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I was asked by Daniel Dern – Jan 19, 2010 to comment on this topic.
For the article IT Expert Voice newsletter, the article follows;
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A Short Tour of Windows 7 Certifications
According to Jim Clark Sr., certification manager for Microsoft Learning, there are currently two Windows 7 certifications relevant to Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified IT Professionals (MCITP): MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration, and MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7.
Plus, says Clark, Microsoft Learning is creating an upgrade exam for Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician’s (MCDST) which should be out in early 2010, This exam, says Clark, is for Windows XP or Windows Vista enterprise desktop support technicians who want to become certified for MCTS: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician.
Windows 7 certifications are somewhat different than previous Microsoft certifications, says Jay Ferron, chief security officer at Interactive Security Training. “For Windows XP and other areas, what Microsoft offered wasn’t necessarily what the customer did. But the ‘matrix’ of certification tests has changed. You now choose a certification based on what you’ll be doing.”
For example, says Ferron, “You can become an ITP – ‘IT Professional’ – just in Windows 7.” An individual can take a specific course, like deployment, and get a certification for it, Ferron says, showing they’ve mastered the relevant baseline technology. “These new certifications mean my people have specific knowledge,” he says.
Certifications have long been under fire for their relevance in the real world. Some argue that they are not worth the time or money investment for the test and its preparation.
Windows 7 certification exams are administered at Prometric testing centers. The price for the exam proper may be modest; for example, Exam 70-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring is $60. Preparing can run higher. Books and study guides cost tens of dollars, CD/DVD and other computer-based training products may be hundreds, and live classroom courses can cost thousands of dollars. On the other hand, lots of resources are available for modest prices or even free (such as online, through your local library, or job training center).
Many question whether hiring managers, human resources departments, and agencies look for certifications. Does including a certification acronym in a resume or online profile help you make it at least to the next round of selection? Will lack of them leave you stuck at the starting gate? And do certifications – Windows 7 certification in particular – have any other potential value? Here’s what a number of HR professionals, IT managers, and others have to say.
In general, according to Tom Silver, senior vice president for North America of Dice.com, a well-known career website for engineering and other technology professionals, “Slightly more than half — 53% — of technology professionals say that technology certifications give them an edge.”
“As an IT consultant and IT manager, certification was one of the things I looked for in making hiring decisions,” says technology author and instructional trainer William Stanek, whose 100 books include the Windows 7 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant from Microsoft Press. “While certification alone wasn’t a deciding factor, it always helped in candidate selection for interviews, so it definitely helped at the start of the hiring process.”
Independent IT consultant Anil Desai currently has 38 certifications. Desai believes that certifications help provide a well-rounded perspective. “It’s most useful for people who are new or who are shifting gears. For hirers, it’s a differentiator, but not an automatic decision maker.”
Some job openings or postings generate a blizzard of resumes. As a result, “HR managers need a way to identify the most serious contenders, just as candidates need a way to demonstrate their skill in a particular technology,” elaborates Dice’s Silver. “For both, certifications are a key element.” However, stresses Silver, “Certifications will never trump real-world skills and experience for hiring managers. It’s best to have a combination of both.”
“I firmly and fully believe, and tell my students, that they’ll always have an advantage having that cert under their belt,” states Tim Warner, a technical trainer from CBT Nuggets who also teaches 11-week classes and two-to-five-day corporate courses. “Either the job post will require it, and it will be part of the screening, or it will give them a leg up.”
Certifications may be more important in dealing with prospects and customers, adds Interactive Security Training’s Ferron. Ferron practices what he preaches; he has a handful of certifications of his own. He looks for certifications when hiring, including jobs and tasks that will involve Windows 7, although he also expects to supplement their certifications with training. “Customers ask if our people are certified and trained. My business card doesn’t say Chief Security Officer; it has a list of my certifications on it. So when the engineering staff sees my card, they don’t think I’m just another sales guy.”
With the roll-out of Windows 7, IT needs to add Windows 7 to its IT admins’ skills portfolio. “Windows 7 is a standard criterion for our hiring process now,” states Howard Sherman of live online tech support firm RoyalGeeks.com. “RoyalGeeks.Com candidates must have Windows 7 knowledge and are tested on it.”
For some companies, candidates with Windows 7 certifications simply will stand out. “We’re not seeing a lot of Windows 7 certifications yet,” says Sherman. “But whenever we do, that support engineer is chosen over a candidate who is not Microsoft-certified on Windows 7.”
“If I’m looking for somebody in Windows 7 deployment, their having a certification lets me see they passed that technology, and means I have a better view of that person,” says Interactive Security’s Ferron. “If I have five candidates, certification is a good starting point for vetting them.”
These aren’t the only certifications that make sense to acquire. “It helps to have a background in both the desktop and server space, because the two work together,” Ferron explains. “For example, Group Policies can control what happens on the desktop, but are configured from a server. So my server people have to understand the desktop features and functions, and may need desktop certifications like Windows 7 in addition to the server certifications.”
That being said, are there job postings calling for Windows 7 certifications? And do candidates have them?
Windows 7 certifications aren’t currently in big demand, according to Dice’s Silver. “There are about 50,000 job postings on Dice. Some companies are asking for the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists (MCTS) or Microsoft Certified IT Professionals (MCITP) certifications; those two certifications average about 150 requests in job postings on any given day. But requests are not tied specifically to Windows 7 at this point. Windows 7 as a skill set is only requested in about 100 job postings on any given day.”
Nor is there a large supply of Windows 7-certified candidates, at least on Dice.com, presently, reports Silver. “There are currently less than 25 technology professionals with resumes on Dice with Windows 7 certifications.” However, he adds, “In a recent Dice poll, 37% of tech professionals anticipate that their companies would be installing Windows 7 within the next 18 months. As companies migrate to Windows 7, we would anticipate that both requests for the skill-set and those specific certifications will grow.”
“Windows 7 certification is essential for IT pros,” states author and trainer Stanek. “Very soon, Windows 7 certification will be as important as Windows XP certification. So if being certified on Windows XP proved important to your career, being certified on Windows 7 will be equally as important.”
Iman Jalali, director of sales and marketing at IT training products company Train Signal, Inc., which creates computer-based training for IT certification exams, predicts larger demand in people looking for certification in desktop OSs — notably, Windows 7. “The demand for Windows Vista certification training was not that hot,” states Jalali, “but we’ve seen a huge increase in demand for Window 7 certification training.”
One piece of advice, from CBT Nuggets’ Warner: “Hiring managers in general aren’t up to speed with the current generation of Microsoft certifications such as the MCICP. Windows 7 certifications involve yet another new acronym, MCTS, for Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists. So be sure to identify what this is, as a valuable credential.”
Windows 7 certifications aren’t necessarily just about Windows 7, or about getting hired. “Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 share the same core, so knowing Windows 7 will help you know Windows Server 2008 R2,” points out author and trainer Stanek.
A Windows 7 certification can also smooth the way to other certifications, adds CBT Nuggets’ Warner. “For newcomers familiar with client OSs like Windows XP, and looking to pass the server certification test, Windows 7 certifications fulfill some of the requirements for server certifications, and passing the Windows 7 certification exam can help them build confidence.”
There may be other benefits to certifications in general. For example, according to Microsoft Learning’s Clark, “Certification also draws individuals into the larger community of 2.5 million Microsoft-certified professionals, giving them access to exclusive Microsoft resources and benefits, including peer support through private newsgroups; professional tools and opportunities such as resume posting and job searches; and professional networking tools.”
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By Daniel Dern –
Jan 19, 2010
Northwest Florida Association of Computer User Groups
and Northwest Florida State College Primetime : present
Tech 2010 Saturday January 23, 2010
I will be talking about Windows 7 –
Learn how every day computing is made easer, faster, simpler with Windows 7
For information about this event go Here
CompTIA Program Announcement
For A+, Network+ and Security+
Effective January 1, 2010 CompTIA’s A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications will only be valid for three (3) years from the date of certification.
All holders of these certifications are affected.
Candidates can be directed to www.comptia.org/renewal to read the policy or email [email protected] for any questions they have.
This policy only applies to CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications.
Those certified under the 220-601 – 220-604, N10-003 or SY0-101 exams have until December 31, 2011 to renew their certifications.
Those certified under the 220-701, 220-702, N10-004 and SY0-201 prior to January 1, 2010 have until December 31, 2012 to renew their certifications.
Those certified under the 220-701, 220-702, N10-004 and SY0-201 after January 1, 2010 have three (3) years from date of certification to renew their certifications.
In conjunction with this new policy, CompTIA will be introducing a continuing education program in mid 2010 with multiple ways to earn credits for candidates to maintain an active certification.
An email will be going out to CompTIA candidates this week informing them of
this new policy. Candidate’s should be advised to contact CompTIA at [email protected] with their questions.
http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal/faq.aspx
ISACA Announces New CRISC Certification for Risk Professionals
Rolling Meadows, IL, USA (13 January 2010)—ISACA, a global association of 86,000 IT audit, risk, governance and security professionals, is responding to market demand by introducing a new risk-related certification. The Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) designation is for IT professionals who identify and manage risks through the development, implementation and maintenance of information systems (IS) controls. These professionals help enterprises accomplish business objectives such as effective and efficient operations, reliable financial reporting, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
A grandfathering program, through which experienced professionals can earn the certification without passing an exam, will open in April. The first CRISC exam will be administered in 2011.
ISACA established CRISC (pronounced “see risk”) to recognize IT professionals with skills and abilities related to:
· Risk identification, assessment and evaluation
· Risk response
· Risk monitoring
· IS control design and implementation
· IS control monitoring and maintenance
“The CRISC designation will demonstrate to employers that the certification holder is able to identify and evaluate the risks unique to a specific organization and help the enterprise accomplish its business objectives by designing, implementing, monitoring and maintaining risk-based, efficient and effective IS controls,” said Urs Fischer, chair of ISACA’s CRISC Task Force. “We conducted an extensive amount of research globally and found that enterprises are becoming more risk-aware and are looking to identify professionals who possess the skills to help them protect their assets and enhance their businesses. CRISC fills a gap that currently exists in the marketplace.”
CRISC complements ISACA’s three existing certifications: Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), established in 1978 and earned by more than 70,000 professionals since its inception; Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), earned by more than 12,000 professionals since it was launched in 2002; and the newer Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT), earned by more than 4,000 professionals since it was developed in 2006:
· CISA is designed for IT professionals who perform independent reviews of control design and operational effectiveness; CRISC is for IT and business professionals who identify, evaluate and manage risk, and design, implement and maintain IS controls.
· CISM is for individuals who manage, design, oversee and/or assess an enterprise’s information security, including the identification and management of information security risks; CRISC is for IT professionals whose roles also encompass operational and compliance considerations.
· CGEIT is for IT and business professionals who have a significant management, advisory or assurance role relating to the governance of IT, including risk management; CRISC is for IT and business professionals who are engaged at an operational level to mitigate risk.
Additional information about the CRISC certification is available at www.isaca.org/crisc.
Microsoft has published many software Virtualization tools, so a good understanding which technology is appropriate is tricky. Yes its MS focused but this explores which solution is best for you.
Go here to learn more
In this webcast, we introduce the virtualization world, laying the ground work for the other webcasts in this series. We cover both the Microsoft products and solutions available to create a virtualization environment in your organization and the third-party virtualization options. We also answer the question: Why use virtualization in the first place and why use Microsoft technologies? While we are not aiming to cover every topic in depth in this webcast, you can get an understanding of what all your virtualization options are and understand the concepts discussed in later webcasts in the series.
IT Professional
Duration:
90 Minutes
Date:
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
This is a repost remember that Microsoft in the US give free 7 by 24 support if you computer has any of these issues you just need to call 1-866-pcsafety (yes more that 7 numbers buy you will remember the number that way)
CCleaner is a freeware PC optimization tool.
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CCleaner uses an advanced Registry Cleaner to check for problems and inconsistencies. It can check the following:
CCleaner was designed from the ground to be safe and secure to use. It has multiple levels of checks in place to ensure that it cannot delete any useful information or documents you may still need. We also certify that it contains no Spyware or Adware.
For the super cautious users we also offer secure file erasing. By overwriting the files before deleting them, making it impossible to recover the data.
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Accidentally deleted an important file? Lost something important when your computer crashed? No problem! Recuva recovers files deleted from your Windows computer, Recycle Bin, digital camera card, or MP3 player.
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