Thursday, October 25, 2012

Top paying certifications

We talked a few weeks ago about what IT skills employers where looking for in 2013.  Let’s take it even one step further and discuss which certifications can give you the biggest bump on your salary.  If you want that number to increase on your paycheck than take a look at some of these important certifications, along with the classes that will help you get them!

8-13 Percent Premium Added to Your Base Pay

Prerequisite:
All candidates must hold the ITIL Foundation certificate or a Bridge qualification equivalent.
A total of 17 credits minimum must be earned from Foundation and Intermediate modules.
The “Managing Across the Lifecycle” module must be taken and passed once 17 credits have been earned.

The ITIL 2011 Edition course is the entry level certification course for IT Service Management Best Practices training in ITIL.  This course covers the latest version of core ITIL best practices presented from a lifecycle perspective.  The course introduces the principles and core elements of IT service management (ITSM) based on ITIL 2011 Edition.  ITIL 2011 Edition is comprised of five core publications: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operations and Continual Service Improvement, promoting alignment with the business as well as improving operational efficiency.

Prerequisite:
Candidates must possess a valid Cisco CCDA and CCNA certification.
or
A Cisco CCIE certification in any track can act as a prerequisite.

The ROUTE course is designed to provide professionals of medium to large network sites with information on the use of advanced routing in implementing scalability for Cisco routers that are connected to LANs and WANs. The goal is to train professionals to dramatically increase the number of routers and sites using these techniques instead of redesigning the network when additional sites or wiring configurations are added.

Implementing Cisco Switched Networks (SWITCH) v1.0 is a five-day instructor-led cctraining course, designed to help students prepare to plan, configure, and verify the implementation of complex enterprise switching solutions for campus environments using the Cisco Enterprise Campus Architecture.

Prerequisite —There are no formal prerequisites for this certification.

Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices: Accelerated (CCNAX) v1.1 is a 60-hour instructor-led course that provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to install, operate, and troubleshoot a small to medium-sized network, including connecting to a WAN and implementing network security.

10-15 Percent Premium Added to Your Base Pay

Perquisite- For your CISSP credential, your professional experience has to be in two or more of these 10 (ISC)² CISSP domains:  
Access Control
Telecommunications and Network Security
Information Security Governance and Risk Management
Software Development Security
Cryptography
Security Architecture and Design
Operations Security
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning
Legal, Regulations, Investigations and Compliance
Physical (Environmental) Security
This five-day, instructor-led course trains students in all areas of the security Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). They will learn about security policy development, secure software development procedures, network vulnerabilities, attack types and corresponding countermeasures, cryptography concepts and their uses, disaster recovery plans and procedures, risk analysis, crucial laws and regulations, forensics basics, computer crime investigation procedures, physical security, and much, much more. They will explore the contents and concepts that make up the diverse domains and learn how they work together to provide true “in-depth” defense.
12-16 Percent Premium Added to Your Base Pay
In order to meet the needs of busy professionals, Babbage Simmel, one of the nation’s leading project management training firms, has created PMP® 1-2-3: A Guide to Preparing for the PMP Exam, which forms the base of this intense, five-day workshop. PMP® 1-2-3 brings together the materials covered on the PMP® exam into one easy to use, step-by-step method for efficient and effective exam preparation.

You can view the entire list over at the CIO website.

-Matt

Friday, October 19, 2012

Windows 8 is here!

It’s time to start preparing for Windows 8!  That’s right.  The launch is just around the corner, October 26th to be exact.  The good news is that you can download a preview of Windows 8 here. 
There are many improvements and refinements across the Windows 8 Release Preview that folks will see right away, while others are under the hood. For instance, you will find more personalization options for the Start screen (including more colors!), improved multi-monitor support, and new Family Safety features to name just a few. People will also notice and enjoy improvements to the Mail, Photos, and People apps and see new Bing-powered Travel, News and Sports apps. Internet Explorer 10 also has new capabilities in the Windows 8 Release Preview like “flip ahead” and a fully integrated secure and power-optimized Adobe Flash Player. IE10 is also the first browser to feature Do Not Track “on” by default. The improvements and refinements seen in the Windows 8 Release Preview result in a better overall experience that everyone can enjoy!

To prepare for a rollout of Windows 8 in your organization we have just the class for you.

This course provides students hands-on experience with Windows 8. It provides guidance on installing, upgrading, and licensing for Windows 8. Students will learn how to manage storage by creating simple, spanned, and striped volumes, and how to optimize file-system performance. Additionally, they will learn how to manage available disk space by using quotas. Students will work with Windows tools and services to determine the source of performance and reliability issues, and to troubleshoot these issues.

This course describes how to configure networking to include IPv4, IPv6, connect to wireless networks, and use the networking features included in Windows 8 to troubleshoot networking issues. Students will also learn preventive measures and tools that work together to protect their computers from security threats.

Features related to file and folder management, which include setting permissions, file/folder compression, and configuring shared folders. Students will also learn about installing and managing printers. Additionally, the course provides an overview of the SkyDrive functionality, and describes the procedures to install and configure applications, including Windows Store apps.

The course also examines the fundamentals of working with virtual machines in the Client Hyper-V environment in Windows 8.  Students will learn about features such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and DirectAccess, which provide mobile users access to internal resources when the users are out of the office.  Throughout the course, students will use Windows PowerShell 3.0, and its graphical user interface (GUI) to configure and manage the system. Students will also use the scripting editor to create and examine PowerShell scripts used to manage the system.

-Matt

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

10 hottest IT skills for 2013 cont…

We’re back with part two of the 10 hottest IT skills employers are looking for in 2013!  Let’s continue the countdown with number 5…

5) Business Intelligence/Analytics

-26% plan to hire for this skill in 2013

Big data is one of the top priorities for many companies, but getting the right people to analyze all that information is challenging.  The best candidates have technical know-how, business knowledge and strong statistical and mathematical backgrounds.


This 5-day instructor-led course describes how to implement a BI platform to support information worker analytics. Students will learn how to create a data warehouse with SQL Server 2012, implement ETL with SQL Server Integration Services, and validate and cleanse data with SQL Server Data Quality Services and SQL Server Master Data Services. This course helps people prepare for the exam 70-463.

4) Security

-27% plan to hire for this skill in 2013
Security has long been a concern of IT leaders, and demand for specialized security professionals is growing as the task of safeguarding systems and data becomes increasingly complex.


This five-day, instructor-led course trains students in all areas of the security Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). They will learn about security policy development, secure software development procedures, network vulnerabilities, attack types and corresponding countermeasures, cryptography concepts and their uses, disaster recovery plans and procedures, risk analysis, crucial laws and regulations, forensics basics, computer crime investigation procedures, physical security, and much, much more. They will explore the contents and concepts that make up the diverse domains and learn how they work together to provide true “in-depth” defense.

3) Help Desk/Technical Support

35% plan to hire for this skill in 2013

Companies are looking not only for people to build and implement systems, but also for tech support workers to help employees use them.


This five-day, hands-on, instructor-led course will provide PC support professionals with the additional knowledge needed to qualify with A+Certification .
You will install, upgrade, repair, configure, optimize, troubleshoot, and perform preventative maintenance on basic personal computer hardware and operating systems.

2) Project Management

40% plan to hire for this skill in 2013

The ongoing need for project management skills tracks with the continuing need for programmers: Both are responses to the demand for new applications that businesses need to compete.


The Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification has become a highly sought-after indication of professionalism in project management. Preparing for the PMP® examination, however, can be a daunting and time-consuming experience.
In order to meet the needs of busy professionals, Babbage Simmel, one of the nation’s leading project management training firms, has created PMP® 1-2-3: A Guide to Preparing for the PMP Exam, which forms the base of this intense, five-day workshop. PMP® 1-2-3 brings together the materials covered on the PMP® exam into one easy to use, step-by-step method for efficient and effective exam preparation.

1) Programming and Application Development

60% plan to hire for this skill in 2013

Technology and software are great ways for companies to improve productivity, lower costs and create better Web presence.


This five-day instructor-led course provides knowledge and skills on developing Web applications by using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010.

After completing this course, students will be able to:
•Explore ASP.NET Web applications in Microsoft Visual Studio 2010.
•Create Web applications by using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and Microsoft .NET–based languages.
•Create a Microsoft ASP.NET Web Form.
•Add functionality to a Microsoft ASP.NET Web Form.
•Implement master pages and user controls.
•Validate user input.
•Debug Microsoft ASP.NET Web applications.
•Manage data in an ASP.NET 3.5 Web application.
•Manage data access tasks by using LINQ.
•Manage data by using ASP.NET Dynamic Data.
•Create a Microsoft ASP.NET AJAX application.
•Consume and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services.
•Manage state in Web applications.
•Configure and deploy a Microsoft ASP.NET Web application.
•Secure a Microsoft ASP.NET Web application.
•Implement new technologies supported by Visual Studio 2010 for Web development.


This course introduces the Java programming language and how to develop Java applications using Eclipse. Students learn the syntax of the Java programming language, object-oriented programming using Java, exception handling, generics, collections, and file input/output (I/O). During the course, students will develop and test Java applications using Eclipse.


This training course teaches developers the programming skills that are required for developers to create Windows applications using the C# language. During their five days in the classroom students review the basics of C# program structure, language syntax, and implementation details, and then consolidate their knowledge throughout the week as they build an application that incorporates several features of the .NET Framework 4.5.

So there you have it.  Now which % do you fall under?  You can view the whole Computerworld article

-Matt

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

10 hottest IT skills for 2013

The IT industry will be looking to hire in 2013.  A recent survey by Computerworld shows the ten hottest skills that these industry leaders will be looking for during the hiring process.  Luckily, here at babsim we have the perfect courses to complement each of these key areas.  Let’s start with number 10…

10) Data Center

-16% plan to hire for this skill in the next 12 months

Core technical skills remain in high demand, so it’s not surprising that data center skills still make the top 10.  Below is a new SQL Server 2012 class that will improve you knowledge of database management.


This five-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to maintain a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 database. The course focuses on teaching individuals how to use SQL Server 2012 product features and tools related to maintaining a database. Also this course helps you prepare for the Exam 70-462

9) Mobile Applications and Device Management

-19% plan to hire for this skill in the next 12 months

As consumer and business use of smartphones and tablets expands, employers are looking for workers who can handle the demands related to the proliferation of such devices.


This 5 day iPhone training course teaches application development for the iOS platform. It covers iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices. This course starts off by building a solid foundation in Objective-C. It then goes into details of application user interface development. After that the class teaches network access, SQL database, multimedia and graphics programming.

8)  Networking

-19% plan to hire for this skill in the next 12 months

IT leaders say they still need networking professionals who have solid experience.


Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices: Accelerated (CCNAX) v1.1 is a 60-hour instructor-led course that provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to install, operate, and troubleshoot a small to medium-sized network, including connecting to a WAN and implementing network security.

7) Virtualization

-24% plan to hire for this skill in the next 12 months

IT pros have to understand the storage and clusters behind the virtual server.  Before the connection was more physical; now it’s more logical.


This hands-on training course explores installation, configuration, and management of VMware vSphere®, which consists of VMware ESXi™ and VMware vCenter Server™. Completion of this course satisfies as a prerequisite to take the VMware Certified Professional 5 exam (voucher not included). Students who complete this course may enroll in any of several more-advanced vSphere courses

6) Cloud

-25% plan to hire for this skill in the next 12 months

Companies will need cloud computing experts as they move beyond existing data centers.


You will weigh the pros and cons of cloud computing to make effective decisions and meet IT challenges.

5) Wait, did you think we would give you all 10 this week?  Nope, you have to tune in next week for the top 5 IT skills companies will be looking for in 2013!

-Matt

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Microsoft Office Suite 2010

We do a lot of training here at Babsim for back end products like Windows Server or Visual Studio, but you don’t have to work in the IT industry to come across everyday problems that can be solved easily with a computer program.  Maybe you have a book report due for school, or you need to make a presentation to a sales team.  No matter what task is at hand, you can usually find the solution in the Microsoft Office Suite.

The good news is that we also do end user training for these tools so that you can learn the basics or master the entire program.  Take a look at some of our classes below:  


You will work with the new and updated features of Microsoft Office 2010.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•identify the features that are common to all applications in the Microsoft Office suite.
•modify documents using Microsoft Office Word 2010.
•present spreadsheet data using Microsoft Office Excel 2010.
•create Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2010 presentations.
•work with databases using Access 2010.
•manage tasks using the new features in Microsoft Office Outlook 2010.
•share files in Microsoft Office 2010.

Microsoft Word


You will create, edit, and enhance standard business documents using Microsoft® Office Word 2010.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•create a basic Word document.
•edit a document.
•format text.
•format paragraphs.
•insert a table.
•insert special characters and graphical objects.
•control the page setup and appearance of a Word document.
•proofread documents for accuracy


You will create complex documents and build personalized efficiency tools using Microsoft Office Word 2010.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•manage lists.
•customize tables and charts.
•customize the formatting of a document using styles and themes.
•modify pictures in a document.
•create customized graphic elements.
•insert content using Quick Parts.
•control text flow.
•use templates to automate document creation.
•use the mail merge function.
•use macros to automate common tasks


You will create, manage, revise, and distribute documents.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•use Word with other programs.
•collaborate on documents.
•manage document versions.
•add reference marks and notes.
•simplify the use of long documents.
•secure a document.
•create forms

Excel


You will create and edit basic Microsoft Office Excel 2010 worksheets and workbooks.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•create a basic worksheet by using Microsoft Excel 2010.
•perform calculations in an Excel worksheet.
•modify an Excel worksheet.
•modify the appearance of data within a worksheet.
•manage Excel workbooks.
•print the content of an Excel worksheet


You will use advanced formulas and work with various tools to analyze data in spreadsheets. You will also organize table data, present data as charts, and enhance the look and appeal of workbooks by adding graphical objects.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•use advanced formulas.
•organize worksheet and table data using various techniques.
•create and modify charts.
•analyze data using PivotTables, Slicers, and PivotCharts.
•insert and modify graphic objects in a worksheet.
•customize and enhance workbooks and the Microsoft Office Excel environment.


You will automate some common Excel tasks, apply advanced analysis techniques to more complex data sets, troubleshoot errors, collaborate on worksheets, and share Excel data with other applications.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•enhance productivity and efficiency by streamlining the workflow.
•collaborate with other workbook users.
•audit worksheets.
•analyze data.
•work with multiple workbooks.
•import and export data.
•integrate Excel data with the web.
•structure workbooks with XML.
PowerPoint


You will explore the PowerPoint environment and create a presentation. You will format text on slides to enhance clarity. To enhance the visual appeal, you will add graphical objects to a presentation and modify them. You will also add tables and charts to a presentation to present data in a structured form. You will then finalize a presentation to deliver it.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•explore the PowerPoint 2010 interface and familiarize yourself with the interface.
•create a presentation.
•format text on slides.
•add graphical objects to a presentation.
•modify graphical objects on slides.
•work with tables in a presentation.
•import charts to a presentation.
•prepare to deliver a presentation.


You will enhance your presentation by using features that will transform it into a powerful means of communication. You will customize the PowerPoint interface to suit your requirements and use features to create dynamic and visually appealing presentations. You will then finalize a presentation and secure it to authenticate its validity.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•customize the PowerPoint environment.
•customize a design template.
•add SmartArt graphics to a presentation.
•add special effects to a presentation.
•customize a slide show.
•collaborate on a presentation.
•secure and distribute a presentation.
Outlook


You will use Outlook to compose and send email, schedule appointments and meetings, manage contact information, schedule tasks, and create notes.
 Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
•explore the Outlook interface, send mail, and respond to messages.
•compose email messages.
•organize email messages into folders.
•manage contacts and contact information.
•schedule appointments.
•schedule a meeting.
•manage tasks and notes.


You will customize the Outlook environment, calendar, and mail messages, and will also track, share, assign, and quickly locate various Outlook items.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
  • customize message settings.
  • organize and locate Outlook messages.
  • set calendar options.
  • track activities using the Journal.
  • assign and track tasks.
  • share folder information.
  • customize the Outlook environment.

You will work with the advanced features of Outlook.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
  • personalize their email.
  • organize Outlook items.
  • manage Outlook data files.
  • work with contacts.
  • save and archive email messages.
  • create a custom form.
  • work offline and remotely.
-Matt

There is no challenge too large for Babbage Simmel

The IT industry is constantly evolving.  We understand that every now and then your organization may need to change from one technology platform to another, sometimes very quickly.  Whether you’re an organization with a few employees or a large agency with numerous workers, there are no tasks too large for Babbage Simmel’s accommodation.

Recently the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) moved to a Microsoft Windows-based system from an old mainframe application.  This huge transition revolved around a 30 person team of core developers and about 84,500 person-hours.  All of this was completely done in house.  Babbage Simmel is pleased to have been part of this initiative as the technical training firm enlisted to implement a customized training program for the DPS development team. Some of our finest trainers and resources were engaged here at BabSim getting ODPS team up to speed on the .NET technologies and everything they would most likely encounter during the major shift.  A big congratulation is in order for the chief of IT governance and strategic direction, Keith Albert, and his team over at ODPS for this successful campaign.

As mentioned in a recent Computerworld article, despite skepticism from many about ODPS doing all of the transition in-house, the project was a major success.  It’s estimated that the project will save the agency between $7 million and $10 million dollars over the next five years.  What organization doesn’t want to save that kind of scratch?

Babbage Simmel played a critical role in this transition for ODPS, and the training and support their team received will continue to shape their agency for many years to come.  So remember, no matter how big or small your challenge with implementing new technologies, Babbage Simmel has the right size solution for your needs.

You can read the whole article about the ODPS transition over at the Computerworld website, and below are some of our current .NET offerings.


This five-day instructor-led course provides knowledge and skills on developing Web applications by using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010


In this course, students will learn to develop advanced ASP.NET MVC and Web Forms applications using .NET Framework 4 tools and technologies. The focus will be on coding activities that enhance the performance and scalability of the Web site application. ASP.NET MVC will be introduced and compared with Web Forms so that students know when each should/could be used. This will also prepare the student for exam 70-515.


In this course, experienced developers who know the basics of Windows Forms development gain more advanced Windows Client design and development skills. WinForms and WPF programming models, as well as relative strengths and when to use each technology, are covered.

-Matt

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Citrix allows for flexibility and freedom

This week we’re talking about Citrix and what it can do for you and your organization.  Citrix solutions let IT provide a more people‑centric, on‑demand computing environment. Flexibility and freedom for people, and security and control for IT form the basis for business innovation and growth.

Citrix XenApp is an on-demand application delivery solution that enables any Windows® application to be virtualized, centralized, and managed in the datacenter and instantly delivered as a service to users anywhere on any device. In use by over 100 million users worldwide, XenApp delivers on the promise of proven application compatibility.

Compared to traditional application deployment technology, virtual application delivery with XenApp enables organizations to improve application management by:
  • · Centralizing applications in the datacenter to reduce costs
  • · Controlling and encrypting access to data and applications to improve security
  • · Delivering applications instantly to users anywhere

Here are two of our most popular Citrix offerings:


Citrix XenApp 6.5 Basic Administration training course provides the foundation necessary for administrators to effectively centralize and manage applications in the datacenter and instantly deliver them as a service to users anywhere. Learners will receive training for installing and configuring Citrix XenApp 6.5 for Windows Server 2008 R2, Citrix Receiver and plug-ins, as well as for using administrative consoles and tools to configure resources, policies, server and farm settings, printers, virtualized applications and more.


-11/12/2012 10:00 am – 11/16/2012 6:00 pm

-12/10/2012 10:00 am – 12/14/2012 6:00 pm

-01/21/2013 10:00 am – 01/25/2013 6:00 pm


This course provides learners with the skills necessary to monitor, maintain, optimize and troubleshoot Citrix XenApp 6.5 environments running on Windows Server 2008 R2 software. Learners are introduced to the tools used to monitor the XenApp farm, record farm activity and generate reports. In addition, learners take away the skills needed to maintain data and server integrity and to scale, optimize and troubleshoot the XenApp farm. This course encourages learning by doing and includes many hands-on exercises that reinforce and expand on the course content.


-Matt