CompTIA Blog

  • IT Workforce Idea Exchange: What’s Happening in Your Backyard?

    Nov 25, 2013, 18:26 PM by Randi Parker
    On Wednesday, November 20, CompTIA hosted a webinar focused on workforce initiatives that are working. The thinking here is to look at what is not being done, instead of analyzing the successes and whether or not those successes can be scalable. We were fortunate to have three excellent speakers: Angel Pinero, senior vice president at ASI System Integration (and a CompTIA member); Heather Kenyon, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum (a TechVoice partner organization); and Eric Lar ...
    Full story
  • House Spectrum Hearing Illuminates the Path to Faster, More Robust Wi-Fi

    Nov 21, 2013, 22:45 PM by Matthew Starr
    After last week’s House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on “Challenges and Opportunities in the 5 GHz Spectrum Band,” we have a much better sense of what the future holds for this proceeding. The FCC has heard from dozens of stakeholders on this issue through public comments and meetings and is expected to issue the first set of new rules for the 5 GHz spectrum band sometime early next year. There seemed to be a consensus on some of the less controversial aspects of this ...
    Full story
  • ChannelTrends: The Ever-Increasing Value of Top-Notch IT Security Skills

    Nov 21, 2013, 18:35 PM by Brian Sherman
    Over the past few years, hackers and other cyber-miscreants have managed to create a never-ending list of ways to attack both private and commercial networks and computer infrastructure. Their activities not only slow down systems and disrupt critical operations, but often lead to more serious crimes such as identity theft and corporate espionage. By all indications, the threats are multiplying and becoming much more difficult to neutralize or remove. Of course, those unknowns create more opport ...
    Full story
  • Going for Gold: a CompTIA Guide to a Career in IT in Sport

    Nov 19, 2013, 23:05 PM by John McGlinchey
    Its commercial, multimedia-rich nature means that IT is essential to everything from the running of live events to broadcasting them around the world. For those who love working with technology and want to combine this with a passion for sport, IT could be your dream career.
    Full story
  • How to Negotiate a Raise

    Nov 19, 2013, 23:00 PM by Janet Pinkerton
    Negotiating a raise is a fundamental skill for any successful career. The trick is to anchor the request for a raise in information gathering and questions – never outright demands.
    Full story
  • How to Use Social Media to be More Effective at Your Job

    Nov 19, 2013, 21:18 PM by Janet Pinkerton
    If you think participating in social media is a waste of time, CompTIA’s Nov. 14 webinar, “How to Use Social Media to be More Effective at your Job,” sponsored by the trade association’s Advancing Women in IT (AWIT) community, will convince you otherwise.
    Full story
  • Why Are We Still Talking About Security?

    Nov 14, 2013, 22:39 PM by Seth Robinson
    Security may not be as hyped as other tech trends like cloud computing, mobility or Big Data, but several CompTIA research studies have shown that it remains a top priority for businesses among a wide range of IT initiatives. However, that may not necessarily translate into businesses having a robust security posture or knowing which steps to take as they explore new technology models. CompTIA’s Eleventh Annual Information Security Trends study examines the areas that may need closer atten ...
    Full story
  • 5 GHz Spectrum Band Offers Immense Possibilities for SMBs

    Nov 12, 2013, 22:05 PM by Matthew Starr
    On Wednesday, November 13, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Challenges and Opportunities in the 5 GHz Spectrum Band.” The hearing will look at making an additional 195 MHz of spectrum in the 5 GHz band available for unlicensed use. If the government makes this spectrum available, it could result in incredible advances in Wi-Fi such as faster speeds, less congestion and availability in more places, all of which could have a significant impact on SM ...
    Full story
  • ChannelTrends: Building an Advanced Managed Services Practice

    Nov 12, 2013, 20:13 PM by Brian Sherman
    With many managed services providers admitting that their technology skills are far deeper than their business acumen, the processes required to create those critical organizational development plans may be quite unfamiliar. The talents essential to build and sustain these IT companies can be quite diverse, so MSPs either have to undergo training to acquire those capabilities or hire new employees with those specific proficiencies. Regardless of the method they adopt, those consistent investment ...
    Full story
  • CMIT Solutions Relies on CompTIA Research to Launch New Products

    Nov 5, 2013, 23:27 PM by Emily Matzelle
    When you’re responsible for not only understanding the problems that plague small businesses but also identifying solutions, where can you turn to for dependable data? Cindy Phillips, director of product management for CMIT Solutions, turns to CompTIA research. CMIT Solutions – a CompTIA member since 2010 – protects small businesses by proactively managing what matters most; the technical infrastructure that keeps business running. “Ask any small business owner what happe ...
    Full story
  • Southwest Region Goes From Worst to First in Overall Revenue Growth

    Nov 5, 2013, 23:14 PM by Robert Dutt
    This guest blog entry was written by Robert Dutt of Channelnomics. What a difference a year makes. In the 2012 Ingram Micro SMB 500 tally, solution providers in the southwest region were last in terms of overall revenue growth. The region still grew at 173.53 percent over 2011, but that number was the lowest regional growth rate around the country for partners in the Ingram Micro SMB 500, a program facilitated by The 2112 Group. A year later, the southwest region – Arizona, New Mexico ...
    Full story
  • U.S. vs. UK: A Tale of Two MSP Markets

    Nov 4, 2013, 22:31 PM by Larry Walsh
    This guest blog entry was written by Larry Walsh of Channelnomics. The U.S. managed services market is more established and mature than our cousins in the UK. However, the British channel is taking a more balanced approach to the evolution of managed services, according to a new study. “The State of Managed Services” study conducted by The 2112 Group and CRN UK finds solution providers in the British Isles are about two to three years behind their U.S. counterparts in the adoption an ...
    Full story
  • Congress, CompTIA Continue to Consider Tax Reform

    Nov 4, 2013, 22:03 PM by Lamar Whitman
    Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) has again noted his support for tax reform. In a statement released on October 30, Baucus emphasized the need for corporate tax reform, citing examples of companies that have re-incorporated in lower tax jurisdictions such as Ireland. He stated that he would work on parallel tracks with both the newly formed Budget Conference Committee, as well through the Finance Committee. Similarly, House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) has continue ...
    Full story
  • ChannelTrends: Crowdsourcing is an Innovative Way to Finance Business Expansion

    Nov 4, 2013, 16:58 PM by Brian Sherman
    Building a successful IT services business isn’t easy. But perhaps it shouldn’t be or everyone would be doing it should it, further commoditizing the market and reducing revenue opportunities. Some of the most skilled technology professionals have seen the organizations they worked so hard to get off the ground fail after just a few months (or, if they’re lucky, a few years). The root cause for those misfortunes is rarely traced back to a lack of IT capabilities, but more often ...
    Full story
  • Fuji Xerox Tokyo and CompTIA Project+ Form a Winning Combination

    Nov 1, 2013, 20:59 PM by CompTIA
    Since 2008, Fuji Xerox Tokyo has tied its success serving customers to the core concept of CompTIA Project+ certification.
    Full story