CompTIA Blog

Takeaway of the week is a clear slap-you-in-the-face theme of IT worker as wanderer and employers needing to up the ante if they hope to halt high-tech walkabouts. Mounting evidence in the form of surveys, polls and industry analysis prove that for the talented IT pro, it's not always about the money. Training a Key Retention Factor For wandering high-tech workers and antsy employers amid an improving economy, greener pastures aren't always the color of money. Talented professionals in the tech ...

The promise of unified communications (UC) to create a holistic platform for the end user has been in place for some time now. Ever since VoIP became a viable option to replace traditional analog phone systems, the technology for connecting various forms of IP communications has improved and grown in adoption. Data from CompTIA’s 2nd Annual Unified Communications Market Trends study sheds some light on the current state of the UC market and the ways in which providers can best position products ...

Young Nik Roby is not only a veteran of the IT field; he’s a serial achiever when it comes to industry security credentials. For him, it’s a simple case of current events and proving grounds, and one certification stands above the rest: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP). “I’ve taken the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) and passed, along with CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) - Security, and various other exams, but the CASP was my favorite,” said Rob ...

Young Nik Roby is not only a veteran of the IT field; he’s a serial achiever when it comes to industry security credentials. For him, it’s a simple case of current events and proving grounds, and one certification stands above the rest: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP). “I’ve taken the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) and passed, along with CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) - Security, and various other exams, but the CASP ...

“No single company has a monopoly on good ideas.” That’s a common phrase within the HTG Peer Group community, espoused in almost every facet of the organization, including its members and the numerous activities they participate in. The expression signifies the vast knowledge and ingenuity resources that each of their 25 teams can leverage to improve the success of their collective businesses. While peer group members do share information on the latest technology opportunities, the key value pro ...

A look at the week of May 7 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, all eyes are on cybersecurity.  Senior military leaders recommended that the Pentagon’s cyberwarfare unit be elevated to full combatant command status.  A National Preparedness Report commissioned by President Obama found that state and local officials are most concerned about the government’s ability to respond to a cyberattack.  Where the responsibility lies in protecting the computers that control critical U.S. inf ...

Click for full infographic Veterans desperately need jobs; the IT industry needs skilled workers. CompTIA is urging the supply of motivated veterans to take advantage of the industry demand for skilled IT workers. Veteran unemployment statistics are staggering—850,000 veterans (including 250,000 from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars) can't find work now, and 1 million more veterans are expected to seek to join the civilian work force over the next five years. Joblessness among youngest ve ...

Veterans desperately need jobs; the IT industry needs skilled workers. CompTIA is urging the supply of motivated veterans to take advantage of the industry demand for skilled IT workers. Veteran unemployment statistics are staggering—850,000 veterans (including 250,000 from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars) can't find work now, and 1 million more veterans are expected to seek to join the civilian work force over the next five years. Joblessness among youngest veterans (those 18 to 24 years ...

Last year, we reported on legislation enacted in Illinois that would shut down many small Internet businesses.  Dubbed the Amazon Tax, the new law would require any non-Illinois seller to collect Illinois sales tax if that seller acquires customers through a link on the Internet website of the Illinois business. This collection requirement would apply even though the out-of-state business has no other presence in the state. We refer to this emerging concept as “virtual nexus.”  The advent of thi ...

A recent article on Computerworld led with the less-than-sunny line “IT as we know it is over.” From there, one might expect a discussion on offshoring, consumerization of IT, or the appropriation of IT by business units for their needs. All of these things are part of the equation, but the main focus of the article is that we are entering a third wave for corporate technology.The first wave, management of information services (MIS), started when businesses began using mainframe computers to aut ...

Now less than six months away from Election Day, campaign season is in full swing.  TV and radio advertising has already begun and candidates are traveling the country raising campaign funds and speaking to large crowds of supporters.  The general election is also becoming clearer after a hotly contested Republican primary.And the Republican Nominee Is …As the Republican presidential field narrows, Governor Mitt Romney is now widely believed to be the presumptive Republican nominee.  Romney has ...

Dan O’Sullivan’s new IT career gives him plenty of diversity in both what he does and whom he works with. Six months after he earned CompTIA A+ and Microsoft certifications, O’Sullivan holds two IT jobs in the United Kingdom. He works for Venatrack, whose software tracks movement in football matches (‘soccer’ matches for American readers) and provides 3D digital playback for post-match analysis. He also provides IT support for Norsk European, an international logistics company.His day-to-day wor ...

Dan O'Sullivan’s new IT career gives him plenty of diversity in both what he does and whom he works with. Six months after he earned CompTIA A+ and Microsoft certifications, O'Sullivan holds two IT jobs in the United Kingdom. He works for Venatrack, whose software tracks movement in football matches ("soccer" matches for American readers) and provides 3D digital playback for post-match analysis. He also provides IT support for Norsk European, an international logistics company. His day-to-day wo ...

“Entrepreneurs innovate. Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. It is the act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.” That quote from the celebrated management theorist Peter Drucker illustrates not only the business opportunities available for manufacturers (such as IT vendors), but emphasizes that a distinct process is needed for solution providers, distributors and other professionals to get the most out of their creativity.You don’t have to invent the ...

Takeaway of the week is another shout-out for that seemingly superhero IT pro who can wrangle big data - i.e. the elusive data scientist. Also on tap is another survey that shares some good and some bad about those working in IT, a generation shift the industry has created in India and a virtual invitation for techies with a hankering to relocate to the Emerald Isle. Survey: IT Pros a Hot Commodity If findings from a recent survey commissioned by a recruitment firm are correct, IT professionals ...