CompTIA Blog

From time to time, CompTIA invites thought-leaders on IT issues to contribute to our blog. Steve O'Keeffe is a 20-year veteran of the IT industry and the founder of MeriTalk, an online community that hosts professional networking, thought leadership and focused events to drive the government IT dialogue.  Below is O'Keefe's guest blog post.Excavating Pompeii, archeologists found three types of correspondence: love letters, shopping lists and IG reports on failing federal IT projects. But serious ...

It seems like we’ve reached a critical point in the advancement of cloud technology, with significant announcements this week from a major distributor and the company that made ‘i’ a fashionable prefix. Perhaps more significant than the players in the news is that two device-centric organizations are making major investments in the virtual world. Perhaps hell hasn’t frozen over, but it may be defrosting a bit on the edges. With the wealth of cloud offerings for business consumers to choose from, ...

It seems like we’ve reached a critical point in the advancement of cloud technology, with significant announcements this week from a major distributor and the company that made ‘i’ a fashionable prefix. Perhaps more significant than the players in the news is that two device-centric organizations are making major investments in the virtual world. Perhaps hell hasn’t frozen over, but it may be defrosting a bit on the edges. With the wealth of cloud offerings for business consumers to choose from, ...

A look at the week of May 30 in public advocacy for the IT channelThis week, the Pentagon concluded that foreign cyber attacks can be considered an act of war. Lockheed Martin suffered a cyber attack on its networks.  Federal CIO Vivek Kundra expects big financial savings from the federal cloud transition.Cyber Combat Declared an Act of War — The Pentagon has concluded that computer sabotage coming from another country can constitute an act of war, a finding that for the first time opens the doo ...

By a vote of 387 – 33, the House voted yesterday to extend the popular SBIR/STTR programs which were set to expire on the same day, May 31. The Senate already had passed the extension on May 26 by unanimous consent.  The extension is only for four months and will expire after September 30.  All anticipate that the President will sign this extension into law.In an earlier post, we noted that legislation, which would have both extended and enhanced these programs, was stymied by controversy surro ...

Tony Carmichael doesn't take lightly the importance of being well prepared in carrying out his IT duties. A military veteran who has had to troubleshoot computer systems under direct enemy fire, Carmichael credits the success of his civilian career to his solid foundation of skills and knowledge earned through CompTIA certifications. "Technology, especially computer technology, is constantly evolving," said Carmichael. "One must be prepared and have the basis to build on as changes occur. Core k ...

Despite the news highlighting how much debt the federal, state and local governments have racked up, the outlook for solution providers that support this sector is still promising. While the politicians debate budget priorities, a great opportunity exists for savvy channel partners who can address a myriad of issues facing municipalities, regional agencies and other public sector groups. The technology needs for government organizations don’t differ much from business customers, although the pro ...

The latest version of CompTIA Security+ is available today (English only, initially).  As part of the ISO/ANSI accreditation for CompTIA Security+, we update the exam every three years and there was a lot of new information to cover. The exam is still aimed at an IT security professional who has a minimum of 2 years of experience in IT administration with a focus on security, day to day technical information security experience, and broad knowledge of security concerns and implementation, but th ...

Last week, through its partnership in TechVoice, CompTIA hosted a webinar session with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to discuss pending patent reform legislation in the United States Congress.  While there seems to be significant momentum this year to pass comprehensive patent reform legislation, there are several aspects of the legislation that cause concern among small and medium sized technology firms.  We have made the webinar available for viewing and would encourage you to t ...

A look at the week of May 23 in public advocacy for the IT channel Phil Reitinger, the Department of Homeland Security’s top cyber and computer crimes official, is resigning from his position.  A new audit reveals that although the Office of the National Coordinator has established security controls for the sharing of medical data, the controls omit the IT systems hosting the data, posing a significant security threat. Members of the Senate have mixed feelings on the cybersecurity ...

With our Annual Member Meeting behind us, we’re focusing on how we can deepen the level of involvement of our members and reach out to our newer members.  Our members told us what they got out of CompTIA throughout the year.Now click on the link below and listen as CompTIA President and CEO Todd Thibodeaux discusses what’s next for CompTIA, how we’re starting to find the secret sauce to get members engaged, and how we’re striving to be at the forefront of new tech deployments.Plus hear how membe ...

The latest version of CompTIA Security+ is available today (English only, initially).  As part of the ISO/ANSI accreditation for CompTIA Security+, we update the exam every three years and there was a lot of new information to cover. The exam is still aimed at an IT security professional who has a minimum of 2 years experience in IT administration with a focus on security, day to day technical information security experience, and broad knowledge of security concerns and implementation, ...

After being kicked out of his apartment last summer, Tim Burford’s bout with homelessness lasted over 120 miles, a journey in the August heat from Beaufort, S.C., to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Columbia. Hitchhiking when he could but walking over half the way, he spent several nights sleeping in ditches and under overpasses.As a soldier, he says, he had always been taught to do what it takes to complete a task.In this case, his task was to get a new life.Officials at the VA immediate ...

Over the past decade, the U.S. government steadily has increased its reliance on IT to become more efficient, reduce costs and add new capabilities. In the aggregate (federal + state + local), government entities are expected to invest more than $133 billion in IT this year. Even with intense budgetary pressures, the government market represents one of the largest verticals for IT products and services.Like any market vertical, the government space has its own unique needs, requirements and nuan ...

Gadgets are the new cool - everyone wants the latest mobile phone, iPad 2, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy and a myriad of others. In fact, at the recent CRN PartnerConnect conference at the Ricoh Arena, where we talked about cloud business opportunities and mobility, our CEO Todd Thibodeaux brought all of these devices with him in his hand luggage and showed them to the audience, which generated a combination of laughter and interest. Todd also talked about making IT cool and I would like to ...