Blog :: What is DoD Directive 8570, and Why Should I Care?
If you are either (a) a current information systems security professional; or (b) aspire to be such, then you need to know about Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 8570.
View ArticleBlog :: More on the DoD Directive 8570 Program
In my last post I educated you as to what the Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 8570 is and why you as an IT professional might care. Today I would like to provide you with a little bit more...
View ArticleBlog :: On the EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Certification
You might notice that the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants' (EC-Council's) Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification is conspicuously absent from the list of approved...
View ArticleBlog :: How the PMP Certification Works
Today I would like to describe the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification program for you with a minimum of muss, fuss, or greasy aftertaste.
View ArticleBlog :: PMP Exam Prep: Core Documents
So...you have resolved to study for the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam. Where should you begin your preparation?
View ArticleBlog :: PMP Exam Prep: Multimedia Training and Practice Exams
Hi. Have you ever heard of the expressing "eating one's own dog food?" No? Well, step right in and let me tell you all about it.
View ArticleBlog :: The PMI-RMP Certification
Let's talk about the brand-spanking new PMI-RMP certification, shall we?
View ArticleBlog :: High-Level View of Adobe Professional Certifications
This is the inaugural post of a series that puts the Adobe Certification program in the middle of my crosshairs. For a variety of reasons, all of which you will become familiar with in time, I have had...
View ArticleBlog :: Steps to Becoming an Adobe Certified Expert
Let us leave to the side for the moment some of the needless complexity and conflicting information in Adobe certifications (covered in my last piece in this series). Today we shall focus on how to...
View ArticleBlog :: Introducing...Cert Prep Online!
Imagine an IT certification preparation tool that you could run from a standard Web browser from anywhere in the world, provided that you had an open Internet connection.
View ArticleBlog :: Cert Prep Online Screencasts On the Way...
Hi everyone. If you have not been periodically checking out the Video Tutorials section of the InformIT Certification Reference Guide (and why wouldn't you be doing that? *hint hint nudge nudge*), then...
View ArticleBlog :: Pluses and Minus of Cert Prep Online
Hey—what's up? Today I want to review some of the pluses, and the one minus, that I see with our new Cert Prep Online test-prep product.
View ArticleBlog :: Does Your Department Require IT Certification?
Earning IT certifications to gain entry into the information technology industry is all well and good, as is certifying to gain a better position in the future. However, have you ever worked a job...
View ArticleBlog :: IT Certification On the Job: An Analogy
We all know people who hold deep prejudices against IT certifications. In many cases these negative attitudes are rooted in past experiences with so-called "paper tigers"; in other words, individuals...
View ArticleBlog :: Making Time For Certification Study
The scenario: you are unhappy with your current professional position. You have resolved to attain one or more IT certifications in order to gain a stronger foothold in the job market. However, your...
View ArticleBlog :: Certification Options for Linux Administrators
What's up? Let's discuss certification options for Linux administrators, shall we? For those who aren't sure what Linux is, Wikipedia defines Linux (pronounced phonetically as LIH-nuhks) as "is a...
View ArticleBlog :: Zend PHP Certification
My friend Marcus Whitney, who is quite a maverick (ouch--did I just use that word?) in the PHP space, turned me on to Zend certification a number of years ago.
View ArticleBlog :: Ruby Certifications
If you are a software developer, then you most likely already know all about Ruby. For those of you who are more interested in systems administration, let's talk a moment about Ruby, because it is an...
View ArticleBlog :: How to Use Flash Cards to Prepare for IT Certification Exams
Hi everyone. I humbly submit to you that using flash cards can be a fruitful method for late-stage IT certification exam preparation. Today I would like to explain in practical terms what flash cards...
View ArticleBlog :: Final-Stage Exam Prep: The Brain Dump
A-HA: I won your attention (albeit cheaply) with the reference to "brain dump" in this post title, didn't I? Well, I'm afraid that my usage of the term brain dump has no direct relation to today's...
View ArticleBlog :: Late-Stage Exam-Prep Deluxe: Cert Flash Cards Online
I promised you a sneak peek at a wonderful new late-stage exam-prep application we at Pearson are preparing for launch in the next month.
View ArticleBlog :: ITIL Certification Link Dump
Before I get into the conceptual deep water of how the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) v3 certification works and how you can become certified, I thought it salient to assemble a list of hyperlinks...
View ArticleBlog :: On Pursuing The ITIL V3 Foundation Certification
The beginning of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) V3 certification path lies in their Foundations exam. In this post I will teach you how to attain this credential by using self-study and with a...
View ArticleBlog :: On Pursuing the ITIL V3 Intermediate Certification
In my last post I taught you how you can achieve the ITIL V3 Foundation certification by self-study. Unfortunately, earning your ITIL V3 Intermediate credential is a bit trickier. Follow me into the...
View ArticleBlog :: On Pursuing the ITIL V3 Expert Certification
This post is a continuation of a series in which we cover the ITIL V3 certification track.
View ArticleBlog :: What is a PC Technician?
Fundamentally, computer technician is another way of saying computer 'repair person,' a label not appreciated by some but one that describes the job adequately enough. PC technicians are the tinkerers...
View ArticleBlog :: On Becoming a VMware Certified Instructor (VCI)
In today's post I will teach you how you can become a VMware Certified Instructor (VCI), should you possess the aptitude and desire to do so.
View ArticleBlog :: PC Repair Certifications Besides the CompTIA A+
As you probably know, CompTIA appears to have the computer repair technician certification market tied up fairly tightly with their A+ title. In this post I will endeavor to locate some alternative...
View ArticleBlog :: The Professional Technical Trainer (PTT) Certification
The Professional Technical Trainer (PTT) certification is a vendor-neutral credential offered by the International Assocation of Information Technology Trainers (ITrain). ITrain is a non-profit...
View ArticleBlog :: Options for Renewing Your CCNA Certification
Hello there. The other day I received a message from a Certification Reference Guide reader who expressed concern over how he should approach the renewal of his Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)...
View ArticleBlog :: On Microsoft Recertification Policy
One obvious question for those of you who invested loads of blood, sweat, tears, time, and money in earning your Microsoft certification is, "When will my credential expire?" Let's address that...
View ArticleBlog :: CompTIA Recertification Policies
I earned my CompTIA A+ credential in early 1997. At that time, once you received your A+ certification, you were A+ certified for life. However, times change, and many IT certification vendors have...
View ArticleBlog :: Online Training Options for ITIL V3 Intermediate Certification
According to the ITIL V3 Qualification Scheme Brochure (available from the official ITIL Web site), ITIL candidates are allowed to attend either accredited instructor-led training (ILT) or accredited...
View ArticleBlog :: ITIL V3 Foundation Online Training Options
Hello, my ITIL V3 candidate friends. Today I would like to give you a leg up on finding online training options for preparing for your ITIL V3 Foundation (EX0-101) examination.
View ArticleBlog :: Mind Mapping Basics
I am a huge fan of mind mapping. For my money, whenever I brainstorm an idea, I strongly prefer to see how my thoughts relate to one another in a visual way. Number one, capturing this intellectual web...
View ArticleBlog :: Mind Mapping on the World Wide Web
Before we review dedicated mind mapping software products, I want to discuss how we can leverage so-called Web 2.0 technologies to broaden and deepen our IT certification studies in a mind-mapping...
View ArticleBlog :: Mind Mapping Software
What’s up? I owe you a post on mind-mapping software tools, so let’s get right down to it!
View ArticleBlog :: So...You are an IT Pro and You Have Been Laid Off.
First there is shellshock. Then there is anger. Then there are tears. Then there is panic. I’ve probably mixed up those emotions. They all get jumbled up, anyway. Many of us have been there. The point...
View ArticleBlog :: Can Twitter Help Me Find a Job?
In my last post in this series I told you that I planned to demonstrate how social networking tools can help you to secure employment in the event that today’s terrible economic climate has resulted in...
View ArticleBlog :: Resume Resources for IT Professionals
What’s up? Today I will aggregate some handy-dandy Web links and share some tips that are pertinent for those of you who may be (a) creating your first substantial IT-focused résumé; or (b) sharpening...
View ArticleBlog :: Follow Me: The OnCertification Twitter Feed
What’s going on? I realize that I’ve been yammering about social networking in general and Twitter in particular quite a bit lately here in the Certification Reference Guide. However, this is an...
View ArticleBlog :: Introduction to the GIAC Certification Program
Hi there. Most IT veterans who have some experience with certification are familiar with the major IT security credentials: CompTIA Security+, (ISC)2 CISSP, and the EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker....
View ArticleBlog :: On the GIAC Security Administration Certification Track
In my inaugural post of this mini-series I introduced the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) program that is sponsored by the SANS Institute. Today I would like to delve into the first...
View ArticleBlog :: First to Market: CompTIA Network+ Exam Cram
Hey everybody. From a publisher’s perspective, having the only book on the market for a certain technology or IT certification exam is pretty darned exciting. I am grateful to report that such is the...
View ArticleBlog :: Exam Review: CompTIA Network+ N10-004
Hi everyone. Well, after holding on to my crusty Network+ title for almost 10 years, I decided to sit for the brand-spanking new 2009 version of the test to see what’s shaking with the new objectives....
View ArticleBlog :: CompTIA Network+ 2009: Still Worthwhile?
You might think that after my scathing review of the 2009 Network+ Exam (N10-004) I would hold a dismal view of the title’s worth in today’s IT marketplace. Read on, friends…
View ArticleBlog :: What are the CompTIA Strata Exams?
Hey everyone! Long time, no see! In this post I want to let you know about a new series of IT certification exams offered by CompTIA called Strata. We can consider the Strata exams to be a sort of...
View ArticleBlog :: On the New Microsoft Virtual Lab Certification Items
For several years now, Microsoft has included simulation items in some of their IT certification exams. Simulation items are intended to test the candidate’s hands-on expertise with the Microsoft...
View ArticleBlog :: Would You Use an iPhone App for IT Certification Study?
Hey there. I have a question for those of you who own either the Apple iPhone or iPod Touch device: would you purchase an app to help you prepare for your IT certification exams?
View ArticleBlog :: How Effectively is Your Company Using WebEx?
In today’s world of the virtual team, WebEx collaboration/videoconferencing software has become almost ubiquitous in business. In my professional experience, I have observed an almost across-the-board...
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