‘Dead weight’ Dell would destroy VMware’s value, says big investor

Venture firm Jericho Capital Asset Management L.P has left from its standard routine with regards to not remarking openly on bargains by distributing a searing letter routed to VMware's autonomous chiefs denouncing an invert merger amongst VMware and Dell.

Jericho claims around 1.8 for every penny of VMware, enough to make it a major speculator yet insufficient that it should legitimately reveal its holding or to give it a chance to press for a seat on the board. Be that as it may, anybody can issue a public statement and that is the means by which the company's letter showed up.

The letter says Jericho felt "it is vital to remark freely as of now before Dell goes too far not far off in quest for a technique that would adequately add up to a bailout of Dell and would be exceptionally adverse to VMW's investors [VMW is VMware's stock ticker]."

"There is no doubt as far as we can say that a turn around merger of Dell into VMW would be an appalling arrangement for VMW investors," the letter said. "Indeed, even the most easygoing spectator can see that VMW picks up nothing by saddling the Company's quicker development, net money, very key programming business with the dead weight of Dell's slower development, vigorously obligation loaded, heritage equipment subordinate substance."

The letter goes ahead to state an invert merger "would trouble the Company [VMware] with a gigantic obligation load and advantage exclusively its lion's share investor, and furthermore refers to also negative perspectives on the arrangement communicated by eight venture firms.

Jericho overseeing part Josh Resnick in this way proposes VMware should stay with its present technique, yet that in the event that it must make acquisitions it should look toward any path other than Dell. His letter proposes Red Hat, Splunk, Palo Alto Neworks, Rubrik and Tanium as much more reasonable procurement targets.

Resnick closed down with a demand to meet VMware's free executives.

Those worthies may likewise be intrigued to peruse posts like this Glassdoor post titled "Dell/VMware merger is an unpleasant thought", or to realize that news of the takeoff of VMware systems administration and security supremo Jeff Jennings achieved The Register in an email that additionally said "… there is additionally a great deal of apprehension among the designing positions of VMware on this entire Dell/VMware switch merger situation".

"Individuals feel like Silver Lake [the organization that sponsored the Dell/EMC deal] is compelling this situation on them," the email proceeded. "They all need to be autonomous."

The Register doesn't expect every single such email and posts are composed with the purest of thought processes. Be that as it may, hypothesis about Dell and VMware isn't leaving and in the event that anybody supposes an invert merger is a smart thought, The Register is yet to get notification from them!

Growing Impact of Emerging Technologies Examined in CompTIA Research Briefs

In the midst of a wave of exaggeration around emerging technologies, three specific trends show the potential to help companies transform their way of working, according to a series of research papers published by CompTIA, the leading association in the industry. technology.

To varying degrees artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and virtual reality (VR) / augmented reality (AR) play a greater role in the digital activities of organizations, according to publications.

"Although the majority of companies are still on the sidelines, use cases are starting to appear for each of these solutions," said Seth Robinson, senior director of Technology Analysis, CompTIA. "If you consider that they are not autonomous products that you connect and use, but building blocks to automate, digitize or streamline activities, the consequences they already have are showing their potential."

CompTIA interviewed about 700 professional American professionals to assess their knowledge and use of AI, blockchain and VR / AR.

While RV is the most aware of trend-aware companies (74% of the respondents), blockchain has the biggest impact today (43%). Here are some other highlights of the survey.

CompTIA Initiative Looks to Inspire Future Technologists

Interest in technology careers is increasing among teenagers, but many have no model to help develop this interest. This is according to a recent CompTIA report "Opinions of young people about careers in information technology".

The survey of 1,006 teenagers aged 13 to 17 showed that seven out of ten are open to a future career in technology, but only 33% of boys and 24% of girls know someone who works in technology. .

"The needle has not really moved with children who know people - whether they are older siblings, parents, relatives, neighbors, friends or others - that does not really matter, has not changed too much," said Steven Ostrowski. . "So, they do not really have direct access to the people who are actually in the business, which can complicate the task, because what we have found over the years is to have an adult mentor - someone with whom you can talk, someone who can make you hear off-the-top questions is one of the best ways to get information about what a career in technology entails. '

To close this gap, CompTIA uses its NextUp initiative to attract teenagers with the mentors and resources they need to generate a passion for technological careers.

"NextUp was created to introduce teenagers to the many opportunities in technology careers," said Charles Eaton, Executive Vice President of CompTIA for Social Innovation and CEO of Creating IT Futures, in a press release. "Through programs of study, projects, partnerships and mentorship, we want to use their passion for technology, inspire their curiosity and build a generation of technologists for tomorrow." Our CompTIA volunteers guide students in practical STEM projects, explaining why they have to hold. "

CompTIA has also collaborated with other like-minded organizations to work better with teams. These include FUSE, a Northwestern University project that expands STEAM learning for middle and high school students, and TechGirlz, which offers practical workshops and summer camps for college girls. The Technology Students Association, composed of 250,000 students in 38 states who compete in Team STEM competitions every spring, is another partner.

"The intention was to recreate something completely, to work with someone who is already doing a good job and giving them extra resources so that they can increase and achieve their footprint" Ostrowski said.

However, CompTIA is encouraged to show interest in technology. It is "very, very good, because we have a very big gap to fill in the next five to ten years, in terms of jobs that are open and not enough people to fill them." Ostrowski said.

Life in Tech: CompTIA Checks Pulse of IT Professionals

An astounding 79 percent of IT professionals are satisfied with their jobs, according to the report, "Assessing the IT Workforce Needs." This is 73% in 2015.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) feel that their work gives them a sense of personal accomplishment; 71% think their work makes good use of their talents.

Most of the 820 computer scientists surveyed (51%) expressed interest in working on issues related to cybersecurity, well ahead of other important topics such as Internet of Things (30%) and artificial intelligence or automatic learning (20%).

However, the results also give some caveats that could affect the industry's ability to fill the millions of technology jobs expected until the year 2024. For example, almost a quarter of respondents are concerned about the fact that their skills become obsolete.

Another major problem for the future of technology jobs is what CompTIA has identified as a "confidence gap," where the lack of diversity in the technology industry has many potential workers who believe that a career in technology is not for they

Of the women surveyed by IT professionals, 34% said they ended up in an IT role after working on non-IT jobs. This finding is consistent with previous CompTIA research that, although boys and girls generally use the technology in roughly equal numbers, girls and young women have less access to professional information. the technological field This includes opportunities for classroom instruction; encouraging parents' career choices; and lack of access to female role models working in the technology industry.

"The challenge for the technology industry is America's challenge: to develop a strong workforce that can effectively fill 21st century IT jobs, whether it's cybersecurity, IoT or AI, or new technologies," explains Nancy Hammervik. Vice President of Industrial Relations at CompTIA.

To fill the lack of confidence, help recruit new technology workers and extend the skills of current IT professionals, CompTIA launched the CompTIA Association of Information Technology Professionals this summer. CompTIA TPIA offers national resources such as job search and online courses along with local to provide networking and guidance for those looking to start or start a career in technology.

"In the United States alone, we expect 1.8 million technology workers to join the workforce by 2024," Hammervik said. "We need to attract and recruit a diverse workforce, with or without a college degree, and support them in growing their careers. COMPIT AITP is a large part of the solution to closing the trust gap and filling the technology for today and tomorrow. "

In the three months since its launch, CompTIA AITP's membership of technology professionals, students and educators has reached nearly 5,000 people.

CompTIA's IT Needs Assessment Report highlights the value of career groups and resources for professional development.

CompTIA CertMaster Introduces New Course on Latest Cybersecurity Certification

CompTIA, the leading provider of vendor neutral skills certifications and global technology workforce education, has expanded its CompTIA CertMaster online learning tool with a new course on cybernetics.

CompTIA CertMaster CSA + is an online test preparation tool that leads directly to the CompTIA Cibersecurity Analyst (CSA +), which makes behavior analysis and the network at the forefront of assessing computer threats.

"The frequency of cyber attacks increases and the effects are more devastating, as demonstrated by the recent ransomware WannaCry attack," said Thomas Reilly, vice president, CompTIA Learning.

"The challenge for organizations is to invest money, time and resources in the areas of law," Reilly said. "There is no better investment than certifications like CompTIA + CSA and there is no better CompTIA CertMaster training method."

CSA + CertMaster is directly matched with certification exam objectives, covering topics such as threat management, vulnerability management, cyber incident response, and security and architecture tools.

The CertMaster learning solution combines advanced brain science with powerful learning technology to help users quickly master the program; Remember long-term information; And perform with confidence SY0-401 dumps.

More than 55 000 people have purchased CertMaster course; And 81% of CertMaster customers have reported that they have passed their certification exam.

"CompTIA knowledge analysis of each individual and adapts to their unique needs, with testing and tools for tailor-made recycling, in order to fit their unique needs," said Reilly. "This helps reduce study time and increase retention, resulting in more success in the exam and in your career."

CertMaster from CSA + has obtained the seal of approval from CompTIA authorized ProCert approved Quality Control Labs, which means that it is based on the principles of instructional design and covers all the objectives of the cyber security certification exam.

CompTIA CSA+ Exam Dumps was created based on industry feedback and contributions to cyber security experts. It is designed to equip cybersecurity science professionals with advanced analytical skills to help them identify potential risks and vulnerabilities so that resources are allocated where they are most needed before an intrusion occurs.

CSA + CompTIA is recognized worldwide and ISO / ANSI 17024 accredited.

CompTIA Board Chairwoman and Three Executives Named to 2017 Women of the Channel List by CRN®

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., May 25, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CompTIA, the world's leading technology association, announced today that the chairwoman of its Board of Directors and three members of its professional staff have been named to the prestigious 2017 Women of the Channel list by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company.

This year's honorees include:

    Amy Kardel, chairwoman of the CompTIA Board of Directors and co-founder and president of Clever Ducks, a technology service, solution and support company in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
    Nancy Hammervik, executive vice president, industry relations
    Lisa Person, director, member communities
    Annette Taber, vice president, industry outreach

"CompTIA is a long-standing and active advocate for advancing women in the technology industry," said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA. "Seeing four of our own recognized as Women of the Channel, along with dozens of other exceptional women from among our member companies and partners, is gratifying."

The 2017 Women of the Channel list is comprised of female executives in the IT channel, representing vendors, distributors, solution providers and other organizations that figure prominently in the channel ecosystem. Each is recognized for her outstanding leadership, vision and unique role in driving channel growth and innovation.

"These extraordinary executives support every aspect of the channel ecosystem, from technical innovation to marketing to business development, working tirelessly to keep the channel moving into the future," said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company. "They are creating and elevating channel partner programs, developing fresh go-to-market strategies, strengthening the channel's network of partnerships and building creative new IT solutions, among many other contributions. We congratulate all the 2017 Women of the Channel on their stellar accomplishments and look forward to their future success."

CompTIA: Tech Industry Has Huge Impact on U.S. Economy

We all know that, economically speaking, the IT industry is great, but sometimes it is useful to get an idea of its size. CompTIA can help, with the recent publication of the Instant Commerce Trade of 2017. This report, released May 3, helps to make some sense in the question "How important is high?".

Here are some examples of chewing:

● US exports of technology products and services reached 309 billion by 2016. (Source: American International Trade Association)
● Exports account for about a quarter of the revenue generated in the US technology industry as a whole. For every $ 3 spent by the United States on technology, another $ 1 coming from outside our borders.
● exports technology support 4 out of 10 jobs in US manufacturers.
● The five states for technology products include (in production order): Texas, California, Florida, Oregon, and Illinois.
● Mexico and Canada account for the bulk of technology exports ($ 74.8 billion to Mexico and Canada in 2016, about 25 percent of the total $ 309 billion this year).
● The United States has the largest trade surplus with Canada (almost 18 billion in 2016).

All this information and much more, is presented in the previous report, and is worth downloading and reading. (The registration is necessary for the site, but it is free for the public. CompTIA certainly does not, of course, so many readers were also enrolled in a premium subscription-based fees in the organization.)

It is interesting to note that, although money in general has increased in the export of goods and technology services, the product side declined slightly. In the figure of 309 billion dollars for 2016, $ 202 billion was for technology products and $ 107 billion for other services. This product number is compared to a duration of four years, as shown in the bar chart of cunning:

Keep in mind that in 2016 by the bar to a level between 2011 and 2012, with a variation of between 3.35% (2014) and 0.5% (2012). It's almost small enough to say that these numbers are pretty stable since 2011, which told me that technology exports keep their balance even in the face of sluggish global economic growth / non-growth.

New Mindset Required to Respond to Cyber Threats, CompTIA Study Asserts

Companies recognize security as a growing imperative, but many remain on the defensive, battling computer threats with tactics and date training, according to a new report released today by CompTIA, the world's largest technology association.

The evolution of security techniques calls on companies to take proactive measures to identify weaknesses before they are exploited; Expanding the security skills of its technology professionals; And implement a high security training throughout the organization.

"Building an impenetrable defense is no longer practical and mentality to prevent all crimes is exceeded," said Seth Robinson, senior director of analytics technology, CompTIA. "However, a new proactive approach that combines technology, procedures and education can help find problems before attackers do not find them."

One of the challenges for organizations is that they tend to focus on the computer threats they understand best. Malware and viruses, two of the oldest forms of cyber attacks, attract the most attention.

"While we certainly have to remain vigilant about these kinds of threats, many other forms of attack have emerged, which can lead to disastrous consequences," Robinson said.

Most of the companies in the CompTIA SY0-401 Exam Dumps study have expressed concern that they were going to light the ransomware target, a dedicated denial of service, social engineering, internet-based attacks or SQL injections.

"Although many companies have developed in the field of cloud computing, mobile devices and other new technologies, it is clear that many do not think the same consequences for security," Robinson said. "Getting an appreciation and understanding of the many threats at stake today is the first step in managing threats."

Companies move their defense slowly, defensive to offensive. In CompTIA's survey of business and technology executives from 350 companies in the United States, 29 percent of companies said they were very proactive in their security position, which focuses on detection and response. 34 percent said they balance a strong cyber defense with proactive measures.

"A strong defense will always play a role, but it must be accompanied by external audits, penetration testing and other proactive measures," Robinson said.

Training (60 percent of companies surveyed) and Comptia certification dumps (48 percent) are generally in favor of methods to create an advanced security experience for their business technology. Organizations following certifications after finding training that offer a greater degree of credibility, demonstrate better knowledge and better application of open positions.

Companies also better understand the need to develop a safety culture, management team than the middle managers in the states. The survey found that 58 percent of companies offer safety training during orientation for new employees; 46 percent conduct random audits; And 35 percent practical laboratories offer "live".

CompTIA 2017 Annual Member Meeting

More than 350 participants gathered in Chicago the week of March 20 for the annual meeting of CompTIA members (AMM) from 2017.

Key trends and themes during the three-day event include career planning, business relevance, diversity, the role of ICT in business transformation and, of course, computer security and the cloud.

CompTIA Debuts New Testing Option for Certification Exams

The world's first technology partner and provider of neutral skills for technology professionals, today launched a new, safe online test option for their certification exams.

CompTIA, in partnership with ProctorU, a leading online consultation service, is beginning to offer certification exam examiners in the United States and Canada 24 hours a day, seven days a week, wherever you are with a connection Internet.

"This is an important and significant step for our certification program," said Randy Gross, CIO and Senior Vice President of CompTIA Operations. "With the demand for technology workers with the growth and strong preference of employers for certified IT professionals with validated skills, we are committed to making our tests more accessible to a wider audience. "

The first exam, through the online test option is CompTIA Project +, a title that validates competencies and skills in all aspects of managing a project life cycle. Applicants can use the online option for the new CompTIA Project + (PK0-004) presented this month or the previous version (PK0-003). (Visit the new CompTIA Project + certification exam available today for more details.)

The number of tests available through the online test program will be extended in the coming weeks. It continues to offer CompTIA certification exams at Pearson VUE centers around the world.

"The tests are identical, with the same requirements and score, whether you are testing a center or online," Gross said. "Whatever the framework, the experience of taking the tests meets our high standards of integrity and safety. "

CompTIA has entered into a partnership with ProctorU for the delivery of their online certification exams. Founded in 2008, ProctorU has administered more than two million exams for examiners in 129 countries. Its on-line signature monitoring service combines technology and a human element to ensure the integrity of online surveys.

With over two million certifications awarded to technology professionals worldwide, CompTIA is the world's leading provider of competency certifications from neutral vendors, competing in validating cloud computing, mobility, Linux, networking, project management , Security, storage and other critical technologies.

CompTIA Unveils Cyberanalyst Certification

Cybersecurity job shortages are well documented. By the year 2022 there will be 1.8 million jobs open to highly qualified candidates and with advanced knowledge can go beyond traditional approaches. The demand for cyber security analysts is already strong: the Bureau of Labor Statistics project 18% growth from 2014 to 2024, making it the fastest job function in the US workforce - not just in technology , But in all categories.

CompTIA + CSA certification will provide broad validation spectrum of knowledge and skills necessary to configure and use cyber threat detection tools, analyze data and interpret results to identify vulnerabilities, threats and risks to an organization. Knowledge of an approach driven by information security data is certified.

"The Internet of Things not only greatly increases the capacity of homes and businesses, but also opens up billions of new vulnerabilities that need to be secured," said Todd Thibodeaux, CompTIA President and CEO. "This is an economic and social imperative to train and certify hundreds of thousands of IT professionals with the analytical capabilities they need to address the complexity and diversity of threats as they multiply.

"By putting more emphasis on data analysis, we gain a holistic view of real-time network behavior, its users and devices, to identify potential vulnerabilities and strengthen before an intrusion passes," added the senior director of product CompTIA, James Stanger. "Armed with this information, professional cyber security can more accurately identify potential risks and vulnerabilities so that resources are allocated where they are most needed."

The new CSA + certification strengthens the CompTIA Security portfolio. It bridges the gap between the CompTIA Security + CompTIA exam skills and the Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) to create a provider with cyber security career path. CompTIA Security + is the repository of best practices in IT security, covering the core principles of network security and risk management, while CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certifies critical thinking and judgment in a wide range of Disciplines security.

CompTIA + CSA received an accreditation certificate from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which means that it complies with ISO / IEC 17024: 2012 certifications for personnel.

CompTIA Unveils Cyberanalyst Certification

Cybersecurity’s workforce shortage is well-documented. By 2022, there will be 1.8 million positions open for highly trained candidates with advanced skills capable of moving beyond traditional approaches. The demand for cybersecurity analysts is already strong: The Bureau of Labor Statistics project growth of 18% from 2014 to 2024, making it the fastest growing job roles in the US workforce—not just in technology but across all categories.

The CompTIA CSA+ certification will offer broad-spectrum validation of knowledge and skills required to configure and use cyber-threat detection tools, perform data analysis and interpret the results to identify vulnerabilities, threats and risks to an organization. It certifies knowledge of a data-driven approach to information security.

"The internet of things is not only bringing greatly expanded capability to homes and businesses, it's also opening up potentially billons of new points of vulnerability that need to be secured," said CompTIA president and CEO Todd Thibodeaux. "It's an economic and societal imperative to train and certify hundreds of thousands of IT professionals with the analytical skills they need to address the complexity and diversity of threats as they multiply."

“By placing greater emphasis on data analytics, we get a real-time, holistic view of the behavior of the network, its users and their devices, to identify potential vulnerabilities and strengthen them before an intrusion happens,” added CompTIA’s senior director for products, James Stanger. “Armed with this information, cybersecurity professionals can more precisely identify potential risks and vulnerabilities so that resources can be allocated where they're most needed.”

The new CSA+ certification strengthens CompTIA’s portfolio of security credentials. It bridges the skills gap between CompTIA Security+ and the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) exam to create a vendor-neutral cybersecurity career pathway. CompTIA Security+ is the benchmark for best practices in IT security, covering essential principles for network security and risk management, while CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certifies critical thinking and judgment across a broad spectrum of security disciplines.

CompTIA CSA+ has received a Certificate of Accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), signifying that it meets ISO/IEC 17024:2012 general requirements for personnel certifications.

Trends in Digital Organizations Offer Opportunities to Partners

A new report released today by CompTIA Technology Analysts Association reveals that IT teams are collaborating more and new ways that digital transformation continues to impact organizations.

While the business trend in recent years has been to move the budget out of it and direct it towards the line of business (LOB) of technological spending, CompTIA report found that IT departments are becoming more strategically important as Learn to work together with the business units to drive the evolution of the business.

"Unfair IT adventures showed business units that there is more of a technology solution than they had initially assumed," said Seth Robinson, director of technology analysis at CompTIA, in a statement. "IT professionals are also changing their behavior, learning more about business goals and objectives so they can help guide strategies and serve as an educational resource on technical issues.

The predominant role of IT is still activation and support, but the study found that 39 percent of companies surveyed use technology to generate business results, and 36 percent say that the role plays a critical role in IT. strategy.

"This represents a radical change from the traditional point of view, where business objectives were driven by business units and technology equipment play a supportive role," Robinson said.

IDC predicts that by the end of 2017, 70% of Global 500 will form dedicated teams focused on digital transformation and innovation. According to CompTIA, this results in a new business model in which a team will balance the operational functions of IT and strategic IT functions.

The report shows that most companies are not ready to enter this new paradigm, with only 24 percent of the business role of employees and 17 percent of executives who express confidence in their readiness levels. This pressure is felt more by the smaller companies with no resources to build specialized equipment. This opens up new opportunities for the channel, Robinson said.

"For the chain, the need to talk to several buyers has never been stronger," he told the VAR individual. "With most end-users forming collaborative approaches across the technology supply, channel companies must meet IT technical concerns and the needs of other departments.

CompTIA Announces New IT Professional Organization

As CompTIA, founded in 1982, moved to its 35th anniversary, the Technology Industry Association announced Monday the acquisition of the Professional Association of Information Technology (PTAI) and unveiled plans for Build a new organization called CompTIA IT Professionals Association. Expect to see the official launch in early May.

Discussions to formalize the relationship with professionals CompTIA IT began last year with the idea of forming the new partnership as a sister organization to its existing organization of the existing channel, with both arms under the umbrella of CompTIA. CompTIA's final mission is to have a positive impact on the IT workforce.

Nancy Hammervik, Executive Vice President of the Industry Relations Organization, described this development as a relationship with CompTIA IT professionals and their commitment to being the guardians and advocates of the natural progression of the workforce. Work in IT.

"We realized during the year in particular we are reaching a very critical area IT workforce expansion gaps in skills and decreasing desire by the next generation to pursue a career in IT - And how it is both our society and our economy, "he said.

The long-term relationship with CompTIA IT professionals is visible through its arm certification, which certifies 200,000 IT professionals each year and has about 1.2 million US alumni certification on your list. CompTIA certification includes: CompTIA A +, CompTIA Network + and CompTIA Security +, to name a few.

In the works there is a CompTIA website updated and new digital offers online. On the front line among member benefits is a new career or portal work, carried out in partnership with Ardentes Glass Technologies, a company that provides analysis of the labor market. The portal will include a curriculum creator customize a member's curriculum for each job application.

"This is to ensure that we combine their skills and experience with the work needs that will help the candidate meet the requirements of the job," Hammervik said.

Burning glass will add almost all open IT positions to the market and push members any relevant career opportunity to consider - or a member can analyze city work, salary, job criteria, so

Members of the CompTIA legacy chain are not immune to the shortage of IT skills and the # 1 challenge is to find talent. "Everyone in the next generation wants to go to work for Google or Facebook, but not a small MSP in the city. It's very difficult for [partners]," Hammervik said.

To help channel partners, CompTIA allow them to post open positions on the job portal and make them a priority when push employment opportunities for IT professionals to educate them about opportunities outside large companies Suppliers and maybe even find work in their own hometown.

The career portal will also provide a career path path that provides the necessary skills, positions that need to be pursued, and the time it should take to get professionals throughout your IT career. A job in BC , Etc. It will automatically trigger an update program will offer a comparison of the salaries of its current work to a wider market and offer other employment opportunities to keep them relevant.

Other benefits for members of the association come with Skillsoft CompTIA availability and the entire Skillsoft digital content library. This is combined with essential technical skills such as management, networking and communication of professional IT skills.

With the new combined organization CompTIA PTAI, members can enjoy the network of students and professionals PTAI tutoring teachers, meet other professionals and learn about employment opportunities and IT career.

The membership fee for the new CompTIA PTAI be $ 99 per year per individual member, with a pre-registration price of $ 79 before the official launch.

According to Hammervik, CompTIA promote the connection between the two sister organizations. For example, CompTIA search will be available for members of both organizations and CompTIA will increase the amount of searches done on the end user's work. In addition, CompTIA Community Futures Leaders, now two years old, will open to the PTAI community.

Registration opens for CompTIA 2017 annual member meeting

Industry leaders and leaders will meet in Chicago March 21-23, 2017 for two days of collaboration, discussion, networking and strategic planning. The 2017 meeting will mark the eighth consecutive year that the most active, committed members and competent CompTIA will meet to help set the agenda for the association for next year.

"Our members are always ready and happy to connect with our annual membership meeting," said Kelly Ricker, executive vice president, events and education, CompTIA. "It's an opportunity for them to share strategies on how to take advantage of new business opportunities and business tactics to address recent competitive pressures."

The highlights of the annual meeting are the planning and strategy sessions held by many CompTIA member communities and advisory boards. These volunteer groups - formed by the most brilliant and innovative minds in the industry - are shaping CompTIA activities, including the development of new content, educational offerings, events, policy positions, programs and research. The global technology industry.

The 2017 Annual Meeting will also offer members the presentation of the second annual CompTIA Member of the Year award. This award recognizes a member who, over the past 12 months, has demonstrated exceptional service and impact thanks to their commitment, passion, professionalism and leadership to help CompTIA advance the industry.

SMBs See Technology as Crucial, But ROI Uncertainties Remain

A new report from CompTIA, the association of IT industry, SMEs shows technology as a paramount factor in the business meeting, although some goals have mixed feelings about the return on their investment.

CompTIA SME surveyed for some 600 "The Business Relevance of IT in the SME market." Cybersecurity, data usage, and modernization of existing infrastructure and applications are key areas for improvement, which opens opportunities for Channel Partners with the right combination of technology, business, Industry to play a role in directing purchasing decisions by appropriately recommending their offers for SMB customers, CompTIA said.

"This highlights a major challenge: balancing the desire to embrace innovation with the realities of managing the business," said Tim Herbert, senior vice president of CompTIA's research and intelligence market.

Top SME targets for the coming year include: customer retention (50 percent); Expansion into new markets (48 per cent); Business process improvement (46 percent); Innovation (42 per cent); And the development of the workforce (34 percent).

One in three spend more than SMEs earns $ 100,000 a year, with less remaining expenses, according to the report. About 43 per cent said they invest less than they should be

While three out of five (60 percent) believe that SMEs their return on investment (ROI) in technology has been excellent or good, the other two (40 percent) classify it as "just OK" or disappointing. And the costs, the necessary updates and the built-in obsolescence, the staff time required to operate and maintain the initial costs, and complexity.

The sentiment on the ROI is accompanied by a caveat, CompTIA said. Only one in five SME reports using ROI calculators dedicated to assess the impact of their technology spending. Others rely on more generally casual or tools, or on "rough" estimates. Yet, it signals the need for technology providers to refine the return on investment from their discussions with customers.

"Because technology is to be deliverable Often positioned on what seems impossible, expectations can be detached from reality," Herbert Said. "This can be particularly problematic for small businesses who can not have a clear vision and strategy for how different components or technological solutions to solve a problem or business problem. More important role in the discussion of return on investment with customers by setting realistic expectations, identifying the indirect benefits of technology spending and providing big picture strategic and targeted direction, tactical expertise.

More Customers Are Looking To Adopt IoT, With Partner Help

Channel partners are beginning to "warm up" to the Internet of the Things market as more customers adopt experimental pilot projects and formal initiatives around the IOT, according to CompTIA report.

Lisa Person, Community Director at CompTIA, told The Channel Company's NextGen Cloud Conference & Expo solution providers that the channel is realizing the benefits and opportunities surrounding massive amounts of data from connected devices.


"Customers need help connecting the different parts of the IoT," she said on Tuesday. "As the devices become more connected, they want to know: how do you handle all this and what do you do with all the data? This is where partners can come into play with analytics and BI tools.

Although the market is still new, customers are starting to take an interest in the Internet because they benefit from IoT solutions, including better customer experience, better asset visibility, more accurate tracking, cost savings and better decision-making data.

According to CompTIA, 33 percent of organizations have an experimental project or pilot project underway and 27 percent have already adopted a formal IOT initiative. Meanwhile, 23 percent of organizations are planning an IoT initiative underway in a year, and only 15 percent have no plan around IoT.

Despite the increasing interest in the Internet of objects, customers and channel partners still face obstacles that they must overcome to adopt IOT strategies. For example, according to CompTIA's research, up to 55 percent of channels view the development of expertise around the IOT as a major challenge.

"The partners are worried about putting in-house expertise and talent around the Internet objects, and then starting up costs," said Person.

Channel partners have also listed the initial costs of the IoT project, educating customers and choosing business models the other challenges they face in the Internet space of things.

For example, the South African system integrator, Dimension Data, has proposed a revolutionary solution to connect the Tour de France to a range of IoT applications. In 2015, Dimension Data launched a four-month project to link bicycles, create personalized networks, capture real-time data, and provide high-tech security for the race so that mobile users can see the status of Participants.

Nathan Phinney, President of Bright Bear Technology Solutions, a managed service provider based in Irvine, Calif., Said solution providers are interested in IoT but are still looking for successful use to better the monetize the market.

"I think a lot of MSPs continue to take the temperature ... there is a level of interest that is quite high in the development of IoT practices in partner managed services companies," he said. "But it's still a green market, people are still to understand, similar to cloud when it was young - what is it, how to monetize it, and what are the possibilities in space.

October Jobs Report Shows Strong Month for IT Services and Software, CompTIA Analysis Finds

Employment in information technology (IT) in the country increased by 4,200 jobs in October, the fourth consecutive month of growth, according to IT employment Tracker released today by CompTIA, the non-profit association Profit benefit of the technology industry.


As it did throughout 2016, the category of software and services has boosted employment growth in the IT sector, adding 8,300 jobs last month, according to the analysis of the CompTIA Employment Report work (#jobsreport) of the Bureau of Labor Statistics released this morning. For the year, this category increased by 73,500 jobs.


"The relatively strong employment report is an indication that the IT sector and employment in the IT sector remain true to year-end growth targets," said Tim Herbert, senior vice president of research CompTIA and market intelligence.



"Despite the anguish in next week's elections, employers added technology jobs, a reflection of the continuing demand for digital business technology, IT management services, and expertise in cyber security related skills.

Employment growth in October was also reported in the categories of other information services, including search portals (up to 1200) and data processing, hosting and related services (+ 200).



Lower earnings last month were the decline in telecommunication employment (4500 jobs) and IT and electronics (1000).


Net profit for October: a gain of 4,200 jobs. During the first 10 months of 2016, the IT sector has added 56,800 new jobs.


The second component of the nation's IT workforce - the IT business in all other industries - has declined somewhat in October, with an estimated net gain of 69,000 jobs. For the calendar year, IT professionals show an estimated net gain of more than 86,000 jobs.

Channel remains undecided on cloud, says CompTIA

CompTIA research suggests that after gobbling the cloud of dreams, the channel may be subject to buyer's remorse period


Channel companies have not yet made up their mind about where cloud computing fits your business, finding new CompTIA suggests.

Sixth annual status report channel CompTIA found that almost 40% of respondents believe that cloud computing is the main reason to be optimistic about the future of the chain.

At the same time, a third of companies surveyed said the cloud channel is one of the main concerns that made them worried about the coming days.

"The channel is still not 100% comfortable with the cloud, in fact, are less secure than they were two years ago," said Principal Carolyn April, industry analysis, CompTIA.

April, said that after a period of rapid adoption of the cloud, the channel seems to undergo a "reality check."

"As the channel has had more experience in working with the cloud, which saw the problem areas, tempered their expectations about the cost and return on investment and are now in the phase of" refinement, "" she said. "This shows that the passage of the chain to the cloud is not linear, March uniform pace, but rather a case of two steps forward and one step back."

Branches clouds go beyond capital expenditures and return on investment. There are two years, 70% of companies surveyed channel said the cloud had strengthened its relations with customers. This year, the figure dropped to 60%. And almost a quarter of companies believe that cloud ties with customers weakened, compared with 17% two years ago.

 

Despite going through a period of instability, most organizations (63%) remain optimistic that the channel has a good performance in the coming years, interesting, medium and large companies were more optimistic than their counterparts in the smaller companies.

CompTIA: School careers days have 'zero impact' on IT skills gap

One-day career days or school talks are having "zero impact" on plugging the IT skills gap, according to CompTIA's CEO Todd Thibodeaux (pictured), who said longer-term projects involving tech role models would work better.

Many technology professionals across the industry go into schools to talk up the benefits of a career in tech through larger projects or under their own steam. But Thibodeaux says the risk with this strategy is that the next day, another speaker from another industry might come in and do the same thing.

"Those things have zero impact," he told CRN today at CompTIA's EMEA member conference. "We have been doing those things forever and they have no impact at all.

"What has impact is that someone knows a friend or relative or someone they did an internship with. We've taught kids what they would be doing in a job; we've not been telling them why we love our jobs. We have to do a much better job of expressing why we love what we do. That's the part a role model plays. It's not just a one-day or a one-week thing, it's a multi-year thing. If you want kids to pay attention, you have to have constant interaction with them. It won't happen overnight, it will happen over a period of years."

He added that while it is important to introduce children to the idea of a career in IT from a young age, they are unlikely to make any concrete decisions until later on.

"Kids are delaying their career decisions into way into college or university," he said. "So the things you do in high school aged 12 to 16 years old, they're not having any impact. We should target them with long-term engagement with role models. It has to be something where at 12 or 13 they interact with a role model, over a period of years. We need to keep more top of mind over a longer period of time."

CompTIA itself has created in-school projects aimed at encouraging kids – especially girls – into tech. But Thibodeaux admitted he is sceptical about their long-term impact.

"We did Dream IT and we're questioning whether that has any ongoing value – going in and doing one or two engagements in schools," he said. "It's about how we can use that programme to have an ongoing engagement with those people."

Last month, recruiter Robertson Sumner said that as the skills gap intensifies, many resellers are looking outside the IT sector for staff, with estate agents and other sales professionals being targeted.

Thibodeaux agreed that this is a good plan, and said even non-sales workers such as hairdressers might slot well into the channel.

"Soft skills are harder to acquire so looking in other places is important – an estate agent, someone who has worked in a salon, or wherever."

Referring to hairdressers, he said: "They might have just as much aptitude and clearly they are good with their hands and have to deal with people and meet expectations. It is a high-pressure situation.

"The importance of soft skills is big. We're doing a pilot here with veterans and it is proof that in eight weeks you can take someone who has no IT knowledge and make them capable of working on a helpdesk or being a part of a technical team. Instead of looking for the traditional person who comes from a computer background and is a geek, [we need to look elsewhere]. That's the only way we can help solve the pipeline issue.

"We're not going to solve the tech skills shortage with young, white men. There are not enough of them to solve the issue. The industry is facing huge, huge retirements. We always had this big pipeline of people who wanted to work in tech and the pipeline is shrinking relative to what we need. But tech is proliferating into so many other different industries that if you want to work in tech, you don't have to work for a tech company. In the past you did."