directly.

Anyways, has anyone had any experience with getting an ATC setup and what process I would need to go through? I am sure I would have no problem getting certified as an instructor since I has almost ever other certification that Check Point offers. You can look at my credentials in the introduction portion of this forum.

The closest ATC is in Dallas, TX which is about 60 miles east of here so I don't think there would be a problem with that. One thing that I am not sure of is that every ATC I have seen has been a Check Point reseller. I am not necessarily interested in reselling Check Point products or support. Is that a requirement? If it is do you think I could partner up with a reseller that is not setup as an ATC?

I know that if I could get this going there would be a lot of interest from the students to participate. If both parties agreed, the University and Check Point, it might even be able to be setup as a course. Since this is a state university the majority of the costs are subsidized by the state. This would make it very affordable for the students to earn a real world certification before entering the job market and would also help introduce Check Point products to a new generation of engineers.


Any suggestions, comments, or questions on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Nick Powers
CCSA/CCSE NGX, CCMSE NGX Plus VSX

sshscp@gmail.com

[BarryStiefel]

Originally Posted by Encryption

Hello,

I am currently working towards my Masters degree at Texas A&M University-Commerce. I received my BS here so I have many contacts here at the university. Also, I worked a Check Point at their support center in Grand Prairie, TX and at Irving, TX after it relocated and I have some contacts there.

Do you think given permission from the University that Check Point would allow an ATC to be setup in a Lab where the systems would not be dedicated towards ATC use? They of course would be setup so that during training I would have exclusive use of them.

Also, I know because of my employee contract with Check Point that I would have to get their permission but I spoke with my Supervisor (Mark A. Lindsay; Manager, Diamond / Premium Support) before leaving and he made it pretty clear that Check Point wouldn't have a problem with me getting involved in that type of business and the only reason that clause is there is to keep employees from competing with Check Point directly.

Anyways, has anyone had any experience with getting an ATC setup and what process I would need to go through? I am sure I would have no problem getting certified as an instructor since I has almost ever other certification that Check Point offers. You can look at my credentials in the introduction portion of this forum.

The closest ATC is in Dallas, TX which is about 60 miles east of here so I don't think there would be a problem with that. One thing that I am not sure of is that every ATC I have seen has been a Check Point reseller. I am not necessarily interested in reselling Check Point products or support. Is that a requirement? If it is do you think I could partner up with a reseller that is not setup as an ATC?

I know that if I could get this going there would be a lot of interest from the students to participate. If both parties agreed, the University and Check Point, it might even be able to be setup as a course. Since this is a state university the majority of the costs are subsidized by the state. This would make it very affordable for the students to earn a real world certification before entering the job market and would also help introduce Check Point products to a new generation of engineers.


Any suggestions, comments, or questions on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Nick Powers
CCSA/CCSE NGX, CCMSE NGX Plus VSX

sshscp@gmail.com

The word I'm hearing from ATC's is that there are too many of them and that the competition reduces the enrollment and makes it unprofitable to run one.

Many resellers open an ATC purely for defensive purposes, to prevent their customers from being poached while attending class at another ATC that happens to be a reseller.

Check Point charges a hefty annual fee to be an ATC, and hefty per-student fees for the courseware. The story I'm hearing is that Check Point makes all the money on the training and the ATC's pay rent and the big annual fee and can't make a profit.

Also, is "60 miles west of Dallas" the kind of place that can provide enough students? Without the University, probably not.

From what I hear, people open an ATC because they have to, to defend their customers, not because they want to, because they're not profitable for anyone but Check Point.

[Encryption]

Originally Posted by BarryStiefel

The word I'm hearing from ATC's is that there are too many of them and that the competition reduces the enrollment and makes it unprofitable to run one.

Many resellers open an ATC purely for defensive purposes, to prevent their customers from being poached while attending class at another ATC that happens to be a reseller.

Check Point charges a hefty annual fee to be an ATC, and hefty per-student fees for the courseware. The story I'm hearing is that Check Point makes all the money on the training and the ATC's pay rent and the big annual fee and can't make a profit.

Also, is "60 miles west of Dallas" the kind of place that can provide enough students? Without the University, probably not.

From what I hear, people open an ATC because they have to, to defend their customers, not because they want to, because they're not profitable for anyone but Check Point.

I'm sure if there were any people attending such a Check Point course here it would be comprised completely of students from the University.

Thanks Barry for the insight!

I know it may sound greedy and all (as is the nature of our capitalistic society) but if I couldn't make a buck off of it then it wouldn't be worth my time.

Nick Powers

[chillyjim]

The ATC I was at in Albany NY was make a good 40% and we were renting the computers for the class. The ATC (was) $5k/year and the class materials were $400/student/class less discount. If you sell the classes at even close to list, you'll do fine ($1,999 for Mgt I, 2,999 Mgt II)