Pathway To Follow For Learning The C Language

This is the most important thing you need to do – To comprehend the idea of C Language! You're needed to experience the basics of the C language, for example, the birthplace of the programming language, its highlights and applications, how to incorporate and run a C program, and so on Besides, you need to make your first C program also to improve comprehension of C programming. In this underlying stage, you're needed to get acquainted with the rudiments of the language as much as could reasonably be expected!
 Experience Variables, Data Types, And Operators 

While learning a new language, you should have to think about the factors, how to characterize and store them, how to perform sensible and numerical tasks (operators), and so on preceding some other programming ideas. These themes can be considered as the essential need to learn C programming abilities. In the interim, you need to cover here a few other related themes also, for example, how are variables used in C language, how to typecast in C, sort of operators, and so forth.
 Comprehend The Control Flow Statements 

Presently, it's an ideal opportunity to comprehend the cycle that controls the progression of a program's execution. You are needed to realize what the control statements are and how to actualize them. There are different concerning themes, for example, Loops, Conditional and Jump Statements, and some more. After having a hypothetical comprehension of these ideas, you can choose their usage too through settling programming questions and making essential programs. To cover a few extra themes like Continue Statement, Switch Statements, Break Statement, and so forth for more explanation.

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security as business enabler

You might well have heard talks about “security as business enabler” at various industry events in the last few years. Most people seem to agree this is a great idea, but not many organizations succeed in delivering on this promise.

I started to work on this post in order to summarize my personal takeaways from all the conversations I had this year about ROI in security. Here’s my list:
Use your judgement and expertise to estimate the risk mitigation for each investment. You don’t have to be precise; accept imperfection. Remember that risk management expertise probably exists elsewhere in your company — try to learn from those people and leverage the same approach. Use the tools and data available to you.
Learn to speak the business language. Security is not (only) a technical issue. There’s a lot you can learn from the CFO or CRO and the CEO, and you can use these conversations to help them learn more as well. Building a comprehensive risk management program that encompasses financial, reputational and security risks will help your business become stronger on all fronts.
Keep communication lines open with leaders across the business. Security investment can (and often should) be part of new projects and new opportunities. Help business leaders see security not as a cost center, but as a strategic initiative.
Leverage and balance all four ROI arguments. Although risk reduction should be the starting point, always consider how the same dollar spent can help your organization achieve compliance, reduce operational costs and/or support business opportunities.

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Azure experts are in demand

The AZ-500 Azure Security Engineer Exam, similar to the MS-500 test, covers a wide scope of topics and technologies. Prior to thinking about taking this test, you should initially have great information on the Azure technologies themselves, which bodes well. You ought to understand what are the distinctive Azure platform technologies to figure out how to secure them. So a decent method to do that is to take the Azure AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals) or the AZ-104 (Azure Administrator) exam first to become familiar with Azure technologies. This isn’t a prerequisite for taking the AZ-500 test, yet it is a decent beginning. On the off chance that you know about Azure technologies, at that point, you can proceed to take the AZ-500 Azure Security Engineer Exam immediately.

Exam details

Exam Pattern: Subjective and Objective
Duration: 150 minutes
Number of questions: 40-60
Passing score: 70% that is 700 out of 1000

Domains of AZ-500 :

Manage identity and access 20%-25%
Configure Azure Active Directory for Azure workloads and subscriptions
Configure Azure AD Privileged Identity Management
Configure security for an Azure subscription
With many more clients moving to the Microsoft Azure cloud, there has been a surge in the interest of proficient individuals who comprehend the intricate details of cloud computing and its application and management. Microsoft Azure certification will give you an initial experience working with cloud technology, show you the complexities of deploying and developing businesses utilizing all the advantages of the cloud, and instruct you on creating the most out of this innovation with insignificant expenses.

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Advantages of SharePoint Knowledge Management

According to Microsoft, by 2011, 78 percent of Fortune 500 companies used SharePoint for their collaboration, document storage and content sharing needs, and one in every five knowledge workers had access to the platform.

SharePoint offers a search feature that can be adequate for retrieving a small number of files using broad query parameters, but the functionality quickly breaks down in the face of large quantities of data and more refined search requirements. Though SharePoint search capabilities are improving with each new release, there are still some importation drawbacks:
The user search experience depends heavily upon how the feature was set up by administrators.
Search is limited to the site collection the user is working with.
Without additional customization, search results cannot be filtered by any category other than the age of the document.

As a result of these limitations, SharePoint’s out-of-the-box search functionality falls short in returning results that are timely, comprehensive and relevant.

Given SharePoint’s wide infrastructural presence and tight integration with essential enterprise tools like Microsoft Office 365, it makes sense that many companies would want to build their knowledge management systems on this base software. Employees who are already familiar with using SharePoint for their day-to-day document management and business processes will find it easier to transition to a full knowledge management solution set up in their existing environment

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DROP USER ‘database_user@’localhost

OK”, I thought, “I’ll just restore it from the backup! I have a backup! this is good! It’s the original instance that I built, this is the exact one I had documented … easy, easy.” So off I go, grab the database, open up my password manager, copy the DBUser password, run my restore command….

Now my LIVE instance has the SAME problem as the new one! I wanted to puke. WHY WHY WHY? My brain is yelling, “It’s the SAME instance, what changed?? WHY is it complaining about the password?? It’s RIGHT!! It’s in the password manager, it’s RIGHT THERE!” It was a very intense conversation in my basement office at home; thankfully my elderly mother, who lives upstairs in my house, is a heavy sleeper.

Then it hit me….

I went to our secure file share archive for the password manger and downloaded the copy that was made at the time that I originally set up that instance.

F%$#!? The original password for that DBUser was about 6 characters longer than the one that was documented in the most recent version of that password manager. At some point, that password may have been accessed and accidentally truncated and the change had been propagating forward for months. It WAS wrong.

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Components of SQL Server Security

For anyone managing a SQL Server database, understanding permissions is critical to ensuring that only authorized users are able to view and modify data.

This article explains the different types of SQL Server permissions, including server-level and database-level user permissions, and provides guidance on how to manage them.

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system (DBMS) that supports a wide variety of transaction processing, business intelligence and analytics applications in corporate IT environments. Microsoft SQL Server is one of the three market-leading database technologies.

SQL Server has three primary security components that enable DBAs and sysadmins to control which users can log onto the server, what data they have access to, and what operations they are permitted to carry out on that data. These components are:
Security principals — People or processes that are authorized to access a particular SQL Server instance
Securables — The server and database resources for which access is regulated
Permissions — The types of access that principals have to specific securables

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Using the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

You can also configure tenant-level sharing for SharePoint by going to the Microsoft 365 admin center and selecting Settings > Services & add-ins > Sites. This page lets you configure the same external sharing options as the SharePoint admin center.
Using Azure AD

For the highest level of control over external access to SharePoint, configure sharing settings in Azure AD. You can approach the Azure AD sharing configuration in either of two ways:
Have SharePoint use its own external sharing list, independent from Azure B2B, and configure organizational relationships settings in Azure AD. Log in to the Azure Portal and select Azure Active Directory > Overview > Organizational relationships. Go to the Settings page and define the SharePoint online external sharing settings you want to use for your organization.
Have SharePoint use the external sharing settings defined in Azure B2B and configure B2B collaboration in Azure AD.

Tip: The sharing settings configured in Azure AD override the sharing settings configured in the Microsoft 365 admin center or SharePoint admin center. For example, if you allow external sharing via the Microsoft 365 admin center but disable external sharing through Azure AD, the Azure AD setting takes precedence and external sharing will be turned off for your organization.

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IT Certification Away from a Career Change

While he began interviewing in February 2020, Clark threw himself into studying for CompTIA A+ certification exam, using the exam objectives, The Official CompTIA A+ Study Guides and online courses by people like Professor Messer.


In the week leading up to the exam, he completed practice exams and also studied the exam objectives, highlighting items he knew and re-studying items he didn't.

“I was scoring up in the 90s, which increased my confidence,” Clark said. “I then reached out to a local IT recruiter to begin building my network, as I was absolutely sure I wanted to make a career change and go from food service to IT permanently.”

After studying 30-plus hours per week, he passed both of the CompTIA A+ exams in just 4 weeks.

“This blows my mind when I remember thinking I wasn’t intelligent enough to get into IT,” Clark said. “The things my mentor taught me were truly invaluable to my letting go of that destructive belief, getting out of my own way and reaching my goals.”

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Get Started with CompTIA Network+

If computer networking piques your interest, CompTIA Network+ can help you develop your IT career. CompTIA Network+ certification holders are often hired as network field technicians, engineers, analysts and support specialists – just to name a few.

Technology employers hire IT pros with CompTIA Network+ because the credential ensures you have the knowledge and skills to do the following:
Design and implement functional networks
Configure, manage and maintain essential network devices
Use devices such as switches and routers to segment network traffic and create resilient networks
Identify benefits and drawbacks of existing network configurations
Implement network security, standards and protocols
Troubleshoot network problems
Support the creation of virtualized networks

There are a variety of ways to start studying for CompTIA Network+, including self-study eLearning with CertMaster Learn or CompTIA Labs, using the Official CompTIA Network+ Study Guide or taking CompTIA live online instructor-led training. (P.S. I currently teach with CompTIA.)

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major advantage of online learning

A major advantage of online learning is the ability to fit your training into your daily routine instead of turning your entire life upside down. You can learn wherever, whenever, and at whatever pace you choose. You can even fulfill family responsibilities and continue to work part- or full-time while you train for your next opportunity.

The best part? Our skills-based training programs are incredibly thorough and much faster than traditional education. How much faster? We’re talking months, not 2–6 years.
Because when you’re out of work or hunting for a better job, time is of the essence. If you want to get trained, certified, and working — sooner rather than later — we can help.

Each program is divided into bite-size modules to organize your learning and make the material easy to follow and understand. You’ll read, watch videos, and practice as you work your way through the course. Some programs offer a clinical externship where you’ll put your new knowledge and skills to the test in a professional work environment.

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Better Partners Means Better Business

The need for better channel training still appears prevalent, judging by survey results conducted during a recent CAM 101 training. Almost 91% of attendees said their company’s level of channel conflict was either moderate (75.5%) or severe (15.1%). Only 7% said their companies had no channel conflict within their organizations.

Bixler details six tips to manage the inevitable issue of channel conflict, instances in which a vendor’s direct sales team competes with its own partners or two partners are competing for the same opportunity. While it’s unlikely to eliminate channel conflict, it can be significantly minimized through a balanced, fair process that satisfies all parties, he said.

“If you have zero channel conflict, it means you don’t have the coverage you need. It means you have white space that no one is covering,” he said. “A little conflict is healthy as long as it’s managed well.”

To minimize channel conflict, vendors should:
Establish a clear understanding of the rules of engagement
Commit to and deliver consistent application of those rules
Remember that customers make the final purchasing decision
Define a target audience and solution mix with partners
Communicate sales pipeline opportunities early in the process
Focus on consistency and credibility

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Information Security Certificates

GIAC Security Essentials
Another entry level certification is GIAC Security Essentials certification. This certification is designed for professionals who are seeking to demonstrate the understanding of information security terminology and concepts, as well as the technical expertise and skills necessary for “hands-on” security roles. Knowledge areas include public switched telephony networks, access control, authentication, password management, DNS, cryptography fundamentals, 802.11 protocols, identifying and preventing common and wireless attacks, network mapping, ICMP, IPv6, Public Key Infrastructure, Linux, network mapping, network protocols, and much, much more.
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

A Certified Ethical Hacker or CEH certification is a tool to know how to look for the vulnerabilities and weaknesses the system. It uses the same technique, tool and knowledge as a hacker.

The code for the CEH exam is 312-50. The certification is in Version 8 as of late 2013.

CEH certified professional has skills and knowledge on hacking practices in areas such as enumeration, system hacking, Trojans,foot-printing and reconnaissance, session hijacking, hacking webservers, wireless networks worms and viruses, sniffers, denial of service attacks, social engineering, cryptography, penetration testing, web applications, SQL injection, scanning networks, , and evading IDS, firewalls, and honeypots.

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Language Learning to Boost Your Career

Learning a second language is a great way to set yourself apart from other candidates and qualify yourself for new positions. While some have grown up speaking a second language, those of us who haven’t would be remiss to enjoy the professional edge it offers. International Business Seminars (IBS) has highlighted that everything from improved decision-making skills to attracting new business opportunities and greater chances of employment accompany those who invest in language upskilling.

Other sources even claim that learning a second language can offer higher salaried positions.

Obviously, no one learns a new language overnight. Adding this skill to your toolbox will take time and dedication.

Once you decide to commit to the challenge, there are so many programs and tools to help you. Here are a few to consider:
Rosetta Stone
Babbel
Duolingo
Udemy
Memrise
Busuu

With an improved sense of culture and communication — and in positions such as healthcare, where knowing a second language could mean life or death — it’s no wonder that bilingual candidates are such hot commodities.

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Prerequisites for Passing the CCIE Exam

As it happens, there are no specific prerequisites to follow; you only need some basic IT knowledge and a little understanding of the coding and related technologies. All that you need to do in order to clear the examination is to pass both the written and the lab exam. The written exam is only 2 hours, which means that you will be able to complete it given there is enough allotted time. There are about 90-110 MCQs based questions that you will have to answer within the allocated time frame.

You must have dedicated knowledge of planning, implementing, and configuring the security systems around complicated Cisco technologies, as most of the questions are going to base on this very fact.

The lab exam, on the other hand, can only be approached once you have passed the written exam; you get a time frame of about 18 months during which you have to pass the lab exam, and if not, then you will get a second attempt on the lab exam after 12 months. And should you fail again within three years of passing the written exam, you will have to take the written exam again, thus starting right from the beginning. Collectively the whole exam will cost you about $2000, and the training and boot camps are not included in this fee structure.

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Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certificate

Without Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certificate (CMMC) compliance, a contractor will be barred from all future Department of Defense (DoD) contracts. The CMMC officially launched in January 2020, building upon the DFARS and NIST 800-171 standards with additional requirements for vendors working with the DoD. Understanding CMMC and how it differs from DFARS and NIST 800-171 is crucial to the current and future success of government contractors.

DFARS stands for “Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement”. It’s a set of cybersecurity regulations required by any vendor bidding for contracts with the DoD. In addition to requiring compliance with the controls in NIST 800-171, DFARS includes a clause for Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting, 252.204-1012, which ensures that DFARS protects the government’s supply chain from cyberattacks by defending “Controlled Unclassified Information” or CUI. This clause ensures that CUI is safeguarded from cyber incidents that can affect the organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in supplying a product or service to the DoD. DFARS also requires vendors to report incidents that affect CUI or impact contractors’ ability to perform critical support for the government.

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Develop Your Best Tech Partners

Success in the tech industry doesn’t come easy. You need the right solutions, the right salespeople, the right marketers. But to really gain traction in the market, you need a deep pool of partners—solution providers, MSPs, integrators, etc.—capable of acting as an extended sales force for your products and services.

Building a broad, deep of talent partners requires a well-thought-out strategy because partners come in all shapes and sizes and treating them all equally is likely to end up frustrating you, your partners, and ultimately your customers.

To help tech vendors better understand the dynamics of a strong partner base, CompTIA has developed a series of training programs, Channel Account Manager (CAM) Training 101 for beginners, and CAM Training 201 for more advanced channel management initiatives. The programs are available for free to all CompTIA corporate members, but they’re also available to non-members for a fee as well.

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Microsoft Learning Platform

Microsoft also provides you access to Instructor-led training that helps to understand and prepare for the exam. However, this training course provides learners with a broad overview of Dynamics 365 applications. Further, with this training, you will understand the basics about applications, articulate their business value, and discuss and take demo of core functionality. In addition, this course will also cover Dynamics 365 security, reporting, and familiarize you with data and product integrations available.
Joining Study Groups

One thing that will be beneficial during the exam preparation time is to join study groups. As these groups will help you to stay connected with the other people who are on the same pathway as yours. Moreover, here you can start any discussion about the issue related to the exam or any query. By doing so, you will get the best possible answer to your query.
Step 4- Practice, Practice and Practice!

Practice tests can be a very beneficial part that can help you to prepare better for the exam. That is to say, practice tests are important as by assessing yourself with these tests you will know about your weak and strong areas. We all know time plays an essential role during the exam. So, by practising you will be able to improve your answering skills that will result in saving a lot of time. Moreover, the best way to start doing practice tests is after completing one full topic as this will work as a revision part for you

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Trends to Have on Your Cybersecurity Radar

Penetration testing is an important tenet of cybersecurity. As the world of cybersecurity evolves, so will penetration testing trends and best practices. 2020 has certainly been a year of change and new challenges. Not addressing penetration testing because of these changes could leave you vulnerable.

To keep you informed of what adjustments you should make, we’re covering the most critical trends that are applicable now and in the future.

DevSecOps is a critical factor in building security into the DevOps framework. DevSecOps creates a “security as code” culture. In taking on this approach, you can automate security workflows. It’s beneficial to testers because it employs the power of agile methods to integrate security testing into the development process seamlessly.

If your organization isn’t DevOps-minded, this gives you one more reason to make the shift. DevSecOps incorporates penetration testing activities by being adaptable and provides early detection of vulnerabilities at the code level. With this proactive approach, you can find and remediate security risks early.

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Cybersecurity Checklist for Business Closures

prompting many business closures, consolidations, and acquisitions. When a company transitions in any of these ways, it’s critical to have a cybersecurity checklist to lower risk and ensure data is secure.

What should your checklist include? It depends on the type of transition of the organization. At the core of each is the focus on compliance, regulations, security, and privacy. Even if a company doesn’t exist any longer, it still leaves behind lots of sensitive and/or personal data. In most cases, the closed or acquiring business still must be a custodian of those records.
What to Do Post-Acquisition
Adjust governance for employees via standard security policies, cybersecurity training, and permission-based access.
Conduct ongoing assessments around cybersecurity and enrich current programs to ensure employees understand and follow requirements, and create a baseline for information security with roadmaps for continual enhancement.

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Linux Apache MySQL PHP/Perl

Ubuntu is a very popular distro for the LAMP (Linux Apache MySQL PHP/Perl)/LEMP (Linux Nginx MySQL PHP/Perl) stacks many apps use. If you’re looking for a distro powerful enough for production use, but has a manageable learning-curve, Ubuntu may work for you.
Amazon Linux

With all the Linux distros out there, many may wonder if we need another — and what makes Amazon Linux different. From a nuts and bolts perspective, Amazon Linux AMI (and Amazon Linux 2) is basically Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) optimized to run on AWS. This idea here is simple: with Amazon Linux you get images that are performant, secure, and supported by AWS. From a business perspective, that makes Amazon Linux an attractive operating system.

There is plenty you can do for free with AWS and Linux. However, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. Dual-booting, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), VirtualBox, and VMware WorkStation Player are just a few ways to get hands-on with Linux without looking to the cloud if Windows is your daily driver.

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What Is the CompTIA Tech Town Index

The data found in the CompTIA Tech Town Index can be extrapolated in a variety of ways. The idea behind the report is to provide IT workers, as well as professionals working in the business of technology, some guidance on where opportunity intersects with affordability and quality of life.

We do this by examining job posting data over a 12-month period (August 2019 to July 2020) in 20 metropolitan areas with populations over 250,000, where demand for tech workers is greatest. Then, the cities are ranked based on cost of living, number of postings for open IT positions and projected job growth over the next year as well as the next five years.

When you combine that cost of living and most in-demand IT job data with the CompTIA IT Salary Calculator, you have a recipe that delivers the best states and cities for tech jobs in 2021 and beyond.

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cybersecurity communication strategies

In the years preceding the pandemic we often talked about the challenges of keeping an increasingly remote workforce cybersecure. The pandemic forced us to make a quantum leap forward in our adoption of work-from-home technology. The cybersecurity concerns we now face have grown and expanded in unpredictable ways.

We can handle these new challenges, though, with the right methods.

Cybersecurity pros can help in the following ways:
Enact enhanced cybersecurity communication strategies to educate end users in easy-to-understand language about the types of threats they might encounter and how to avoid them.
Act on threat intelligence, and harden endpoints and cloud apps appropriately.
Develop new creative methods of mitigating ransomware attacks to make sure that end users aren’t forced into paying up and data remains unequivocally safe.

While these are only a few suggestions for stemming a ransomware epidemic in a panicked world, their common trait is that they rely on organized, thoughtful strategy. Granted, remaining calm has grown more difficult amid the crisis of the pandemic, but proceeding rationally is one of the most powerful tools we have in any crisis.

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Cloud Skills Can Help in Scaling Business

With proper cloud training, IT professionals can provide tremendous support in scaling business. In recent research, it was found that 80% of organizations have reaped the benefits of formal training in developing required skills. With well-trained employees, organizations can enhance their productivity as well as enjoy market advantages. Apart from cloud computing, a company can ensure a secure environment where they can perform their functionalities in a more efficient and cost-effective way.

You will need a skilled Cloud Administrator in your organizations to plan and manage your cloud environment. This person will be responsible for the effective operating of networks, databases, and systems.

A Cloud Developer’s main role is to develop and design applications for cloud environments. They must be well aware of different cloud environments in order to develop applications that support different vendors and cover major vendor standards.

A Cloud Architect is responsible for the building of the cloud infrastructure. He or she must have an understanding of the fundamental layers, as well as cross-layer functions, to build an effective and unique cloud infrastructure as per your organization’s needs.

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CompTIA’s IT Industry Outlook

Usually, the end of the year is marked by two sentiments. First, there’s a sense of completion when reflecting on everything that’s been accomplished. Second, there’s a sense of anticipation when considering new opportunities for the year ahead. This year, both of those feelings are somewhat complicated by the realities of 2020. It’s been a difficult year with many unforeseen challenges, some of which led to new opportunities and successes—just not the ones we were expecting. As far as next year goes, there is more uncertainty than any other time in recent memory, but also hope.


CompTIA’s IT Industry Outlook 2021, with the theme “Rebuilding for the Future,” acknowledges these circumstances. There is rebuilding because of the damage suffered in the past year; there is an view toward the future because the lessons we have learned will lead to something new. It’s hard to say that this is a good time for anyone, but being in the tech industry is one of the better places to be as digital transformation accelerates. For those in the business of technology, here are four ways to leverage the insights from the research when planning for the year ahead.

Understand the core trends.

End-of-the-year trends are often a bit flashy or futuristic. Especially in the past few years, there has been a focus on emerging technology as the IT landscape has been shifting. However, there are two reasons why the trends this year are mostly getting back to basics.

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What do cybersecurity consultants

The cybersecurity industry has been home to various job roles, and one of them is the ‘cybersecurity consultancy.’ A cybersecurity consultant builds a secure environment for any organization by being the mind of their security team. If you are someone planning to have a career down this path, here is an overview of everything you need to know.
What do cybersecurity consultants do?

A cybersecurity consultant, like any other consultant, works for many clients and attends to them as and when required. He is responsible for gauging the security measures of an organization and conditioning it with new and effective strategies. Let us have a look at the day-to-day responsibilities of a cybersecurity consultant.
The primary goal is to understand the client’s business and the risks associated with it.
Interviewing the employees to get a deeper understanding of the security concerns and issues they face.
Conducting a proper vulnerability assessment through rigorous analysis and composing a meticulous report.
Planning and designing a secure architecture for the company based on their key findings.
Listing down the changes or updates required for software/hardware.
Drawing an estimate of the expenditure and discussing the budget with the project managers.
Implementing proactive defense measures for the Blue Team and training them to respond during a breach or an attack.
Defining effective standards and policies for the company and providing professional supervision to all the teams.
Following up with the client regularly and consistently suggesting new strategies.

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want to take your career?

We’ve created a job survey to find out what your career ambitions are as an individual, as well as an employer supporting your business; how you endeavour to achieve them, and what we can do to support your growth.

We are all aware of how difficult the last 6 months have been. Working towards achieving our goals despite this tumultuous time; being surrounded by what were secure jobs, now being made redundant, it's a scary and arduous time to say the least.
That's why we have decided to create a job survey.
By completing the survey, you'll also be in the running to win a £50 Amazon voucher!

Take a look at the following article for further details of why Firebrand have decided to take part in this opportunity, and how we envision this journey with you.
Our cloud-expert and lead instructor, Mike Brown, speaks about this in great depth in his guest blog, reflecting on a few key necessities to support flexibility and adaptability - whether it's changing career paths or now having to work remotely.

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Cybersecurity risks

While currently experiencing very uncertain times, one thing that has remained certain is the use of internet. Now, more than ever, people all over the world are depending on the web for essential everyday duties. Some employers have been able to keep their doors open by transitioning to working online. However, there is a downfall to this alternative. The recent spike in online activity has led to an increase in cyber security attacks.

Earlier this month, Phoenix TS posted a blog about cloud security. The blog entitled, Head in the Cloud? Time to Face Cyber Security Reality, warns of the risks associated with using cloud. Some of these concerns include cloud advancements, connection problems and a lack of cyber security professionals. Yet, due to mandated social distancing, additional problems are emerging. Cyber attackers are using the COVID-19 epidemic to exploit teleworkers. Last week, Alyza Sebenius and Kartikay Mehrotra collaborated on an article for Bloomberg called, “U.S., U.K. Issue Alert on Growing Use of Covid-themed Hacks.” According to the article, “…phishing emails more than quadrupled over the month of March…” (Mehrotra and Sebenius). The article also cites other malicious activities such as espionage, ransomware, malware, (VPNs), scams and network intrusions. (Mehrotra and Sebenius) The article goes further to explain that the coronavirus has caused an “unprecedented” amount of cyber security challenges. (Mehrotra and Sebenius)

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Domains Covered in the comptia a+ certification Exam

Now, candidates should focus on the next important concern for refining the DP-300 exam preparation schedule. You cannot cram up random topics to study for such an important certification exam. Therefore, it is very essential that you find out all the topics covered in the DP-300 Administering Relational Databases on Azure certification exam. When you know about the exam objectives, then you can find out the appropriate learning resources for your preparation. In addition, the knowledge of the weighting of each exam objective can help you organize your preparation schedule. Here are the abilities that the DP-300 exam will test.
Planning and implementation of data platform services
Implementation of a secure environment
Monitoring and optimization of operational resources
Optimization of query performance
Performing automation of tasks
Planning and implementation of a High Availability and Disaster Recovery (HADR) environment
Performing administration through the use of T-SQL

Candidates should now aim at finding the weightage of each domain and the subtopics covered in them. It can improve the confidence of candidates about the difficulty of the path ahead. Let us find out the different subtopics in each domain of the DP-300 certification exam.

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Best Practices for CompTIA Security+ Preparation Guide

Every candidate must feel confused about the best answer on how to prepare for CompTIA Security+ certification. So, it is important to follow the recommended best practices by experts and qualified professionals for achieving the desired results in CompTIA Security+ certification. Here is an outline of the best practices that can help you pursue your preparations for CompTIA Security+ certification with ease and simplicity.

Know the Exam Content Inside Out

Whenever you start your CompTIA Security+ certification preparation, get your hands on the official study guide for the certification. Candidates must use official resources from the CompTIA website for this purpose to access reliable information about the existing exams in the CompTIA Security+ certification track.

The exam content on the official certification page not only helps you learn about the exam but also the formalities associated with the exam. The knowledge of the domains covered in the exam and type of questions can give you reliable support for starting your preparations.

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Identity and Access Management

To begin with, explaining use cases and purpose for frameworks, best practices and secure configuration guides
Subsequently, implementing secure network architecture concepts
In addition, implementing secure systems design
Further, explaining the importance of secure staging deployment concepts
Not to mention, explaining the security implications of embedded systems
Moreover, securing application development and deployment concepts
Furthermore, summarizing cloud and virtualization concepts
Consequently, explaining how resiliency and automation strategies reduce risk
Lastly, explain the importance of physical security controls
First thing first, comparing and contrasting identity and access management concepts
Secondly, installing and configuring identity and access services
Thirdly, implementing identity and access management controls
Fourthly, differentiating common account management practices
Starting off, explaining the importance of policies, plans and procedures related to organizational security
Secondly, summarizing business impact analysis concepts
Subsequently, explaining risk management processes and concepts
Further, following incident response procedures
Also, summarizing basic concepts of forensics
Moreover, explaining disaster recovery and continuity of operations concepts
In addition, comparing and contrasting various types of controls
Lastly, carrying out data security and privacy practices

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What Project Management Certification

All project managers, no matter the industry they work in, are tasked with completing projects successfully, efficiently, on time, and within their budget. The organizations they are part of, rely on them as trained professionals to generate and follow processes to accomplish organizational goals. With that being the case, project managers must be trained in the practices of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of their teams to achieve their specific goals and to meet specific criteria at specified times.

A project management certification is accepted worldwide in virtually every industry and provides greater career opportunities, credibility, and income for those that have it. It is a powerful tool in your professional tool belt!
What a Project Management Certification Can Do For You

There are a few key ways in which a project management certification can boost your career.
Credibility: By holding a project management certification, you show that you are a professional in that field of work. If you're searching for a job or looking to be promoted, holding this certification helps prove your expertise in project management. It makes you more credible on paper (i.e. your resume or CV) and helps you look good in the eyes of current or future employers and employees.

Professional Growth: There is a lot to learn to get your project management certification, and as you learn all of these new skills you expand your knowledge and grow in your field and personally. It is the perfect foundation for you if you want to see continued professional growth.

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Training for CompTIA CEUs & Certification Renewal

There are 2 paths of pre-approved training courses to earn CompTIA CEUs: Other CompTIA training and non-CompTIA IT Industry Certifications. If you earned a CompTIA A+, Network+, or Security+ certification after January 1, 2011 your certification has an expiration date of three years. You will have three years from the date certified to pass the latest version of the exam or complete the CompTIA Continuing Education program to earn re-certification. Here are the details and simplest ways to complete the CompTIA Continuing Education program.
How many CEUs do I need for CompTIA certification renewal?
CompTIA A+ requires 20 CEUs in three years
CompTIA Network+ requires 30 CEUs in three years
CompTIA Security+ requires 50 CEUs in three years
CompTIA Cloud+ requires 50 CEUs in three years
CompTIA CySA+ requires 60 CEUs in three years
CompTIA CASP requires 75 CEUs in three years
How can I earn CompTIA CEUs?

There are multiple ways to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) toward your ComPTIA certification renewal. This includes industry participation, work experience, CompTIA CEU webinars and even publishing. CompTIA's Certification Renewal Policy has more detail about those activities and their CEU value.

Industry related training and certification is the simplest way to renew your existing CompTIA certification, and also earn new knowledge to be added to your resume.

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Talent Poaching on the Rise

While a limited candidate pool will drive wage growth, channel organizations need to make sure that compensation levels are in line with market trends and sustainable for the long term.

Saxton stated, “A lot of engineers are able to freelance and do consultancy, which has a significant impact in terms of what they demand for salary and pay, and that’s something we’re working on... [But] it doesn’t stay sustainable. You can’t keep paying all of these salaries, so we find a blend that works for everybody.”

5. Create IT apprenticeship programs to build your own talent pipeline.

Some managed service/solution providers, vendors and distributors create IT apprenticeship programs to nurture their own talent for technician, developer, engineer and analyst roles.

“We’ve seen quite an uptick in the traction of talent in apprenticeships. Great way to bring in younger talent. We’re seeing lots of recruitment at entry-level roles,” Hansford said.

Robust apprenticeship programs offer accelerated IT professional training that few schools and colleges can offer.

Saxton noted, “We’ve been doing [apprenticeships] for seven years now. Fifty-seven percent of our apprentices come from our outreach schools. Of that 57 percent, 100 percent move into management. [Those] students and young people we’ve worked with over the course of a few years move directly to senior and management roles in the business.”

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Hiring for Entry Level IT Jobs

2020 has been a year of immense change, and there’s no exception for information technology careers.
While more safely insulated from the economic fallout of the pandemic than other industries, IT has still seen its fair share of downs to go with all of its many ups.

If that latter part seems bad, here’s a little more good for you: In comparison to the national unemployment rate of 7.9%, unemployment for information technology careers is just 3.5%.

But if you’re a job seeker, these statistics don’t paint the full picture. Exactly what companies are hiring right now, and for which specific roles? Has the new emphasis on remote work changed companies’ hiring processes? Has it changed what they’re looking for in their candidates?

To get a better sense of the hiring outlook in IT right now — specifically for entry-level IT jobs — we spoke with a pair of our employer partners. Read on for their expert insight on information technology careers, delivered straight from the other side of the interview table.

We’ve experienced surges within cybersecurity in industries like healthcare, government services, and financial services,” Angela says. “Clients have taken a new approach to hiring where they have flexibility in interviewing and acquiring new talent. We are on Zoom calls and video conferences. Virtual hiring fairs have become the new normal.

“We are also adjusting to an environment where working from home has been key to continuing every day activities. Think about everyone who is working remotely needing to call into a helpdesk or service desk for assistance. That brings so much opportunity for companies to onboard more entry-level talent to help with the unforeseen demand.”

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CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) exam

CompTIA Security+ certification is appropriate for security professionals and IT administrators as it covers a wide range of areas such as identity management, network security concepts, access control, cryptography, and threats and vulnerabilities. It acts as a global benchmark for the best practices in IT network and operational security which is one of the fastest-growing niches in IT.

CompTIA Security+ certification has become a crucial asset in getting selected for jobs such as Junior IT Auditors, Security Administrators, penetration testers, systems, and network admins. It validates the learners’ ability to:
Understand how to install, configure, and control identity and access services.
Identify various vulnerabilities and threats and get an idea of how to utilize vulnerability scanning and penetration testing.
Alleviate business impact by implementing the best risk management methodologies.
Implementation of secure network architecture.
Understand how to access and troubleshoot security threats and learn the right way to install, configure, and deploy network security components.
Clearing the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) exam is required to earn CompTIA Security+ certification which doesn’t have any prerequisites. However, CompTIA suggests this certification course best-suited for professionals who have earned CompTIA Network+ certification and have experience in IT administration with a security focus.

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Switching Basics for Cyber and Network Security

If you are truly invested in understanding the core tenets of cyber and network security, then you must first gain knowledge regarding the endpoints that you will need to secure. Every IT enterprise environment comprises of two such critical endpoints i.e. switches and routers. Together, these two form the backbone of inter-connectivity between internal systems and networks.

For a cybersecurity professional, understanding the actual functionality of these critical networking components as well as knowing about their status in the network security environment is critical before they can move on towards building strategies or following existing methodologies to secure them form attacks emanating from the outside.
Switching Basics

A network environment can comprise of many different machines or computers that need to communicate with each other in an integrated manner. This inter-system connectivity is what a network switch aids. It regulates the flow of information between any two system resources and acts as a bridge through which data packets are received and analyzed before they are sent to the receiving machine on the other end.

Switches are crucial towards fostering business productivity as they allow seamless flow of information that aids the business in terms of heightened efficiency and productivity derived from network processing.

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Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

With demand for Microsoft Azure specialists on the rise, more and more IT pros are choosing Microsoft’s new Azure role-based certifications. The Azure Solutions Architect Expert credential is featured here because an increasing number of enterprises are trying to find experienced cloud solutions architects who can work on the Azure platform.

The Azure Solutions Architect Professional certification validates the power to deploy and configure compute, network, and storage infrastructure on Azure, secure systems, applications, and data, develop and deploy apps, establish workload requirements, and style solutions for the Azure platform.

To earn this credential, candidates need to qualify for two exams: AZ 300 (Azure Architect Technologies) and AZ 301 (Azure Architect Design). In order to qualify, they can do preparation through free online training and paid instructor-led classroom training, Microsoft Official Practice Tests, Microsoft certification support forums, and other learning resources.

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Cybersecurity Needs to ‘Catch Up’ to Protect Remote Workers

Transitioning a workforce from a central location to many brings about all kinds of remote work cybersecurity challenges. It’s also attractive to threat actors. According to one study, 46 percent of global businesses endured at least one cybersecurity incident since moving to remote work.
Those scares occurred because there were security gaps, so to “catch up” and not be on a hacker’s radar, your organization needs to revisit security practices and invest in new solutions.
Building a Robust Cybersecurity Plan for a Remote Workforce
To develop the best defense for cybersecurity threats, you should focus on these areas:
Device Security
When your employees are on one network, your IT team can easily watch network traffic and use a host of approaches to thwart attacks. Now, you’re dealing with hundreds or even thousands of networks.
The onus of keeping a network secure is solely on the employee, who more than likely isn’t being vigilant as you’d like. Many organizations are continuing to use VPNs (virtual private networks) to allow users to join enterprise networks. But this is just a band-aid that’s not really sustainable long-term.

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collaboration and communication

You need people who are reading their emails carefully and responding, and pro-actively communicating. That’s a huge skill set that’s really critical,” she says.

Add to that IT people who are collaborators and who are not shy to ask for help when they need it.

“I hire a lot of junior people, and they’re going to need to be able to raise their hands and ask for help, because I can’t physically see them,” Mangold says. “That means managers are going to have to be strong in collaboration and communication.

She also adds that at the senior levels in IT, what companies will be looking for are potential employees who can demonstrate resilience.

“None of us has seen anything like this before, so we need people who are creative problem solvers and have the ability to adapt to change,” she explains. “Resilience is absolutely critical.”

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Get Your Team Certified for New CompTIA A+

Every new CompTIA certification version starts a new debate about whether it is worth it or not. And in 2019, the debate has been reopened with the New CompTIA A+ certification.

Today, we will be discussing CompTIA A+ certification and the five reasons why you should get your team certified with the new CompTIA A+ certification.

To better deal with routine IT tasks

In the IT industry, junior level employees are usually the ones that make more mistakes in comparison to experienced professionals. CompTIA A+ training and certification gives your entry-level associates the practical understanding of how things work on an IT team. They also get an idea of their day-to-day job tasks and what to expect in their job roles.

The certification separates your team members from non-certified professionals by giving them basic knowledge of computers and networking.

Verifies that your team has strong fundamental IT skills

CompTIA A+ certification works as an emblem that a professional has a fundamental understanding of their work. It functions as verified proof for your clients and partners that your team is one of the best, and that they can expect excellent output from your IT team. This will also give you an edge over your competitors in the market.

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understanding of performance

The third thing is just an understanding of performance. That means looking at what percentage of people who go through our workforce programs that are getting a job. How many are getting a credential? What are their median earnings? All that matters.

But on the other side, what is the overall economy doing in Missouri, and what levers are we pulling through the workforce development programs? What performance metrics are better in Missouri? Are people able to move around the state freely? Or is our rural population locked into the rural areas? And they don't have opportunities for certain jobs because they don't have access to broadband, or they don't have the transportation to get across town?

We're trying to understand what [is success]? And then, how do we measure that performance? …To make sure that we're coming back to do our first two goals… to help more people into the workforce in Missouri, and to help them be more productive and stay in the workforce in Missouri.

[To recap] …How do we remove barriers that are keeping people from accessing opportunity? Whether it's employment or training, credentialing and education? What are we doing to help keep people in the workforce be more productive, achieve that resilience factor that I described? And really the third thing is how are we measuring our performance? How do we know if we're winning?

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CCNA 200-301 Exam Simulator

SimulationExams recently updated Android apps for CCNA 200–301 in play store with more than 500 practice questions and answers to learn, practice and test your knowledge on the new syllabus of CCNA. This apps covers all objectives included in the syllabus of the new ccna 200–301 certification exam like network fundamentals, IP connectivity, IP services, network access, security fundamentals, and automation and programmability.

Normally, all other ccna exam simulators are limited to multiple-choice questions but it supports different question types like multiple choice, exhibit type, performance-based, text/image-based drag and drop questions. This apps simulates the real test environment when the candidate taking the test in exam mode and provides flashcards for each question in learn mode to understand the concepts. Review feature after taking simulated exam allows you to understand the incorrect answers and explanation for the question.

SimulationExams is the most famed site providing practice exams for ccna and several other certifications. Practice tests help in consolidating your concepts, preparation and also as exam cram. Each test is based on respective vendors’ published exam objectives and designed to help attain certification.

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How Ethical Hackers use artificial intelligence?

Different Artificial Intelligence solutions help when our devices are involved in heavy communication under the connection of networks, automatically sending our data securely to the remote cloud servers where all the data and information are gathered and analyzed by the robotic process in order to understand, visualize and extract useful information. Now the challenge arises in safely sending this confidential data to servers as there are many potential threats and risks of hackers stealing this data, which can, in turn, lead a device to be used illegitimately, leaving a privacy risk. Therefore, we must have a way of securing these devices and overcoming these risks in the form of a solution that involves high usage of AI-powered applications.

Commerce Cloud may be a cloud-based online business stage which will oversee items giving a good scope of offices. It conveys an entire computerized involvement to its clients. It upgrades clients’ shopping background. It associates the clients or customers with the right item at the opportune time. it’s utilized for associating merchandisers with the right data they have so on choose the proper business choices with computing.

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CompTIA CySA+

If you like to identify threats, attacks and vulnerabilities in your network and stop cybercriminals in their tracks, then cybersecurity analyst may be the job for you.

A cybersecurity analyst detects cyberthreats and performs incident response to protect an organization in the following ways:
Manage and configure tools to monitor activity on the network
Analyze reports from those tools to identify unusual behavior on the network
Proactively identify network vulnerabilities through penetration testing, vulnerability scans and vulnerability assessment reports
Plan and recommend changes to increase the security of the network
Apply security patches to protect the network

CompTIA CySA+ can train you to do these exact things – and your certification shows potential employers that you can step up to the plate.

For example, under the domain of Threat and Vulnerability Management on the CompTIA CySA+ exam objectives, you’ll need to know how to implement controls to mitigate attacks and software vulnerabilities in a given scenario (1.7).

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IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO INNOVATE

There are two initial steps that can help us immediately start improving how our organizations approach innovation. First, it’s worth spending time with our teams to teach them the skills needed to actively listen to, understand, and collaborate with current and potential customers. When we spend time interacting with and observing our customers, it often leads to identifying unmet needs that can lead to innovation (which is how P&G created the Swiffer, resulting in $500 million of revenue each year). We must also teach our teams how to vet good ideas, draft strong value propositions, create prototypes, and obtain regular feedback from a wide audience of stakeholders.
Second, it’s important to design a simple and straightforward system for taking these ideas and analyzing, developing, and delivering them to the marketplace.

How well an organization innovates determines more than anything else how well it will compete and survive over the long-term. The good news is, the possibilities for innovation in today’s digital world are limitless. There are opportunities all around us and the ability to learn to innovate is available to everyone. The not-so-great news is, most organizations don’t have a good understanding of what innovation truly is (much less, what digital innovation is), and those that do often don’t have a disciplined process around it. This quote is extremely telling:

“Every CEO will at least give lip service to the idea that the world is moving faster and that we need to do a better job at innovation. But if you go into an organization and ask people to describe their innovation system, you get blank looks. They have none.”

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Why is Cisco CCNA important in the workplace

Cisco conducted an in-depth study that involved more than 200 hiring managers from IT companies across the globe. The study was aimed at determining how much being certified meant to the prospects of candidates in the recruitment process. The results indicated that Cisco certified employees were considered more knowledgeable than their noncertified counterparts. As a result, certified employees were deemed more likely to take on various responsibilities than their noncertified peers.

Here are some of the top reasons why Cisco CCNA certification is so important in the workplace:

Enhanced Speed: Cisco certified professionals often outperform their noncertified peers when it comes to performing networking jobs or resolving network problems. On average, managers report that certified employees resolve issues 30 percent faster than noncertified peers. This is because certified employees are trained in a systematic manner, so they can easily step into networks created by other Cisco certified staff and provide solutions.

Improved Performance: The systemic approach behind Cisco certification pays dividends when it comes to employee performance. According to the interviewed managers, certified employees were 42 percent more successful in resolving IT problems and completing technical tasks. Most managers attributed this to the methodical attitude honed by the Cisco certification approach.

Robust Network Support: Network managers reported reduced support costs by about 30 percent after hiring Cisco certified staff. Having a certified in-house employee with adequate tech knowledge and skills to maintain network infrastructures means substantial savings when things go south.


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DIGITALLY EMPOWERED IT

If the way IT has been done in the past is no longer sufficient, then what does it take to transform into digitally-empowered IT? The short answer is that it takes a new mindset along with the skills and practices to support it.

In a previous generation, the hallmark of legacy IT was “alignment” with the business. In other words, IT understood what was on the horizon for the organization and did their best to support the business, albeit in a reactive way. IT’s concern was squarely on internal business customers and keeping back-end systems up and running.

The bar has been raised. In the truly digitalized organization, there is no difference between the business and IT. In fact, in many cases, IT leaders are driving innovation by using technology to do business in new ways.

Considering that most digital businesses value customer centricity as priority #1, there is a need to seamlessly gather and analyze not only internal operational data but also externally-focused customer data. Ideally, these are gathered and housed in the same system and can be related to each other using proximate cause-effect relationships. For example, when a change is made to a customer-facing website or product platform, how did the change affect sales, abandoned shopping carts, nonprofit donations to a campaign, repeat customers, and so forth? Additionally, approximately how much did it cost in terms of money or effort expended to make the change? Admittedly, “single pane of glass” systems that bridge customer and operational data are something of a technological “unicorn.” Even so, many IT departments struggle to perform basic operational data capture and reporting let alone XO data analysis.

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Teach Us About Cybersecurity

COVID-19 threw our lives in turmoil this year, creating a lot of chaos and confusion as people and businesses were forced to readjust very quickly to remote working environments and changing social habits. Just as quickly, cyber criminals looked to take advantage. The result shined a big spotlight on companies’ approaches to cybersecurity—both good and bad.

Now, as we wind towards 2021 and a pandemic that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon, what lessons have we learned? Are businesses taking cybersecurity seriously enough? And what should we expect going forward? A panel of security experts tackled these questions and more in a virtual session during CompTIA’s 2020 EMEA Member and Partner Conference.

There’s a lot of exploitation of human emotion. People are anxious and they’re fearful of the current situation. That’s why they are clicking more on urgent request tactics,” she said.

The emotional frailty that COVID-19 has wrought has played a big role in how cybercriminals attack, said Tope Aladenusi, cyber risk services leader at Deloitte West Africa. “These guys thrive on fear, uncertainty, doubt, and greed. They capitalized on that to launch several attacks,” he said.


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The Building Blocks of Cybersecurity

But how do you get into cybersecurity with no experience? If you have limited experience in IT and aren't quite ready to start with CompTIA Security+, then you’ll want to start earlier on the pathway.

Here are just a few of the skills that CompTIA CASP+ validates:

Conceptualize, engineer, integrate and implement secure solutions across complex environments to support a resilient enterprise
Apply critical thinking and judgment across a broad spectrum of security disciplines
Propose, implement and advocate sustainable security solutions that map to organizational strategies
Balance security requirements with business/regulatory requirements
Analyze risk impact
Respond to security incidents

CompTIA A+ validates the skills employers look for in new and aspiring IT support professionals. In addition to covering today's core technologies in operating systems, cloud, data management and more, the CompTIA A+ Core Series covers baseline security skills at the end point device level, including malware detection and removal, privacy concerns, physical security and device hardening.

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Why you should consider the CISSP

Earning a CISSP will give you recognition in the field and help you stand apart from your peers. Besides the level of difficulty associated with attaining the cert, the prestigious CISSP was the first certification to meet the requirements of the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 standard. (Vizza, T.) This accreditation is internationally recognized and demonstrates that individuals holding such a certification have a competent level of knowledge and experience. It also ensures the certification is valid. The CISSP also meets the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 8570.1. The 8570.1 directive displays certifications that military service professionals can attain because they are accredited by the ANSi – American National Standards Institute.

In addition to this recognition, CISSP holders can look forward to job diversity and security. The CISSP’s immense body of knowledge and the experience and dedication needed to attain it, prompts employers in the information security field to seek out CISSP professionals. According to a study conducted by Burning Glass Technologies, “…21% of all cybersecurity jobs across the US were specifically targeting CISSP holders, with a total of almost 50,000 postings” (Fahey, R.). CISSP holders can expect to hold careers in various fields including finance, healthcare and government. Some positions CISSP credentialed professionals typically occupy are: Chief Information Security Officer, Network Engineer and Principal Cyber Security Manger.

Cybersecurity Professionals also make higher salaries. According to the (ISC2), “Certified Information Security Professionals earn a worldwide average of 25 percent more than their non – certified counterparts” (Certified Information Systems Security Professional-CISSP). CISSP certification holders specially make around $131,030 USD annually.

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Testing Strategies for CompTIA Exams

CompTIA includes performance-based questions on their exams to make them more practical and keep up with trends in certification testing. Knowing what to expect and how to approach these question types is key to your success in passing the exams. First, let me fill you in on some facts about the exams.

Exam facts:

There are several different types of questions you may see in your CompTIA exam:
Multiple choice – the standard question, choose the right answer
Multiple response – choose all answers that apply with more than one correct answer
Fill in the blank – fill in the answer to the question
Drag-and-drop – image or question where you drag answers to match the image or text
Exhibits – answer questions relating to an attached picture or diagram (variation to multiple choice)
Performance-based – detailed question, open dialog boxes or other configuration windows and configure as needed

CompTIA has added more of the newer drag-and-drop and performance-based questions to their exam pool. You may get as few as 2-3 or as many as 10-12 of these type of questions depending on which exam you are taking. The more of these questions you get, the fewer of the traditional multiple choice, multiple response or exhibit-type questions you will have, depending on the difficulty of the performance-based questions you get.

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What is CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner Course

CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner Course (CASP) is an advanced certification designed for experienced IT professionals. The general aim of the certification is to help these experienced IT practitioners implement cyber security protocols better and in line with emerging threats.

It is based on the understanding that these professionals already comprehend the different types of systems and are able to implement them on a business-conscious level. The next step for them is to bring their expertise to the C-level by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to manage risk while still implementing enterprise level solutions to server wide challenges. This course equips your IT workers with the skills needed to identify, address and deter current threats as well as anticipate future threats with business conscious solutions.

As businesses continue to seek new solutions for cyber threats and seek new talents to help them implement these solutions, they must do so with a plan. Devoid of this, businesses would rack up costs on redundant solutions while leaving themselves exposed by missing the bigger picture.


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Comparison of exam objectives of SYO-501 & SYO-601

The new CompTIA Security+ SYO-601 exam has fewer exam objectives (topics) than the SYO-501 exam. CompTIA Security+ SY0-501 covers 37 exam objectives under six domains. On the other hand, SY0-601 will cover 35 objectives under 5 domains. Moreover, the SY0-601 exam objectives include more examples under each objective. According to CompTIA, the number of examples is increased by about 25% in the objectives of the updated version (SYO-601). Examples are added to understand the concept behind each objective. It will further help the IT professional to prepare for the certification exam and for the job roles as well.

What is expected to remain the same?
Job roles

Job roles using CompTIA Security+ will remain unchanged. After successfully earning the certification, the candidates can secure the following titles:
System Administrator
Security Administrator
Security Specialist
Security Engineer
Network Administrator
Security Consultant
Junior IT Auditor/ Penetration Tester

Which exam to take?

The CompTIA Security+ certification’s validity lasts for three years from the day a candidate passes the exam. If a candidate passes the exam a day before its date of retirement, certification still holds the validity for three years. Therefore, candidates need to choose the exam as per their convenience and availability.

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Microsoft Access Courses

Students will learn how to use Access to manage data, including how to create a new database, construct tables, design forms and reports, and more. This is a 2-day course for those with a foundational understanding of Microsoft Access. Versions 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Access for Office 365 are available. Classes are split into two levels, an introductory course, and an advanced course, with the exception of 2010; a third course is offered for Access 2010, focusing on Programming with VBA. This class is the introductory level of the available three courses, with the advanced class following. Multiple Access courses were within the top 20 application courses.
Microsoft Word Courses

Word is one of the most utilized Office tools available. We offer many 1 day courses for versions 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word for Office 365. Each version is split into three classes: an introductory, intermediate, and advanced level. Students will learn document creation, formatting text and paragraphs, the latest features of Word, and more. Multiple Word courses were within the top 20 application courses.

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Get into Cybersecurity from Other Roles

CyberSeek identified five feeder roles that often serve as stepping stones into an IT security career because of the similarities in skill requirements and significant skill overlap with multiple core cybersecurity roles. Click below to learn more about what those career paths look like:
From networking to cybersecurity
From developer to cybersecurity
From systems engineering to cybersecurity
From finance and risk analysis to cybersecurity
From security intelligence to cybersecurity

Now that you know more about what education, certifications and skills are recommended for these particular cybersecurity job titles, you can plan your career journey accordingly. CyberSeek data is constantly updated, so come back often to find new skills or certifications you can add to your repertoire to make yourself a more attractive job candidate. If you are currently in an entry-level role and looking to get ahead, hone in on the items needed for that dream job, and you’ll be on your way to cybersecurity expert status.


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Why you should pursue CompTIA certification?

Cyber Security is one of the fastest-growing fields in the IT sector and if you look from the organizational view, it is one of the most important specializations. Both medium and established organizations are continuously searching for Certified Security + Professionals who possess the knowledge and skills to protect their data from the unauthentic snoopers.

The security + certification is the professional-level certification that covers several key concepts in the IT sectors including data hosting security, threats, network, system vulnerabilities, compliance, cryptography and more. The security certification you will obtain will showcase all these credentials along with the fact that you can not only identify risk but also mitigate it before any security problem occurs. In addition, CompTIA Security+ is also the prerequisite certification for other certifications like CompTIA CySA+ and CompTIA network+.

You will be recognized as an expert
Most of the employers consider hiring professionals who can demonstrate that they are qualified to perform the given tasks. The CompTIA certification you will obtain will serve as an authentic prove, you have the knowledge and skills required to perform the task. This will enhance your value in the eye of the employers.

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certification courses security expert

Security administrators who are experts in the field of networking usually supervise an array of hardware, software, and manpower issues and work towards the much needed resolution for making certain information security (confidentiality, availability, integrity, authentic and non-repudiation aspects) on enterprise/virtual networks. Majority percentage of the bulk of their work revolves around equipments such as servers, switches, routers etc but not limited to the same.

The following provides us a glimpse of just a few of the certification courses offered for becoming a security expert:
CompTIA Security+ Certification
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

c) Network professional for Web Services

Data and web hosting companies would require networking professionals who are certified with networking knowledge for trouble shooting or resolving network issues for users and customers. Companies needing web services for interacting with other parties spread across different geographical areas would require the service to be efficient and that’s where the business requirement for Network professionals comes in.

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Why Network+ Certification?

Network+ is offered by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) which is the top vendor-neutral provider of IT certs. Some of you might be thinking, “Why take CompTIA Network+ first and not jump into Cisco Certified Network Associate certification (CCNA) path right away?”. While you could jump straight into the CCNA path, However, Cisco assumes that you have prior networking experience and specifically with their routing and switching equipment. It is good to have a mix of certifications on your resume, and as a beginner in IT or with networking, Network+ is the best certification to start. Additionally, going vendor-neutral can sometimes be a good thing because the focus isn’t on the hardware, but more on the logical framework of the technology. Networking is important for obvious reasons. If you don’t have network connectivity, you can’t expect to do much from your desk.

The Network+ certification is a launching pad for your career. You can go in so many different directions after passing the Network+ exam. To stay within the CompTIA path, the next option would be Security+ which every IT administrator should have. A+ is an option if you plan to be more hardware focused in your career. There’s also Linux+, Cloud+, PenTest+ and many more depending on what your desired career path is. If you love networking and want to continue to more advanced certifications, the CCNA is a good next choice.

Is it For Me?
If you are planning on having a long career in IT, then the answer is a resounding YES! Get Network+ certified. It is an amazing class and will really help you get a firm understanding of networking fundamentals. Having a solid foundational knowledge of networking will serve you well in the many years of your IT career to come.

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What Is the Cost of CompTIA A+?

In order to take the CompTIA A+ certification exams, you’ll need to buy an exam voucher. If your employer, school or training facility do not provide you with one, you can purchase exam vouchers from the CompTIA Store. You’ll use the unique code from your voucher to register for your test, either in-person at Pearson VUE testing center or online. In the United States, the cost is $226 per exam. Remember, you need to take and pass two exams to earn CompTIA A+, so you’ll need two exam vouchers.

This is where ROI comes in. What are your goals? When compared to a college degree, you can earn CompTIA A+ faster and gain the hands-on skills you need to dive right into tech support and start your IT career.

You Can Make More Money

CompTIA A+ sets you on a path of lifelong learning and experience that will give you the opportunity to thrive in your career and achieve your income goals.

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Productive Remote Workforces

Robert Rohrman: If every staff member in your company already had the ability to work from home, the COVID-19 challenge—for IT teams—was relatively small. But if your company didn’t, quick action was necessary.

There are multiple strategies on how to enable remote work. IT teams had to look at their companies holistically and then from the employee perspective. What did they need to do their jobs and what technologies were out there to do those things remotely? The IT staff also needed to consider security—what was a company willing to accept as a risk? Then they needed to pick a solution and implement it.

Seth: Training everyone to be an enabled endpoint, that was the first part of the equation. What about making sure everyone had a device that works for them?

Wendell Thacker: As an IT person, you think, how can I futureproof? You want to make sure people have the hardware or devices they need. This is the same advice I give family members that ask me for recommendations on a laptop or personal computer, it depends on what you're going to use it for. When you make that decision, you're saying, for example, this person is a web developer, they need a lot of RAM and a good processor speed as opposed to my grandma who needs to check email.

Edgar Flores: On top of that, you want to create a baseline, so most devices meet certain requirements. Companies that had a baseline for laptops, they weren't as overwhelmed as companies that didn’t.

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cybersecurity control measures

It is easier for a business to control its cybersecurity posture when employees are working in-house. Since most of the devices they use are provided by your company, implementing the necessary cybersecurity control measures is straightforward. Also, you could send out updates anytime with little friction.

In the case of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies, most businesses have implemented practices that have ensured that employee’s devices have the latest security updates. Sadly, controlling all of this isn’t as easy when employees are working from home.

It can be tough to send updates to all devices employees could use when logging into corporate networks. Even worse, some employees may connect to corporate accounts through Wi-Fi networks that aren’t secure enough. As soon as a hacker identifies such threats, your business is in trouble.

Business leaders can keep this threat at bay by creating and implementing policies that outline the kind of devices employees should use to access corporate data. These policies can also contain security best practices and outline how to handle software updates. Another valid option would be to implement data masking techniques like encryption.

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Learn a New Skill Set and Change Your Life

Lastly, and most importantly, the best part of certifications is the energizing thrill of picking up a new skill. IT is a growing and ever evolving field with IT tech firms among the 10 fastest growing industries in the U.S. Meanwhile, there’s still a severe lack of talent making it difficult to hire as many people as quickly as the demands arise. This is even more noted in the cyber security field.

IT skills are desperately needed, important, and can have a great impact on the world around you. Taking on these new skills means having an opportunity to enter into a career that will help you develop personally as well as professionally.

There is a Japanese concept known as ikigai which reflects on that which is needed and loved in the world or “the reason for which you wake up in the morning.” In the novel, “The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life,” co-author Hector Garcia has this to say about finding happiness and fulfillment in life.

“Your ikigai is at the intersection of what you are good at and what you love doing,” he says.

You never know where your purpose will come from. However, when it comes to a field as exciting and fast-growing as IT, you just might find yours.

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start on the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career

The pathway is intended to help people get into the field of cybersecurity. IT pros can enter at any point, depending on their IT experience, existing certifications or course of study. There are no required prerequisites for these CompTIA certifications. For example, if you have two years of IT security experience or equivalent knowledge, you can jump into the pathway at CompTIA Security+ to prove your knowledge. If you already have CompTIA Security+, you can jump in at CompTIA CSA+, etc. See the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway graphic to find your place on the pathway.
Do I need to take these certifications in order? Do I need to take all of them?

No. This is a recommended pathway, but it’s not a requirement. It depends on your job needs or interests. In general, the pathway follows a hierarchy of skills needed for IT security; each certification builds upon the skills from the previous one. You can find the recommended level of experience for each certification on the page, Which Certification Is Right for Me?
Can I take these exams with no IT or cybersecurity experience?

es, you can, however we recommend a minimum amount of hands-on experience before taking any of our certifications. (Each one has different recommendations, found in the Exam Details section of the certification webpage.) But hands-on experience doesn’t have to be on-the-job experience. It could mean any hands-on work, including practical experience gained while taking a class or through self-study or by helping friends, family or local nonprofits with their IT and cybersecurity issues. CompTIA certifications mirror the current job roles of IT professionals, so it makes sense to earn these certifications to validate the knowledge and hands-on skills currently being used in the workforce, whether you have job experience or not.

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New A+ Exams Released by Comptia

Comptia organization, a pioneer in promoting computer skills among youth in USA and worldwide, released new A+ exams on 15th Jan 2019. The exams will be replacing the current A+ exams, namely A+ Essentials exam (220-901) and A+ Practical exam (220-902). The new exams have been named as A+ Core1 (200-1001) and A+ Core2 (200-1002) and available from Jan 15th 2019.

Important features of new exams:

CompTIA A+ 220-1001 covers mobile devices, networking technology, hardware, virtualization and cloud computing and network troubleshooting.

CompTIA A+ 220-1002 covers installing and configuring operating systems, expanded security, software troubleshooting and operational procedures.

Important features of the exam: These are not much different from its predecessor except for syllabus.
Number of questions: Maximum of 90 questions per exam (same as 901/902)
Types of questions: Multiple choice questions (single and multiple response), drag and drops and performance-based (same as 901/902)
Duration of the exam: 90 Minutes per exam (same as 901/902)
Recommended experience: 9 to 12 months hands-on experience in the lab or field (same as 901/902)
Languages offered: English at launch​. German, Japanese, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese and Spanish in 2019 (added simplified chinese!)

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Private or Reserved Addressing comptia a+

Within each network class, there is designated IP space that is reserved for private or non-public use and, thus, cannot be routed over the global Internet. This private address space is defined under Request For Comments 1918, or more commonly called RFC 1918. The RFC is a group of memoranda issued by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) that helps define Internet operating standards.

Class A Private Space: 10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255, with a subnet mask of 255.0.0.0 or /8

Class A Reserved Space: 127.0.0.0 – 127.255.255.255, with a subnet mask of 255.0.0.0 or /8 (reserved for loopback addressing)

Class B Private Space: 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255, with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 or /16

Class C Private Space: 192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 or /24
Other Classes

Class D networks are reserved for multicast addressing. This covers the range of 224.0.0.0 – 239.255.255.255. No subnet information is defined for this special range.

Class E networks are reserved for experimental purposes for future research and development. This covers the range of 240.0.0.0 – 255.255.255.254. No subnet information is defined for this special class either.


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Comptia A+ certification test format

To be successful in your A+ certification you need to know what kind of question formats you should expect on the A+ certification test. There are two main question types, multiple-choice and interactive questions. The multiple-choice in its turn are of two types multiple choice single answer and multiple choice with multiple answers. The interactive questions come in four different “flavors” (see below) but the, by far, most important is the performance-based questions (PBQ). These are the real hands-on questions where A+ tests your skills rather than just your knowledge.

These questions require more than one response. On any CompTIA exam, you can recognize this type by the square checkboxes next to each response. Your instructions may say (Choose two) or similar instruction to let you know how many choices are expected. If a question requires two correct answers it will present five choices. If a question requires three correct answers it will present six choices.
For a guided tour and review of CertBlaster 5.0 click here
Performance Based Questions (PBQ)

These are the “crown jewels” of the CompTIA A+ exam! The PBQs have you perform tasks in a simulator. These questions will really test your proficiency. You will be presented with a simulation of a computer, router or other device and asked to resolve a problem. In the simulator, you will take the steps necessary to identify and/or resolve the issue. Here is a PBQ that requires OS interaction. We took the first step in the CertBlaster question. We opened the Administrative Start menu to give you a bit of a feel of what these simulations can look like.

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after getting CompTIA Network+ certified

The CompTIA Network+ Certification exam is done; result is out and YES, you’re certified now! With this certification under your belt, the next question is – which profile would I fit in now and most importantly, which ones?

It is important for any certified Network+ technician to be willing to get engrossed in the dynamics of different types of networks at a fundamental level. The reason being the certification focused on the broad and common aspects of networking. Due to its validity and acceptance globally, and being vendor-neutral, having this certification opens up a plethora of career prospects across different networking platforms on account of being a certified Network+ technician.

The following are some of the many profiles one can work in after getting CompTIA Network+ certified:

a) Administrator

A networking administrator is accountable for dealing with daily networking problems and resolving the same as per agreed parameters of the business, quality being one of the most important aspects. CCNA, MCSA/MCSE, MCITP, MCDBA, GIAC GCWN etc are some of the certifications for IT administration. Becoming a certified Networking professional towards networking issues can also don the hat of a Network Administrator.

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CompTIA A+ Certification: What’s in It for Me?

It seems that new IT certifications are popping up every day. It makes it difficult for IT professionals and job seekers to sift through and determine which certifications to earn. A simple place to start is to consider whether a vendor-specific or vendor-neutral certification would best suit your interests and situation. If you are currently in a role that demands knowledge of a specific vendor’s technology, you may want to follow that path. For example, if you are working on Microsoft servers or Cisco® routers, there are certifications specific to those technologies. If you prefer to keep your options open to work on any vendor’s technology, then a vendor-neutral certification may be better suited to your interests.

The most recognized vendor-neutral certification for technical support and IT operational roles is CompTIA A+. It requires competency in nine domains, so employers know that you are a well-rounded professional that can take on a variety of roles. The domains are:
Mobile Devices
Networking
Hardware
Virtualization and Cloud Computing
Hardware and Network Troubleshooting
Operating Systems
Security
Software Troubleshooting
Operational Procedures

It prepares you for roles like desktop support, field technician, service desk analyst, systems engineer, and more. Workers with CompTIA certification are sought by employers like NCR, NTT Data, and Fry’s Electronics. A search on indeed.com and monster.com turned up a total of over 5,000 jobs in the United States where CompTIA A+ certification was either required, preferred, or “a plus” (no pun intended).


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Study Guide for CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-004)

The CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-004) exam is one of the most essential credentials to include in your academic records. Achieving this certification brings wonders to your career opportunities. Therefore it important to kick start your preparations and have the knowledge of all preparatory resources. This study guide provides detailed steps that give direction to your preparations.

For the CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-004) exam you must fulfil the following prerequisites
Firtsly, CompTIA A+ certification
Secondly, CompTIA Network+ certification
Also, Have at least 12 months of Linux admin experience
One of the important steps to prepare for the XK0-004 certification exam is to understand where to focus your energies. You should understand the objectives of the certification exam and find your personal strengths and weaknesses related to the skills, concepts, knowledge areas, and technologies to be tested. Create a study plan to prepare for the exam while covering all the exam objectives.

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benefit from CompTIA Certification

By becoming CompTIA Certified, you may be able to improve your career outlook within your current organization. Even if you aren’t crowned as the new department head, you could still fulfill important adviser or oversight roles on major contract projects for governments and other organizations. These projects look really good on resumes, so the training required to earn your certification is well worth it. Learn more about what goes into qualifying by reading this article.
Improving Your Areas of Deficiency

Of course, you don’t need high-level management ambitions to benefit from CompTIA Certification. CompTIA covers a huge range of security topics broken up into six major domains; in short, this training is a great way to cover subject matter you missed along the way.

Take one of the disciplines, Cryptography, for instance. There are scores of symmetric and asymmetric methods for encrypting data securely, and different methodologies possess their own unique strengths and weaknesses. In most cases, those who employ Cryptography on a regular basis within their own work only have in-depth experience with a few of its variants. Such deficiencies may limit their adaptability and usefulness within the workplace.

Although CompTIA Security certifications don’t force you to learn the mathematical theory behind every specific cryptography implementation, they do ensure that you’re more familiar with all of them. As a result, certificate holders can transition to new projects or employment situations that require the application of methods they’d be unfamiliar with otherwise.

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