Blog - ABCO Technology

Linux Jobs are in demand in 2017

Posted on July 24, 2017 - Posted in: IT Career Training, Blog, News

According to a study conducted earlier this year by Dice, the tech career site, 93 percent of hiring managers are looking to employ Linux professionals. If you want one of those high paying jobs, a great way to increase your chances to get that job offer from that company of your dreams is to go to human resources with either the CompTIA Linux + or as a Certified Red hat Network Administrator.

Linux-based-certifications

The fact that Linux jobs are in demand has not gone unnoticed. According to Dan Brown, The Linux Foundation’s PR & Marketing Manager, “The Linux Foundation’s Intro to Linux courses, which can help with basic prep for the CompTIA Linux + or Red Hat Systems administrator Exam, has had over 270,000 registrations from 100+ countries.” That has made this course the biggest ever for Linux. The enrollments show a high employer demand. Candidates wouldn’t be taking these courses unless they were told to by human resource departments.

Why are some many people interested in obtaining Linux certifications?

The answer boils down to one important area of information technology, which the media reports about as Cyber security.

Cybercrime is on the rise. Linux is an open source operating system, which network administrators can configure in certain ways to make it very difficult for hackers. Hackers want easy targets and a system using Linux, which is properly configured, is not an easy target. Therefore, companies are turning to network administrators who are proficient in both Windows and Linux operating systems. In many large companies, Linux runs in the background. The average employee working at one of these companies will believe the company’s operating system is Windows when in fact the system’s back end is operated with Linux. Complex systems using dual operating systems create jobs, which only the right trained information technology professional can fill.

While these Linux Foundation certifications are designed to be complementary to the lower-level Linux Professional Institute (LPI) certifications, they’re more comparable to high-level certifications such as Red Hat’s Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) in that they’re quite difficult to pass.

If you are someone interested in working with open-sourced information technology, getting those certifications will be your key to success. The best way to accomplish your goal is to find a school who offers instructor led hands-on training. Hands-on training offers many benefits, especially when the training is taught by a live instructor. Live instructors will pass on their actual work experience. With most certification exams, the methods for performing a particular on the job task are very different from what is on the test. In order to successfully pass this exam, a candidate must learn the material with two mindsets.

The first being to acquire the knowledge and skills to do the job. The second path is to learn how to past that exam, which will stand in your way if you don’t understand the procedure.

If you want to become certified for Linux, it’s time to call ABCO Technology today. You can reach our campus by telephone at: (310) 216-3067 from 9 AM to 6 PM. Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu

Financial aid is available to all students who can qualify for the financial assistance.
Apply for a great job today, get trained and certified in Linux!

Five important strategies to conquer semantic search

Posted on July 20, 2017 - Posted in: Blog

The key question I am constantly asked in my classes is: What is semantic search? Broadly speaking, it’s a term that refers to a move towards more accurate search results by using various methods to better understand the intent and context behind a search.

Or as Alexis Sanders very eloquently explained it on the Moz Blog,
“The word “semantic” refers to the meaning or essence of something. Applied to search, “semantics” essentially relates to the study of words and their logic. Semantic search seeks to improve search accuracy by understanding a searcher’s intent through contextual meaning. […] Semantic search brings about an enhanced understanding of searcher intent, the ability to extract answers, and delivers more personalized results.”

Google is constantly making tweaks and changes to its documentation and features linked to semantic search. Many of these involve things like structured data and Schema.org, rich results, Knowledge Graph and so on, and the vast majority go unannounced and unnoticed – even though they can make a significant difference to the way we interact with search.

But there are some eagle-eyed members of the search community who keep tabs on changes to semantic search, and let the rest of us know what’s up. To aid in those efforts, I’m rounding up five recent important changes to semantic search on Google that you might not have noticed.

100% of the credit for these observations goes to the Semantic Search Marketing Google+ group (and specifically its founder Aaron Bradley), which is my source for all the latest news and updates on semantic search. If you want to keep in the loop, I highly recommend joining.

Videos and recipes are now accessible via image search.

Earlier this week, Google made a telling addition to its documentation for videos, specifying that video rich results will now display in image search on mobile devices, “providing users with useful information about your video.”

A mobile image search for a phrase like “Daily Show YouTube” (okay, that one’s probably not going to happen organically, but I wanted to make the feature work) will fetch video thumbnails in among the grid of regular image results, which when selected, unfold into something like this:

You then need to select “Watch” or the title of the video to be taken to the video itself. (Selecting the image will only bring up the image in full screen and won’t redirect you to the video). So far, video rich results from YouTube and Wistia have been spotted in image search.

Google’s documentation for recipes also now features a similar addition: “Rich results can also appear in image search on mobile devices, providing users with useful information about your recipe.” So now you can do more than just stare at a mouthwatering picture of a lasagna in image search – you might be able to find out how it’s made.

Google’s documentation gives instructions on how to mark up your videos and recipes correctly, so that you can make sure your content gets pulled through into image search.

Rich cards are no more
RIP, rich cards. The term introduced by Google in May 2016 to describe the, well, card-style rich results that appear for specific searches have now been removed from Google Developers.

As identified by Aaron Bradley, Google has made changes to its ‘Mark Up Your Content Items’ on Google Developers to remove reference to “rich cards”. In most places, these have been changed to refer to “rich results”, the family of results which includes things like rich cards, rich snippets and featured snippets.
There’s no information as to why Google decided to retire the term; I think it’s usefully descriptive, but maybe Google decided there was no point making an arbitrary distinction between a “card” and a “non-card” rich result.

It may also have been aiming to slim down the number of similar-sounding terms it uses to describe search results with the addition of “enriched search results” to the mix – more on that later.

Google launches structured data-powered job postings in search results

Google has added another item to the list of things that will trigger a rich result in search: job postings.

This change was prefigured by the addition of a Jobs tab to Google’s ‘Early Access and partner-only features’ page, which is another good place to keep an eye out for upcoming developments in search.

Google also hinted at the addition during this year’s Google I/O, when it announced the launch of a new initiative called ‘Google for Jobs’. In a lengthy blog post published on the first day of the conference, Google CEO Sundar Pichai explained the advent of Google for Jobs as forming part of Google’s overall efforts towards “democratizing access to information and surfacing new opportunities”, tying it in with Google’s advances in AI and machine learning.

“For example, almost half of U.S. employers say they still have issues filling open positions. Meanwhile, job seekers often don’t know there’s a job opening just around the corner from them, because the nature of job posts—high turnover, low traffic, inconsistency in job titles—have made them hard for search engines to classify. Through a new initiative, Google for Jobs, we hope to connect companies with potential employees, and help job seekers find new opportunities.”

The new feature, which is U.S.-only for the time being, is being presented as an “enriched search experience”, which is another one of Google’s interesting new additions to semantic search that I’ve explored in full below.

And in a neat tie-in, reviews of employers are now due to be added in schema.org 3.3, including both individual text reviews and aggregate ratings of organizations in their role as employer.

Google introduces new “enriched search results”

Move over rich results – Google’s got an even better experience now. Introducing “enriched search results”, a “more interactive and enhanced class of rich results” being made available across Google.

How long have enriched search results been around? SEO By the Sea blogged about a Google patent for enriched search results as far back as 2014, and followed up with a post in 2015 exploring ‘enriched resources’ in more detail.

However, in the 2014 post Bill Slawski specifically identifies things like airline flights, weather inquiries and sports scores as triggering an enriched result, whereas in its Search Console Help topic on enriched search results, Google specifies that this experience is linked to job postings, recipes and events only.

According to Google:
“Enriched search results often include an immersive popup experience or other advanced interaction feature.”

Google also specifies that “Enriched search enables the user to search across the various properties of a structured data item; for instance, a user might search for chicken soup recipes under 200 calories, or recipes that take less than 1 hour of preparation time.”

Judging by this quote, enriched search results are a continuation of Google’s overall strategy to achieve two things: interpret and respond to more in-depth search queries, and make the SERP more of a one-stop-shop for anything that a searcher could need.

We’ve seen Google increasingly add interactive features to the SERP like new types of rich results, and Google Posts, while also improving its ability to interpret user intent and search context. (Which, as we established earlier, is the goal of semantic search). So in the recipe example given above, a user would be able to search for chicken soup recipes with under 200 calories, then view and follow the recipe in a pop-up, all without needing to click through to a recipe website.

Needless to say, this could be bad news for website traffic and click-through – even more than featured snippets, answer boxes, the knowledge graph, quick answers and other rich results already are.

Google makes a whole host of changes to its structured data developer guides

Finally, Google has made a wide-ranging set of changes to its structured data developer guides. I recommend reading Aaron Bradley’s post to Semantic Search Marketing for full details, but here are some highlights:
◾Guides are now classified as covering the following topics: structured data, AMP, mobile friendly design
◾Structured data has a new definition: it is now defined by Google as “a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying the page content.” The old definition called it “a text-based organization of data that is included in a file and served from the web.” This one definitely seems a little clearer.
◾Twice as many items now listed under “Technical guidelines”, including an explanation of what to do about duplicate content
◾There is now less emphasis on the Structured Data Testing Tool, and more on post-publication analysis and testing – perhaps Google is trying to get users to do more of their own work on structured data markup, rather than relying on Google’s tool?
◾All content types are now eligible to appear in a carousel.
If you want to improve your webpage’s performance, it’s time to contact ABCO Technology today. Visit our new campus located at 11222 South La Cienega Blvd. in STE #588 Los Angeles, Ca. 90304. Or call us at: (310) 216-3067 from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday.
Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu
Financial aid is available to all qualified students.
Join the Internet of things revolution today. Build Webpages, which will attract traffic and increase return on investment.

Visual Search, Your key questions answered

Posted on July 19, 2017 - Posted in: Blog

Visual search is one of the most extremely complex and fiercely competed sectors of the search industry. Earlier in July, Bing announced their new visual search mode, right on the heels of similar developments from Pinterest and Google.

Ours is a culture dominated by images, so it stands to reason that visual search has assumed such importance for the world’s largest technology companies. The pace of progress is truly quickening; but there is no clear visual search ‘leader’ and nor will there be one soon.

The search industry has developed significantly over the past decade, through advances in personalization, natural language processing, and multimedia results. And yet, one could argue that the power of the image remains untapped.

This is not due to a lack of attention or investment. Quite the contrary. Cracking visual search will require a combination of technological skills, psychological insight, and neuroscientific know-how. This makes it a fascinating area of development, but also one that will not be mastered easily.

Therefore, in this article, we will begin with an outline of the visual search industry and the challenges it poses, before analyzing the recent progress made by Google, Microsoft and Pinterest.

What is visual search?

We all partake in visual search every day. Whenever we need to locate our keys among a range of other items, for example, our brains are engaged in a visual search.

We learn to recognize certain targets and we can locate them within a busy landscape with increasing ease over time.

This is a trickier task for a computer, however.

Image search, in which a search engine takes a text-based query and tries to find the best visual match, is subtly distinct from modern visual search. Visual search can take an image as its ‘query’, rather than text. In order to perform an accurate visual search, search engines require highly sophisticated processes than they do for traditional image search.

Typically, as part of this process, deep neural networks in our brains are put through their paces in various types of tests, with the hope that they will mimic the functioning of the human brain in identifying targets.

The decisions (or inherent ‘biases’, as they are known) that allow us to make sense of these patterns are more difficult to integrate into any machine. When processing an image, should a machine prioritize shape, color, or size? How does a person do this? Do we even know for sure, or do we only know the output?

As such, search engines still struggle to process images in the way we expect them to. We simply don’t understand our own biases well enough to be able to reproduce them in another system.

There has been a lot of progress in this field, nonetheless. Google image search has improved drastically in response to text queries and other options, like Tineye, which also allows us to use reverse image search. This is a useful feature, but its limits are self-evident.

For years, Facebook has been able to identify individuals in photos, in the same way a person would immediately recognize a friend’s face. This example is a closer approximation of the holy grail for visual search; however, it still falls short. In this instance, Facebook has set up its networks to search for faces, giving them a clear target.

At its zenith, online visual search allows us to use an image as an input and receive another, related image as an output. This would mean that we could take a picture with a smartphone of a chair, for example, and have the technology return pictures of suitable rugs to accompany the style of the chair.

The typical ‘human’ process in the middle, where we would decipher the component parts of an image and decide what it is about, then conceptualize and categorize related items, is undertaken by deep neural networks. These networks are ‘unsupervised’, meaning that there is no human intervention as they alter their functioning based on feedback signals and work to deliver the desired output.

The result can be mesmerizing.
This is just one approach to answering a delicate question, however.

There are no right or wrong answers in this field as it stands; simply more or less effective ones in a given context.

We should therefore assess the progress of a few technology giants to observe the significant strides they have made thus far, but also the obstacles left to overcome before visual search is truly mastered.

Bing visual search

In early June at TechCrunch 50, Microsoft announced that it would now allow users to “search by picture.”

This is notable for a number of reasons. First of all, although Bing image search has been present for quite some time, Microsoft actually removed its original visual search product in 2012. People simply weren’t using it since its 2009 launch, as it wasn’t accurate enough.

Furthermore, it would be fair to say that Microsoft is running a little behind in this race. Rival search engines and social media platforms have provided visual search functions for some time now.

As a result, it seems reasonable to surmise that Microsoft must have something compelling if they have chosen to re-enter the fray with such a public announcement. While it is not quite revolutionary, the new Bing visual search is still a useful tool that builds significantly on their image search product.

A Bing search for “kitchen decor ideas” which showcases Bing’s new visual search capabilities

What sets Bing visual search apart is the ability to search within images and then expand this out to related objects that might complement the user’s selection.

A user can select specific objects, hone in on them, and purchase similar items if they desire. The opportunities for retailers are both obvious and plentiful.

It’s worth mentioning that Pinterest’s visual search has been able to do this for some time. But the important difference between Pinterest’s capability and Bing’s in this regard is that Pinterest can only redirect users to Pins that businesses have made available on Pinterest – and not all of them might be shoppable. Bing, on the other hand, can index a retailer’s website and use visual search to direct the user to it, with no extra effort required on the part of either party.

Powered by Silverlight technology, this should lead to a much more refined approach to searching through images. Microsoft provided the following visualization of how their query processing system works for this product:

Microsoft combines this system with the structured data it owns to provide a much richer, more informative search experience. Although restricted to a few search categories, such as homeware, travel, and sports, we should expect to see this rolled out to more areas through this year.

The next step will be to automate parts of this process, so that the user no longer needs to draw a box to select objects. It is still some distance from delivering on the promise of perfect, visual search, but these updates should at least see Microsoft eke out a few more sellable searches via Bing.

Google recently announced its Lens product at the 2017 I/O conference in May. The aim of Lens is really to turn your smartphone into a visual search engine.

Google Lens logo, which looks like a simplified camera with a red and yellow outline, blue lens and green flash.

Take a picture of anything out there and Google will tell you what the object is about, along with any related entities. Point your smartphone at a restaurant, for example, and Google will tell you its name, whether your friends have visited it before, and highlight reviews for the restaurant as well

ABCO Technology teaches comprehensive courses for web development where you can utilize visual search. ABCO has moved to a new location at:
11222 South La Cienega Blvd. in STE 588
Los Angeles, Ca. 90304. You can reach our campus by telephone at: (310) 216-3067.

Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu
Financial aid is available to all students who qualify.
Get ahead of the web development crowd. Start learning how to design websites that will capitalize on visual search today!

Cyber Security Success Story

Posted on September 6, 2016 - Posted in: Blog, IT Career Training

Tagged: Career training, CCNA, Certifications, CompTIA, Cyber Security

cyber security success — Sometimes the right certification can make the difference between unemployment and career success.

In April 2015, a woman with a master’s degree in computer science walked into ABCO Technology. She told me she’d been on the job market for nine months and sent out 750 resumes. But at that point, she’d received no solid job offers. How, then, was she going to turn her academic training into a cyber security success story?

Industry Certifications make a Big Difference

After a long discussion, we determined that she wanted to work in the field of network administration with cyber security. Like many students who had worked very hard to obtain an advanced degree, she was reluctant to place her trust in the certification process. She had trouble with the fact she spent all of that time and money attending school, only for a very disappointing outcome. It took a lot of documentation and a bit of hand holding, but she enrolled at ABCO and started in the networking and cyber security program.

The student began her courses, and within 11 months she completed a solid list of certifications, including

and finally the Certified Information Systems Securities Professional/CISSP.

Our student then applied to the US Department of Defense for a DOD 8140 cyber security clearance. Within 4 weeks she received the DOD 8140 cyber security clearance.

Candidate Finds Cyber Security Success in the US Military

Candidates who receive this clearance have their contact information placed on a special directory maintained by Sans Institute. Before long, an Air Force Recruiter in Las Vegas gave our student a call. The recruiter told her about an opportunity to work in Cyber Security at Creech Air Force base in Nevada. The job offer had several excellent benefits, and our student was excited to accept the offer.

As of August 2016, she is very happy in her new role as a cyber security professional. I don’t know the specifics of her job or the nature of the security work she is doing. But I can tell you that this was one case where becoming certified in a list of information technology areas was a definite life-changing event.

ABCO Technology – Equipping Students with IT Skills since 2000

Since its founding in 2000, ABCO Technology has witnessed countless situations where students changed their lives by achieving certification in a field of information technology.

The manner whereby candidates receive jobs has completely changed over the past 15 years. It used to be that the 1980s and even into the mid-90s, employers were willing to train a college graduate from square one to work on their products. However, changing business conditions combined with the fact that the average person no longer remains on a particular job for their whole career has caused the training landscape to change dramatically. Today, employers want their candidates to have a set of predetermined skills and qualifications before applying for a particular job. This condition is particularly true for information technology. In summary, the certified candidate gets the job.

Acquire the necessary skills and get certified for that great information technology job you’ve always dreamed about.

If you would like in a solid career in information technology, pick up your cell phone and call ABCO Technology. You can reach our campus from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday. Alternately, you can email us at: info@abcotechnology.edu

Get certified and change your life today.

8 Tips on Acing IT Certification Exams

Posted on August 31, 2016 - Posted in: Blog, IT Career Training

The information technology industry has moved toward strict standards for IT certification in many areas. Employers from over 2,000,000 companies in the United States will not hire someone for a particular job in information technology unless they can show certification. After all your education, how do you make sure you pass the exam on the first try?

Becoming certified involves passing a particular certification exam offered by a vendor of either software or equipment. For example, CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle and even Linux offer certification exams.

The venders listed above moved toward this business model because having certified professionals handling product saves both time and money.

In fact many insurance companies along with leasing firms require certification as a condition for equipment they use. Completing a class in a particular area of information technology will not be recognized by most employers as a qualification for hire. All classes are not taught in the same way and certain instructors may not have covered all of the material necessary for a new candidate to do a specific job.

How to Ace an IT Certification Exam

1. Pick a Good School

Find an accredited school that features certified trainers for your particular subject. Ensure your instructor has at least five years of practical experience and 2 years of teaching experience in your selected program.

2. Attend Classes

It’s amazing that people will pay good money to get a higher education, but skip class anyway. Learning from a textbook and trying things out at home can help you pass the exam; taking part in discussions, getting to know your instructor and participating fully will enrich your experience. Don’t shortchange yourself: show up to class, arrive early, and participate.

3. Make sure the school you select assigns labs

Labs are the hands-on components of IT education, and the groundwork of a career in IT. Complete all lab assignments. Students who fail certification exams admit they only read through lab assignments and didn’t actually complete them. This is a crazy decision when your career will depend on your practical experience.

4. Write practice exams, often

Take your practice exams over and over, until you receive a score of 95% or higher. When you take the actual certification exam, I guarantee your score will drop by a factor of at least 10%. Everyone gets a bit nervous when taking a new exam. If you are overly prepared, your tension on test day will decrease.

5. Do extra work in your subject

You can join a chat group on your subject, read professional blogs and use the Internet to conduct additional research about the topics covered in your class and program. In addition, reach out to people who have taken your certification test and ask them for suggestions.

6. On exam day, relax

When taking your exam, don’t be in a hurry. Whether the exam gives you 90 minutes or 3 hours, use all of your time.

7. Read the instructions

Be sure to follow the exam’s instructions. I know of one student who failed a Cisco exam because he didn’t follow the exam’s instructions.

8. Be passionate about your subject

My final tip is to have passion for your subject. If you have a vision of yourself engaged in this type of work three or five years from now, this will give you that added incentive to do that extra work, which will bring you to the promised land of certification.

Are you interested in learning information technology and gaining a new career, which will change your life? If so it is time for you to take that big step and contact ABCO Technology. You can reach us by telephone at (310) 216-3067 from 9 Am to 6 PM Monday through Friday. If communicating by email is easier for you, send your questions to ABCO Technology. Email your questions to: info@abcotechnology.edu

Train For Information Technology Jobs in 2016

Posted on August 10, 2016 - Posted in: Blog

Tagged: Cyber Security, network administration

On August 5, 2016 the US Department of Labor reported an increase of 255,000 new jobs for the month of July. Furthermore, the gain in new monthly employment showed that the U.S. economy is on a stronger footing than many experts believed. Information Technology jobs in particular accounted for 15% of all national employment in the month of July.

Information Technology Jobs Require Skilled Workers

This report also showed that workers who didn’t possess specific skills were left out of this new job expansion. Workers without employment skills fall into in the U-6 category; these under-employed workers tend to work part-time or hold several jobs. Unfortunately, nearly 10% of American workers fall into this category. On the bright side, learning a new skill will take you out of this punishing U-6 part time jobs category.

According to this report, 37,500 IT jobs were available in July, with the bulk of the new work being in California, Texas and New York.

The field of network administrator came in first, containing about 10,000 of the new positions. The next most in demand was Database administration, followed by computer programming. In the networking field, cyber security accounted for 6,000 of the new positions.

Cyber security is the fastest growing area in the field of information technology. In general, cyber security professionals defend a network against cyber-attacks. To find work in this exciting field, you need to pass a series of certifications, which you prepare for through both education and experience.

The database field was also very strong, showing 7,000 new jobs. In particular, changes in health care legislation have created the need for database professionals. Students who certify in either Microsoft or Oracle easily find gainful employment in the database field after graduation.

Americans Needed for Smartphone Apps

Computer programming jobs are coming back in the United States. The reason for this is that many of the new smartphone applications require the programmer to be familiar with the culture surrounding the application. It helps, then, to have a computer programmer live in the country where the application is written.

Career-specific Education — Better Than College

The jobs mentioned in this article do not require a college degree. Realistically, students need to work hard, get certified and work with our school as it relates to finding a job.

For many students who do not have a college degree, federal financial aid is available to those who qualify.

Contact ABCO Technology. You can reach our campus by phone at: (310) 216-3067 from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday.

New employment is available today, so don’t miss out on these exciting career opportunities.

What Does A Computer Systems Analyst Do?

Posted on July 21, 2016 - Posted in: Blog

Tagged: Network Administrator, Systems Engineer

Are you adept with computers and the information networks they are part of? If you are looking for a job with good pay and a bright future, you may want to consider becoming a computer systems analyst. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics* the United States will need 118,600 new computer systems analysts between 2014 and 2024. The pay is excellent as well, at typically over $85,000 per year. So what do computer systems analysts do?

The main role of a computer systems analyst is to help an organization operate effectively using computer systems, procedures and software. He or she works with both the business side of the organization to determine their needs, and the IT side to help create the solutions. Getting from determining the need to creating the solution takes a number of steps.

Step One: Work With Business Managers to Understand Their Needs

Whether a business sells products online, keeps client records or tracks the movement of equipment, a computer systems analyst is the person who designs the IT system that makes it all work. By consulting with the business leaders, systems analysts create diagrams that show how information should move be accessed and stored throughout the organization. This is an investigative step, where the systems analyst has to ask open-ended questions like “Who, What, When, Where and Why?”

Step Two: Research Potential Solutions

If the current IT system isn’t providing all the solutions that the business leaders need, then the systems analyst starts his or her research. Their goal is to find out what new software, hardware or networks might work.

Step Three: Create a Cost/Benefit Analysis

Usually, a number of solutions will present themselves. When this happens, the systems analyst has to determine the pros and cons of each. A systems analyst might present a variety of recommendations, from “basic and inexpensive” to “powerful but costly”. They then work with the business leaders to find the right balance between the cost of the system and the benefits to the organization.

Step Four: Improve existing systems /Design new systems

Depending on what decisions the business leaders reached, it’s the systems analyst’s job to manage any changes and upgrades. Systems analysts choose the hardware and software, and make sure that IT staff install and configure it correctly. They test the system thoroughly to make sure it works as expected once it’s installed.

Step Five: Document and Train

The computer systems analyst knows the new system like no other employee – at first. The final task in a project is to bring all the users up to speed. The analyst does this through training and providing documentation of how to use the system. Until recently this documentation would be provided in the form of instruction manuals. Now, that instruction can also take the form of video tutorials or guided online instruction and support. The systems analyst can to this job, or can act as the subject matter expert to an instructional designer who prepares the training materials.

Interested? Learn more

A computer systems analyst combines deep knowledge of computer systems with excellent communications and managerial skills. If you think this work is right for you, consider the hands-on, focused training at ABCO Technology in Los Angeles. Our Network Administrator and Systems Engineer program will help prepare you with the technical knowledge for success in this high-growth field.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Computer Systems Analysts,
on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-systems-analysts.htm (visited July 13, 2016).

Help Wanted: Cyber Security Professionals

Posted on July 19, 2016 - Posted in: Blog

Tagged: Cyber Security

Cyber Security is the fastest growing career in the information Technology industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has made outstanding career projections for cyber security through the year 2024. However, this career is still a bit of a mystery to anyone outside the technology industry. It’s time, then, to shine a light on the hidden world of cyber security professionals.

Cyber security professionals plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems. Because cyber attacks are increasing in both number and sophistication, this is a career with expanding responsibilities and a constant need for continuing education. One source of cyber-attacks are government-trained hackers from countries or governmental agencies who encourage cyber-attacks as a matter of their national policy. Another is organized crime, which specializes in stealing identities or valuable intellectual property.

How to become a cyber security professional

As a cyber security professional, you need several certifications in a computer-related field. You should also gain experience in a related occupation, such as network administrator or network engineer.

The training for this profession takes place in two phases:

Phase 1 – Learning Computer Networks

A cybercriminal will usually break or, in many cases destroy a network while hacking into it. Therefore, a cyber security professional must understand how to maintain and repair a damaged network. To fully understand computer networks, this training includes three valuable certifications.

CompTIA A+

The first certification, the five-week CompTIA A+, teaches the beginner how to:

repair and maintain desktop computers
install devices onto a network
troubleshoot computers for problems including viruses

Students take two exams for this certification, one for hardware and another for operating systems. Recently, the CompTIA has added repairing smart phones and other small mobile devices. Many students obtain part-time or full-time jobs after receiving the A+ certification.

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert

The next certification in the networking phase of this training is the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE). In this 25-week program, students concentrate on five areas of study, each with its own exam:

repairing and maintaining a corporate server, delivering programs to all of the small computers in a company
maintaining an E-mail server
working with active directory, which assigns rights and privileges
performing backup and recovery of networking systems
working with hypervisor, which gives you skills in virtual networks

Cisco Certified Network Associate

The final certification in the networking phase of cyber security training is the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), a five-week course. The Cisco certification deals with commercial routers, which act as gateways to the Internet for thousands of computers. A router controls the type of information a network receives by actually controlling the kind of packets allowed into the network. Proper router configuration will create a strong firewall, which will enhance a network’s security.

These three certifications by themselves are an excellent gateway to a career in information technology.

Phase Two: Cyber Security Certifications

The second phase of this training contains the actual cyber security certifications, which are CompTIA Security+, Certified Ethical Hacker and the Certified Information Security Systems Professional or CISSP. Each of them take five weeks to complete, and they follow one after the other.

The popular CompTIA Security+ certification teaches valuable security skills to protect a network against cyber-attacks. You will learn how to analyze a network for vulnerabilities, create strong passwords and defend against social engineering.

The next certification, the Certified Ethical Hacker, has gained a high degree of publicity. The Certified Ethical Hacker teaches you what cyber attackers are doing and how you can defend against their attacks. The certified Ethical Hacker gives you access to the latest information about the state of cybercrime, and how cyber security professionals are defending against it. For example, you will be able to detect when a computer’s IP address has been spoofed. As a Certified Ethical Hacker, you create counter-measures to guard against social engineering or an angry employee that has just left an organization.

The final cyber security certification is the CISSP or Certified Internet Security Systems Professional. Students acquire computer forensic skills and are able to recover lost data, which is extremely valuable in today’s environment.

What do Cyber Security Professionals Earn?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the median annual wage for cyber security professionals as of May of 2015 was $90,100 per year. This amount will vary, depending upon the area of the country you live in and your overall level of network experience.

Available jobs

Cyber security professionals work in a number of different environments:

cyber security employees in a large firm
network engineers with cyber security skills
member of a cyber security penetration team
cyber security consultant
cyber security business owner

In addition the United States Department of Defense has a special Security Clearance, known as DOD 8140. If you do not have a criminal record this certification will open the door to you for career positions with organizations that require a high-level security clearance. Organizations that employ DOD 8140 cleared cyber security professionals pay fantastic benefits along with a generous salary. One year of constant training can place you at this level with no college degree required.

We advise a two-year training program, to allow you to gain work experience along the way. The work experience will enhance your opportunities for that first great job in cyber security.

Career Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the job outlook from 2014 through 2024 will grow at a rate of 18% per year. Unfortunately, many companies are reporting that they can’t fill positions because the individuals applying do not have the right cyber security certifications.

Continuing Education

Your cyber security certifications usually have a life cycle of three years. While you are in this occupation, there are numerous online seminars you can attend to increase your knowledge. For example, the Certified Ethical Hacker and the CompTIA Security+ certifications offer continuing education to ensure your knowledge is up-to-date. Microsoft also offers a comprehensive continuing education program. If information is your passion, a great deal of education is available.

Where to go for this training

If you are someone who wants to join this exciting field of cyber security, you need a good computer training school. You want to enroll at a computer training school that is accredited by a national accrediting board working under the US Department of Education. These schools have an .EDU at the end of their domain, indicating that several governmental agencies have audited the school for its curriculum, job placement and quality of courses.

ABCO Technology is computer training school in Los Angeles, offering courses in cyber security. We are accredited by ACCSC and offer full hands-on training for all of the certifications listed in this article.

Call our campus today to receive more information.

You can reach us by phone at: (310) 216-3067 between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday.

If you are comfortable with email, email our campus at: info@abcotechnology.edu

10 Types of Cyber Threats to Look Out For

Posted on July 13, 2016 - Posted in: Blog

Tagged: Cyber Security

The job of cyber security is growing, despite the popularity of security software, and increased awareness of security threats among computer users. Cyber Security Engineers need to be aware of these ten common threats, and know how to seek out and disable them.

Phishing

Phishing is when the cyber attacker tries to get you to give them your sensitive data, such as user names, passwords and credit card details. Often, they accomplish this by imitating a trusted financial site, such as your bank. Phishing is a form of social engineering, described below

Tampering

Tampering refers to people modifying physical computer hardware. Attackers can install software that disables a computer’s encryption system, or plant spyware in a router.

Spoofing

Any communication that is sent from an unknown source, but is trying to look like a trusted address is known as spoofing. It is most common in email systems that lack a high level of security. A person could argue that those emails from a “Nigerian prince” is one of the simplest forms of spoofing.

Backdoors

Just like a popular club, your computer system could have heavy security at the front end, but a back door that has none at all. Sometimes backdoors exist by design, and sometimes it’s an oversight. Either way, an unguarded back door leaves computer systems vulnerable to attack.

Denial of Service Attack

Denial of Service Attacks are a frequent form of cyberattack, which makes a site unavailable to its users. They can affect either individuals, or block all users at once. Often the attack comes from many points, called a distributed denial of service attack, or DDoS. The computers attacking can be “zombie computers” or the computers of innocent people can be roped into the attack.

Direct Access Attack

Like Tampering, a Direct Access Attack involves having physical access to a computer. Once in, an attacker can make operating system modifications, or install a keylogger (to pick up passwords, etc).

Eavesdropping

Private internet conversations are at risk of eavesdroppers, including ones from official channels. Eavesdropping programs can listen into hosts of Internet Service Providers (ISPs). They can also pick up the electro-magnetic transmissions that hardware sends out.

Privilege Escalation

When Ferris Bueller logged onto the school computer system and boosted his grades by impersonating the principal, he was using Privilege Escalation. It’s when a standard computer user is able to fool the system into giving them access they’re not entitled to.

Clickjacking

Clickjacking is a common threat on some of the shadier alleys of the Internet, such as unauthorized streaming sites. It’s when the web developers create a user interface where the user clicks a button they think will do one thing (like stream an episode of Game of Thrones) and they are routed to an irrelevant page owned by someone else. Some cyber attackers will use this technique to log keystrokes onto an invisible frame, on top of a legitimate-looking web page.

Social Engineering

Social Engineering refers to any strategy that tries to convince a user to give away secret information such as passwords, card numbers and confidential data. It can be phishing sites, mentioned above, or fake letters from supposed CEOs or customers. This strategy is as effective as it is simple, and costs US business over $1 billion per year.

Are You Interested In Tackling Cyber Threats Head-On?

Learn how to recognize these threats and disarm them, by training as a Cyber Security Engineer at Abco Technology.