As we reported previously on ABCO Technology’s Facebook page,, 85% of CIOs predict that they will continue to hire new people in 2018. Anyone who has spent time in the IT industry knows that in-demand jobs and skills change rapidly—so what does 2018 have in store for the IT job market?
All the talk of hacking, cybercrime, and data theft means one thing for sure: Cybersecurity experts are going to be hot commodities. Network administrators are also predicted to be in high demand next year, and both of those fields are right up Cisco’s alley.
SEE: The Future of IT Jobs: Critical Skills and Obsolescent Roles (Tech Pro Research)
Data Center Must-Reads Why Docker’s survival depends on money from customers, not investors Every enterprise SDDC capacity strategy needs these 6 things Why the biggest container lock-in threat may not be hardware or software-related MCSE Data Platform Certification Exam Prep (ABCO Technology)
So which Cisco certifications should you get to advance or jump start a new IT career? Here are five that will get you far in 2017. Each comes in three levels (CCNA, CCNP, CCIE) but this piece is focused on CCNA, the entry level of the three.
What: CCNA/P/IE Security
Why: Security is going to be a huge topic in 2017 and beyond. Just look at the latest news headlines and you’re likely to see a variety of cybersecurity topics. From Russian hacks of the US political system to Yahoo leaking another billion account credentials, security professionals are going to be in demand for the foreseeable future.
What: CCNA Cyber Ops
Why: Cyber Ops is an entry-level security certification that focuses on working in security operations centers. It’s the first step into a cybersecurity career that focuses less on maintaining firewalls and antivirus software and more on responding to cybersecurity threats.
What: CCNA/P/IE Data Center
Why: Cisco’s Data Center certification focuses on design, implementation, and maintenance of networks. Each level of the certification adds more complexity and greater understanding of Cisco networks, allowing holders to further advance their careers.
It’s not just security that will be in demand—network administration is right up there as a hiring priority.
What: CCNA/P/IE Routing and Switching
Why: Just as network administrators are essential to the maintenance of enterprise infrastructure, network engineers are needed to understand and implement the newest technologies. The Routing and Switching certification focuses on Cisco core network engineering skills and is designed for professionals who want careers as network engineers, support engineers, systems engineers, or network technicians.
What: CCNA/P/IE Collaboration
Why: The Collaboration certification series focuses on voice, video, and other Cisco collaboration software and hardware. Network administrators are in demand, and good ones are going to know how to manage enterprise-level collaboration equipment as well. The Collaboration certification is just one more way to diversify your skillset.
The datacenter keeps evolving, and so does the IT world. Find out how to stay afloat by going to ABCO Technology’s Facebook page.
ABCO Technology offers a comprehensive program for cyber security. Call our campus between 9 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday. You can reach us by telephone at: (310) 216-3067. Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu
Financial aid is available to all students who can qualify for funding.
ABCO Technology is located at: 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. in STE # 588. Los Angeles, Ca. 90304. Learn network administration and cyber security today!
Posted on September 16, 2017 - Posted in: News, Blog
Apple’s new face id will identify only one face per device, at least initially. This has been reported by multiple publications who spoke to Apple at this week’s iPhone event, and confirmed separately by TechCrunch along with other publications, but it’s worth noting because it could change some user behavior regarding the device.
Face ID supporting just one face makes a lot of sense on the face of things (sorry), since unlike with Touch ID, users have only one face to use for their unlocking purposes. Touch ID ostensibly allows multiple fingers to be registered because you have quite a few digits of your own, and depending on how you’re using the device or in which pocket you keep it, one might be more convenient to use than another.
The issue is that people also often register the fingerprints of their significant others, or even kids, depending on how they use their device. The phone can store up to five fingerprints, which makes it relatively easy to keep a few of your own as well as those of a significant other on your device just in case.
A one phone, one face policy obviously won’t support that kind of arrangement: If you want to give your loved one access, you’ll need to smile for the camera, or share a backup passcode so they can get in that way. The passcode option is simply marginally more inconvenient than a registered Touch ID fingerprint, of course, but it still makes a difference, especially if someone occasionally accesses your device and might not have committed a pin to muscle memory as a result.
I think this is more of an issue if Apple ends up moving Face ID across its product line, to devices like iPads that are much more often shared gadgets. Still, depending on how your use your phone, it might be another decided factor in whether you go with iPhone 8 or iPhone X – or, of course, neither device.
ABCO Technology teaches a wide variety of courses in the field of information technology training and certification. If you are interested in having a fulfilling career in information technology, it’s time to call ABCO Technology. You can reach us by telephone Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM. Call our campus at: (310) 216-3067.
Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu Financial aid is available to all students who can qualify for the funding.
ABCO Technology is located at: 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. in STE #588 Los Angeles, Ca. 90304. A career in information is very rewarding. Join this group of professionals who are in demand.
It looks like popular walkie-talkie app Voxer is about to get some competition in the mobile voice chat space. A new app called Zello is growing like crazy, too – in fact, it’s growing faster than Voxer internationally (although it’s behind in the U.S.) and it has reached the #8 spot in the free Android social app list. The app’s position is about to change because of the large amount of publicity Zello is receiving for efficiently handling search and rescue messages during hurricane Harvey. Zello has already saved countless lives as ordinary people communicate like professionals during this time of disaster. All you need is a smart phone and you are in business. The cross-platform mobile app just reached 1 million unique users per day, is nearing 4 million unique per month and is adding on 100,000 users daily.
But while Zello shares some similarities with Voxer, it’s not a Voxer clone by any means. Instead of approaching voice chat from the more utilitarian standpoint of a mobile push-to-talk type experience as Voxer does, Zello’s focus is on social, voice-enabled communities. Voice Twitter, if you will. Oh, and the app doesn’t spam you either, the company says.
Party line reborn for a digital era? Apparently. While some folks use Zello more walkie-talkie style, there are hundreds of thousands of “channels” in the app, which are communities that you can tune into in order to listen or chat about the subject on hand. Today, 300,000 channels have been created, and around 60,000 are active in any one day. Because of its international footprint, many of these are non-English channels. Zello CEO Bill Moore (who you may remember as the founder of TuneIn radio) says that Spanish is the most popular language, and Portuguese is popular as well.
Moore, who joined Zello’s newly relocated Austin-based team in December of 2016, knows that while the Voxer comparisons are inevitable, the two companies seem to be moving in very different directions. “Voxer is a communication utility…it’s kind of a Swiss Army knife communication tool,” he says. “That’s a tough space.”
Zello, he says, is more of a social radio or voice Twitter. The channels in Zello are more like public forums, “it’s a very different value proposition than just a simple utility. It’s much more social. It’s somewhat similar to why people listen to radio: you’re bored, you want a friend.”
The interesting thing about Zello is that it emerged from a company called LoudTalks, which used to operate in a space that’s more closely tied to what Voxer is doing now. LoudTalks was a TechCrunch 40 participant back in 2007. The older app was focused on building an enterprise push-to-talk experience – and that’s exactly where Voxer is headed now. (Maybe LoudTalks was just too early?) In any event, LoudTalks changed course, and just axed its enterprise features – including the SDK and the two-way radio gateway – which were pulled down from its website this week.
LoudTalks brought on Moore as CEO in December and officially rebranded to Zello in January. The Zello app on iPhone launched in April, joining the Android app, BlackBerry app and PC app already available. So, to be clear, the traction Zello is seeing is cross-platform, not just on iPhone. But given its recent spikes, it’s likely attributable to the iPhone launch.
Not Spammy?
And so far, so good, as they say. Zello’s one-month retention is 20%. “It’s exceptional for a utility,” says Moore, “and not bad for a social app.” It’s also not bad considering that Zello isn’t too spammy about re-engaging users, according to Moore.
“Voxer is pretty invasive…it pulls your address book in,” Moore says frankly. “You could see [Voxer] has a decent team, but I’m assuming that aggressive viral marketing has helped them get to some numbers. And I’m assuming that it’s also responsible for some of the fade, and that it gets worse.” Ouch. Zello, he says, doesn’t save your address book, you can choose to share it with contacts or not, and it doesn’t notify you as new people join the app. (That last one is a personal pet peeve. I. DO. NOT. CARE.)
But the app landscape is super competitive these days; it’s hard to stay on people’s radar, and harder still to stay on their homescreen. Viral marketing may be aggressive, but it can work. And some people really like Voxer. A lot of people, in fact. Including investors. And fortunately, it’s not a zero-sum game here.
Zello has been angel-funded until now, but is raising a VC round of $5 million in the next 60 days. The app is available for download for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and PC.
ABCO Technology offers a wide range of courses in the field of information technology. Including programs, which will show you how to create successful apps like Zello. If you are interested in creating powerful online applications, contact our campus today. You can reach ABCO Technology by phone from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday. Call us at: (310) 216-3067.
Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu Financial aid is available to all students who can qualify for funding.
ABCO Technology is located at 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. STE # 588. Los Angeles, Ca. 90304. Learn to build powerful apps today!
Google has sent out a special notice to webmasters that HTTP sites containing forms and other input fields will be marked Not Secure from October 1, 2017.
Google reports that its Chrome browser will mark HTTP websites with input fields (such as contact forms or those that require login details) as not secure, starting later this year in October.
The search engine gave notice of this a few months ago but has now taken the step of formally notifying webmasters who will be affected as the change gets closer.
The notification said, “Beginning in October 2017, Chrome will show the ‘Not secure’ warning in two additional situations: when users enter data on an HTTP page, and on all HTTP pages visited in Incognito mode.”
The notifications were sent to webmasters via Google Search Console. Sites that are HTTP and have credit card fields and require passwords are already marked as not secure. The additional two scenarios represent a gradual increase of the security protocol, with Google saying in its official post that its efforts have already resulted in a 23% reduction in the “fractions of navigation to HTTP pages with passwords or credit card forms on desktop”.
When the new warning kicks in, HTTP sites will have a ‘Not Secure label displayed in the address bar as shown below:
Emily Schechter from the Google Chrome Security Team said more actions should be expected in the near future, remarking,
“Eventually, we plan to show the “Not Secure” warning for all HTTP pages, even outside Incognito mode. We will publish updates as we approach future releases, but don’t wait to get started moving to HTTPS! HTTPS is easier and cheaper than ever before, and it enables both the best performance the web offers and powerful new features that are too sensitive for HTTP.”
If your site is currently displayed as an HTTP domain, you will need to migrate to HTTPs before October to avoid your web traffic being warned off visiting your site.
The original Chrome post can be found here: https://blog.chromium.org/2017/04/next-steps-toward-more-connection.htm
ABCO Technology offers comprehensive courses for building successful websites and increasing search engine traffic. If you want to improve your skills in this field, it’s time to call our campus today. You can reach us by telephone at: (310) 216-3067 from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday. Email all questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu
Financial aid is available to all students who can qualify for the funding.
ABCO Technology is located at: 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. STE #588 Los Angeles, Ca. 90304. Creating a successful and dynamic website is an important skill in today’s economy. Join a special group of web professionals who can build sites that attract customers today!
The CompTIA Linux+/LPIC-1 certification is designed to affirm learner’s skills and knowledge to:
•work at the Linux command line; •perform easy maintenance tasks including assisting users, adding users to a larger system, executing backup & restore, shutdown & reboot; and, •install and configure a workstation and connect it to a LAN, or a stand-alone PC via modem to the Internet.
The Linux+ certification is made up of two exams, each of which carries varying names/identification, depending on which vendor a learner chooses. ABCO Technology provides training that thoroughly covers the exam content: •CompTIA Linux+: LX0-103 and LX0-104 •LPIC: 101 and 102
Typically, learners pursuing these certifications should have a basic familiarity with Linux, and the ability to create and manage virtual machines. These certifications are considered to be entry-level, so they are appropriate for learners who are fairly new to the information technology industry.
Exam Details In order to take full advantage of the 2-in-1 certification opportunity, ABCO Technology recommends that learners register for, and complete the CompTIA Linux+ certification exams, which can then be applied to receive an equivalent LPI certification.
Time allotted for exam: 1.5 hours (90 minutes) per exam Number of questions: 60 Passing score: 500 Question types: Multiple choice (single response); Multiple response; Fill-in-the-blank Exam registration: Pearson Vue ABCO Technology is a Pearson Vue testing center in Los Angeles, Ca.
Exam cost: $200 (USD) per exam Exam objectives: Please note that exam objectives are available from ABCO Technology because we provide practice Linux certification exams. Learners can review any single vendor’s exam objectives and be prepared for the exams — there is no need to review objectives from each vendor. •CompTIA Linux+ exam objectives: LX0-103 and LX0-104 •LPIC-1: 101-400 and 102-400
Recertification CompTIA certifications are valid for three years from the date of certification. The CompTIA Linux+ certification is eligible for renewal through CompTIA’s continuing education (CE) program. If you are interested in becoming certified for cyber security, the CompTIA Linux+ is for you. Companies that have valuable data to protect will use Linux as their operating system on the back end. Network administrators who are able to place a Linux certification credential on a resume stand a much stronger chance of getting hired.
ABCO Technology offers a complete program for Linux certification. You can reach our campus by telephone from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday at: (310) 216-3067. Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu
ABCO is located at: 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. in STE # 588 Los Angeles, Ca. 90304.
Financial aid is available to all students who can qualify for it. Get Linux certified today!
So you have studied hard and prepared for the Network + exam, along with earning your Network+ Certification; the certificate arrives in the mail and you receive that extremely-important small blue-and-white card with your name and CompTIA ID number on it. Where do you go from this point?
One aspect of the Network+ is its merchant independent universality. Unlike earning a CCNA or MCSE, earning a Network+ certification certifies you to work as a network technician in multiple platforms; this certification is not vendor-specific, but rather, vendor-neutral. International organizations including the Merchant Marines prefer the Network+ over the MCSE for this reason. As a Network+ certified technician, you should be prepared to work on (at a basic level in the field of network support). You will service most types of networks. This exam covers the generalities of networking and not so much specific information about certain types of networks.
More immediate than being ready to work on multiple networking platforms, however, is the ability to work in multiple job functions. The Network+ Exam certifies you as a “CompTIA Certified Networking Technician,” but “help-desk specialist” is certainly not the only position open to you as a Network+ technician. Actually, there are many paths open to you, as we explore below.
This path is of course the most obvious, but there are many opportunities for advancement. Of course, there are many industry certifications that are vendor-specific available to you. In fact, Network+ counts as a credit towards some of these certifications. As a technician, you will generally be involved in troubleshooting network issues (like you will have to do on the exam!) as well as “installing” network equipment.
The network+ opens the door to jobs in the security field, which is perhaps one of the fastest growing fields of expertise in the information technology industry. Several certifications are available in the Security field, including the CompTIA Security+ certification. ‘Networking is the most integral component of information security Today. Network knowledge is a requirement to be a proficient information security specialist.
Several certifications, such as MCSA/MCSE and CCNA, have been designated specifically as “Administration” certifications. You are highly encouraged to pursue these additional vender specific courses. However, with the Network + in your resume, employers are confident that you truly have the background to handle all assigned job tasks. A network administrator is typically charged with the duty of managing day-to-day network issues, attempting to troubleshoot these issues, and maintaining a high quality of service throughout the network. The network administrator also takes flak for “what goes wrong with the network,” but is paid handsomely for this burden in many cases.
One of the best aspects of getting any certification is that it almost automatically qualifies you to at least train others in your particular discipline. A certification adds credibility to your claims of knowledge, perhaps the most important qualification for any trainer or teacher. One of the most rewarding careers following certification is not to be a tech or administrator, but rather, a trainer for future Network+ students.
Networking is invariably connected to the web services industry (especially the web and data hosting industry); your knowledge of networking can therefore be useful to a web services firm. Many web hosting companies require “live” help-desk technicians to assist with customers’ connection issues, while others need technicians to assist them with their own networking issues.
Here are some other career paths, just to name a few: Web/network systems development (PHP, CGI/Perl, Java) Networking forensics (often linked with information security) Networking equipment purchasing/sales specialist Systems Analyst (speed, bottle-necks)
Beyond the aforementioned tracks, there are still other valuable career paths available to you as a Network+ technician that you may not even consider viable options. Allow me to introduce a small personal anecdote. A friend of mine got laid off a few years back from a large corporation that will remain nameless for now.
He was Network+ certified as well as CCNA certified, and also had a great deal of experience working at the company he worked for. Yet, he took a job as a grocery store clerk at the local chain store. Today, he works at “Corporate” as one of the senior network analysts and frequently recommends networking solutions for older stores that have not been fully integrated into the company’s supply chain system. So, what seemed to be a menial offer proved to be a gateway to an even more rewarding career than the one he had prior. The point is this: never let what seems to be a “menial” job detract you from participating in what could potentially be a rewarding opportunity.
ABCO Technology offers courses in the key fields of network certification. Job placement assistance is available to all graduates who successfully pass certification exams. Call our campus today. You can reach us by phone between 9 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday at: (310) 216-3067.
ABCO Technology is located at 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. in STE 588 Los Angeles, Ca. 90304. Email all questions about this article :-info@abcotechnology.edu Financial aid is available to all qualified students. Network professionals are in demand. Learn to become one today!
Microsoft was the first company to offer vender certifications in the information technology industry. Don’t just take my word for it: Steve Jobs said exactly the same thing when he and Bill Gates were interviewed on stage together in 2007.
It follows that Microsoft was also one of the first companies to launch a vendor-managed training and certification program for software products. Microsoft rolled out its Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) program in 1992, with the first exams covering Windows 3.1, LAN Manager, and SQL Server.
Microsoft realized early on that linking professional certifications to specific products would enable established veterans and the new breed of IT professionals to help validate their skills with Microsoft software.
Microsoft’s meteoric growth acted as the perfect promoter for the MCP program. As Microsoft products took over the market, increasing numbers of IT pros became interested in earning an MCP credential. Microsoft expanded the MCP program to include designations targeted at specific IT job roles — database admins, network admins, and software developers.
Things became a bit difficult for the Microsoft certification program during the dot-com era. The enthusiasm for everything technology or Internet-based led to a mad gold rush for IT certifications, especially those from major industry players like Cisco, Novell and Microsoft. A glut of freshly-certified but predominantly inexperienced technocrats stormed the industry, lured by the promise of high wages, free lunches, and stock options that would make them millionaires before they were 28.
The reputation of Microsoft’s MCP program, and other vendor-managed training and certification programs, took a hit during the irrational tomfoolery of the dot-com boom and bust.
The passage of time has restored some much needed sanity and stability to the IT industry, and has also re-established an appropriate value for Microsoft certifications. There is now a much healthier relationship between Microsoft, its certified professionals, and the companies hiring these professionals to support their technical infrastructure.
Today, the Microsoft Learning program is a popular and well-respected source of IT credentials. The company has worked hard to make its certifications challenging and relevant to the IT industry. And the industry has responded.
Some quick facts from the Microsoft Learning website reinforce the value of MS certifications in the working world:
● In a survey of 900 IT networking professionals, 60% said that earning a certification led to a new job. ● Some 67 percent of IT hiring managers rate certifications as having extremely high value in validating the skills and expertise of job candidates. ● On average, Microsoft certified technologists earn 15 percent more than their uncertified peers.
The advantages granted by achieving a Microsoft certification are obvious. But which Microsoft credentials are currently in the highest demand in the industry?
To answer this question, we ran through job listings at Dice, Monster, and other large IT career sites. We consulted the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and looked at the latest numbers for projected high-growth job categories. We also consulted several information technology managers who have been hiring our students. The managers ABCO talked with have an average of ten years of managerial experience in our industry.
Here is a breakdown of our ten picks for the most in-demand Microsoft certifications. Please note that this is not a ranked list. Any of these 10 certs can impact your marketability and earning power in the current IT landscape:
Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: Server Infrastructure
The MCSE has been a highly sought after and well-regarded industry credential since it was introduced. The acronym originally stood for Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, and the certification was primarily concerned with creating and administering Microsoft-based networks.
The MCSE has since been split into several different specializations, but the MCSE: Server Infrastructure is the certification that remains closest to its august progenitor. Fast Fact: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) predicts a solid 8 percent growth in employment for network and computer administrators between 2014-2024.
Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: Windows Server 2012
The MCSA was introduced with the release of Windows 2000, and was meant to be an intermediate certification that covered mid-tier Win2K client and server support. Like the more advanced MCSE credential, the MCSA has been split into other specializations over the years. The MCSA: Windows Server 2012 certification covers installing WS2012, administering the network(s) built on it, and configuring advanced network services.
Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer: Application Lifecycle Management
The MCSD certification has been Microsoft’s premier designation for software developers over the last 15 years. The MCSD: Application Lifecycle Management credential adds some specific components taken from that particular discipline, including software testing. Fast Fact: The USBLS is predicting a strong 17 percent job growth rate for software developers between 2014-2024.
Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: SQL Server
Years ago, Microsoft had a certification called the Microsoft Certified Database Administrator or MCDBA. This certification was eventually retired, and Microsoft’s SQL Server product was represented by different credentials here and there. Today, the MCSA: SQL Server certification is aimed at database developers and analysts working with SQL Server 2012 or 2014. (As well as, very soon, SQL Server 2016.) Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: Data Platform
The second MCSE certification in our list is the MCSE: Data Platform credential. It is an advanced step up from the MCSA: SQL Server designation, which is a prerequisite for this higher-tier certification. The MCSE: Data Platform certification includes more advanced emphasis on developing databases with SQL Server, as well as designing entire database solutions. Fast Fact: The 2015 median annual pay for database administrators was $81,710, according to the USBLS.
Microsoft Specialist: Windows 7
This selection may surprise some readers, but a very large contingent of government, military, and corporate enterprises are still very reliant on Windows 7 as a client OS. These organizations did not make the move to Windows 8, and they are not ready or willing to jump to Windows 10.
Microsoft retired the MCSA: Windows 7 certification, likely as a prompt to IT professionals and other stakeholders. What remains is the Microsoft Specialist: Windows 7 credential, which can be earned by passing one of three currently active exams. Fast Fact: Windows 7 is still the installed OS on more than 48 percent of all desktop PCs, according to the latest figures from Net Applications.
Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer: Web Applications
The mobile computing boom has created a massive market for web apps. Consumers can’t seem to get enough new apps, and they have high expectations for continual development and improvement. The MCSD: Web Applications certification focuses on programming in HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS3. It also requires knowledge of developing software using Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, Azure.
Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: Private Cloud
For being such an ephemeral thing, you can’t turn a corner without bumping into the Cloud. Your path to the MCSE: Private Cloud certification starts by first earning the MCSA: Windows Server 2012 credential. Candidates must then pass two exams based on working with private clouds created using Microsoft System Center 2012.
Microsoft Office Specialist
Many IT professionals look down their noses at the Microsoft Office Specialist certification, considering it to be of little value. Don’t you believe it — the MOS is a highly respected credential for entry-level and higher level employees. Fast Fact: According to research quoted by Microsoft, “Holding a MOS certification can earn an entry-level business employee as much as $16,000 more in annual salary than uncertified peers.”
Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: Windows 10
It’s new. It’s improved. It’s Windows 10, and if Microsoft has its way — which it probably will, eventually — Windows 10 is coming to your enterprise sooner rather than later. The MCSA: Windows 10 certification will eventually become Microsoft’s premier network client OS credential. The certification is still under development as of this writing; only one of the exams is currently available, with another due to come online later in 2017.
Microsoft certifications are an excellent path for a new candidate to enter the information technology industry. ABCO Technology has experienced counselors and admissions representatives who will help you to determine, which certification path is the best one for you. Call our campus between 9 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday. You can reach ABCO Technology by phone at: (310) 216-3067.
Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu Financial aid is available to all qualified students.
ABCO Technology has moved. We are now located at 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. STE 588 Los Angeles, Ca. 90304. Phone: (310) 216-3067. Call us today to get started on your new career.
Cyber Security job demand red hot, another day, another Hack Attack
The HBO hack may have been worse than the initial leaks of a few unaired TV show episodes suggested by the network. A security company hired by HBO to scrub search results for the hacked files from search engines has told Google that the hackers stole “thousands of Home Box Office (HBO) internal company documents.”
The disclosure came as part of a DMCA take-down notice sent to Google Tuesday to force the search engine to take down links to the leaked files. For our readers who are not familiar with DMCA, it stands for the Digital millennium Copyright act, which protects copyrighted material from being illegally published. The take-down notice also detailed that the hackers did away with “masses of copyrighted items including documents, images, videos and sound.”
The company in question, IP Echelon, is frequently being used by HBO to remove links to infringing material from Google. An HBO spokesperson declined to comment on the take-down notice and the nature of any files stolen by the hackers when contacted by several news organizations Wednesday “due to an ongoing investigation.”
Word of HBO getting hacked first broke Monday morning, when the hackers approached media outlets with the news that they had broken into HBO’s networks and released episodes of “Ballers,” “Insecure,” and “Room 104” as well as the script for an upcoming episode of “Game of Thrones.”
Also released by the hackers: Two episodes of “Barry,” the hit man comedy starring Bill Hader that is not scheduled to air until 2018 on the network.
The hackers appear to have also leaked personal information of a senior HBO executive. That information, published online in a text document, contains access information to dozens of online accounts, including paid newspaper subscriptions, online banking, and personal health services. At least one of these accounts may also have given the hackers access to the executive’s work email.
The perpetrators of the hack have claimed that they were able to access some of HBO’s key network infrastructure, and steal a total of 1.5 terabytes of data, and have suggested that they will release additional information in the near future. An image file published as part of the leaks seems to corroborate at least the first part of that claim, as it appears to show screenshots of HBO’s internal administration tools, listing employee names and email addresses and their functions within the organization.
Thousands of potentially sensitive internal documents, employee data and possible access to internal corporate emails were removed by hackers. All of this brings back memories of the famous Sony hack. Back in 2014, a group of hackers thought to have been backed by North Korea broke into the networks of Sony Pictures. The group subsequently released tens of thousands of emails, as well as scripts and video files, contributing to the ouster of Sony Pictures chief Amy Pascal.
HBO acknowledged the hack on Monday, and said that it was working with law enforcement and private firms to remedy the situation. “Data protection is a top priority at HBO, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect the data we hold,” the company said in a statement.
Cybercrimes of this type, create strong demand for cyber security professionals. Cyber security pros are becoming extremely valuable in the job market of 2017. HBO will hire additional network administrators who have cyber skills. Society is storing vast amounts of data online and that data needs to be protected.
cyber security jobs do not require a college degree, however in many cases the correct certifications will take the place of a four-year college degree. Ensuring that you receive the correct certifications, which will provide employable skills is the job of a solid ACCSC accredited computer training institution who is familiar with what it takes to join the increasing work force of cyber security professionals.
If you are interested in a career in cyber security, it’s time for you to contact ABCO Technology. You can reach our campus by telephone from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday. Call us at: (310) 216-3067.
Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu Financial aid is available to all students who qualify. ABCO has moved to a new and modern facility located at: 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. in STE #588. Los Angeles, Ca. 90304.
Classes are held seven days per week to accommodate those who are working during the week.
Cyber security jobs are growing fast. Train today and get one of these exciting cyber security networking positions!
Most online sites at some point in their business development will want to expand, and one of the most recognized tactics to accomplish this goal is by offering products to an international audience.
However, it’s not a simple task by any stretch of the imagination. This post will help you understand the risks, research and steps involved in expanding your business into a global market.
Considerations and research
Is it the right time to go international? Is there a need to go international? This question depends on your focus for the future and the current needs of the business.
If you are increasingly having visitors to your site from international locations, now may be the correct time to start implementing an international SEO strategy.
There are, of course, a few things that you need to take into account – such as: ◾Are you able to implement ALL technical fixes? ◾Do you have the resources to carry out the work and manage each variation in the future? ◾If targeting a different language, do you have a competent person to translate? ◾Is the business ready to carry out international orders and process transactions?
Once you have checked all the above, it’s essential to conduct further research. As with any new website idea or build, it’s all about making sure it’s a worthwhile venture.
One of the biggest research areas will be around keyword research to find out if there is demand in the locations that the business will be expanding into. It’s important to note that the keyword research should be done in the language you will be targeting, and location.
If all the above is confirmed and ready to go, the next stage is to plan the implementation.
Website structure
You may have seen a number of different implementations of international SEO, each having different pros and cons. I tend to lean towards using subdirectories; however, it strictly depends on the type of targeting you will be using.
These are the main structure types: ◾ccTLD – Domain variations such as example.fr, example.au ◾Sub domain – fr.example.com, au.example.com ◾Subcategory – example.com/au/, example.com/fr/
We have provided code illistrating the set up for a website using the subcategory URL structure for the UK and France. It’s important to note our main website is sitting on a .com as this tends to be the norm now. However this would work in the same way for .co.uk.
We’ve done this with variations that include both language and location, but this can be done with just language or simply location.
This would mean that we add the following code to our website:
We can also add an X-default tag to this piece of code to be safe. This will tell search engines that if there is a URL that is not using this structure that it should default to the URL specified. This would change our code snippet to:
It’s important to note that this is only for the homepage of our example website. Internal links will also need to use this code but with the URLs changed so they reference the specific URL rather than the homepage.
We have also left the homepage as a dot com because in the past we have seen drops when a site has also used the new URL structure for the homepage. If we were to change example.com to example.com/en-gb/ it would mean example.com having to pass through a redirect.
It’s much easier to do this within the CMS you are using; however, if needed you may use a bulk href lang tool.
Sitemap implementation
When people talk about using sitemaps and international SEO, they tend to be referring to implementing localization through the use of sitemaps. This is another way of accounting for different languages and countries if hreflang is not a possible solution.
The solution works in a very similar way to hreflang, but sits within a sitemap rather than in the website’s source code. We tend to only suggest using this method if hreflang is completely out of the question.
Metadata & content
We have already carried out our keyword research to find out where the demand is based on different languages, this is where new metadata needs to be used for each language variation. It’s also important that the right variation of the word is used, for example when targeting the USA from a site that uses UK or Canadian English.
The on-page content also needs to reflect the language that the user is on. If the hreflang is marked up to say the page is in French, it needs to be written in French. It sounds simple, but you would be surprised how many people get this wrong.
It’s also very important to make sure you have the in-house resource or outside help to be able to get this all done before launch. Yes, it is possible to gradually amend the content, but for users this could be extremely annoying – imagine their frustration in landing on a language they cannot understand.
As well as translating the content, it should reflect the audience you are targeting and their behaviors. User behavior varies from country to country and is something that needs to be taken into consideration when generating on-page content.
There are many differences that may not be apparent straight away. However, the best tip I can give is to not translate directly from English as what you are saying may not make any sense in another language.
It’s also highly important to take cultural differences into account when writing new content or trying to sell a product in a different market. People from different countries will look at areas of the website in different ways such as: security, payment gateways, type of language used, shopping cart structure and many others.
This is why it’s worthwhile speaking to people from the country you are trying to target and getting somebody local to write the content and provide feedback. It all comes back to doing your research beforehand.
This section is very much dependent on the type of business you run. However if you have a physical location in the new countries you will be targeting it’s very important.
Google My Business allows businesses to create a listing giving full details of their company along with the location. This will be important in building up an organic search presence in a new location. There are plenty of posts on local SEO so I won’t go into it too much here, but these are the main steps:
◾Create the location here https://www.google.co.uk/business/ ◾Add as many details as possible ◾Add the address to the most relevant page on your website ◾Mark the address up with local schema ◾Obtain links from relevant websites in the area or region
Carrying out the above steps will help the new location build up a stable base of links that can be built on top. I would also suggest creating relevant social profiles and local listings if relevant.
Summary
Making sure you are fully prepared is by far the biggest step in scaling a business to target an international market. Without the correct preparation, there is a strong chance that you won’t achieve what you initially set out to do.
International SEO is not a simple process by any means and it can easily go wrong. However, if you are in the position to expand your business into an international set-up, there is lots of money to be made.
ABCO Technology offers a comprehensive program for website development, which includes search engine marketing. Call our campus between 9 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday. You can reach us at: (310) 216-3067.
Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu Financial aid is available to all qualified students. Learn to build international websites today!
Red Hat offers certifications on virtualization, storage, cloud and the company’s open source-based operating systems. This certification article will give you a basic overview of Red Hat with the popular RHCE and RHCSA certifications, which will help your career path in the field of information technology.
Red Hat, Inc. provides open source software solutions to more than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies, including Internet Service Providers, airlines, healthcare companies and commercial banks. The company has been around for over 20 years and is well known for its Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) distribution.
Red Hat provides a fully open technology stack, which you can alter to suit your needs — you’re not locked into the vendor’s vision of the software. Red Hat’s portfolio of products and services also include JBoss middleware, cross-platform virtualization, cloud computing (Cloud Forms and OpenStack) and much more.
Red Hat offers a number of professional certifications based on its software products including operating systems, virtualization, storage and cloud-based solutions.
Red Hat Certification Program Overview
The Red Hat certification program is aimed at system administrators, engineers, architects, enterprise developers and application administrators, as well as cloud and virtualization administrators, who use RHEL in the IT infrastructure. The program aims to ensure candidates are proficient in RHEL by requiring performance-based certification exams. Whereas many certification exams ask multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank questions about specific technologies, Red Hat requires you to perform and complete real-world tasks using Red Hat technologies in order to pass its exams.
Red Hat traditionally offered certification exams only upon completion of a specific training course. Now you can take a series of Red Hat exam courses from ABCO Technology. The exam session is performed on a secured system in a professionally proctored testing center, which is administered by Pearson Vue. ABCO Technology is one of those testing centers. Other centers are located in select cities throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
Once you earn a Red Hat certification, you become a Red Hat Certified Professional. This gives you access to Red Hat Certification Central, which allows you to connect with potential employers, join the Red Hat community, create study groups and collaborate on projects. In addition, you can explore Red Hat’s training options and easily schedule individual exam sessions. Discounts on recertification exams are offered as well.
Red Hat Administrator, Engineer And Architect Certs
The largest group of Red Hat certifications is geared toward system administrators, engineers and architects. Some of the most popular and sought-after Red Hat certifications reside in this category, such as the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA), Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) and Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA). Other certs include Red Hat Certified JBoss Administrator (RHCJA) and Red Hat Certified Virtualization Administrator (RHCVA).
In addition, this category includes a variety of Red Hat Certificate of Expertise credentials in Hybrid Cloud Management, Camel Development, Configuration Management, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Diagnostics and Troubleshooting, Performance Tuning and more.
RHCSA: Red Hat Certified System Administrator
The RHCSA certification is designed for experienced Red Hat administrators and is required by some organizations to meet U.S. Department of Defense Directive 8140. It’s also a prerequisite credential for the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE).
Red Hat recommends three training classes to prepare for the RHCSA certification. The Windows admin classes are Red Hat System Administration I (RH124) and Red Hat System Administration II (RH134). Candidates may also take a Linux/UNIX admin class — RHCSA Rapid Track Course RH199 — to prepare for the RHCSA exam.
To obtain RHCSA certification, candidates must pass the 2.5-hour RHCSA Exam (EX200).
RHCE: Red Hat Certified Engineer
The RHCE certification is geared toward experienced senior system administrators, and fulfills requirements of U.S. Department of Defense Directive 8140.
To obtain the RHCE certification, you must first become RHCSA certified. The recommended training for the RHCE certification is based on your skill level. Windows admins with minimal Linux experience should take the Red Hat System Administration I and II (RH124 and RH134) courses, along with the Red Hat System Administration III (RH254) course to prepare for the exam.
Linux or UNIX admins with one to three years of experience should take both the RHCSA Rapid Track Course (RH199) and the Red Hat System Administration III (RH254) courses to prepare for the exam. RHCEs looking to recertify, or candidates who’d like the opportunity to engage in a lab-based review before taking the RHCE exam, should take the RHCE Certification lab (RH299).
The certification lab is a four day, instructor-led opportunity to work through all of the labs from the Red Hat System Administration I, II and III courses, along with the Rapid Track course.
To complete the RHCE certification, you must pass the 3.5 hour RHCE Exam (EX300), which is currently based on Linux 7.
RHCA: Red Hat Certified Architect
The RHCA certification is the pinnacle cert in the Red Hat Certification program. To qualify for the RHCA, candidates must possess a current RHCE or Red Hat Certified JBoss Developer (RHCJD) credential. Depending on the concentration chosen, five or six exams are required to obtain RHCA certification. Currently, the RHCA is available in five concentrations: Datacenter, Application Platform, DevOps, Cloud and Application Development. Additional prerequisites for the RHCA vary by concentration but generally include a combination of exams, other certifications or certificates of expertise in various Red Hat disciplines.
If you are a serious network administrator who wants to bring your information technology career to a new level, it’s time to contact ABCO Technology to ask about our Red Hat certification programs. Call our campus between 9 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday. You can reach us by phone at: (310) 216-3067.
ABCO Technology is located at 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. in STE # 588 Los Angeles, Ca. 90304.
Email all questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu Financial aid is available to all students who qualify. Your Red Hat certification is waiting for you. Call today and get started.
