CompTIA Blog

Three leaders from two of our CompTIA communities were among the influential women named to this year’s CRN Power 100, an annual list of female executives whose work in their respective companies and in the industry helps drive channel success.

More devices. More apps. More anytime, anywhere work and customer engagement. While the mobile trend continues unabated, not all of its elements have matured at the same pace, according to recent CompTIA research.

Sporting a backwards ballcap and a friendly smile, Robert Kosydar looks like your average 22-year-old, but check out his resume and you’ll see he’s advanced far beyond his status as a recent high school graduate. This government contracted server systems administrator earned — in just two short years — six CompTIA certifications.

About 20 ago, Robert Blanchard moved to Aspen for what he thought would be a temporary job —one that instead turned into a long and fulfilling IT career at a destination ski resort. In his decades-long career, he’s seen hundreds of changes in the way technology is used on the hill, from RFID ticketing to software-controlled snowmaking guns.

The Federal Communications Commission’s new Open Internet Initiative focuses on three basic principles: transparency, blocking and unreasonable discrimination. While the proposal seems to be a watered-down version of the rules overturned earlier this year by the United States Court of Appeals, ISPs need to start thinking about investing in infrastructure to enhance services for their largest customers.

Companies tired of the costly installation and maintenance of old-fashioned phone systems are turning instead to hosted telephony solutions, a fast-growing service area predicted to jump to $88 billion by 2018. Whether you’re already selling onsite services or it’s your first venture in this world, use these tips to make the right call in your approach to hosted IP telephony services.

Jose Ventura learned about technology and electronics early on from his El Salvadorian father, a true master of circuits and electronics. Mesmerized by the blinking cursor on a yellow and black screen, Ventura began playing, tinkering, fixing and even breaking things — an IT hobby that turned into a career thanks to the help of triOS, the largest private career college in Ontario.

The Security Assessment Wizard — a new tool from CompTIA currently available to premier members — lets you walk customers and prospective clients through the gaps in their security profile. Using the tool positions you as a security expert attuned to the needs of business while simultaneously positioning you for sales. It’s an easy button we can all use.

With a goal of recruiting the best staff and winning the biggest contracts, the ambitious Tech-Wales company turned to CompTIA and Software Alliance Wales to streamline its business processes.

Since being awarded its Trustmark+ in February 2013, Astrix Integrated Systems has implemented a standardized bidding process, cash flow forecasting and a new recruitment system for consistent integration of new staff. “Looking ahead, it’s great to know that I’m moving in the right direction ... and to have all the tools I’m going to need as the business continues to grow,” said the company’s technical director Mostyn Thomas.

Software development firm Accelero Digital used the assessment and best practices included in CompTIA Trustmark+ accreditation to identify and close potential gaps in the business. For example, Accelero now incorporates more formalized management roles and reporting mechanisms, which have reduced the company’s dependence on micromanagement.

Dominic Keogh, marketing director of managed document services (MDS) at Ricoh Company, Ltd., and an executive member of CompTIA’s UK Channel Committee, has been a member of the CompTIA Trustmark community since June 2013. After working closely with CompTIA for a number of years, Ricoh decided to undertake the Managed Print Services Trustmark process in order to assess its profitability and development standards in relation to industry best standards.

After years of utilizing CompTIA’s educational services and participating in its conferences, OKI Data Americans, a company specializing managed print services, decided to look deeper into what other services CompTIA offered. Toward that end, in January of this year, OKI officially received its Managed Print Trustmark, denoting the successful completion of the managed print services certification process, as well as its first step towards solidifying the strong connections it was looking for.

Collaboration shouldn’t be just another buzzword in the channel vernacular. When providers actively engage with other value-added resellers, managed service providers, vendors, distribution partners or other industry professionals, their efforts can result in far more sustainable outcomes than if they were to operate on their own. From extending creativity and working capacity to providing a more comprehensive system of checks and balances, cooperative efforts can clearly produce meaningful results.

As we have entered the workforce, millennials have a gained a bad reputation – often described by employers as selfish, lazy or privileged. This perception has developed over time and few members of my generation have disputed it yet. As a millennial, I’d like to debunk some of these perceptions and offer an insight into how they gained a foothold in the professional world.