June 29, 2012

Top 10 tips for navigating Windows 8 Metro

Moving around Windows 8 Metro isn't intuitive, so here are some pointers

The classic example: How do you turn off a Windows 8 machine?

The answer: swipe out the Charm menu from the right side of the screen, choose Settings, touch the power button, and choose Shut Down. Simple, yes?

RELATED: This Windows 8 tablet might actually be a PC

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HARDWARE: 12 available devices to test drive Windows 8

Windows 8's Metro interface is anchored by the Start screen, a collection of colored rectangles called tiles that are labeled with text to explain what they are. So the mail application says Mail and has a stylized envelope displayed on it. The tile to access the Windows store says Store on it and features a stylized shopping bag.

The Start screen stretches out horizontally and may take up several screens that can be scrolled by sliding a finger on a touch screen or left-clicking the arrow buttons in the bottom corners.

Metro is distinguished by its use of the full screen to display current applications. All the chrome of the navigation bars and systems tray so familiar in earlier versions of Windows are gone. Tools that serve these functions are hidden off-screen.

Some of these comprise the charms bar, a set of buttons hidden to the right of the screen. They can be called out with the swipe of a finger on a touch screen. These charms are labeled Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings.

Swipe the left side, and you get the applications bar, which displays a thumbnail of each running application. Pressing any one of them brings it to fill the main screen.

Those are the basics, but there's still a lot to know. Here are 10 tips for performing useful tasks in Windows 8 that you might never discover on your own. Tasks can be carried out using touch or mouse and keyboard.

1. Returning to the Start screen: It's easy to lose your way in Windows 8 when you're just learning it, and finding the Start screen can help re-anchor you. To find it using a touch screen, swipe out the Charms bar on the right and press the Start charm. With a mouse, click the bottom-left corner screen. You'll know it's ready for the click when a tiny image of the Start screen pops up. On a keyboard, press the Windows key.

2. Organizing the Start screen: The Start screen is made up of a large number of tiles, so separating them into categories makes it easier to find the ones you want. Drag tiles either with a finger or using a mouse and dropping related tiles near each other.

3. Naming groups of tiles: Zoom out on the Start screen to get an overall view of the Start screen tiles. This can be done using a two-fingered pinching gesture or clicking on the minus button in the lower right. Find the group you want to name, right-click on it and choose Name Group, type the name and press Enter. Or touch the group, choose Name Group and type in the name.

4. Pinning tiles: Not all applications are displayed on the Start screen. To add one, right-click or touch a blank spot on the Start screen and click or touch All Apps when it appears on the bottom. Right-click or touch the app you want to pin, then click or touch Pin to Start.

5. Displaying administrative tools: Right-click the mouse in the lower left corner. Or press the Windows key + X and the tools menu appears in the lower left. Or, while on the Start screen, press the Windows key + I, select Tiles, press Enter, press the space bar to change Show Administrative Bar to Yes. Administrative tool tiles will be pinned to the extreme right of the Start screen. Or swipe out the Charms bar, touch Settings, touch Tiles, flip the switch to Yes.

6. Search: In Windows 8, the Search charm can be used to search the system or, if it is invoked while in an application, to search the application. To search, access the Charms bar, choose Search and type in the search term. If you want to search the Start screen, just start typing your search term on the Start Screen. After your first keystroke, a search window appears. It will be searching apps by default, so if you want to search something else, you have to press or click on it.

7. Switching from app to app: When you have more than one app open, click in the upper right to reveal thumbnails of all active apps and click on the one you want. With touch, swipe out from the left side of the screen then back to the left side again without lifting your finger. That will reveal the thumbnails (this display is called the Switcher). Press the one you want.

8. Snapping apps: Metro supports displaying two apps at once, one in a narrow strip at either the right or left and one occupying the rest of the screen. The smaller one is said to be snapped to the side. To do so, type Windows key + . and it snaps on the right; press them again and it snaps to the left; do it again and it becomes full-screen. To switch between the snapped app and the main app, drag the vertical dividing bar between the two toward the center until the main app snaps to the other side.

9. Closing a Metro app: Metro apps idle in a low-power state in the background when not in use, but to shut them down, swipe from the top of the screen and, without lifting your finger (or releasing the left key if you're using a mouse), drag to the bottom. The app will first shrink and, as it reaches the bottom, will disappear.

10. Getting out of Metro: Had enough Metro? Press Alt + Tab and release when you get to the desktop.

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June 27, 2012

The 10 most demanding jobs in IT

Emerson survey cites roles requiring 'Always-On' availability

What are the 10 most demanding jobs in IT?

Well, according to a survey by Emerson Network Power, a provider of high-availability data center infrastructure management products, they are:

1. Executive director/administrator
2. IT procurement
3. CIO
4. IT manager/director
5. IT operations
6. Data center manager
7. Engineering
8. IT security
9. Applications/software development
10. Database management


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LOOKING: Want a new IT Job? Now's your chance

Emerson surveyed 800 IT professionals from four regions -- the U.S., Asia, Europe and Latin America -- representing 17 work roles and 18 industries, at businesses ranging from 50 to more than 10,000 employees. Most questions were designed to gauge who and what role in IT was "Always-On" -- a reference to Emerson's business in power supplies -- and used an agreement scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

There we three open-ended questions:

• How many hours per week do you work at your IT job? Include paid and unpaid hours.

• What are the most demanding aspects of your IT job?

• Please describe one or two situations that best illustrate how your IT job requires you to be Always-On: always available, always working at peak capacity and always accurate.

Respondents at the executive director/administrator level -- including administrator, leader, department head and director -- have hands-on involvement in every aspect of IT: strategic, operational and tactical. All say they work on many projects at once, and that their work requires a high level of intelligence. Only 25% agree or strongly agree that success depends on things out of their control; that they are accountable for success, and that translates into high job demands, the Emerson survey found.

IT procurement officials identified themselves as analysts, buyers, representatives, supervisors, consultants, directors and other leaders. More than half of respondents say they don't have control over their schedules and don't have time to do quality work. They indicate multiple pressures: urgency, demanding clients often in different international time zones, staying up on the latest equipment and filling pressing staffing needs.

CIO scores highest on "dependencies and multi-tasking," according to the Emerson survey. Responses show particularly high requirements to work on many projects at once and make important decisions quickly, and those decisions can be required any time. Other respondents say they have to be available to take emergency calls and have been tracked down even on vacation.

Demands of the job also include motivating and orchestrating the work of others. CIOs also indicate more than did any other IT role that they are responsible for a large part of the company's budget.

IT manager/director might be called on to put out fires or do routine work at any time, including nights and weekends, the survey found. Respondents say demands include juggling several projects at once, solving problems quickly and working at peak capacity at all times.

Respondents also say they have responsibility for a large portion of the company's budget and for leading the meetings they are in.

IT operations personnel include technician, manager, analyst, operator and specialist. They report working on high-stress projects with constant time pressure and responding to after-hours incidents, the Emerson survey found.

Data center managers were in the top three for "dependencies/multi-tasking," the top four for "availability" and the top five for "quick response." They also scored more than 30% higher than average in agreeing they don't control their own schedule -- 70% for data center managers compared to 45% on average.

Job demands and responsibilities include working fast, handling confidential information, troubleshooting, managing budgets, hardware maintenance and "everything," the Emerson survey found.

Engineers scored high in "dependencies, "multi-tasking" and "quick response." More than 80% agree or strongly agree that others depend on their work a great deal, 91% say they immediately read all messages received and 86% quickly respond to all inquiries. Thirty percent of the respondents work for consulting engineering companies, and "perfection" was cited as one of the job demands.

Making emergency decisions is noted as a typical demand of the IT security group. Eighty-nine percent of the security respondents agree or strongly agree they make important decisions quickly -- the highest score of all the IT roles.

But this group also scores lowest on quick response, the Emerson survey found. Sixty-one percent agree or strongly agree they quickly respond to all inquiries, but the average across the top 10 Always-On jobs is 76%. More than half of IT security respondents say that success depends on things out of their control.

Application and software developers are apparently able to concentrate on their work more than others. One-third or less report having no time for quality work and no time to think things through.

This group scores highest in quick response, though, the Emerson survey found. Eighty-seven percent of respondents say that others depend on their work a great deal; and job demands include developing new applications for the workplace or industry, some involving highly complex issues.

Database managers have a similar profile to application/software developers: 87% say others depend on their work a great deal, but 58% say they have no time for quality work and 47% say they have no time to think things through.

Those responses are consistent with the demands of the job, the Emerson survey concludes, which include working under pressure while troubleshooting various issues on a daily basis, often under tight project deadlines.

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June 26, 2012

The two most feared attacks and how to avoid them

Large organizations with ample resources quake in their boots over two common security threats. Here's your best defense

These days when I'm consulting with big businesses, governments, and other organizations, two main topics come up over and over: pass-the-hash attacks and hacktivism. One government client put it thusly: "Our department considers pass-the-hash attacks our No. 1 threat, above all other computer threats." A lot of things are broken in the security world, so to pick out one and call it the greatest threat is saying something, especially since the customer has what most readers would consider nearly unlimited funds, a multitude of competing vendor partners, senior management support, and a horde of experts with whom to discuss the problem.

Defending against pass-the-hash atttacks
The reason pass-the-hash attacks are so feared is that once the password hashes have been obtained, the attackers can move around the compromised environment with ease. Hashes can be used to access any protected resource within the same forest. Worse, if a domain admin has logged on to a computer, a local attacker with Administrator credentials can harvest the domain admin authentication hashes right out of memory.

[ Prevent corporate data leaks with Roger Grimes' "Data Loss Prevention Deep Dive" PDF expert guide, only from InfoWorld. | Stay up to date on the latest security developments with InfoWorld's Security Central newsletter. ]

I think it is the latter attack, the ability for an attacker to elevate themselves to domain administrator -- just because a domain admin had logged on to a box -- that scares defenders the most. Essentially, the trustworthiness of your domain admin credentials are now an exponential factor of every computer they have ever been used on.

How to fix it? The best way is to not have any domain admins. Even if attackers compromise elevated accounts, their access is less than elevated domain admin. And if they add themselves to the domain admins group, an alert will be generated quickly because your monitoring software will know that should be an empty group. Here are other actions you can take:

Never log on to a normal end-user workstation as a domain administrator. Limit your domain administrator logons to domain controllers or special file servers. By never logging onto regular workstations, you significantly reduce risk.
If you have to log on using domain admin (or other elevated credentials), always do so from a trusted computer. These are known as "jump" boxes. These jump boxes can be unique per user, virtual machined, and flashed cleaned after every use. The idea is to always log on to boxes that you know are clean.
Do as many administration tasks and fixes as possible using remote console tools, which are less likely to leave password credentials in memory on the remote computers. Most pass-the-hash attacks take interactive log-ons (unfortunately Remote Desktop and Terminal Services are interactive log-ons), so the less of them you do, the better.
If you have to interactively log on to a computer, after you are through, reboot the computer (if possible). Rebooting removes the credential temporarily stored in memory.
Frequently update elevated account passwords. I have many clients who change passwords after every use, often with the help of third-party software. That way, if an attacker grabs the credentials out of memory, so what? They aren't any good anymore.

The No. 1 way to prevent pass-the-hash attacks is to keep the bad guy from getting domain admin or local admin in the first place. After doing your best to achieve that, see how far you can get using the other recommendations above.

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The looming hacktivist threat
Another growing fear involves hacktivism-style attacks. Most companies point to the malicious success of the Anonymous group. Each CIO I've spoken with is increasingly worried that determined adversaries will get access to data if they want it.

You might ask why they don't fear APT (advanced persistent threats) as much. They do, but most have already been through that pain and are living with the outcome and response. And unlike APT, which usually steals data silently, hackivists steal data or cause DoS attacks, and they publicize the fact to embarrass the entity and cause it to lose customers, trust, and money. In many circles, the publicity factor is worse than some city-state threat looking to steal intellectual property.

How do you defend against hackivist threats? Most attacks of this ilk begin with a compromised Internet-facing host or social engineering of credentials from a trusted employee. If you're worried about hackivists, start here.

First, conduct a penetration test on your outward-facing assets. Why let random attackers be the first to test your new Internet-facing application, server, database, or defense? Use your own testers and/or hire "red teams" to fill the role of the rogue hackivist.

Make sure all custom application code has undergone security development lifecycle creation and review. Make sure all your software is created from the ground up with security built in from the start and not as an afterthought.

Engage in strong antisocial engineering education for all end-users who are in a position to release credentials or protected information. Recently, I was asked to assess how well a large company's antisocial engineering education and policies were working to prevent hackers, calling in over the phone, from obtaining credential information or other employee-related data from administrative assistants.

At this company, the assistants are part of the first-tier support for such information, and they're all trained to ask for specific information and/or to check for confirmation with superiors before releasing such data. I was amazed with the results. Although the company has thousands of administrative assistants, often changing, each with varying levels of computer skills and malware awareness, the education program has been highly successful.

After hundreds of over-the-phone hacking attempts each year, as far as I know, only one hacker was successful in the course of the last decade in obtaining a password reset and none were in obtaining personally identifiable information. No one knows if every attempt (successful or not) was noted, but when going back and auditing accesses and password resets, we were able to verify that nearly 100 percent of them were legitimate and valid requests when reported as such, and vice versa.

I got to listen (or read transcripts) to many of the recorded phone calls of hackers trying to obtain protected information from administrative assistants. The calls went something like this: The hacker would always start by being as friendly as possible, while asking for access to confidential information or a password reset. When challenged to produce the verifying information, the hackers always became more hostile. The more the assistants resisted, the more the hackers challenged. Many times, by the end of the call, the hacker would explode in anger and threaten the assistant's job security. I wondered how well I would have handled such a call early in my career. It showed me that a well-run education program could work.

Of course, you can't rely on end-user education alone. I prefer systematic DLP (data loss prevention) solutions. DLP software monitors your content and traffic flows to prevent unauthorized access. False positives are still a problem, but recent improvements have helped.

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June 24, 2012

Microsoft, Google, IBM and Salesforce.com heat up PaaS

IBM, Microsoft, Google and Salesforce share their strategies regarding one of the hottest emerging areas of the cloud: Platform as a Service.

What do you get when you get four of the biggest cloud vendors in a room to talk about one of the hottest emerging trends in the industry? Not a whole lot of agreement for one thing.

At last week's Cloud Leadership Forum, which was sponsored by IDC Research and IDG Enterprise, officials from IBM, Google, Microsoft and Salesforce.com came together to discuss their platform as a service (PaaS) offerings. PaaS is a way to develop and deliver applications in the cloud, but it's the least mature of the three major cloud delivery models compared to infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). And pretty much one of the only things all four companies agree on is that PaaS is still in its early days.

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While PaaS is still a developing market, some experts predict that PaaS could become the most important cloud model. PaaS lets companies build customized applications and designed from the start to run in the cloud. In the near term companies that embrace PaaS have a market differentiator compared to competitors, says Steven Hendrick, an IDC analyst tracking the PaaS market. As the IaaS and SaaS offerings continue to gain widespread adoption, the real differentiators for companies will be applications they have tuned to the specifications of their business needs, he says.

PaaS has some technology advantages as well, he adds. A PaaS environment sits between the software and infrastructure layers, which gives applications designed in a PaaS space insight into the supply and demand of the cloud environment. "That uniquely positions them to understand the workload demands of the applications and the system resources of the infrastructure," Hendrick says.

There's a growing marketplace of vendors attempting to stake a foothold in the PaaS arena. In addition to some of the big-name players like Microsoft, Google and Salesforce, emerging players such as Engine Yard, CloudBees and AppFog are also in the market. VMware has an open-source PaaS offering named Cloud Foundry, while Red Hat has its own PaaS offering named OpenShift, which is expected to be brought out of developer preview later this year. Amazon Web Services, the dominant public cloud IaaS provider, Hendrick says, could even be classified as a PaaS offering because it offers tools for developers to build and deploy applications in the AWS cloud.

But the four big-name tech stalwarts are making sure they're not left out of the cloud conversation moving forward.

Microsoft

Microsoft may have one of the most recognizable PaaS products in the market with its Azure platform, but Tim O'Brien, general manager and platform evangelist at Microsoft, says cloud is still mostly seen today through the lens of IaaS. "The PaaS question we get today is, 'How is that different from IaaS?'" In a simplified form, IaaS is nothing more than virtualized machines or storage, he says, whereas PaaS is a development fabric. The idea is that developers deploy the software and the application automatically provisions virtual machines to its specifications. To allow for easier connections between the PaaS and IaaS layer, Microsoft recently extended an IaaS offering to Azure, which O'Brien says makes it the most comprehensive cloud offering on the market. "No other provider has that kind of breadth," he says. The other major differentiator is the company's 25-year experience working with enterprise IT, which he says newer tech companies just don't have the experience of. "There are no shortcuts to truly understanding what keeps CIOs up at night," he says.

June 23, 2012

ComponentOne Studio for WinForms controls

Even with all the advancements in technology, two important factors for enterprise desktop development still hold true today. There remains a need for better performance and an appealing user interface (UI). Today, you've got the opportunity to win a free license of ComponentOne Studio for WinForms controls (valued at $1,195.00) that will help you do just that. (Note: contest is complete and winner awarded)

I was excited when presented with the opportunity to test ComponentOne's collection of .NET Windows Form controls included in the Studio for WinForms suite. What’s great about ComponentOne is that they have been providing some of the most well-known grids for Windows Client apps, FlexGrid and TrueDBGrid, since 1991. With that longevity, you know that their controls will stand the test of time and evolve along with market trends.

The Studio offers over 65 .NET Windows Forms controls, in some instances extending what is “in the box” and in others providing controls you can’t get anywhere else. ComponentOne Studio for WinForms controls include code-free designers, built-in features, like the ability to replicate popular interfaces as seen in Microsoft Office, and awesome flexibility. The Studio comes with controls like Chart, Ribbon, FlexGrid, Scheduler, Reports, and True DBGrid.

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As you read on you’ll see this product earned high remarks and we decided to hold a drawing so that one of our readers would have a chance to win a Free License of ComponentOne Studio for WinForms. Be sure you are logged in as an eggheadcafe.com member and click the entry banner to be automatically entered in the drawing

As a developer, you invest in a third party control suite (or get your employer to do so) for several reasons:
• First, because it provides controls with functionality that you need in order to develop better applications in less time.
• Second, because it can be significantly less expensive to purchase the control suite than to devote the many hours of development time that would be necessary to provide the needed functionality.
• And third, because the professional look and feel of a control suite enhances the usability and performance of your applications. Having reviewed ComponentOne's Studio for WinForms controls, it's my opinion that the suite meets all three criteria

One really strong suit for ComponentOne's Studio for WinForms controls is it's all-in-one reporting solution, which has a rich object model for generating reports, several UI controls for previewing, and a report designer for creating and designing reports. Reports for WinForms is pretty much an all-in-one reporting solution. You can generate professional looking, well-behaved reports for your applications. You can even integrate your existing reporting solutions (SQL Server, Access, Crystal) into your applications.

I used the report designer to create a custom report based on some tables in the trusty Northwind database with no trouble at all. You can drag fields onto your report designer surface and easily design custom reports exactly to your liking. I generated a Grouped-by-Country Sales report from Northwind in a matter of seconds, from a stored procedure. These can then be either printed, or exported to other programs such as Excel, PDF, Html, RTF, Text, and XML Paper Specification:

Here's another custom report I did with a C1 Chart control added. You can see my Bromberg IPA and Ultra Bock are doing well:

The C1Chart control offers a wide range of features and makes it relatively easy to create really stunning color charts of just about any type. Here's one I did using the OpenHighLowClose bar chart style for a stock:

C1Report provides a rich object model for creating, customizing, loading, and saving report definitions. Whether you need to generate reports with barcodes, charts, etc., or render reports directly to a printer or preview control it is possible using C1Report. You can also modify existing SQL Server SSRS reports or even create new reports completely in code using the C1RdlReport component

People often ask about importing, and with ComponentOne’s control you can import Access report files (MDB) and Crystal report files (RPT) using the C1ReportDesigner application. The C1ReportDesigner uses a banded report model for a highly organized and familiar layout. You can create complex hierarchical documents with automatic word index, TOC generation, data binding, and more with C1PrintDocument.

Controls that come with the C1Report features include:

C1Report Component : The C1Report component generates Access-style database reports. C1Report exposes an object model for creating, customizing, loading, and saving report definitions. I experimented mostly with this component. I found it easy to use and easy to customize with a variety of added controls.

C1RdlReport Component : The C1RdlReport component provides support for SQL Server Reporting Services. C1RdlReport exposes the full RDL object model so you can modify existing reports or create new reports without external dependencies such as Microsoft Reporting Services. Import your existing SSRS report definitions (RDL) into C1RdlReport to programmatically generate your reports and integrate them with the full ComponentOne Reporting suite.

C1PrintDocument Component : The C1PrintDocument component provides an object model that allows you to create arbitrarily complex documents in code. The object model specifically targets paginated documents, providing a rich set of features to facilitate automatic and intelligent pagination of complex structured documents. Documents can be completely created in code, or bound to a database via a flexible data binding model.

C1MultiDocument Component : C1MultiDocument is designed to allow creating, persisting and exporting large documents that cannot be handled by a single document object due to memory limitations. Use C1MultiDocument to combine multiple C1PrintDocuments, C1Reports and C1RdlReports which will be rendered as a whole continuous document with shared page numbering, a common TOC, word index, page count and inter-document hyperlinks.

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June 17, 2012

Why Microsoft should make its own tablets (and phones and PCs)

It looks like Microsoft plans to build and sell its own tablets, competing with its own partners. Great idea!

Computerworld - The All Things D site reported this week that Microsoft on Monday intends to announce its entry into the tablet hardware business.

While Microsoft does make hardware -- mice, keyboards, Xbox, Kinect, Zune, Surface and other products -- it has not yet made desktop PCs, laptops or tablets, opting instead to embrace a partner strategy of third-party OEM manufacturing.

Pundits will no doubt say that Microsoft has a case of Apple envy and suggest that the company is finally embracing the highly successful "Apple model," in which the operating system maker also makes its own hardware.

In fact, Microsoft's announcement will be more in line with the "Google model."

The Google model is to have it both ways -- making hardware, but also licensing your OS to hardware partners who make products of their own. Google partners with OEMs for smartphone handset and tablet hardware. But it also acquired Motorola, which makes Android hardware.

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The Motorola acquisition isn't Google's first foray into hardware sales and direct competition with hardware vendors. Google launched its Nexus One smartphone handset in early 2010. Although that phone was technically manufactured by one of Google's partners, HTC, it was sold by Google and branded as a Google phone. As it turned out, Google didn't like the support part of the hardware business and decided to exit that line of work for a while, but it had let its partners know that it was willing to compete with them.

Traditionally, the assumption has been that you must either partner with hardware companies to manufacture systems for your operating system (the Microsoft model) or not allow other companies to make hardware for your platform (the Apple model).

A hybrid approach has been considered suicidal because competing with your partners puts you in a gray area where you have hardware competition and fragmentation, but you also have a smaller number of partners who are also less committed and more distrusting.

But times are changing.

Microsoft's application of the Microsoft model to mobile hasn't worked out. A big partnership with Nokia has been a flop. The software vendor has fared badly in the mobile market, far outpaced by Apple, which uses the Apple model, and Google, which uses the Google model.

When Google announced its bid to acquire Motorola -- effectively declaring its intention to compete with its hardware partners -- many pundits predicted disaster for the company. But the disaster never happened. Google is getting away with it. Android OEMs are continuing to churn out more innovative and exciting hardware, and they don't seem vexed by the prospect of competing with the company that makes the operating system they use.

Instead of the worst of both worlds, Google appears to be enjoying the best of both worlds, gaining the benefits of a hardware company (control and patents), while also gaining the benefits of an operating system company that partners with hardware OEMs (a thriving ecosystem, broad innovation and market choice).

Apparently, Microsoft wants the same thing. And why not? Microsoft has succeeded with a variation of the Google model in some areas. The company's mice and keyboards, for example, have sold well, even though third-party hardware makers have offered similar products for the larger Windows PC marketplace. Admittedly, it's a little different because we're talking about peripheral devices that don't run Microsoft operating systems directly. But still.

Microsoft has also succeeded with the Apple model. For example, one of Microsoft's most successful products is the Xbox gaming console. In that case, Microsoft sells the operating system and the hardware, and it even created and runs the associated Xbox Live online service. Like Apple, Microsoft goes it alone, not seeking partnerships with third-party manufacturers to make competing Xbox hardware systems.

And, of course, Microsoft succeeds with the Microsoft model. Microsoft Windows can't be described as anything but a major business success story. The model is to make the operating system software and rely entirely on partners for PC hardware.

But that's the past. The future looks less rosy for Microsoft Windows and the Microsoft model.
Why the Microsoft model won't work in the future

There are two reasons why Microsoft needs to move to the Google model for all of its product lines.

First, the world is becoming increasingly mobile. The so-called PC market is simultaneously becoming more mobile (more laptops, fewer desktops) and increasingly obsolete. Apple's post-PC world is clearly the future of all computing. That's why Windows 8 is so heavily optimized for tablets and touch.

The Microsoft model worked great for the old-and-busted desktop PC world, but it doesn't work so well for the new-hotness mobile and touch-tablet world. With computing "appliances," seamless integration is the highest virtue.

The world has changed, and the model that works is also changing.

Second, Microsoft can't rely on its OEM partners anymore. If you go to, say, BestBuy, to shop for a low-cost laptop, as I did recently, it's clear that Microsoft Windows systems on the low end (sub $1,000) are garbage.

These devices are bloated with crapware (cheap software loaded on the systems by OEMs as part of negotiated deals that offset price discounts), covered with ugly, sloppily applied stickers, and made from flimsy, cheap-feeling materials like plastic or wobbly metal. They look like junk.

The Apple table at BestBuy is 10 feet away, and for $1,000 you can buy a MacBook Air with zero crapware, no stickers and the highest quality materials (unibody aluminum). Their screens look far better, and their performance is shockingly superior. They're displayed in an appealing and uniform way, with Internet running and everything ready to go and available to try (I spent 20 minutes trying to escape from a Dell system's "demo mode" so I could try the machine out myself. I eventually gave up.)

Nobody washes a rented car. Likewise, discount PC OEMs don't treat Windows machines with love and respect, as Apple does with Apple machines.

Higher-end Windows PCs offer a better experience than the low end models, but the cheap systems are destroying the Microsoft brand in the minds of consumers.

That's why Microsoft has launched its own retail stores. Microsoft is willing to invest in retail stores as a way to gain some control over its brand image. But that's not enough.

Microsoft needs to create its own premium, high-quality desktops, laptops, tablets and phones for the same reason that automakers like to have high-end car models in their lineups. The upscale models create a "halo effect" for the brand -- an aura that extends to even the cheapest vehicles.

It's a new world. Rather than viewing Microsoft as a competitor, Microsoft's OEM partners should and, I believe, will welcome Microsoft's participation in the hardware end of the business, because the company can create a halo effect that extends to the entire platform and benefits everyone. Nobody in the Windows world would benefit from an Apple takeover of the market.

There is absolutely no way Windows can compete as a tablet operating system against Apple's iOS -- unless Microsoft takes direct control by making its own integrated tablets, as Apple does with the iPad. And even then, it's a long shot.

In general, though, Microsoft appears to be waking up to the new reality. That reality is that nobody except Apple can succeed with the Apple model. And the Microsoft model is yesterday's news.

That leaves the Google model as Microsoft's one hope for success in the post-PC world.

June 14, 2012

70-664 Q&A / Study Guide / Testing Engine / Videos

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QUESTION 1
You work as a Network Administrator at Certkingdom.com. You have been asked to deploy Lync Server
2010 as a VOIP telephony and video conferencing solution for the company.
Company management is concerned about the possible network load imposed by the VoIP and
video conferencing features of Lync Server 2010.
To manage the network bandwidth used by the system, you configure Call Admission Control.
How can you enable the Call Admission Control feature?

A. By running the Set-CsNetworkInterSitePolicy cmdlet.
B. By running the Set-CsNetworkConfiguration cmdlet.
C. By running the Set-CsCpsConfiguration cmdlet.
D. By running the Set-CsVoiceConfiguration cmdlet.

Answer: B

Explanation:


QUESTION 2
You work as a Network Administrator at Certkingdom.com. The company’s communication system is
provided by a Lync Server 2010 infrastructure.
You have configured a bandwidth policy to limit the network bandwidth used by real-time audio
and video sessions.
You want to override the policy for the Managing Director of the company.
What type of policy should you create first to enable you to override the bandwidth policy for the
Managing Director?

A. You should first create a Conferencing Policy.
B. You should first create a Client Version Policy.
C. You should first create a Voice Policy.
D. You should first create an External Access Policy.

Answer: C

Explanation:


QUESTION 3
You work as a Network Administrator at Certkingdom.com. You are configuring a new Lync Server 2010 infrastructure.
You want the company phone number to be displayed in the format +11112222333 when users on
the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) receive calls from users using the Lync Server
system.
Which cmdlet should you run?

A. You should run the Set-CsVoiceConfiguration cmdlet.
B. You should run the Set-CsNetworkInterSitePolicy cmdlet.
C. You should run the Set-CsVoicePolicy cmdlet.
D. You should run the Set-CsLocationPolicy cmdlet.

Answer: C

Explanation:


QUESTION 4
Your work as a Network Administrator at Certkingdom.com includes the management of the Lync Server
2010 infrastructure.
The Lync Server 2010 infrastructure includes a Mediation Server pool that includes three servers
named Certkingdom-Med1, Certkingdom-Med2 and Certkingdom-Med3.
You need to take Certkingdom-Med3 offline for maintenance.
Which two of the following steps should you perform to allow you to take Certkingdom-Med3 offline without
disconnecting any current calls in progress?

A. Navigate to the Lync Server 2010 Topology Builder.
B. Navigate to the Lync Server 2010 Control Panel.
C. Modify the properties of the Mediation Pool.
D. Modify the properties of Certkingdom-Med3.
E. Create a new Mediation Pool.

Answer: B,D

Explanation:


QUESTION 5
You work as a Network Administrator at Certkingdom.com. You are in the process of deploying a Lync
Server 2010 infrastructure for the company.
You have configured dial-in conferencing and verified that it is functioning properly.
You now want to notify users about the availability of the feature. The notification should include
introductory instructions such as the initial PIN and the link to the Dial-in Conferencing Settings
webpage.
What is the easiest way to send the notification with the required information to the users?

A. Open the Lync Management Shell and run the New-CsAnnouncement cmdlet.
B. Open the Lync Management Shell and run the Set-CsPinSendCAWelcomeMail cmdlet.
C. Open the Lync Management Shell and run the New-CsConferenceDirectory cmdlet.
D. Open the Lync Management Shell and run the New-CsConferencingConfiguration cmdlet.

Answer: B

Explanation:


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June 12, 2012

CompTIA A+ Exam Prep: Tools of the Trade


While every computer technician has his or her own methods and tools for working on computers systems, section 1.4 of theCompTIA A+ Exam (220-702) requires you to know the names and functions of certain tools that are most commonly used in computer repair and maintenance.
You may or may not use all of these tools in your particular methods, but it is important to know what they are and how to use them — and not just for the exam — you never know when you’ll come across an obscure problem that may require a certain tool to troubleshoot with.
So the more useful tools at your disposal, the more efficient and resourceful of a technician you can become.
Today we’ll take a look at multi-meters, power supply testers, cable testers, loopback plugs, extension magnets, anti-static mats and wrist straps.

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Multi-Meters

A multi-meter is an electronic ohm/voltage measuring tool most commonly used in testing computer power supplies.
Is the motherboard not powering on? You may want to use a multi-meter to test the power connector going to the motherboard. Are USB devices not powering up? Use a multi-meter to ensure that you’re getting a full 5v from each USB port.
Multi-meters come with either digital or analog displays. Be sure to get a multi-meter that can measure within the proper range, as some multi-meters are made specifically to handle much higher voltages (for example, to test power in houses or businesses) and won’t be as accurate as those made for lower voltages.

Power Supply Testers

Power supply testers are very similar to multi-meters, except instead of giving you an ohm/voltage reading from a positive and negative pin, it gives you a green or red LED or a specific message on a small screen, such as an error code. While this takes some of the guesswork out of figuring out voltages, it also gives much less of a detailed reading.
Rather than using positive and negative pins, power supply testers allow you to actually plug in PSU connections. This makes testing power supplies much faster, and easier than having to find the correct pins.

Cable Testers

Cable testers do just what the name suggests. The most common type of cable testers found in a technician’s toolkit is an Ethernet cable tester. These come particularly handy when making custom sized Ethernet cables. We all know how easily a twisted pair can become… twisted.
It is generally good practice, and can save some troubleshooting time in the future, to run newly crimped Ethernet cables through a cable tester before putting them to use. They are also great for testing cables in the field.
Damage to Ethernet cables is especially hard to spot, since they are housed in a protective sleeve. Without visible external markings, you can rarely tell if a cable has been pinched or otherwise damaged. Using a cable tester to find these faults can save you hours of troubleshooting time.

Loopback Plugs

Loopback plugs are small devices used to perform loopback tests. To put it simply, you can plug in a device that is meant to transmit and receive data on a network, and the loopback test will verify that the device can both send and receive data well enough to work on said network.
It does this by sending a signal (or packet) addressed back to the same device. The test will let you know if the packet was sent, and if it was also received. This can be extremely useful for testing and troubleshooting malfunctioning network hardware.

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Anti-Static Mats and Wrist Straps

Anti-static mats and wrist straps are used to ground yourself (usually to the computers case) so that static does not damage PC components while working inside of a computer system.
Many technicians that I know personally seem to argue the importance of using anti-static mats and wrist straps. Some technicians swear by them, others only use them to make their clients feel more comfortable and safe while the work is being done, and others never use them at all.
One thing is certain: static can harm electronics, including the many components within your computer system.
While I do own both anti-static mats and wrist straps, I too have been guilty of skipping this step on my personal machines. I have yet to damage a component, usually because I stay grounded by touching the computer’s case, but I do recognize that not using a form of anti-static grounding device can be dangerous to your (or your client’s) hardware.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide if you’ll use the mat (which is great for setting down loose components), the wrist strap (which is helpful so you can use both hands instead of using one to ground yourself to the case), or a different grounding method altogether.
I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that static does hurt electronics, and unless you practice some sort of grounding method, you run the risk of damaging a component or motherboard.

Extension Magnet

Originally, I had written about using low-powered extension magnets inside of computer system. IT Professional Dave Levinter brought up a concern that made me decide to rewrite this section.
While low-powered extension magnets are acceptable in most cases, and many computer technicians use extension magnets or magnetized screwdrivers inside computer systems, saying that they’re safe isn’t exactly a safe statement in of itself. Magnets vary in power and some parts of computer systems, like the hard drive, can become damaged by stronger magnets. Anything more powerful than a standard magnetized screwdriver should only be used outside of a computer system. In fact, the CompTIA A+ Exam recommends using a pair of plastic tweezers instead, whenever possible.
More powerful magnets are still quite useful for IT Professionals, but for other uses. Finding dropped screws for example, or reaching screws or even tools dropped behind desks and furniture.

How To Become A CCNA


The majority of people who are “thinking” about going after their CCNA, sadly, will never follow through. They might look through a book at the bookstore or visit a certification-based website on occasion, but that’s it. They have no plan for success, and therefore the success will not happen.

Those who do pursue the CCNA the right way, with the right plan, are creating the foundation for unlimited success in the IT field.

How do I know that? I’m living proof. I picked up my first Cisco book years ago. I had been doing some basic network installations and helpdesk work, but I didn’t really know a subnet from a hole in the ground. (And the explanations of subnetting that were around then didn’t exactly help.) I earned my CCNA, worked my way through the CCNP, and later made the decision to tackle the world’s most difficult IT certification, the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification.

On February 26, 2004, in Raleigh, North Carolina, I passed the CCIE R&S Lab. Since then, I’ve started a highly successful Cisco training company, The Bryant Advantage, and a successful consulting business as well.

I’m telling you this not to impress you, but to show you what is possible. Not easy, but possible. One reason I do so well with my books and classes is that I remember what it’s like to get started with your Cisco studies. I’m not one of these people who acts like they were born with all this knowledge. I know what it’s like to look at a chapter in a CCNA book and wonder if you can learn all this stuff and pass the exams.

I did it, and you can do it, too.

Just as important as you earning a passing grade on the CCNA exam is the fact that the work you do in studying for the CCNA is the most important study you’ll ever do.


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There's a good reason I use a pyramid in my company's logo. When viewing an ancient Egyptian pyramid, where do we tend to look? At the peak. That’s natural. But what is the most important part of the pyramid? The foundation.

Pyramids built thousands of years ago are still standing not because they have a great peak, but because they have a great foundation.

It’s this foundation of Cisco knowledge that you are building when you study for the CCNA. Perhaps you don’t want to go after the CCIE now, but the day may come that you do go after it. It’s also my experience that 90 – 95% of CCNAs pursue the CCNP. The CCNAs who have a solid foundation of networking knowledge are the ones who get it.

The CCNP exam that trips up most candidates is the troubleshooting exam. Look at it this way: How can you troubleshooting anything if you don’t know the basics of how it works?

You can’t. So keep in mind that while you’re going after the CCNA, you’re building your professional future.

To build this future, you need a plan. That’s what this article is all about. By following the steps I outline here, you will greatly maximize your chances not only of passing the CCNA, but excelling on exam day, on the job, and in your future certification endeavors.

Starting On Your CCNA Success Path

First, you need to decide to succeed.

Too many Cisco certification candidates take a hesitant, “maybe I’ll fail” approach to their study. You must eliminate this attitude and replace it with a “I have passed” approach. Act as though you have already passed, and your passing score on exam day is a foregone conclusion. When you show up on exam day, you're already a CCNA; you're just there to make it official.

I spend 15 – 45 minutes a day writing down my goals for the day, the month, and the year. I have found that writing down my goals cements them in my mind, and your mind is the world’s most powerful computer. By reminding yourself on a daily basis that you are going to pass the exam, you actually program your mind for success.
If you’re not writing your goals down on a daily basis, you’re missing a great method of accelerating your life and your career. It takes 15 minutes a day, and it’s the best investment you’ll ever make.

Decide On The Two-Exam Path Or The One-Exam Path

It’s early in the process, but you’ve got an important decision to make. Do you want to take the single CCNA composite exam, or take the two-exam path?

The two-exam path consists of the Introduction To Cisco Networking exam and the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices exam. You can also take the single CCNA exam.

I tell my students that the path they choose should reflect their level of experience. There is a good amount of overlap between the Intro and ICND material; the real difference between the two exams is the depth to which you’ll be questioned on various topics.

The Intro exam material includes some Ethernet and TCP/IP basics, and cabling information. If you’re familiar with how Ethernet works, and you know your Ethernet cabling types and differences between them, you probably want to go straight for the CCNA composite exam. If you’re a newcomer to the field, or not familiar with TCP/IP and cable types, I recommend you take the Intro exam and then the ICND exam.

Developing Your Study Plan
Now that you’ve made your decision as to the two-exam vs. one-exam approach, you’re ready for the most important part of the entire CCNA process: Developing your study plan.

That’s right, this is the most important part of your CCNA chase. Without this study plan, your study will be unstructured, random, and most likely unsuccessful.

There are several steps involved in developing a successful study plan. Let’s examine them one at a time:

First, schedule your exam NOW.

I know what you're think. "Okay, Chris has lost his mind. Why should I schedule my exam now? I haven’t started studying yet!"

From experience, I can tell you that this technique works. People complain about timetables and deadlines, but the truth is that people do their best work with a deadline.

I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this:

“I’ll schedule my exam when I’m ready.”

You know when “ready” is? For many people, NEVER. I know someone who’s been preparing for their CCNA for years – literally! He’s going to schedule that exam when he’s ready. He’s been getting ready for years!

By scheduling your exam now, you give yourself a mental deadline. You’ll be surprised at how focused your mind becomes when you know the date of your exam before you start. I have used this technique for my CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE exams. It will work for you!


Both sites have test center locators, so no matter where you are in the world, you can find the testing center nearest you.

We all have times of the day that we’re mentally sharper than others. I personally am a “morning person”, so I always schedule my exams for first thing in the morning. If you’re stronger in the afternoon, schedule an afternoon exam.


Next: Schedule Your Study Time, And Track It.

Ever hear someone describe their study time like this?

“I don’t know why I haven’t passed the CCNA exam. I’ve been studying for four months!”

Do not make the mistake of measuring your study time in weeks and months.

What does it mean when someone says they’ve been studying for “months”, anyway? I hear that all the time, and it doesn’t mean anything. It’s a totally inaccurate way of measuring how much studying you’ve done, and it’s also a good way of fooling yourself as to how much work you’ve actually put in.

Consider this example: Sam studies 90 minutes a day, six days a week. His study time is uninterrupted and quiet. Sam does this for eight weeks.

Bill studies 45 minutes a day, six days a week. His study consists of opening his book in front of the TV, and taking phone calls while he thumbs through the pages. Bill does this for twelve weeks.

Over eight weeks, Sam will put in 72 hours of solid study.

Over twelve weeks, Bill will put in 54 hours of subpar study.

Yet Bill will say, “I’ve studied for three months!”

Instead of doing what Bill did, do what Sam did. Make a commitment to study “x” minutes a day, stick to it, make sure your study is uninterrupted, and track your study time. You’re much better off to get six hours of quality study time a week than to get 10 hours of constantly interrupted time.

You can track your time using Excel, or even Notepad. Every day, write down how much time you spent studying and the topic(s) you studied. You have to write this down. Not only will you have an accurate picture of how much study you’re actually putting in, you’ll be able to make sure that you’ve spent adequate time on every exam topic.

Would you make an appointment with a client, or another professional like a doctor, and then just not show up? Of course not. That would be incredibly unprofessional. 


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Consider your study time an appointment with yourself. Just as you would not be late or skip an appointment with someone else, do not skip this appointment with yourself.

Next: Keep Your Goals Away From The Trolls

If you let your friends and coworkers know you’re pursuing certification, hopefully they will be supportive. Sadly, though, some of them won’t be.

I’m reminded of a person I worked with years ago who walked by my cube one day and saw a Cisco certification book on my desk. She then spent ten minutes telling me why certifications stink, anybody can get them, there’s a nine-year-old in Missouri that has an MCSE, blah, blah, blah….

What was really interesting is that while she would tell anyone who would listen that anyone could get a certification, she herself did not have one. There were two reasons that she spent so much time badmouthing my certification pursuits.

First, she was threatened by my ambition. Second, she wasn’t doing anything with her career and her time, and therefore she didn’t want anyone else doing anything, either.

I’m telling you this because these people are everywhere. I don’t care what Internet forum you go to, or what certification you’re going after, when you declare your intentions, there will be some people who feel it’s their duty to tell you that you’re wasting your time.

Keep your goals away from these trolls. Do not spend time with these people, whether it’s in person or on the ‘Net. You’re not going to change their mind, and you must NOT let them change yours. Professional computer certifications, particularly Cisco certifications, are definitely worth pursuing. Again, I’m living proof. I now own my own training company, write my own Cisco certification books, and own a successful consulting business. If I had listened to that troll, I wouldn’t have accomplished any of this.

Carrying Out Your Study Plan

You’ve scheduled your exam; you’ve created a document to track your study time; you’ve planned exactly when you’re going to study. Now the plan must be carried out, without exception.

What exceptions do I mean? Cell phones. Televisions. IPods. Significant others. The list can go on and on.

It’s one thing to have a plan, and an important thing; now you’ve got to make sure you carry it out to its fullest potential. That’s easy to say until you’re studying and a friend calls, or you remember that TV show you wanted to watch is on tonight, or you start surfing the Web for Cisco information and end up playing a game.

You MUST make these small sacrifices in order to achieve your main goal, the CCNA. To paraphrase the Marine Corps slogan, the pain of missing a TV show is VERY temporary, but the pride of passing your CCNA with flying colors is forever.

TV will be there when you’re done studying. Your significant other will be there when you’re done studying. And believe it or not, people once existed without cell phones. Turn the phone off. Turn your instant messenger service off. Turn your text pager off. Despite what we think, the world can do without communicating with us for 90 minutes. It’s better to have 90 minutes of great study than 180 minutes of constantly interrupted study.

How To Spend Your Study Time

CCNA candidates generally spend their time split between book study, practice exams, and lab time on real Cisco equipment. The best study is done by a combination of these, not by overly relying on one. Let’s take a look at each method.

Book study – I’ve never understood why some people (usually the trolls we were talking about earlier) talk about book study like it’s a bad thing. “You can’t learn about technology from books.” What a load of manure. You have to learn the theory before you can understand how a router or switch operates. The best way to learn the theory is to read a good book.

At the CCNA level, you doubtless know that you have dozens of choices when it comes to books. Some books really do gloss over some important topics, such as binary math and subnetting. Make sure to pick a book or books that go beyond just explaining the theory and that give you a lot of explanation of router configs and real-world examples as well.

Practice Exams: Practice exams are good in moderation, but don’t use them as your main focus of study. Occasionally, I’m asked for study tips by candidates who have taken the exam a few times and not passed yet. I ask them what they’re doing to prepare, and they give a list of companies they bought practice exams from. (You see a lot of this on Internet forums as well.)

Don’t fall into this trap. Practice exams are fine if used as a readiness check, but some candidates just take them over and over again, which renders them basically useless.

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On top of that, some of them cost hundreds of dollars. That’s money you’d be much better off spending on Cisco equipment to practice on.

Again, I’m not against practice exams as a supplement to your studies. Just don’t make them the main focus of your study. Taking practice exams over and over and hoping the exam will be just like the practice exam is a recipe for disaster. As I tell my students, when you’re in front of a rack of routers and switches during a job interview (or at 2 AM when you’ve been called in to fix a problem), the correct answer is not “D”. You’ve got to know what to do.

And how do you learn these skills? Funny you should ask.

Lab Time On Real Cisco Equipment. Again, speaking from experience: This is the most important part of getting your CCNA, succeeding on the job, and going on to get your CCNP.

Getting hands-on experience is critical to developing your networking skills, especially your troubleshooting skills. Although simulators are better than they used to be, they’re still not Cisco routers, and they never will be.

You do your best learning not only when you’re configuring your routers, but when you screw something up.

That’s so important, I want to repeat it – loudly:

You do your best learning when you screw something up.

Why? Because then you have to fix it; that’s how you develop your troubleshooting skills. You can read about all the debug and show commands in the world, but you don’t really understand how they work until you’re figuring out why your Frame Relay connection isn’t working, or your RIP configuration isn’t working.

This is true at every level of the Cisco Learning Pyramid. I can show you the show ip protocols output or what you get when you run debug ip rip, and you might remember it for a little while. But when you use it to troubleshoot a lab configuration, you WILL remember it.

Putting your own practice lab together will also help get you over what I call “simulator question anxiety”. If you spend any time on CCNA Internet forums, you’ll see discussion after discussion about these exam questions.

There’s no reason to be anxious about them if you’re prepared. You don’t want to be the person who walks into the testing room that’s scared to have to create a VLAN or an access list; you want to be the person who walks into the testing room confident of their ability to perform any CCNA task. The best way to be that confident is to know you’ve done it – on real Cisco equipment.

There are several vendors that sell routers and switches on ebay; most of them sell CCNA and CCNP kits that include all the cables and transceivers that you’ll need as well. (And how is a simulator going to help you learn about cables and transceivers?) Keep in mind that you can always sell the equipment after you’re done with the CCNA, or you can add a little equipment to it to go after your CCNP.

Whichever of these methods you use (and I hope you’ll use all of them), make sure to keep them in balance with each other. Don’t depend too much on just one.


On the topic of learning how to troubleshoot… as you run labs on your Cisco equipment, you’ll run into questions or problems that you don’t know the answer to yet. Get used to using Google (or your favorite search engine) to find the answer to these problems.

There’s nothing wrong with asking questions of someone else if you’re not able to find the answer yourself. Trying to find the answer yourself is another important troubleshooting skill you need to start developing today. Don’t be one of these people who posts a simple question on a forum without trying to find the answer yourself. Besides, you get more satisfaction and build more confidence when you determine the answer yourself.

The Big Day Approaches….

As exam day nears, you know you are on your way to success because you have already completed these steps:
1. You decided to succeed.
2. You decided on your exam path.
3. You scheduled your exam.
4. You created your study plan.
5. You tracked your UNINTERRUPTED study time.
6. You kept your goals away from negative influences.
7. You balanced your study between books, practice exams, and lab time.

At this point, some CCNA candidates are panicking. They start “cramming”, hoping they can jam all that information into their heads in the last minute. This is a study technique that needs to be left behind when you leave high school. Cramming for exams is for junior high. You’re a professional, in a professional field. You do not cram, because you don’t have to. You made a plan and stuck to it. Now as we approach exam day, use these techniques to maximize your effort.

First, get lots of rest. LOTS of rest. A well-rested candidate is a successful candidate.

Second, if you are not familiar with the location of the testing center, drive to it several days before the exam. The last thing you want to do is drive around like a mad person the day of your exam, trying to find the testing center. (Or, as happened to a friend of mine that the testing center had moved to the other side of town!) If you have a morning appointment, make sure you allow for rush hour traffic patterns. There’s one testing center in my city that takes 15 minutes for me to get to, except for one hour in the morning – if I go then, it takes 40 minutes. Allow for rush hour ! Do NOT rely on MapQuest or any other “driving directions” website the morning of the exam. They’ve been known to be wrong. (Trust me on this.)

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Call the center and ask for directions. Many testing centers have directions to the center on their website, but it’s always best to call.

Mentally rehearse your success. See yourself passing the exam, because that is exactly what you are going to do. Finally, take a practice exam the same way you’ll take the real exam. Time yourself, use a pen and paper, and use only 40 – 50 questions. (By the way – there is no scientific calculator available to Cisco certification candidates in the exam room. You have to know how to perform conversions involving hexadecimal, decimal, and binary numbers. Get as much practice on this as you can.)

The Day Of The Exam

Today, all the planning and work you’ve done for your CCNA exam pays off. You wake up confident and ready to go, because you’ve followed these steps and you know passing the exam is a foregone conclusion. There are still things you can do to maximize your chances of success!
Show up on time. Yes, I know everyone says that. The testing center wants you there 30 minutes early. So why do so many candidates show up late, or in a rush? Again, if you have a morning exam appointment, make sure to allow for rush hour traffic.

Use the headphones. Most candidates in the room with you understand that they should be quiet. Sadly, not all of them do. Smacking gum, mumbling to themselves (loud enough for you to hear, though), and other little noises can really get on your nerves in what is already a pressure situation. In one particular testing center I use, the door to the testing room has one setting: "Slam". Luckily, that center also has a headset hanging at every testing station. Call ahead to see if yours does. Some centers have them but do not leave them at the stations. Wearing headphones during the exam is a great way to increase your powers of concentration. They allow you to block out all noise and annoyances, and to concentrate on your job -- passing the exam.

Prepare for the "WHAT??" question. No matter how well-prepared you are, there may be one question on any Cisco exam that just stuns you. It might be off-topic, in your opinion; it may be a question that would take 10 of your remaining 15 minutes to answer; it might be a question that you don't even know how to begin answering. I have talked with Cisco exam candidates who got to such a question and were obviously so thrown off that they didn't do well on any of the remaining questions, either.There is only one thing to do in this situation: shurg it off.

Compare yourself to a major-league pitcher. If he gives up a home run, he can't dwell on it; he's got to face another batter. Cornerbacks in football face the same problem. If they give up a long TD pass, they can't dwell on that. They have to shrug it off and be ready for the next play.Don't worry about getting a perfect score on the exam. Your concern is passing. If you get a question that seems ridiculous, unsolvable, or out of place, forget about it. It's done. Move on to the next question and nail it.

Finish with a flourish. Ten questions from the end of your exam, take a 15-to-30 second break. You can't walk around the testing room, but you can stand and stretch. By this point in the exam, candidates tend to be a little mentally tired. Maybe you're still thinking about the "WHAT??" question. Don't worry about the questions you've already answered -- they're done. Take a deep breath, remember why you're there -- to pass this exam -- and sit back down and nail the last ten questions to the wall. There is one final piece of advice I’d like to give you for exam day: BE AGGRESSIVE.

You’re in that testing room for one reason: to PASS. Occasionally I hear someone say that they’re taking an exam “just to see what it’s like”. That’s not a winning attitude. You’re not there to see what it’s like; you’re there to pass so you don’t have to see it again. Would you work on a router or switch with the attitude of “let’s just see what happens”? Not on my network. And not on anybody else’s, hopefully.

Go in the testing room with an aggressive attitude. You’ve planned; you’ve studied; you’ve sacrificed. You’re ready to seize your destiny and pass the exam. We play the game to win the game. We take the exam to pass the exam. And from someone who’s been there – there is no feeling in the world like seeing “PASS” on that computer screen!

Some Final Exam Tidbits

For many of you, this may be your first Cisco certification exam. Here are a few tips that all candidates should find helpful, especially first-timers.

Make sure to bring your wallet or purse. You cannot take the exam without proper identification. You're required to have two picture IDs.

Make sure the marker you are given had a fine point and is not dry.

When you go in, you’ll be asked to enter your testing ID. Once you do that, the exam engine starts running. However, this doesn’t mean the test starts.

When you take a Cisco exam, you’ll first be presented with a survey. The survey consists of 10 – 20 questions asking about your background, preparation methods, and comfort level with different technologies. This is a good time to catch your breath before starting the exam. The survey will only take about five minutes, and this time does not count against your exam time. Finally, the exam starts! Since you have prepared correctly and efficiently, this will be a pleasant experience for you. Speaking of that grade, you’ll be presented with it about five seconds after you answer the final question.

Cisco exams no longer allow CCNA and CCNP candidates to go back once a question is answered, so be prepared for that.

I hope you've enjoyed this look at how best to prepare for your CCNA success. The Cisco certification program has made tremendous professional success possible not only for me, but for CCNAs around the world.. That success is waiting for you. By following the plan I’ve laid out for you here, you can begin creating the foundation for an incredible future.

June 11, 2012

What is the recertification policy for the MCITP certification?

What is the recertification policy for the MCITP certification?

Where as the old Microsoft exams would expire if you did not sit a “refresh” exam within three years, the MCITP does not expire on the same policy. The new MCITP credential only expires when Microsoft ends their mainstream support of that particular technology. For instance, if you get certified as a MCITP:Server Administrator in Windows Server 2008, your certification will remain valid until Microsoft stops mainstream support for Server 2008, which is planned for 2013. In saying that, just because the MCITP credential expires, it does not mean it is worthless, it still reflects your level of knowledge with that technology, which most likely has a large over-lap with the new technology.

MCITP Certification
The MCITP Certification is Microsoft’s new industry standard of IT qualification. This new IT certification makes it easier for IT professionals to gain internationally recognised certifications that display their technical knowledge and skills. The MCITP Certification has a more targeted syllabus framework which makes getting certified a much simpler process versus the old MCP system.

MCTS Training, MCITP Trainnig

Best Microsoft MCTS Certification, Microsoft MCITP Training at certkingdom.com


Each MCITP Certification specialization is made up of a number of targeted MCTS exams and a final MCITP exam which brings all your knowledge and skills together resulting in a professional level certification. For instance, to get certified as a MCITP Server Administrator, you must pass two MCTS Exams – 70-640 and 70-642 and also pass one MCITP Exam – 70-646.

How to gain a MCITP Certification

Candidates after a MCITP Certification will generally already have a few years experience with Microsoft Server operating systems. They will then build on their knowledge and skills by enrolling in a training course or if going down the self-study route, buy a few study guides and books. Time to study for a MCITP Certification will vary in length depending on which specialization you are aiming for and how much time you have on your hands.

When the candidate feels adequately ready, they will sit each exam at a MCITP Testing Centre. Exams can be taken in any order, but generally you attain passes in all MCTS Exams then sit the final MCITP Exam. You will receive a MCITP Certificate in the mail after each certification you gain.

MCITP Certification Lifecycle Policy
The new generation of MCITP certifications have a new lifecycle compared to the old certifications.

MCTS Certifications will stay valid until Microsoft discontinues mainstream support for the related technology
MCITP Certification will require renewing every three years or the certification will lapse.

If you are eager to get certified, first look at purchasing some MCITP books or enrolling in one of many MCITP Training courses. To find out more about each specialization follow the links below.

Windows Client

MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7
MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator on Windows 7
MCITP: Consumer Support Technician on Windows Vista
MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician on Windows Vista

Windows Server
MCITP: Enterprise Administrator on Windows Server 2008
MCITP: Server Administrator on Windows Server 2008
MCITP: Virtualization Administrator on Windows Server 2008 R2

Microsoft SQL Server
MCITP: Database Administrator 2008
MCITP: Database Developer 2008
MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer 2008

Microsoft Office Project Server
MCITP: Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007

Microsoft Exchange Server
MCITP: Enterprise Messaging Administrator on Exchange 2010
MCITP: Enterprise Messaging Administrator on Exchange 2007

Microsoft SharePoint Server

MCITP: SharePoint Administrator 2010

Microsoft Lync Server

MCITP: Lync Server Administrator 2010

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