Tech 21 Century » Technology Certifications

Trainsignal VmWare Video Training

BlogAdmin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:02:40 +0000

Enterprise server virtualization is a rapidly emerging technology that has made its way into the I.T data center of almost every company. Consolidating servers into a single hardware and using virtual server machines can help the enterprise save a lot of money and also improve management and security of the whole I.T server infrastructure. The leader in virtualization is of course VmWare. The company develops virtualization software for desktops and for enterprise environments. VmWare desktop software requires an underlying operating system, while the VmWare enterprise software can run directly on server hardware without any third party operating system.

The virtualization software technology is such an expanding field that the demand for VmWare professionals is steadily increasing. In 2008, Vmware and Cisco have announced a partnership to offer joint data center solutions to customers. Therefore, even Cisco professionals will have an advantage if they get experience on virtualization technology.

VmWare Vsphere and ESX Server are two of the most popular enterprise level data center products that need to have dedicated and highly trained professionals to install and manage them. Training for Vsphere and ESX Server is not widely available from training companies because it is a highly specialized and focused subject. Basically you have two main options for getting a good training course for these two VmWare products:

1. Attend an official VmWare Training.

Advantages:
• Several delivery options are available, such as classroom training, live online, onsite etc
• If you want to become VCP certified (Vmware Certified Professional) then the official Vmware training is the best choice.

Disadvantages:
Very expensive and some times can not be offered in all countries.

2. Get a trusted Video Training Package.
The most popular and best value for money video training for VmWare is offered by Trainsignal.com. I speak from experience here because I have some colleagues who used the Trainsignal training for both Vsphere and ESX Server and they were very satisfied.

Advantages:
•   Best value for money
•   Self-paced training. You just need a computer at your home to get trained at your convenience.
•   You get a training level similar to that of a classroom based training. A real expert instructor teaches you everything you need to know for each technology.
•   No risk to you because of the 90-Day Total experience guarantee. (This guarantee is offered only from Trainsignal by the way).
•   The training material come in various formats, such as video, PDF notes, audio etc.

Disadvantages:
• If you need to become VCP certified professional, then VmWare requires you to attend one of their education courses, so a video training package will not be accepted for getting a VCP certification.

Advantages of getting a Blackberry Certification

BlogAdmin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:32:32 +0000

As we all know by now, the cell phone has become a huge part of the normal person’s everyday life. In the last several years, there has been a subset of the cell phone market that has stood out above the others. This would be the smart phone. More people have seen the advantages of using a smart phone and as a result, they have become more popular than ever. With their abilities, that are similar to a home computer, they allow a person to be connected no matter where they are. The business enterprise is one of the biggest consumers of smart phone technology. Usually their tool of choice is the Blackberry. A Blackberry was especially made for business consumers and even with the emergence of the IPhone, has remained the number one smart phone in the enterprise.

With the wide usage of the Blackberry in the enterprise, syncing network servers to take advantage of this technology can be a huge undertaking. It takes a large amount of specialty knowledge about the Blackberry, to make sure that everything is just right. This is why companies are looking for certified specialists to handle jobs such as these. With a Blackberry Certification, this will tell employers that you are one of these people. Taking and passing the Blackberry Certification test will show that you are able to handle any problems that might arise with administering and supporting the company’s Blackberries and their enterprise servers.

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You can become a Blackberry Certified Specialist by taking exams that are administered by Prometric company. They have sites all around the world, so anyone should be able to take the test. You will have to pay $150 fee per exam to be able to take the test. This fee is non refundable and if you fail, you will have to pay it again. After several years, you will have to re certify yourself again. This will allow them to make sure that you are keeping up with the latest in Blackberry technology. If you are going to be able to officially say that you are qualified by the RIM corporation, then you will have to make sure that you make their name look good. They do not want anyone to devalue the certification program.

Smart phones are the hottest technology right now, and with this certification, you can put yourself right in the middle of it. There are plenty of companies that are looking for technicians to support their employees Blackberry use. Become one of the people that are able to do just that.

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VCP Certification-VMWare Certified Professional

BlogAdmin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:45:25 +0000

There has been a quiet revolution in computers over the past couple of years, but only developers and IT professionals are aware of it. This revolution involves the new found popularity of virtual machines. While different types of virtual machines have been around for decades, they are now more popular than ever. People have figured out clever uses for using virtual machines in everyday settings. If you are scared to open a file because you think that it might be a piece of malware, then you can just open it, in a vm image and let the damage happen in there. Also you can use the power of virtual machines, to make your computing sessions portable. You can easily make an image of your hard drive, and use it on any system that has a vm player installed. Also, virtual machines are extensively used in Enterprise I.T infrastructures, with the advantage being that a single hardware machine can host several virtual servers. The leader in this field right now is of course VmWare.

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VmWare has been a leader in making the software that creates and manages virtual machines, accessible to the average user. Since there are a lot of companies starting to use vm images as server solutions, there is a new market that has opened up. There is also a drought of people that can fulfill the needs of this market. The market is for people that know how to operate the VM software and set it up for a large amount of customers. This is where becoming a VmWare Certified Professional can come in handy. A VCP Certification will tell your potential employer that you know everything about virtualization and can deploy it on their enterprise machines. To become a VCP3 certified you must take the VCP-310 Exam or the newest VCP-411 Exam in order to get the VCP4 certification. VMware vSphere Training can also be very helpful for learning the exam requirements of VCP Certification and finally passing the exam.

Most people that get a certification in the IT profession will know how to handle servers in an enterprise setting. What they will have a problem with though, is trying to set up an enterprise server in a virtual setting. There are special needs and precautions that one must take when they are deploying servers in this manner. A virtual server set up, can be a delicate eco system, which one must be careful. Becoming a VmWare Certified professional will show that you know how to do this. You will receive all of the proper training that you need to be able to accomplish the task. You will also be able to physically display the VCP logo, on your web site or business cards. This brings an extra level of professionalism while you are stating your case to your employer.

Becoming someone who is a VmWare Certified Professional will help you in the long run with your employment goals. Virtual Machines are popular in the present and they will be even more so in the future. Show your new boss that you are already one step ahead.

Resources that you need to help you pass the MCITP

BlogAdmin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:57:13 +0000

Becoming an IT professional is a lot easier now than it was in the past. These days everyone has access to a computer and advanced software. Only twenty years ago, a small percentage of the population had a computer in their home. And ten years after that, only a small amount of people had access to software that is considered IT level professional software. If you wanted access to that same software, you would have to spend a lot of money. Now with the power of either open sourced software or companies offering complicated software products for free, people can learn IT topics on their home computer.

Even though you may be able to practice on your home computer, it is another thing to be able to consider yourself a professional when it comes to IT. A professional IT person has to know how to maintain hardware and software for thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of people. There are ways that you can learn how to do this. Becoming a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) is one. This certificate will show future employers that you have the knowledge to be able to handle an IT platform with a large amount of people. It also involves showing an employer that you can handle database administrative duties, as well as other IT specific areas. The MCITP certification has several paths, such as Database administration and development, Windows Server and Client, Microsoft office project, Exchange email server etc.

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To start on the road of becoming MCITP certified, there are a few resources that you will need to make this happen. Before you take any MCITP test, you should put in a lot of practice at home. This is why the first paragraph of this article is so important. With the tools that we have at our disposal now, you are able to get the practice that you need. A lot of these tools are provided by Microsoft themselves.

For example, for the Database MCITP path, the first thing that you want to do is to download a free copy of Microsoft’s SQL server. This will allow you to become familiar with the technology before the test. You know that this is the technology that you will be working with, so it helps to be acquainted with it already. After you have downloaded and installed the database server software, go online and search for tutorials. There are plenty of free tutorials on SQL server. Find one that will help you the most. If money is not an issue, then go to Amazon and look for resources there. They have a large range of products that will help you in learning database administration as well as other parts of the certification. There are a ton free informational resources out there, both free and commercial.

Thanks to the power of your home desktop computer and the information of the Internet, you are now able to have all the resources that are needed to pass the MCITP test. It will take a lot of studying on your part but you should be able to pass the test with flying colors.

How to Pass Your CCNA Exam

How can becoming Microsoft Certified help your career

BlogAdmin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:55:34 +0000

In the world of technology, measuring how good someone is at a certain job can be somewhat subjective. Unless they have went above and beyond in their job and did something special, there is no simple way to be able to tell if a person is exemplary or not. If the company is able to recognize the true worth of one of their tech employees, it is usually over a long period of time. This is why people in the tech field seek to become certified in their area of expertise. It helps differentiate your skills from the rest of the pack. The certification may not be a true recognition of your skill set but at the very least it will help current and future employers take a look at you.

A Microsoft certification is one of the most sought after certifications in tech. As everyone knows, Microsoft has an install base of over 90% of computers. It’s server share is not quite as large, but it still has a large chunk of the market. Microsoft being such a prevalent force in the industry, you really have to stand out to be noticed. This is because of the large amount of competition, both global and domestic. But once you are Microsoft certified, it can help you to become noticed and be a real boom to your career.

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In the world of programming, becoming a Microsoft Certified professional can pay out huge dividends. Depending on the exact certification that you get, it is considered the beginning of becoming a master programmer on the Windows platform. The certification tells a potential employer that not only do you know about the technology that is in front of you, but you have the expertise to be able to do advanced procedures with it as well. Passing the test shows that you have the discipline to try to deeply understand your chosen profession. That is never a bad thing.

If you are in the world of IT, becoming Certified can help you as well. Besides the obvious point of impressing your employers, it also lets you as someone who is in the field, try to perfect your expertise. There is a lot of technology when it comes to the world of IT. Not every IT office will have every piece of technology. This leaves a lot of technology that the average IT person will not be exposed to. Studying for a certification will help expose you to some of that technology. Even if you never use it, it is never a bad thing to learn something new. Especially if you decide to change jobs at any point.

Becoming Microsoft Certified can greatly expand your career options. Having an official certification from one of the world’s largest and most powerful companies is never a bad thing.

How to Pass Your CCNA Exam

BlogAdmin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:43:20 +0000

If you really want to know how to pass you CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) exam then you’ll want to read every word of this article. There are several key areas that you need to master in order for your best chance of success to pass the CCNA test.

You will want to get comfortable with all the different realms of information. Like anything else that you want to achieve, the true keys is not whether you can gather a multitude of books, manuals or other learning materials, it’s whether you have the determination and drive to get the job done.

There are so many types of learning guides and materials out there, so many in fact that sometimes you can be burdened down with information overload. This is where you continually seek out new material, and there is a ton of it out there, you have so much that it all becomes very confusing instead of easier. Many of the so called ‘can’t miss’ study courses that are offered only give you a false sense of knowledge.

Once you realize that in order to pass your CCNA exam, it will take some hard work and dedication on your part, as it is a very difficult test to pass, will your journey get better.

Once you decide that you are ready to embark on the journey of passing the CCNA exam, the next step is to set out a realistic time frame to do so. When you set this time frame, be honest with yourself. There’s nothing worse then trying to complete the Cisco certification in less time than you are physically or mentally able to handle.

Once a realistic time frame is in place, it is nice to have a calendar with your time schedule in front of you to keep you focused and determined to meet your schedule. Also, a weekend excursion away, a bottle of finely aged wine, or anything that will keep you going when the times get tough are all recommended.

Now, the CCNA exam is one of those certifications that a proper training is required to pass it. You can go for an instructor class-based training (usually 5-day boot camp) and get the required training. However this option is very expensive and study intensive since you are not studying on your own pace. The other great option is to get a computer based training (usually video training style) where you get videos plus audio plus many practice questions and instructor notes for a complete training in your home. What I used personally and passed my Cisco exams (CCNA, CCNP, CCSP) is the Trainsignal Video Training packages which offer excellent value and in-depth training to pass the CCNA or any other Cisco exam. Check out Trainsignal Website for more information.

In addition to the training I suggest above, I also recommend you to get some tangible book study material that others have used and been successful with. Here are some books that you should look into:

Cisco Press CCNA Study Guide
Jeremy Cioara’s Exam Cram and Prep Guide
Any books on the subject by Todd Lammle.

I highly recommend the Cisco Press books. These books are usually the best because they come from the actual exam giver, Cisco. Therefore, the exercises and test questions will be very relevant to what you’ll see on the exam. Moreover, a Cisco Press book will be a great reference even after you pass your CCNA exam.

Having some highlighters and a note pad is a must in order to go back for easy review of any of the topic that you studied. When ever you have some extra time, even just five or ten minutes, you can whip out your study notes and do a quick review. This will keep you sharp, and get you into some good study habits.

Perhaps the best resource that you can find is the actual people that have gone through and passed their CCNA exam. You don’t have to have a face to face with them. Because of the speed and convenience of the Internet, you can search them online and seek any and all information you need.

Talking with these people that have gone through and learned how to pass the CCNA exam is an easier way to learn then any book or course that you could buy. Real life experience is better then any book ever printed. Good luck for your CCNA certification efforts.

CompTIA A+ Certification Training

BlogAdmin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:18:05 +0000

Getting a technology certification is in great demand these days since companies prefer to hire employees with some proven skills instead of hiring people with no experience at all.

A good place to start for an entry level-computer related certification is where the majority of people begin, that is with CompTIA A+. This will give you all the basics of computer hardware, the OS, basic networking and trouble shooting as well as the general topic of what a computer is and how it works. If you’re just getting started in the IT industry, CompTIA A+ certification is the foundation for a successful career.

This is also a great test to complete as it will offer you a good foundation for passing a Microsoft Certified Professional for Windows XP. The CompTIA A+ test also covers the basic networking of the CompTIA Network+ certification, and also there are a lot of similarities with the MCP and the CCNA certification programs.

If you really want to pass your CompTIA A+ exam guaranteed I would suggest you to buy the TrainSignal Video Training package for CompTIA A+. If you’re serious about your career, your investment in Train Signal’s CompTIA A+ course will reward you for many years to come! Trainsignal is the leader in Video Training with the best value for money you can find.

Another recommended reading material that you should study is Mike Meyers’ A+ Guide: PC Technician (Exams 220-602, 220-603, & 220-604). It explains the necessary components for assembling computers, motherboard, RAM, CPU, HD, CD-RW/DVD-ROM, case and case fans and the power supply. It is recommended to use Windows XP over Vista because there are so many more IT managers using XP out there over Vista.

The activities that you should be doing for practice include;

repairing a computer,
building a PC,
practice backing up and restoring profiles and personal data,
getting familiar with motherboards and updating firmware.
Configuring basic networking and security on Windows.

Other recommended reading and testing exercisers are:

MCSE Windows XP Professional Exam Cram 2.
You should be practicing the set up of your XP machine as a small file server, configuring share permissions and NTFS permissions, configuring Windows built in firewall, practice setting up automatic task scheduler
and learning how to monitor the tasks manager.