CompTIA Blog

On Sept 12, CompTIA held a signature event in Chicago at mHub titled “Data Download: Understanding Data Policy”. Our first panel titled “Advertising Adventures” discussed how data is used for advertising, how users can control what is used, and why keeping a free and open internet is so vital. Among the panel speakers, Sheila Colclasure, chief privacy officer of Acxiom was very helpful in laying out that trust is necessary in order for companies to continue using consumer data in a helpful and thoughtful way.

At solution provider Clever Ducks in San Luis Obispo, Cal., all of the techs and most of the administrative staff hold at least one CompTIA certification. As a formalized part of the employee growth plan, President and Co-Founder Amy Kardel finds that certifications build not just skills, but overall excellence.

The problem few seem to address is the preparedness level of technology firms. From cloud and hardware suppliers to the MSPs that manage hundreds of business systems in a region, will they really be able to help others when a disaster occurs if their own operations are dead in the water (literally and figuratively)? As Irma and Harvey illustrated, the risks can be high.

On Tuesday, September 12, 2017, U.S. Department of Commerce Under Secretary for Industry and Security, Mira Ricardel and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Rich Ashooh addressed the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee (RPTAC). The RPTAC which includes several CompTIA members advises the Department of Commerce on technical parameters for export controls applicable to dual-use commodities and technology and on the administration of those controls.

Cybersecurity wove its way through many of the 2017 ChannelCon sessions, whether implicitly or not, and three Track4Techs sessions related to the cloud were no exception.

Change is rarely easy but often necessary, as members of the CompTIA IT Services and Support (ITSS) Community found out. The group expanded into managed services, cloud, security and managed print over the past few years, while its members scrambled to address more diverse and extensive needs. That helps explain why they recently changed their name to the Technology Lifecycle Services Community.

CompTIA’s 2017 EMEA Member and Partner Conference, scheduled 17 and 18 October 2017, features a session that will help you get a great start on the journey to General Data Protection Regulation compliancy. With the May 25 deadline fast approaching, the clock is ticking and there’s not much time to get up to speed here. Don’t miss it!

The other day, I was asked if the IT industry has done a good job at identifying the skills necessary to succeed in cybersecurity. I couldn’t help but think of the difference between hiking up a well-maintained trail and an undocumented one.

Many sessions at ChannelCon 2017 focused on cybersecurity – identifying, analyzing, preventing and defending against attacks. Two Tools of the Trade sessions put on by CompTIA staff offered insight into the importance of cybersecurity in IoT, the cloud or any network.

Who’s buying what you’re selling today? The IT department? The CIO? The small business owner? Find out here.

Few MSPs leverage the full computing power of their own business tools, including the powerful integrations their vendors develop to simplify their operations and their lives. Is time a factor, or is it the failure to understand what value these systems provide IT business owners and their customers?

Xerox’s Gus Yusem, an active, impactful CompTIA community member, passed away late last month surrounded by his family. He’s remembered well, especially for serving as an early champion of print’s role in IT.

If you like to solve technical issues and work with people, then help desk technician may be a good next step for you.

On August 24, 2017, Governor Bruce Rauner signed Senate Bill 1796, the student data privacy bill. Thanks to years of hard work Senator Michael Hastings brought together a working group including technology providers, school districts, and associated organizations to work on this important legislation that protects the data created by students in the classroom.

Recruiting in IT is fast becoming a lucrative industry via tons of demand for new talent. Top professionals share their secrets.