CompTIA Blog

In my previous blog I wrote about the need to reduce customer concentration in order to increase your value to prospective buyers.  Now let’s talk about the importance of building your internal management team.In the early days of running your own business, it's natural for the founder to do as much as possible. It's the most cost-effective way to do things in the beginning—and no one knows your stuff better than you do. But as the company grows, you'll find yourself stretched too thin. At some ...

As early as last week, Senator Lieberman stated that he is hopeful that “there is still a possibility” that cybersecurity could get passed in the Senate this year.  This is Senator Lieberman’s last legislative session since he is retiring this year.  Many beltway insiders believe that the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is eager to see passage of comprehensive cybersecurity reform as his last major achievement.Although the odds are no better than 50/50 to get ...

A look at the week of June 13 in public advocacy for the IT channel: The revelation that the U.S. was partly behind a computer virus used to damage Iranian nuclear centrifuges has added urgency for Congress to compromise and push through cybersecurity legislation, says The Hill. Two cybersecurity bills are stalled in the Senate amid the growing media spotlight on the U.S.’s vulnerability to cyberterrorism, says the National Journal. A bipartisan group of senators is working out a compromise rega ...

After several years of discussing the benefits of UC (unified communications) with solution providers, it’s clear that many, including some of the largest MSPs, still haven’t found the right solution to offer their customers. While some indicated questionable value for their clients and others were concerned about potential competition from telecoms and cable companies, most thought the opportunity was limited.UC is one of those unique categories in the technology field, much like the POS (point ...

Takeaway of the week is a reminder to constantly maintain and expand your personal skill set. Otherwise, you might just take a long fall down that ever-growing "tech skills gap" separating you from that next great job. Widening Tech Skills Gap Signals Changing Jobs Market The growing space separating those IT job openings and the candidates with the necessary expertise is the clearest sign yet that this segment of the job market is in the midst of a veritable revolution, experts say. As tale ...

Startup Act 2.0 was recently introduced in both the House and Senate by a bi-partisan group of legislators.  In the Senate, S. 3217, was sponsored by Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS).  In the House, companion legislation H.R. 5893 was introduced by Rep. Grimm (R-NY-13) and Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA-47).This legislation is intended to boost our economic recovery by providing greater support for high-paying, high-skilled jobs in ...

When it comes down to it, any professional accreditation is only as good as its relevance in the field. According to veteran security engineer Jeremy Hoel, the new CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) certification covers the big picture for today’s needs. “It’s very useful,” said Hoel. “It seemed to be much more focused on the reality of what tools go where and why and how multiple parts fit together.” Hoel, a senior security engineer for global ...

When it comes down to it, any professional accreditation is only as good as its relevance in the field. According to veteran security engineer Jeremy Hoel, the new CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) certification covers the big picture for today's needs. "It's very useful," said Hoel. "It seemed to be much more focused on the reality of what tools go where and why and how multiple parts fit together." Hoel, a senior security engineer for global IT services provider PE Systems Inc. ...

When sitting amongst attendees at IT channel events, I typically ask which sessions are “must see” on the meeting agenda. Whether looking for real takeaways for their business or attempting to gauge future opportunities, the panel discussions are often at the top of their schedule. After attending a number of these interactive group discussions, I began to understand their appeal—especially when the topic is pertinent and the panelists are willing and able to share valuable business insight.Of c ...

Takeaway of the week is that it's good -- very good -- to be a cybersecurity pro. To say you're wanted is an understatement. What is also clearly wanted, more and more, is a 212-area code tech headquarters. College degree? These days, not as much. What's a College Degree Worth? Recent and not-so-recent circumstances point to a decline in value of the college degree -- and traditional education as a whole -- as the end-all, be-all foundation in the tech world. At least that's the view of one ...

High school students learn about potential careers at Harvey Mudd College's Women Engineers and Scientists of Tomorrow event in February. Photo: Schenck and Schenck Photography Through her advice and her own career story, Maria Klawe, president of STEM-centric Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif., offers many insights about how women can secure the experience, knowledge and support for successful IT or STEM-related careers. Take hard-core computer science courses—lots of them—an ...

Through her advice and her own career story, Maria Klawe, president of STEM-centric Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif., offers many insights about how women can secure the experience, knowledge and support for successful IT or STEM-related careers.Take hard-core computer science courses—lots of them—and don’t be intimidated.Continuously taking computer science courses is a matter of necessity, given technology’s lightning speed rate of change, Klawe contends.“If some students appear to kno ...

A look at the week of May 29 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  With the celebration of Memorial Day weekend, The Washington Post renewed its focus on how to educate and train our nation’s returning veterans.  White House Chief Information Officer Steven VanRoekel testified before a congressional committee, defending the federal government’s efforts to take advantage of the latest technology. On the small business front, Small Business Administration Head Karen Mills s ...

Ask any solution provider to describe the amount of information collateral their vendor partners send their way and quite often the first response you’ll get is a groan.Think about it: Daily (or more) email newsletter blasts, social media feeds, frequent partner portal updates with strategic information on product roadmaps, pricing, sales promotions and technical updates. That’s not to mention the collateral on discounts, rebates and MDF that changes regularly, along with the constant flow of in ...

IT certifications can help a veteran land a job, but veterans need to understand how much work earning the credentials will require and the salary the resulting IT job will command, says Army veteran Ryan McCauley. Since October 2011, McCauley has used funding from the Post 9/11 GI Bill to earn CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and other industry certifications at New Horizons Learning Center in Durham, N.C., while working a full-time job. It's been hard, attending 12 hours of class at New Horizo ...