CompTIA Blog

A look at the week of January 17 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, the Department of Defense announced that budget cuts would focus on troops rather than cyber technology.  Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel announced a new roadmap for government mobile technology purchases and use.  Some officials believe that increasing the role of governments in cyberspace could spell disaster for the Internet.Cybersecurity May Escape DoD Budget Cuts — President Obama is balancing the need to count ...

Almost all businesses go through periods of stagnation. That doesn’t mean the companies become unprofitable or experience sales declines, but less emphasis seems to be placed on new organizational activities. It’s a natural occurrence, as owners and managers struggle to keep up with the needs of their growing clientele, there often isn’t enough time (or the urgency) to focus on the future.After several years of rapid expansion, a number of managed services professionals are experiencing similar ...

Takeaway of the week seems to be a rather clear theme, however coincidental, of U.S. government rallying cries on behalf of technology as the guiding light, whether it be in the form of research, education, cybersecurity or healthcare. Could this be a harbinger of better things to come for this sector of the job market in the still-formative year?   U.S. Gov’t Report: Fed Tech Ed Key to Compete In another positive sign for those seeking employment in the technical sector, a new report r ...

The IRS just released an update of its “tax gap” estimate, last revised in 2006 for the 2001 tax year.  This study found that in 2006 lost tax revenues amounted to $450 billion, up from $345 billion in 2001.  The “tax gap” is an important budget item as it represents the IRS’ estimate of the difference in tax that should be collected and that which is actually collected.   Of course, the causes of the tax gap are (i) nonfiling, (ii) underreporting and (iii) underpayment.The single largest compon ...

If you could recognize one individual for their accomplishments in IT, who would it be?Few of today’s creators and innovators gain the level of fame and respect that Einstein or Edison did during their heyday. In an era when anyone with a reality television series can be a star, those who make significant contributions to mankind are often overlooked or their names get lost among the members of large corporate work teams. True innovators often shy away from the accolades, deferring the credit to ...

The annual Consumer Electronics Show draws the eyes of the technology world to Las Vegas as the latest devices are on display and electronics companies try to demonstrate their vision of the future. For 2012, more than 3,100 exhibitors packed the floor to show off more than 20,000 new products. While the focus is clearly on consumers, the “consumerization of IT” over the past few years gives IT departments and solutions providers a reason to keep an eye on the technology that may be making its w ...

A look at the week of January 9 in public advocacy for the IT channel: With Congress on recess until the end of January, Beltway publications have been focusing on the 2012 legislative agenda.  National Journal gives an overview of where cyber and cloud legislation currently stands in both houses and what to expect when Congress reconvenes.  Additionally, a recent report on U.S. competitiveness calls for investment in technology education.Tech Policy Items to Watch on the Hill - National Journal ...

Meet Eric Duquene, senior systems engineer at System Solutions Inc., and CompTIA subject matter expert (SME).

While the tax agenda for small businesses faces a number of challenges in 2012, there were two major successes in 2011.  Congress repealed two provisions that should never have been enacted in the first place: New Form 1099 filing requirements and 3% withholding on government contracts.Both of these provisions found their way into tax legislation without public notice, vetting or comment by the business community.  The underlying reason was seeking new sources of revenue; that is, both of thes ...

Can you imagine how hard it would be for a farmer to till a field without a plow or for a pilot to circumnavigate the world without a navigation unit? Sure, they could find other ways to accomplish the same goals, but the complexity and effort required would be significantly greater. When you have the right tools for the job, it makes the process a lot simpler.The same rules apply to IT services businesses: with the proper tools, the path to building a successful organization is a lot smoother. ...

1. No Hostage Taking – The U.S. federal debt ceiling debate is going to rear its ugly head again in the next few months, and whatever fragile economic recovery we have could be dashed with a matter of a few votes. If Congress and the President don’t want to spend our tax dollars (and more), then don’t authorize it. But if spending measures do get passed, then don’t hold the country hostage over money already spent. 2. Frank Talk – Here’s hoping the Presidential campaign in the fall somehow mag ...

Takeaway of the week is more of the good and a little of the bad, kind of a semi-sunny outlook for this new year. More good words on the horizon if you design, code, maintain and orchestrate in the tech arena and continuing good things are in store for those who seek to control the spigot on giant inflows of customer and product data. The year also brings with it a healthy dose of fun, new titles for IT pros and some all-too-familiar woes.   Dice: Developers Dominate Staffing Needs If y ...

Is yours a recession-based business, able to maintain profitability or survive longer-term economic downturns?  The topic was brought up by Karl Palachuk in his State of the Nation Address webinar earlier this week as he discussed some of the things solution providers can do to strengthen their organization. Without a firm handle on the IT business metrics and processes (such as cash flow and automated systems), it’s easy for MSPs and VARs to find themselves in financial trouble when the economi ...

SaaS technology is not only changing the way applications are designed, developed and delivered, it also can support an efficient and flexible model for application and data integration.  So how can solution providers work with online services to get the right mix of technology for their customers?  Dell Boomi and RightNow recently teamed up in such an example, as guest blogger, Ralph Hibbs of Dell, relates below.RightNow, the Bozeman, Mont.-based originator of the cloud-based customer experienc ...

No Hostage Taking – The U.S. federal debt ceiling debate is going to rear its ugly head again in the next few months, and whatever fragile economic recovery we have could be dashed with a matter of a few votes. If Congress and the President don't want to spend our tax dollars (and more), then don't authorize it. But if spending measures do get passed, then don't hold the country hostage over money already spent. Frank Talk – Here's hoping the Presidential camp ...