CompTIA Blog

What a wild 10 years it’s been in the IT channel. Earlier this week I attended one of the Level Platforms’ Road Shows in Columbus, Ohio, and, while listening to a number of MSP presentations and vendor presentations, I had a flashback to my first discussion on managed services. It was almost a decade ago when I sat down with Level’s CEO Peter Sandiford for a Business Solutions magazine interview at a Gartner ChannelVision event. Over the next two hours, he laid out the client and provider need f ...

Takeaway of the week is that timing is everything so it can’t be a coincidence that a report shows tech firms ramping up in Ireland with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner. Talk about a pot ‘o gold for job candidates in recently hard-luck Emerald Isle? But with good, must come bad and that shows up in one not-so-good bit o’ news for tech workers in the face of the automation wave. But, back to the good news: it remains all four-leaf clovers for data scientists and ...

Takeaway of the week is that timing is everything so it can’t be a coincidence that a report shows tech firms ramping up in Ireland with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner. Talk about a pot ‘o gold for job candidates in recently hard-luck Emerald Isle? But with good, must come bad and that shows up in one not-so-good bit o’ news for tech workers in the face of the automation wave. But, back to the good news: it remains all four-leaf clovers for data scientists and healthcare IT candidates ...

The new, vendor-neutral CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) exam plays an important role for senior IT professionals seeking to advance their cybersecurity careers and demonstrate their technical and strategic security skills.

Over one weekend in early February, InformationWeek reported that Anonymous and other hacktivists struck the CIA, the U.S. Census Bureau, Interpol and Mexico, as well as law enforcement websites in Alabama and Texas. Known and reported hacks and breaches are just the tip of the cybersecurity iceberg and have the potential to cause widespread damage. But, as a recent CompTIA video points out, computer-generated havoc is not inevitable if IT workers prepare themselves to detect and defend against ...

To say Alan Crawford thinks a lot about IT security is an understatement.The veteran systems engineer doesn’t need cybersecurity spelled out in his job description to keep it at the forefront of his mind.“I have been evangelistic about the need for stronger security measures for almost as long as I’ve been involved with computers,” said Crawford, 57. “Everything I do in IT is influenced by my concerns about security.”Crawford said he’s found his latest weapon for the cause.As an early beta teste ...

How do you cut through the noise and the avalanche of emails you get every day to filter down to the specific channel news and information you need?  A group of IT channel veterans heard your cry for help, and they’re launching a free and secure social network to aggregate channel information.Welcome ChannelEyes.  It’s like Facebook, but instead of having friends, you can connect to a filtered group of vendor and association feeds on your wall.  It’s a single place to get a snapshot of new chann ...

To say Alan Crawford thinks a lot about IT security is an understatement. The veteran systems engineer doesn’t need cybersecurity spelled out in his job description to keep it at the forefront of his mind. “I have been evangelistic about the need for stronger security measures for almost as long as I’ve been involved with computers,” said Crawford, 57. “Everything I do in IT is influenced by my concerns about security.” Crawford said he’s found his latest weapon for the cause. As an early bet ...

Now that I have your undivided attention, let me confess that most solution providers won’t get rich simply by reading IT channel-related magazines and online posts. But by paying attention to a few publications and online news sources on a regular basis, they can track industry trends and better understand the events that can impact their business. IT channel-related media should be considered a free business intelligence resource, offering best practice articles and highlighting the technology ...

Takeaway of the week is a whole new set of avenues from which good news on the IT job front flow - if one has the right qualifications. Got Linux skills? Your skills are wanted big-time. Got a U.K. residence? Your IT skills are wanted, too. Got a college IT degree? OK, just a little more seasoning on the soft skills and other areas and you’re good to go. IT Jobs on the Rise in the U.K. A study based on January job openings in the U.K. signals a healthy bump in the need for IT staffers. The study ...

A look at the week of February 13 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, President Obama released his budget proposal which seeks to increase funding for science and technology education.  In order to address industry concerns about cyber over-regulation by the Department of Homeland Security, the Senate bill will allow certain firms to appeal some regulations.  A new report on health IT suggests that more health IT job opportunities are available than qualified people to fill them.O ...

The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced its final rule concerning size standards for “Computer Systems Design and Related Services,” on February 10th.   Generally, businesses classified under this category (NAICS 5415) will be considered a small business provided their annual receipts do not exceed $25.5 million, up from $25 million.  The SBA size standard is the main criteria for determining whether a business qualifies for SBA and other government programs and benefits.Types of busin ...

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines trust as “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something” and “one in which confidence is placed”. While that description seems pretty straightforward, building that type of relationship in an IT business is actually very complicated. The number of changing variables inside these organizations can easily shift the attention away from customers, so extra efforts are required to stay focused.The difficulty escalates as s ...

"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." When Jack Kerouac uttered those words, he was inspiring his generation to see the world and enjoy the carefree life, not drawing attention to a thriving mobile workforce. But his comments do reflect the contemporary solution provider’s life, though their time on the road is more often dictated by business necessity than the need to roam the country.Kerouac’s “beatnik” philosophy ...

Takeaway of the week is another batch of signs pointing to upticks in IT job growth as the fledgling 2012 data trickles in. More IT jobs added overall; mobile apps and such mean more job creation this year; more focus on data storage, networking and mobile apps means more IT spending this year. So, yeah, IT jobs are out there to be had. IT Jobs Out of the Gate Strong in 2012 All sectors of the IT industry showed job growth in the first month of this year, with telecom leading the pack, accordin ...