CompTIA A+ 2003 Exam Extended

CompTIA A+ 2003 Exam Extended

The following CompTIA A+ 2003 exams are being extended until June 30, 2007: CompTIA A+ 2003 Linear Core Exam: 220-301 & CompTIA A+ 2003 Linear OS Exam: 220-302.

The original retirement date was Dec. 31, 2006, but CompTIA has decided to keep the current exams open longer to accommodate the numerous organizations and schools currently in the middle of training and testing cycles.

Training and test preparation materials for the updated CompTIA A+ offering continue to be developed and approved through the CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum (CAQC) and CompTIA Learning Alliance (CLA) programs. To find out more about the updated CompTIA A+ exam, please visit certification.comptia.org/a+.

Those who have begun studying for the 2003 CompTIA A+ exam are encouraged to complete their studies. For the complete calendar,...

Eye on Certification: Wireless

Eye on Certification: Wireless

Several businesses have been enthusiastic about "cutting the cord" on some parts of their networks as costs associated with wireless solutions have continued to fall and bandwidth has gone up. A few concerns about these technologies, however, have held back demand to some extent. Apprehensions about the tangled sets of standards, speed of service, interference with communications and inadequate security have hampered acceptance of wireless in some instances, but as the technology improves and capabilities increase, many more companies likely will be persuaded to embrace it. The best assurance that wireless networks will work efficiently, effectively and safely is having qualified professionals on hand to create, implement and maintain these solutions. Here are some of the certs that have a reputation for demonstrating a certain level of skills with wireless...

Find out more about wireless certifications at...

Who Owns RSS?

Who Owns RSS?

On Monday it emerged that Microsoft had applied for two patents covering subscribing and discovering what it refers to as "Web feeds" - sparking a furore in the blogosphere and elsewhere that Redmond had imperial designs on RSS users. Writing on his website, Microsoft's Don Dodge tried to pour oil on the troubled waters. "Relax," he wrote. "I believe Microsoft has no intention of enforcing this patent against anyone, and no intention of collecting royalties on it."

Maybe...maybe not. Read the rest of the story at .NETJournal.com.

Microsoft studies Windows Vista flaw

Microsoft studies Windows Vista flaw

Less than a month after the Windows Vista operating system shipped to businesses, Microsoft has confirmed that a flaw in the software appears to allow attackers to mount a privilege escalation attack.

Read more at SecurityFocus.com.

(Sorry Boyce, but it needed a little more personality and I was bored).

Microsoft Hands Out 16,000 SUSE Linux Subscriptions

Microsoft Hands Out 16,000 SUSE Linux Subscriptions

In the seven weeks since Microsoft and Novell announced their controversial interoperability and patent protection agreement, Redmond has handed out some 16,000 subscription certificates for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

Redmond is also trumpeting the fact that several of its existing enterprise customers -- such as Deutsche Bank AG, Credit Suisse and AIG Technologies -- are among the first to take advantage of these certificates and the interoperability between Windows Server and SUSE Linux.

Read more here

Microsoft Turns Up The Heat On Windows 2000 Users

Microsoft Turns Up The Heat On Windows 2000 Users

With the recent release of Microsoft's newest potential cash cows, Windows Vista and Office 2007, the company is expecting a wave of upgrades from users seeking the latest functionality. But what if you're not looking for new bells and whistles? What if you want to keep your old operating systems, such as Windows 2000, running as long as possible? Microsoft isn't making it easy for you. Office 2007 and the software for the company's much-hyped Zune music player won't install on Windows 2000. As other new products emerge from Microsoft in 2007 and beyond, more and more of them are likely to leave Windows 2000 out of the party. Which of these installation restrictions are caused by a real lack of capabilities in Windows 2000, however? Are any of them merely a "squeeze play" by Microsoft to convince buyers that it's necessary to immediately upgrade all PCs to Vista and all servers to Server 2003 or the...

A Career in Computer Forensics

A Career in Computer Forensics

IT professionals with an investigative side can put their talent to work. Computer forensic expert was recently listed as one of the top careers for 2007 by Careerbuilder.com. Computer forensics is defined as the application of the scientific method to digital media in order to establish factual information for judicial review. Mike Zuro, network engineer at CompTIA and former Illinois suburban police officer, simply describes it as "finding and taking information off a computer or similar type of device." While that sounds easy, Zuro admits that uncovering the right information can be tricky. "Sometimes it's difficult to determine what type of data you are searching for, or which files may contain the information you need."

You can read the rest of the article at CompTIA.org.

Debian powers Australia's largest satellite network

Debian powers Australia's largest satellite network

Some 75 towns across New South Wales have started accessing the Internet through Linux-based satellite routers in what is said to be largest network of its type in Australia spanning upwards of 800,000 square kilometres. The Rural Link project by NSW.net was initiated four years ago when the State Library of NSW approached the federal government about connecting country libraries in NSW to the Internet via satellite due to the expense of ISDN. The project’s principal coordinator, Charles Jago, said the network is unique due to its size and varied nature of each access point. Jago, who said he was unaware of others doing satellite and wireless to this extent, added, “There are now connections to 180 buildings [across the 75 towns] all over NSW.”

Read the rest of this story at ComputerWorld.com

IIS 6.0 Authentication Methods

IIS 6.0 Authentication Methods

Internet Information Services (IIS) provides several authentication methods to control users' access to Web and FTP sites. The authentication is the process of requiring users to provide a valid Windows user account and password. An administrator can configure authentication at several levels, such as directory level in IIS, Web or FTP site level, or NTFS file level. If you are responsible for managing Web sites on your network, it is important that you not only fully understand these authentication methods individually, but also know the effect they will have when they are enabled in various combinations. Let's look at these authentication levels in more detail and see which one might be the best authentication level for you to use in your environment, and how you might be able to enable multiple authentication methods to manage user access.

Continue reading this article at...

Virtual pals 'soar in importance'

Virtual pals 'soar in importance'

Virtual communities are as important as their real-world counterparts, many members of online communities believe.
A survey found 43% of online networkers from the US felt "as strongly" about their web community as they did about their real-world friends.

It also revealed net-users had made an average of 4.6 virtual pals this year.


Read more here.