Month: December 2022

Cyberattacks have reached epidemic proportions.
The number of malware infections per month now exceeds 20,000,000. Data breaches have exposed more than 11.5 billion records since 2005.
Four out of five organizations suffered at least one successful cyberattack in 2019. More than one third of all organizations were the victims of six or more successful cyberattacks.
A ransomware attack on a business is expected to occur once every 11 seconds by 2021.
Cybercrime will result in $6 trillion in global economic losses by 2021. This is an increase of 100 per cent in six years and the largest transfer of economic wealth in human history.
To make matters worse, 85 percent are facing a shortage of security professionals. The demand for information security professionals certified has never been greater.
Certified professionals can fight cybercrime
To verify cybersecurity competency, the Computing Technology Industry Association Security+ certification is used by the overwhelming majority of businesses when filling cybersecurity positions. Security+ is the most highly regarded security certification out of all the available security certifications.
Security+ certification is the foundation for today’s IT security professionals. It is internationally recognized for validating foundational-level security knowledge and skills.
A CompTIA security certification can be a significant asset for IT professionals. An average CompTIA security certification holder earns a higher salary than those with similar qualifications, but without a certification.
Security+ Certification Exam Changes
The new CompTIA Security+ certification exam, SY0-601, is due to be released in mid November 2020. This exam is significantly different from the SY0-501 exam.
The SY0-501 Security+ exam released in 2017 focused on cybersecurity. Organizations monitored network traffic and reacted to attacks. However, cybersecurity today is proactive and not reactive. The emphasis is on finding evidence of an infiltration into a company before the cyberattack actually begins.
Many instances now allow for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to predict an attack. These changes are reflected in the new Security+ SY0-601 certificate, which prepares learners to take on these new job roles.
Security+: The Most Recent Edition
In November 2020, the new Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals 7e will be available to instructors. It will include the updated CompTIA SY0-601 exam and map to the new exam’s objectives.

IT, Networking, and Cyber Security Instructors – Take a deep dive into the Live Virtual Machine Labs at MindTap. Watch the recording of our recent webinar: Just In Time Training for Live Virtual Machine Labs.

This post is shared: Cisco announced their Next Level IT certifications this week at the Cisco Live event. Ronnie Wong, a resident Cisco and networking educator, will guide you through the new certifications, what you should study, and what it means for you.

The New Kids on the Block
New Cisco certification paths are bringing new players to the scene: DevNet Associate and Professional, as well as the new CCNA.
Ronnie Wong guides you through the new Cisco certification paths in this video.

Current exams will be retired on February 23, 2020. New exams will be active on February 24, 2020.
This is the new Cisco certification path
Current path retiring Feb 23, 2020:
Entry:CCENTCCT
Associate:CCDACCNA CloudCCNA Cyber OpsCCNA Data CenterCCNA IndustrialCCNA Route & SwitchingCCNA SecurityCCNA Service ProviderCCNA Wi-Fi
Professional:CCDPCCNP CloudCCNP CollaborationCCNP Data CenterCCNP Routing & SwitchingCCNP SecurityCCNP Service ProviderCCNP Wireless
Expert:CCDECCIE CollaborationCCIE Routing & SwitchingCCIE SecurityCCIE Services ProviderCCIE Wireless
New path to launch on February 24, 2020
Entry:CCT
Associate:DevNet Associate (New!) )CCNA
Professional:DevNet Professional (New!) )CCNP EnterpriseCCNP CollaborationCCNP Data CenterCCNP SecurityCCNP Service Provider
Expert:CCDE (New! )CCIE Enterprise InfrastructureCCIE Enterprise WirelessCCIE CollaborationCCIE Data CenterCCIE SecurityCCIE Service Provider
Architect:CCAr
What to do if your goal is to take the CCENT or CCNA exam right now?
Some of you who are studying for the CCENT and CCNA may not be clear on what to do after Cisco announced their new certification paths. This QuickByte is a guide by Ronnie Wong, an edutainer.

ITProTV offers a free way to learn for your Cisco exams if you are currently studying for your CCNA/CCENT exam and want to certify before they expire.
Where can I find the new Cisco exam objectives?

What’s the CCNP doing?
How do I become a Cisco Certified Specialist

Check out our comprehensive guide to IT certifications for more information about renewing and earning certifications.

Share this post: In October, the ITProTV crew attended Microsoft Ignite, where Microsoft presented future initiatives, cool features, and, most importantly, new Azure certification paths. If you are a Microsoft certified professional and feel like you are starting to sweat after reading the last sentence of this post, don’t worry. Here’s what’s new.

Why are Microsoft certifications changing?In short, Microsoft wants to bridge the IT skills gap by better aligning certification training with real on-the-job skills requirements. The new certification paths are role-based. This means that the certification you receive will reflect the job role for which you were hired. This certification path change is only for Microsoft Azure specializations. Your previous certifications are still valid until their expiration dates.
What is changing? Let’s say you have passed the 70-533 exam — Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions. This doesn’t tell much about your role in IT. It outlines the subject matter you will be learning about, which is Azure Infrastructure. The new certification program prepares you for the exact job in Azure infrastructure that you would like to be Microsoft Certified Azure Developer Associate, Administrator Associate, and so forth.
The Six New Job Role Based Certifications The 100-level administrator is the developer level, 200-level developer is the architect level, and 400-level DevOps is the DevOps level.
These are the six roles that Microsoft Certified Azure requires:
Associate Administrator
Developer Associate
Solutions Architect Expert
DevOps Engineer Expert (coming soon)
Microsoft 365 Modern Desktop Administrator (coming soon).
Enterprise Administrator (coming soon)
The new certification exams are:
AZ – 100 : Microsoft Azure Infrastructure and Deployment
AZ 101: Microsoft Azure Integration and Security
AZ – 102: Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification Transition
AZ – 200 : Microsoft Azure Developer Core Solutions
AZ -201: Microsoft Azure Developer Advanced Solutions
AZ – 202: Microsoft Azure Developer Certification Transition
AZ – 300: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies
AZ – 301: Microsoft Azure Architect Design
AZ – 302 – Transition to Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Certification
AZ – 400: Microsoft Azure DevOps Solutions
Transition Exams These exams are intended for professionals who have passed the 70-532 or 533 exams and want to transition to the new role-based Azure certifications. The transitional exams cover only what’s new, and are not covered by the 70XXX exams. It is important to keep in mind the dates. Exams 532-533 and 535 expire December 31, 2018, respectively. The transitional exams will still be available until June 30, 2019. If you want to transfer your certification without having to start over, you will need to take a transitional test before June 30th. Here’s the breakdown:
After passing 70-532, you will be able to earn your Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate certificate by passing AZ-2: Microsoft Azure Developer Certification Transition.
After passing 70-533, you will be able to earn your Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate certification by passing AZ-102: Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification Transition.
After passing 70-535, you will be able to earn your Microsoft Certified: Azure Solution Architect Expert certification by passing AZ-302 – Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Certification Transition.
What if I don’t have a Microsoft Azure certification? Simply choose the role-based path that you want to follow and then start studying for your certification exam. Although the content may be new, the process of signing up for and taking a Microsoft certification exam is the same.
The three last Azure certifications, DevOps Engineer and Microsoft 365 Modern Desktop Administrator, will be released before the end 2018. Microsoft forums confirm that there will be more role-based certifications in 2019, aside from Azure. You can proudly display your skills if you are awarded one of these new certifications.
ITProTV’s social media channels will have more information about Microsoft certifications. You can also refer to Microsoft’s blogs for additional information. Techn is a podcast that explains what Mike and Cherokee learned at Ignite.

“Out with the old CCNP Routing & Switching, in with new” was probably the Cisco of 2015’s thought. They decided to update this coveted certification in January 2015. This decision was made earlier than expected and announced last summer. The certification was updated fully on January 29, 2015. The current Cisco CCNP Routing and switching certification exams (642-902 ROUTE and 642-813 SWITCH) will be retired on January 29, 2015. You can register only for the CCNP Routing and switching v2.0 certification exams beginning January 30, 2015. Candidates have been able mix and match the old and new versions of the three exams for the past six months (and still have three weeks to complete it).
What’s the new CCNP Routing and Switching v2.0 like?
The new CCNP Routing and Switching targets candidates with more current topics and forward-looking strategies. It pays particular attention to IPv6’s impact on workforce mobility and the proliferation Internet-connected devices. The updated exams include network scale support and accommodating IoT’s continued growth (see below).
The updated CCNP R&S exam validates your ability to plan, implement and verify complex network solutions. The new CCNP Routing & Switching exams are:
Implementing Cisco IP Routing (300-101)
Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (305-115)
Troubleshooting and maintaining Cisco IP Networks (300-135)
Cisco is increasing the level of CCNP Routing & Switching credential. This will bring it closer to the expert level as well as other CCNP certifications. CCNP R&S updates were long overdue. CCNP Routing and Switching now has the same level as other CCNP-level credentials like Data Center Security and Voice.
The new CCNP Routing and Switching 2.0 curriculum focuses on IPv6, including dual-stack IPv4 and IPv6 networks. Cisco believes that the IPv6 market will continue to grow, and Cisco needs to match it accordingly. There is also a growing emphasis on the Internet of things (IoT), which includes manufacturing sensors, household gadgets and other devices that need network connectivity.
Cisco’s new version of CCNP Routing and Switching requires that candidates are proficient in StackWise and Virtual Switching Service technologies. Both are used to make multiple physical switch behave like one switch. However, there are many design considerations and implementation details that can impact their behavior in production networks.
DMVPN (Dynamic Multipoint Virtual Private Network) is another thing to remember when looking at the new version CCNP Routing & Switching certification. This technology overlays secure tunnels across public and leased networks. It has been added to the CCNP Track Routing & Switching.
If you are considering adding the CCNP Routing & Switching credential as part of your professional profile, then you should focus on Version 2.0. for all (ROUTE SWITCH, TSHOOT). exams. You can find the blueprints here. You might also want to visit our IT certification community to see if any of your fellow Cisco professionals have taken these exams. Good luck!

Cisco Certified Network Professional Course, also known as CCNP Course, is a certification that Cisco offers to professionals in the field of Information Technology. It provides them with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to understand and implement networking, routing, and switching. This certification covers both the updating and solving of problems related to these technologies. There are many private institutes that offer CCNP training around the globe, some of which are approved by Cisco.
There are two types of institutes in the United States of America:
Fast Lane Consulting and Education Services
Global Knowledge
Micronics, Inc.
NC-Expert
NetMasterClass

United States of Asia Pacific (APAC), Institutes:
Fast Lane APAC
Global Knowledge
IT Learning Solution
Nirmal Datacomm
Training Partners (TP).

Japan Institutes:
Global Knowledge Network Japan Ltd
Net One Systems
NGN-SF
Top Out Human Capital

European Institutes:
ExperTeach
ALEF NULA (Slovakia Czech and Hungary)
Fast Lane Institute for Knowledge Transfer GmbH
Fast Lane Institute for Knowledge Transfer Slovenia/ CEE
Global Knowledge
NIL Data Communications Ltd
PRES Srl – Italy

The CCNP Course is an internationally recognized certification that promises bright futures for its qualified candidates, specifically in Dubai. Below are some of its benefits:
This certification certifies professionals who can be used by many organizations and enterprises to act as system administrators.
The certification covers issues related to networking such as the provision of network solutions. The certification allows its holders to offer solutions and security to an organization’s network. Network security is a key aspect. The CCNP course covers all aspects of it for its learners.
The certification is linked to the networking, so it provides all information about LAN andWAN, including the design and implementation of these networks.

Comments
Comments

You have just passed TSA airport security. Now you are heading to your gate. You notice that your phone needs to be charged so you can binge-watch the movies on your long flight. Panic sets in as you look for your phone charger cord. You realize you forgot it at home. You don’t want to spend $20 at an airport store for a cheap charger cord that you can get online for $7. You don’t want to spend your time on the flight reading an airport magazine and listening to someone next to you talk for three hour about their latest vacation with dolphins.
What can you do?
You can find two lemons and some steel nails to make your own phone charger. Imagine what the TSA would think if they saw you building something similar.
But wait! But wait! You run over to find the exact cable you are looking for. It’s inviting you to plug your phone in to charge it. Problem solved! You smile and realize that you’ll soon be fully charged up and ready for action.
What could go wrong?
The answer is “juicejacking.”
Forbes Caleb Barlow, Vice-President of X-Force Threat Intelligence, IBM Security, stated that their research shows that a growing number nation-state cybercriminals are targeting travelers and taking to airports. The transportation industry is now second most attacked, up from tenth in 2017. Why? Why?
Barlow also warned about the free, quick-charge charging stations for cell phones that are often found in airports. These charging stations could be modified by cybercriminals. How? They could also infiltrate the supply chains as these devices are being made and insert their malware (that’s already happened). They could also insert a small device between the connector for a smartphone and the legitimate cable (another common trick). The attackers can then download data from your phone, such as contact lists, photos, texts messages, and corporate documents, or infiltrate it. Or they could infiltrate (upload malware onto your phone).
Barlow puts it like this: “Plugging in a public USB port can be kind of like finding a toothbrush along the side of the road and then deciding to stick it into your mouth.” “You don’t know where it has been.” (And that leaves you with a mental picture you will soon forget). ).
This is known as juice-jacking in the security world.
Here’s the technical background. There were once dedicated charging ports for smartphones. To use them, you had to plug in a special charger that connected to a wall power outlet. Those days are gone. Smartphones have USB ports that can double as data ports or charging ports. You could get not only electrical current to your phone, but also unwanted malware or personal data.
These devices can help
You can attach small devices that look similar to a USB flash drive between your portable device and the charging port. These devices block the USB data pin connections, so only power can be sent to the device. They are often called the Juice-Jack Defenders or SyncStop, and can cost anywhere from $7 to $12. These devices are used to prevent infected USB flash drives from infecting computers (or vice versa). These devices use “full-size” USB connectors (USB–A) and not the Mini–USB or Micro–USB connections found on smartphones. They won’t protect your smartphone from infected charging stations.
There are several options. There are a few options. One is to buy a cable that connects to your phone on one end and to the wall power outlet on another end. This will allow you to charge your smartphone directly from the wall outlet. Sometimes, it is difficult to find a wall power outlet at busy airports.
A portable power bank is the best option. This is basically a battery you can charge and then take with you to charge your smartphone. A 2.4 amp, 12 watt, or 15k mAh device is the best choice. This can charge one smartphone quickly, and it can be charged up to five times before the battery needs to be recharged.
You might leave it in your suitcase, regardless of which option you choose. This will ensure that you don’t forget it when you return home.
But

Annette Nellen, co-editor of the South-Western Federal Taxation Series

Conyers, Order No. Conyers, Order No. 13969-18 (9/11/19). – In this designated order, Ms. Conyers was required to report the Jeep’s value and the one year of car insurance that she won. Her high school entered her into the “Strive to Drive” competition, which recognizes students who are good at attendance and have good grades. The high school had to allow the student to enter. C was the lucky winner of a 2016 Jeep Renegade, which she accepted and registered under her name. C was issued a Form 1099 by the Jeep dealer for $23,780. C didn’t include this in her 2016 return because she considered it a non-taxable gift.
The Tax Court ruled that the Jeep was not a gift because the donor intended to make the transfer deductible business expenses. The history of the rule regarding when a prize can be considered a gift was reviewed by the court. This included when the recipient had not asked for the item or entered any contests.
1954 saw the modification of SS74 by Congress. “In 1954, Congress amended SS74.
1986 added another requirement: the recipient must transfer the award or prize immediately to a government unit or charity.
C was not able to meet the prize exception as she did not transfer the vehicle to a government agency or charity, but instead registered it in her name.
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
Ask students to rate the ruling and explain why they disagree.
How will C find the money necessary to pay the tax due on the prize?
Check out the rules regarding scholarships that can be excluded. If C is a college-bound student, why is the Jeep not a non-taxable scholarship.
How can this recognition program be restructured in order to maximize the tax treatment of the recipient?
Why would students be awarded a Jeep instead of a cash scholarship? (It is possible that the Jeep was donated by a Jeep dealer to the school contest for publicity.
SWFT CHAPTERS
Chapters 4 and 5 of SWFT Individuals
SWFT Comprehensive: Chapters 4 & 5
SWFT Essentials: Chapters 4 & 10

Are you interested in receiving FREE CPE Credit? To be added to the mailing lists for future events, contact your Cengage Account Executive!

Visit our events page to view recorded webinars.

Cengage draws inspiration and guidance from the most influential books on teaching techniques. James Lang (author “Small Teaching”), and Ken Bain (author “What the best college professors do” are two of our favourite authors.
In 2017, James Lang visited our NYC offices to discuss a variety of ideas that he and Ken Bain use in their teaching. Lang talks about the importance to start students with great questions.

Transcript:
How can we motivate students to learn?
We’re going to discuss a structure I borrowed from Ken Bain, who wrote “What The Best College Teachers Do”. Ken argues that college teachers often come into classes and say, “Here’s some content I have for your benefit.” It’s interesting. He says that you should learn about it and that this is not the best way to motivate learners.
Dan Willingham is another cognitive theorist I like. He says:
People are curious. People are naturally curious but not interested in the answers. They are curious about the answers to their questions.
It’s not a good idea to just walk into a class and say, “I have some answers for you here.” This is not going to motivate our students. When we look at it from a different perspective, most of our classes and disciplines were created because we are interested to answer big conceptual questions about life and the human condition.
Ken believes that our disciplines and classes are answers to fundamental questions. However, we often fail to foreground these questions. Ken’s idea is that:
We should design courses around problems, questions, and challenges that we offer to students…
This can be done in a course as well as in individual learning sessions or units of a course. It can also be presented digitally or face-to-face.
How can we approach starting with our biggest questions or problems, letting students engage with them, think about them, and then letting our courses answer those [questions]?

James Lang, author of “Small Teaching”, visited our Cengage offices in 2017, to discuss a teaching approach that Ken Bain (author of “What the best colleges teachers do”) discovered was used by the best college educators.
These ideas will be reflected in our community. Great questions.

Transcript:
What structure can we create if we build something around a problem, a question, rather than building it around content?
Ken [Bain] offers us a nice structure. What structure did highly effective teachers give to their courses?
I’m going to show you five parts with this [approach]
1) They started by articulating a problem or question. This could have been a deep philosophical question that the course was going answer, it could also have been a problem that people have been struggling with for a long while, or something that has recently arisen in society.
2) They tried to show students why this question or problem was relevant or interesting.
Why should I, a student, care about this problem?
Why is it important for our society today?
3) The third thing they did was a very important one. Give students the chance to answer this question. This question would be difficult to answer if you tried to solve it right now.
What would you do?
How would you answer that question?
How would you approach this problem?
Perhaps students are unable to do this individually but they might be able to work together, or go home and think about it, if they prefer a digital environment, they may have the chance to explore some possible solutions.
4) The fourth thing that happens is that we think about what we are doing in class or in a class, which is “I’m answering the question”. Ken suggests that this is in some ways the most important thing. Motivation is about getting them excited, getting them curious, and getting them to try things on their own. Only after they’ve done that will they be interested in the answer.
5) The final step is to end with a new question. This will send them back curious.
If you think of this five-part learning structure, it can be seen as a way to get students interested in a class. It could be a video lecture, a text component, or an individual learning session that could be done face-to-face or digitally.

This is the idea: Let’s just try to change the structure a bit from what a normal course looks like.

Instead of saying, “Here’s an outline, here are the things I want you to know ” I would rather say, “Here’s what I want to say to ” because this is a really interesting problem. Let’s discuss this problem briefly. How can you solve this problem? We then say, “Okay, now I’m going tell you a bit about here’s a tool, here are the ideas that will help you try and solve this problem.”

Rumours and talks have circulated about Microsoft’s plans to retire some exams this year. We now have official confirmation from Microsoft Learning, which was posted on the Microsoft Learning blog.
Microsoft intends to retire all Microsoft Dynamics MCTS, MCITP certifications by December 31, 2014. Microsoft plans to retire all Microsoft Dynamics MCTS and MCITP certifications by December 31, 2014.
Before we get to the list, let’s remind you that it is extensive, and includes the highly sought-after Windows Phone Applications exam, which is a result of all the hype surrounding the Windows Phone. Does this mean that Microsoft has reduced its certification program? Of course not, so don’t freak out. It makes sense that vendors make adjustments to their certification programs and overhaul some things as technology advances. Let’s take a closer look at the list. In our next posts, we will discuss the options for what you can do instead of taking these exams off the market.
Microsoft Dynamics – Area
MB7-838 NAV 2009 Installation & ConfigurationRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-839 NAV 2009 Core Setup and FinanceRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-840 NAV 2009 C/SIDE IntroductionRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-841 NAV 2009 C/SIDE Solution DevelopmentRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-842 NAV 2009 Trade & InventoryRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-843 NAV 2009 Warehouse ManagementRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-846 NAV 2009 Relationship ManagementRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-848 NAV 2009 Service ManagementRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-849 NAV 2009 ManufacturingRetiring on 6/30/2014MB7-849 NAV 2009-Produktion (Danish)Retiring on 6/30/2014MB7-849 NAV 2009-Produktion (German)Retiring on 6/30/2014MB5-845 POS 2009Retiring on 12/31/2014MB5-537 Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System 2.0 Store OperationsRetiring on 12/31/2014MB5-538 Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System 2.0 HeadquartersRetiring on 12/31/2014
Visual Studio Area
70-506: TS: Silverlight 4, DevelopmentRetiring on 7/31/201470-512: TS: Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2010, AdministrationRetiring on 7/31/201470-521: Upgrade: Transition your MCPD .NET Framework 3.5 Windows Dev Skills to MCPD .NET 4.0 Windows App DevRetiring on 7/31/201470-523: Upgrade: Transition Your MCPD .NET Framework 3.5 Web Dev Skills to MCPD .NET Framework 4 Web DevRetiring on 7/31/201498-362: Windows Development FundamentalsRetiring on 7/31/201498-373: Mobile Development FundamentalsRetiring on 7/31/2014Area: Volume Licensing:
70-671: TS: Designing and Providing Volume Licensing Solutions to Small and Medium OrgsRetiring on 1/31/201570-672: TS: Designing and Providing Volume Licensing Solutions to Large OrganizationsRetiring on 1/31/2015Area: Windows
70-682 Pro: Upgrading Windows 7 MCITP Enterprise Desktop Support TechRetirement on 7/31/201470-684 OEM ResellerRetirement on 7/31/2014Area : Windows Azure
70-583: PRO – Designing and Developing Windows Azure ApplicationsRetired on 7/31/2014Area : Windows Embedded
70-582: TS Windows Embedded Standard 7 for developersRetired on 7/31/2014Area : Windows Phone
70-599: Pro: Designing, Developing Windows Phone ApplicationsRetirement on 9/30/2014So… how do these changes impact your 2014 certification plans? Are you sure what you’re going do? Keep reading as we explore other options in our next blog posts.