Opinions of DEC training?

[fnddr at acad3.fai.alaska.edu]

I'd like to know how well DEC's training/educational programs for Ultrix
do the job.  There is no Ultrix experience and little *ix experience available
locally, so osmosis is out.  Right now the "school of hard knocks" approach
is being used, but it would be nice to fill in some of the gaps with a more
formal approach.  User-level training isn't a problem.  System administration,
tuning, and network administration in the RISC/Ultrix flavor are the main
interests.  So, for anyone who has used DEC's services in these areas:
- are they worth the time and money investment, or would the time be better
  spent reading the manuals and experimenting?
- do they cover new material or just regurgitate what's in the Ultrix manuals?
- how much background is assumed?  Do they spend a lot of time on basics or
  do they cut right to the topic at hand?
Generally, we have a good VMS background, some have VMS system management
experience, and some have run simple *ix systems (ie, well-behaved users,
no networking, no X).  The main platform is the DECstation, but others are
coming.
Thanks in advance,
Don Rice                                  Internet: fnddr at acad3.fai.alaska.edu
Geophysical Institute                     E-mail:   fnddr at alaska.bitnet
University of Alaska                      Phone:    (907) 474-7569
Fairbanks, AK 99775                       Loran:    64.86N 212.16E