Microsoft is best known for its Windows operating systems and Office software. But the company has a much broader product portfolio that includes online services (Bing, MSN, advertising), gaming (Xbox 360), hardware (tablets, PCs, keyboards and mice) and more. The company also has a sizable certification program that turns out qualified administrators and technicians to support its system and application products.
Achieving IT certifications through the Microsoft Certification Program shows a person’s competence in a specific IT role, and it can result in all kinds of work-related and personal benefits. For example, studies show that IT certifications increase the chances of landing a job (or getting a promotion), and over 80 percent of hiring managers report IT certifications are medium to high priority in hiring decisions.
Currently, the Microsoft Certification Program is divided into seven main categories:
Certifications within the Microsoft Certification Program include the following credentials:
After you pass your first qualifying Microsoft certification exam, you are deemed a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). MCP status provides access to a benefits and exams dashboard, with certificates and transcripts, downloadable certification logos, promotional offers and lots more. You also get the MCP designation on your Microsoft transcript. It’s important to understand that only the MCSA, MCSD and MCSE qualify as MCP certifications. Neither MTA nor MOS certifications qualify for MCP status, and none of those exams are prerequisites for MCSA, MCSE or MCSD certifications.
In addition to the certifications outlined above, Microsoft offers its MCT: Microsoft Certified Trainer and MCE: Microsoft Certified Educator credentials to those interested in teaching others about Microsoft technologies and products.
Microsoft recently released a new set of role-based certifications focused on Azure and Microsoft 365 developers, administrators, and solution architects.
The Microsoft Cloud certification track includes MTA and MCSA credentials. Within the MTA program, there is one relevant certification: Cloud Fundamentals. To earn the MTA: Cloud Fundamentals credentials, candidates must pass a single exam that validates knowledge and skills using basic Microsoft cloud services. Candidates should have experience using firewalls, network ports, Office 365, network topologies and devices, and Microsoft Intune.
The MCSA Cloud track includes BI Reporting, SQL 2016 BI Development certs, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2016 credentials. The Windows Server certifications require three exams each while BI Reporting and SQL 2016 BI Development require only two exams.
The Microsoft Mobility certification track includes MTA, MCSA and MCSE certifications. The MTA program has just one relevant certification – MTA: Mobility and Device Fundamentals. —The MTA: Mobility and Device Fundamentals certification is earned by passing a single exam that attests to a candidate’s knowledge of mobility and Windows devices. Candidates should possess practical experience with Active Directory, Windows devices, Windows-based networking, network topologies and ports, firewalls, and antimalware products.
MCSA: Windows 10 is the only MCSA Mobility track credential available. Earning the MCSA: Windows 10 requires passing two exams.
The remaining credential in this track is the MCSE: Mobility. This requires earning the MCSA: Windows 10 plus passing one more exam, from a list of two possibilities that deal with Windows desktops and enterprise applications, or administering System Center Configuration Manager and Cloud Services Integration.
Both the MCSA: Mobility and MCSE: Mobility credentials retire on March 31, 2019. If earned prior to the retirement date, the credentials will continue to show as “active” certifications on your transcript. The MCSA: Windows 10 will be replaced by a new role-based credential – the Microsoft Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate. Two exams are required to earn this credential. At present, no announcement has been made regarding whether the Modern Desktop Administrator Associate credential will become a prereq to the MCSE: Mobility. There’s a lot of ongoing ferment in MS certification programs right now. We expect 2019 to see major changes in MS’s cert programs and offerings. Next year’s update should be a big one!
Microsoft’s Data certification track includes the MTA, MCSA and MCSE. (To see the Data track, go to the Microsoft Certification page and click Data from the Category dropdown menu.) The MTA program requires one exam on database fundamentals. There are six certifications in the MCSA Data track– namely, Data Engineering with Azure, Machine Learning, SQL 2016 BI Development, SQL 2016 Database Administration, SQL 2016 Database Development, and SQL Server 2012/2014. All certs require two exams except for SQL Server 2012/2014, which requires three. The Data Engineering with Azure and Machine Learning certifications both retire on June 30, 2019.
The MCSE Data category includes a single certification, the MCSE: Data Management and Analytics.
The prerequisite MCSAs that qualify for MCSE: Data Management and Analytics are SQL Server 2012/2014, SQL 2016 Database Administration, Database Development, BI Development, Machine Learning, BI Reporting, or Data Engineering with Azure. One additional exam from a list of 13 possibilities must be passed to earn this credential. courses covered include cloud data platform solutions, big data analytics solutions, developing or designing SQL Server databases, implementing data models and reports, designing business intelligence solutions, implementing a data warehouse, developing SQL data models, analyzing big data with Microsoft R, cloud data science with Azure machine learning, data engineering with Azure HDInsight, and implementing with Azure Cosmos DB solutions.
Certifications in the Microsoft Productivity category vary widely, from proving competency in using a single Office product to managing Office 365 services and user login credentials. This track is also fairly large; it includes an MCSA and MCSE certification as well as Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) offerings.
The MCSA Productivity track includes a single certification – the MCSA: Office 365. Two exams are required to obtain the credential. This credential is targeted to retire on Mach 30, 2019. The MCSE: Productivity certification requires candidates possess either the MCSA Office 365, Windows Server 2012, or Windows Server 2016 credential as a prerequisite. Candidates must also pass one additional exam, from a list of eight possibilities. courses covered include Exchange Server, SharePoint Server and Skype for Business, for multiple versions of these platforms.
Microsoft offers a MOS Office 2016 certification for each Office application (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and Outlook). Office 2013 credentials are still available, but unless you have a specific reason for achieving them, focus on Office 2016.
The MOS 2016 Expert certification identifies individuals with advanced Office skills and requires candidates to pass two exams. The MOS 2016 Master certification is the pinnacle of the MOS Certification Program and requires successful completion of six exams.
The Microsoft Developer certification path includes MTA, MCSA and MCSD certifications. The MTA program recognizes individuals who are entry-level software developers. The certification requires candidates to pass one of five exams. Possible courses include software development fundamentals, HTML5 app development fundamentals, and intro to programming using block-based languages, Python or JavaScript, and using HTML and CSS.
There are two credentials in the Microsoft App Builder MSCA track. The MCSA: Universal Windows Platform (UWP) credential prepares candidates to tackle professional development projects. They must pass two exams, one on programming in C#, the other on developing mobile apps. The MCSA: Web Applications credential prepares candidates for building web-based applications. They must pass two exams, one of which is required while candidates may choose from two possibilities for the second exam. All candidates must take the exam relating to developing ASP.NET MVC Web applications. courses for the second exam include programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3 or programming in C#.
The MCSD Developer track consists of the MCSD: App Builder certification. It requires earning either the MSCA: Web Applications or MCSA: UWP as its prerequisite, followed by your choice of one exam from a list of five possible options. courses covered in include architecting and developing Azure solutions, developing Azure and web services, developing mobile apps, programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3, programming in C#, developing ASP.NET MVC Web apps, or developing MS Azure and Web services.
The Microsoft Business Applications certifications include MCSA and MCSE certifications. There are two MCSA options: MCSA: Microsoft Dynamics 365 and MCSA: Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations. Each requires passing two exams. The plain vanilla Dynamics 365 certification draws from a list of two exams, both of which are needed to meet its requirements. One exam covers Dynamics 365 customer engagement online deployment, while the other covers Dynamics 365 customization and configuration. The MCSA: Microsoft Dynamics 365 credential retires on April 30, 2019.
The Dynamics 365 for Operations draws from a list of three exams, one of which is required while candidates may choose the course for the second exam. courses covered include administering a Microsoft SQL database infrastructure, provisioning SQL databases, and development, extensions and deployment for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations (required).
The MSCE: Business Applications credential is the sole MCSE item for this certification track. It takes either of the Microsoft Dynamics MCSAs covered in the preceding paragraph as its prerequisite, then requires candidates to pass another exam drawn from a list of eight possibilities. courses covered include Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales, customer service, marketing, distribution and trade, trade, financial management (finance and operations), retail, talent, and field service.
Microsoft offers a single credential focused on core infrastructure – MCSE: Core Infrastructure. The MCSE: Core Infrastructure certification validates a candidate’s knowledge and skills related to data centers, virtualization, systems management, storage, networking and identity management. The credential requires either the MCSA: Windows Server 2016 or MCSA: Windows Server 2012 as a prerequisite. In addition to the MCSA, candidates must pass a single exam from seven topics. exam courses include designing and implementing Cloud Data Platform solutions, designing and implementing Big Data Analytics solutions, securing Windows Server 2016, implementing software-defined datacenters, designing and implementing server infrastructures, implementing advanced server infrastructures, and configuring and operating a hybrid cloud with Microsoft Azure Stack.
Folks who teach others about Microsoft technologies and products should consider (and are often required to have) the Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) certification. The MCT can be obtained by submitting an application to Microsoft that proves that you hold a current Microsoft certification, one year of instruction experience (supporting reference required), plus verifiable instructional skills in the form of an acceptable instructor certification (such as CompTIA CTT+, Microsoft Certified Trainer Instructional Skills Certification (MCT-ISC) or IAMCT Approved Technical Trainer).
To renew, credential holders must possess at least one current Microsoft credential, meet the minimum instruction requirements of teaching at least one class, and maintain a Metrics that Matter quality score of at least seven. (Check the MCT website for a list of qualifying certifications and instructor certifications.)
As an MCT, you have access to the MCP benefits and exams dashboard, prep kits, the MCT community, Microsoft Online Labs and much more.
The Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) credential is aimed at educators in academia, such as colleges, universities and training facilities. To become an MCE, you must demonstrate technology literacy by passing at least one exam.
The literacy competency is mapped to the UNESCO ITC Competency Framework for Teachers, Technology Literacy and includes education policy, curriculum and assessment, pedagogy, ICT/technology tools, organization and administration, and professional development.
IT professionals who earn Microsoft certification often receive extra recognition from hiring and supervising managers, and enjoy improved on-the-job success and promotion opportunities. Companies that negotiate large volume purchase or subscription agreements with Microsoft (or its partner resellers) often include funding for official curriculum training and Microsoft certification exam vouchers as part of what’s covered therein.
Here are how the various Microsoft certification areas shake out, job- and career-wise:
Microsoft offers training to candidates directly, both in the classroom and online. The company’s Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) is a great place to start poking around: it offers a huge range of free training courses, many of them at least relevant to various certification courses if not directly focused on such topics.
There’s also a huge aftermarket for Microsoft training, self-study and certification preparation. Pearson operates Microsoft Press on Microsoft’s behalf, where you can find self-study guides for all the popular Microsoft cert exams (and many of the not-so-popular exams as well). Pearson’s IT Certification imprint (online at PearsonITCertification.com) also offers study guides, exam crams (a series I invented), practice tests, video training materials and much more for Microsoft certification candidates. Wiley/Sybex and Osborne/McGraw-Hill also offer certification focused imprints, book series and generally provide good coverage of major cert courses as well, also including most popular Microsoft certifications and related exams. Pearson’s mindhub online store also offers “official” practice questions approved by Microsoft.
There’s a wealth of excellent material available to help candidates prepare. Look to online and peer reviews, study groups and rating sites to separate the wheat from the chaff.
The proposed Video Surveillance Storage Market report will encompass all the qualitative & quantitative aspects including the market size, market estimates, growth rates & forecasts & hence will provide you a holistic view of the market. The study also includes detailed analysis of market drivers, restraints, technological advancements & competitive landscape along with various micro & macro factors influencing the market dynamics.
The Video Surveillance Storage Market sample report includes an exclusive analysis of COVID-19 pandemic on the market space under scrutiny. The sample represents the format of the overall study which is designed to provide clarity on the structure of the report and some data points demonstrated in an attempt to provide insights into the study quality.
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The structure of the Video Surveillance Storage Market report can be categorized into following sections:
The Prominent/Emerging Players in the Video Surveillance Storage Market Research include: Cisco Systems, Hitachi Ltd., Dell, Seagate Technology LLC, NetApp, Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, EMC Corporation, Honeywell International, Inc., Avigilon Corporation
The Video Surveillance Storage Market Company Profiles are individually represented for all major participants and indices such as Financial Performance, Strategic Initiatives, Product Portfolio & Company Overview.
Company Overview:
Company overview provides the information about location of the company where it is headquartered along with the established year, employee strength as, regions where the company is operating and the key business areas.
Have a 15-minute-long discussion with the lead analyst and author of the report in a time slot decided by you. You will be briefed about the contents of the report and queries regarding the scope of the document will be addressed as wellhttps://www.theinsightpartners.com/speak-to-analyst/TIPRE00002821
Product Benchmarking:
Product benchmarking comprises the comprehensive list of products pertaining to the respective market along with the application and key features.
Strategic Initiatives:
Insights pertaining to the new product launch, strategic collaboration, mergers and acquisition, regulatory approval, and other developments by the company in market are covered under strategic initiatives section.
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The Video Surveillance Storage Market research study is designed keeping in focus all the major countries. Although, all these countries & their market trends were accounted for while composing it, detailed sections are available for only the spearheads. In case if you would be interested in specific countries which are not covered in the current scope, kindly share the list & we can customize the study based on the geographical scope defined by you.
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Who needs the 9-5 grind and struggling to pay rent in an expensive place like San Francisco or New York when you can easily make money online? Since your office can be wherever you open your laptop, more and more people are quitting their day jobs to do remote work. According to a study by Global Workplace Analytics and FlexJobs, the remote workforce has grown by 159% since 2005, and remote workers will make up as much as 50% of the entire workforce by 2020, thanks to the ease of making money online. The statistics also show another exciting trend for digital nomads: Remote work gives women, especially female entrepreneurs, an edge and is helping close the wage gap. And here's the best part: By making money online, you have the choice of living wherever you want. You can work from home or you can travel the world, which gives you another advantage—by earning U.S. dollars as a digital nomad and living in countries that are much cheaper than at home, you can live very well indeed.
We sleuthed out some creative ways that digital nomads have found to make money online, from the website International Living—which just issued a new report detailing how expats are traveling the world and earning a living abroad—to FlexJobs, which recently published a story on the best fields to for remote work. The lesson? It's time to rip up the old rules and try something new.
READ MORE: "The Ultimate Paid Time Off: 17 Companies That Will provide You Money To Travel"
1. Set Up an Online Course
Do you have a skill that you want to share? International Living suggests setting up an online course with written tutorials, PDF downloads and videos. For instance, Rebecca Groskruetz used her talent for furniture painting to create a site where members can go at their own pace. When she soft-launched the business, she sold 33 programs at $127 each. After doing a bigger launch later the same year, she sold 216 programs at $149 each. Her total sales the first year: $36,375. Some online resources for teaching courses include TakeLessons, Udemy and Skillshare.
2. Tutor
Another way to take advantage of your skills: Become an online tutor. The website Cambly helps you get paid to chat with people from around the world. While you're doing the tutoring, the site automatically tracks the time you spend, paying $10.20 an hour. While that might not sound like a lot, consider the fact that you can set your own hours, work as little or as much as you want—and if you're living abroad, $10.20 an hour can go a long way.
3. Become a Travel Agent
Do you love to share advice on travel? Put your expertise to work and become a travel advisor. You can sign up for courses through a place like The Travel Institute. Or you can pay a fee to a company like Cruise Planners, which recruits and trains advisors to work remotely not only in planning cruises but in all kinds of travel—on land and at sea. The company was started in 1994 by a woman named Michelle Fee, who didn’t take a paycheck for the first three years so that she could invest back into the business. Now in its 25th year, Cruise Planners is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise with more than 2,500 franchisees.
4. Be a Juror
Here's a case where you won't dread jury duty. The site eJury has revolutionized the way that lawyers prepare for trial by creating online mock juries and focus groups that help attorneys determine prepare case. You'll get paid for participating.
5. Play Poker
Seriously. Matador Network published a story called "How to Fund Your Travels Playing Online Poker." We'd say that's better than Vegas!
READ MORE: "Why You Should Skip Iceland And Go To These 9 Under-the-Radar Places"
6. Let Someone Pick Your Brain
7. Become a Virtual Assistant
Are you organized and resourceful? As a virtual assistant, you make money by helping people and businesses with tasks ranging from data entry to research to customer service—the sky's the limit. The website VANetworking was founded by a virtual assistant and is loaded with tips and job leads.
8. Sell Your Photos and Videos
If you're traveling, it's likely that you're surrounded by gorgeous photo ops, and now that digital cameras are widely available, photography and videography can be a good way to earn an income. Stock websites make it easy for photographers and videographers to upload their work, then will market on your behalf and create passive income for you while you're off shooting the next beautiful location. Stock agencies looking for submissions include Shutterstock, Photoshelter, Fotolia and iStock.
9. Become a Travel Writer
Again, if you're traveling the world, it's the perfect opportunity to write about your experiences and get paid for it. That said, making money as a travel writer isn't easy since you must be able to sell your articles or create a revenue-producing travel blog. But where there's a will, there's a way, and Lonely Planet even published an entire book on the topic, "How to Be a Travel Writer," available in print and as an e-book.
READ MORE: "Bucket List Travel: The Top 50 Places In The World"
10. Write an E-Book
Speaking of e-books, it's a great way to turn your expertise into a platform that people will buy, creating a form of passive income. Kindle even has a step-by-step guide for how to create, publish and market an e-book.
11. Publish an E-Book
According to International Living, an even faster and easier way to make money with e-books is to find a book that has already been published in print and license it to publish online. "The person doing the online publishing gets the lion’s share of the money—paying the author the standard 8% to 15% royalties based on net sales," says International Living. You can sometimes do a one-time payment for the rights to publish online, like Vic Johnson. "I once bought the rights to a book for $200, simply because I liked the content," says Johnson. "Over the years, I’ve made over $50,000 selling it as an e-book.” Consider this statistic: There are over 44 million print books on Amazon but only 2.6 million Kindle books—that's a lot of material that could be converted to e-books.
12. Teach English
Most people think you need to be living abroad in order to teach English to foreign students. But as GoOverseas.com points out, "With video chatting and conferencing growing easier and more reliable every year, teaching English lessons online is another great way to fund your life abroad or at home." For a slew of companies that will set you up with online students, check out this article on Teach Away. Rates for teaching English online can go up to $22 an hour.
13. Create Software Reviews
If you have strong opinions about software, whether positive or negative, you can get paid for creating reviews. SoftwareJudge.com pays up to $50 dollars for, as they describe it, "tell-it-like-it-is, no marketing BS, straight-talking software reviews."
14. Translate
Do you speak another language? Consider doing translating. "Translation positions are plentiful in an ever-melding world with more global travel among those who speak different languages,"says FlexJobs, which offers a sampling of available positions. The company Smartling also makes it easy to become a translator.
15. Create a Blog
So you're an expert on a topic? Create a blog about it. "Always think about the value you’re providing," says International Living. "Why should anyone read what you’re writing? What’s in it for them?" The best blogs showcase your experiences by providing info that's helpful to others. So how to earn money? A big method is by affiliate income: earning a commission if people end up buying someone thanks to your blog. “Right now, my biggest source of affiliate income is from Amazon, which is anywhere from $300 to $600 per month," says Ali Garland who has been blogging since 2009. "And the great thing about this type of income is that the money keeps rolling in even if I decide to take a couple of days, or even a week, off." The blogger Nomadic Matt has multiple e-courses on the topic.
16. Become an Account Manager
"If you have exceptional listening skills, as well as the ability to anticipate the needs of others, becoming an account manager could be a good career choice for you," says FlexJobs. Some of these positions include pharmacist account executive, link building specialist and account strategist.
17. Make a Podcast That Pays
Podcasts are red-hot. Want to create one? All you really need is a laptop and a good microphone. And here's the other good news: Podcasts don’t need to run daily, and because they're not live, you can record multiple episodes at once. According to International Living, there are many ways to make money from a podcast, including commercial sponsorships or advertising products or services. “I can record and broadcast a podcast wherever I am in the world," says podcaster Luis Congdon. "It’s remarkably simple, and it can also be profitable. Using a lightweight and low-cost microphone and a laptop I’ve recorded from a hut in the Philippines, a co-working space in Bali and even while staying on a farm in Colombia.”
18. Get Crafty
Are you a crafty entrepreneur? Everyone knows the site Etsy, which is a marketplace for handmade items. But now you can sell your jewelry and other handmade wares on sites like Amazon Handmade, ArtFire, Cargoh and more. You'll find many more resources in this helpful article.
19. Write
You don't just need to write about travel when you're traveling. If you're a good writer, you can probably write about anything. According to International Living, Leslie Patrick Moore is a writer who lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and earns two-thirds of her income by crafting marketing copy for companies. “My creativity has been able to flourish here without having to constantly worry about money," says Moore. "And it doesn’t hurt that my office is often my hammock, set amidst the colorful bougainvillea that grow against the brick walls in our backyard.” One company that hires online writers is iWriter, which pays up to $80 per 500 words once you're promoted up the ranks.
20. Create “How-To” Videos
Jump on the YouTube vlogging wagon by creating how-to video courses. How do you earn money? "Instructors can monetize their videos by charging a subscription fee or password protecting content for paying customers only," says International Living. "Once you have a loyal and engaged following, you can start partnering with brands that will pay a fee to have their product mentioned or reviewed."
21. Get Paid for Online Searches and Surveys
This one's easy: Just add the site Qmee to your browser. If you click on a search result, you'll earn money. You can also earn cash rewards for taking online Qmee surveys and sharing your opinions on brands.
22. Do Narration and Voice-Overs
Thanks to smartphones, there's a boom happening right now in the audiobooks industry, which is in turn creating a demand for freelance narrators, according to International Living. “My typical ‘work day’ consists of two to four hours of recording during late morning and early afternoon," says Meghan Crawford, a freelance audiobook narrator. International Living says that even new narrators can earn an average of $100 an hour based on completed work. Joel Young is a top freelancer on Fiverr who has made more than $1.5 million dollars by selling his voice-over services. “That is an amount of money that would have taken me decades to earn without this platform,” Young told CNBC.
23. Become a Day Trader
Are you a whiz with the stock market? It's possible to earn a living by day trading, which can be done anywhere in the world. Marcello Arrambide from WanderingTrader.com tells how to turn it into a profitable career that will allow you to travel.
24. Be a Freelance Designer
Are you a talented designer with skills in areas like graphics or web design? You can do what you love and get paid for it on the website 99Designs.com, which will allow you to become a part of a global community of designers and bid on jobs.
25. Conduct Internet Research
According to International Living, you can make good money (up to $50 an hour) by surfing the internet. “An interesting new income category has emerged, thanks in part to the world of 'fake news,'” says Winton Churchill, the founder of an international training and consulting company. "Companies and individuals are more concerned than ever with fact-checking the information they use on their websites and in their promotional materials. And they’re willing to pay someone to make sure it’s correct.”
26. Fundraise
According to FlexJobs, digital nomads can make money by helping with fundraising "Fundraising positions are designed to garner the funding needed for projects and to maintain a business entity’s operations," says FlexJobs. "Donations can be solicited in the form of monetary tithing or gifts for a nonprofit organization." Here are some positions to look for: senior digital strategist, eCRM contractors, senior campaigner.
27. Freelance
Need more ideas? There are tons of general freelance websites loaded with opportunities from companies and small businesses. Some of these include Upwork.com, a website for freelancers in fields ranging from sales and marketing to accounting to customer service. Or you can market your own services—whatever they are—on sites like Fiverr. The site was built on the fact that you can charge $5 for anything, but the sky's the limit. Kendell Rizzo went from waiting tables to marketing her services on Fiverr; now she makes six figures while she travels the world.
READ MORE:
• "The Ultimate Paid Time Off: 17 Companies That Will provide You Money To Travel"
• "Ranked: The 20 Most Dangerous Places to Live"
• "Bucket List Travel: The Top 50 Places In The World"
• "Why You Should Skip Iceland And Go To These 9 Under-the-Radar Places"
There’s no question that skills and knowledge related to various networked forms of storage – such as storage area networks (SANs), network-attached storage (NAS), virtualized storage, and even storage as a service (STaaS) – are in high demand. Also, IT professionals interested in data center or network-backbone-related positions are likely to need strong storage chops.
Average salaries for storage engineers are consistent (and lucrative) across several job-related websites. For example, SimplyHired reports the average nationwide salary is a little over $107,600 in a range starting at $74,085 and climbing just over $156,000. Potential earnings reported by Glassdoor are higher: The national average salary is just over $165,800, with the low end of the range at about $110,000 and the high end close to $182,000.
In some ways, the state of storage certification perfectly mirrors in a single subject area (or perhaps a closely clustered collection of related subjects) what occurs across the full spectrum of information technology. Some vendor-neutral storage certifications are available, particularly those from the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) and Arcitura. Also, there are numerous vendor-specific storage credentials available from providers of storage systems and solutions, including Cisco, Dell EMC, Hitachi Data Systems (HDS), HPE, NetApp and Sun/Oracle, among others.
Like other IT certifications, vendor-neutral credentials recognize broad competency in design, implementation and management, while vendor-specific programs tend to match up with technologies active IT professionals interact within the workplace (or that they’d like to interact with for prospective employers).
How is a storage-minded IT professional supposed to pick a winner here? Name recognition is one factor. Big name and big company certifications tend to attract higher numbers of certified individuals, lending more credibility to such certifications.
Popularity with employers is another consideration when selecting a certification. In our informal survey, we searched several online job sites on a given day for specific storage certifications. Note that the Cisco CCNP swamps the other certifications because its coverage goes well beyond storage. (The CCNP Data Center specialization involves storage to some degree, but it does not focus only on storage.)
Job Board Search Results (in alphabetical order, by certification)
Certification |
Total |
||||
CCIE Data Center (Cisco) |
366 |
516 |
345 |
364 |
1,591 |
CCNP Data Center (Cisco) |
596 |
792 |
390 |
448 |
2,226 |
HDS Storage Administration (Hitachi) |
205 |
256 |
104 |
110 |
675 |
NCDA (NetApp) |
515 |
656 |
226 |
322 |
1,719 |
SNIA certifications |
30 |
44 |
48 |
16 |
138 |
Based on name recognition and job board surveys, our picks for 2019 lie with Cisco, HDS, NetApp and SNIA. One item noticeably absent from the leader board this year is the Brocade storage program. This gap in the lineup isn’t for lack of popularity. In fact, quite the opposite is true as the job board search yielded over 3,000 employers seeking candidates with Brocade experience and certs. Unfortunately for certification seekers, after Brocade was acquired by Broadcom, its exams, accreditations, certifications, and instructor-led training are no longer available. However, many free web-based courses remain that cover Fibre Channel Storage Area Networking products for professionals seeking to expand their Brocade knowledge and skills.
The following sections explore each of the preceding certifications and/or programs.
Of all the storage-related Cisco certifications, the CCIE Data Center is the most senior and the best recognized. While it is a difficult and demanding credential to earn, it comes with a terrific payoff for its holders.
An expert-level credential, CCIE Data Center professionals are masters when it comes to planning, designing, implementing and managing IT data center infrastructures. exam courses focus on connectivity (Layers 2 and 3), fabric infrastructure, storage networking and computing, network services, evolving and emerging technologies, and network services and automation.
To earn this credential, candidates must pass both a written and a rigorous 8-hour, two-part practical lab exam. The written exam must be passed before candidates may attempt the lab exam. Lab exams must be attempted within 18 months of successfully passing the written exam. The lab exam is delivered in two parts: The first part consists of a one-hour Diagnostic Module, while Part 2 consists of a 7-hour Configuration and Troubleshooting module. It is reputed to be fiendishly challenging.
Certification Name |
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Data Center |
Prerequisites & Required Courses |
None |
Number of Exams |
Two exams: CCIE Data Center (400-151) (written exam) and the CCIE Data Center lab exam |
Cost per Exam |
Written Exam: CCIE Data Center 400-151: $450 Lab Exam: $1,600 Exam fees to not include travel-related costs. |
URL |
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Self-Study Materials |
Cisco maintains links to recommended training, including self-study materials, study groups, webinars, syllabus, recommended readings, and other resources on the CCIE Data Center and exam web pages. |
Cisco offers a variety of certifications that address storage networking topics, including the Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) and the Data Center versions of the CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE (in order of difficulty). The CCNP Data Center credential hits the sweet spot in terms of warranting an IT professional’s knowledge and understanding of Cisco’s storage networking products and platforms in a data center context.
Cisco requires the Cisco Certified Network Associate Data Center (CCNA Data Center) credential or any Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification as a prerequisite for the CCNP Data Center.
Certification Name |
Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center (CCNP Data Center) |
Prerequisites & Required Courses |
Valid CCNA Data Center certification or any CCIE certification. Training recommended but not required. |
Number of Exams |
Four exams: Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (300-175 DCUCI) 90 55-65 Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (300-165 DCII) Implementing Cisco Data Center Virtualization and Automation (300-170 DCVAI) plus Design track: Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (300-160 DCID) or Troubleshooting track: Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (300-180 DCIT) |
Cost per Exam |
$300 per exam; $1,200 total (price may vary by region). Exams administered by Pearson VUE. |
URL |
|
Self-Study Materials |
Instructor-led training is recommended. Information on self-study materials and Learning Partner training available at the URL above and on the Cisco Learning Network Data Center (CCNP Data Center) site. |
Hitachi Vantara, formerly known as the Hitachi Data Systems corporation, is known for its hybrid storage systems, storage management, and networking solutions aimed at Fortune 100 and Fortune Global 100 enterprises. The company has a well-developed certification program to support its products and services.
Unlike most other IT certification sponsors, Hitachi’s program distinguishes between qualifications and certifications. Qualification credentials aim at the associate and professional levels where candidates have broad knowledge of courses and concepts. Hitachi certifications are either specialists or experts, where candidates have deep knowledge of and ample hands-on experience with products and solutions.
Both types of credentials fall under various tracks: Administration (professional), Architect (specialist and expert), Implementation and Integration (specialist and expert), Installation and Support (specialist and professional), and Basics and Fundamentals (entry-level), as well as Sales and Presales.
The Hitachi Qualified Professional – Storage Administration credential, part of the Administration track, is an intermediate-level qualification aimed at storage networking professionals who can configure and troubleshoot Hitachi Command Suite products, as well as use Hitachi Device Manager to manage the storage environment. Candidates must pass one exam – Storage Administration HQT-6740 – to earn the credential.
Certification Name |
Hitachi Qualified Professional – Storage Administration |
Prerequisites & Required Courses: |
The TSI2565 Managing Hitachi Storage with Hitachi Command Suite v8.x instructor-led course, which runs five or six days, is offered at HDS training centers. Training costs begin at $4,875. |
Number of Exams |
One exam: HQT-6740 (35 questions, 60 minutes) |
Cost per Exam |
$100. exam administered by Kryterion Webassessor. |
URL |
https://www.hds.com/en-us/services/training-certification.html |
Self-Study Materials |
The exam PDF includes information on exam objectives and training. Candidates must create an HDS account to get more information. |
NetApp has been in the storage business since 1992, and offers a broad line of products and systems for backup and recovery, traditional and virtualized storage and cloud-based data centers. Although NetApp has some stiff competition – Dell EMC, HPE and Hitachi, to name a few – the company understands the value of flexibility and integration with other third-party products. For example, NetApp worked with Cisco to develop FlexPod, which helps customers manage Cisco, Citrix, Cloudera, Microsoft, NetApp, Oracle, Red Hat, VMware, and other applications and environments, and NetApp’s hybrid cloud storage integrates with Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, among others.
The NetApp Certification Program (NCP) features several certifications within three tracks: Data, Hybrid Cloud and Converged Infrastructure. All NetApp certifications focus on some aspect of storage hardware or the software that powers these products. The Data track includes the NetApp Certified Storage Associate (NCSA) – Hybrid Cloud, the NetApp Certified Storage Installation Engineer, ONTAP as well as our featured certification, the NetApp Certified Data Administrator (NCDA).
The NCDA recognizes working knowledge of NetApp storage architecture, core ONTAP components, high availability, data clustering, protocol administration, storage performance, security and data protection. Candidates must be able to configure controllers running the ONTAP operating system in NFS and Windows (CIFS) environments, and understand NetApp SnapMirror, SnapRestore and SnapVault technologies.
Candidates must pass one exam to earn the credential.
NetApp certifications are valid for 27 months, and credential holders must meet recertification requirements during this period to maintain their certifications.
Certification Name |
NetApp Certified Data Administrator (NCDA) |
Prerequisites & Required Courses |
Recommended: 6 to 12 months of experience implementing and administering NetApp data storage solutions Knowledge of HA controller implementation and configuration, SyncMirror software or ONTAP solutions with single- or multi-node configurations ONTAP Cluster Fundamentals ONTAP Cluster Administration are also recommended A NetApp Support Site account is required to enroll in NetApp University training. |
Number of Exams |
NSO-159: NetApp Certified Data Administrator, ONNNTAP (60 questions, 1.5 hour to complete) |
Cost of Exam |
$150. Exams administered by Pearson VUE. |
URL |
http://www.netapp.com/us/services-support/university/certification/ncda/index.aspx |
Self-Study Materials |
NetApp offers instructor-led and web-based training, a VCE exam for the NS0-159 exam, and a list of reference documents. (See the NCDA web page for links to training resources.) The NetApp KB TV YouTube channel provides how-to videos on using NetApp technology. Candidates should also browse the NetApp University and Training website for insights on training and exams. No certification study guides or practice exams were found on the NetApp site or on Amazon. |
The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1997 and comprises members from various storage vendors and service providers, as well as individuals. The association develops and promotes storage solution specifications and standards, and offers education and certification for storage and information management professionals.
SNIA recently rolled out several changes to its Storage Networking Certification Program (SNCP). Most notable among the changes is the retirement of the SNIA Certified Storage Engineer (SCSE) and SNIA Certified Storage Architect (SCSA). The exams for both credentials were withdrawn on January 31, 2019.
Both the SCSE and SCSA have been replaced by the SNIA Certified Information Architect (SCIA). SNIA will continue to recognize the SCSE and SCSA until November 31, 2021. The Storage Networking Certification Program (SNCP) offers several vendor-neutral certifications:
Each certification requires candidates to pass the S10-110 Foundations exam or hold a current CompTIA Storage+ Powered by SNIA certification (exam no longer offered), which earns the Professional (SCSP) credential. The Networking Expert (SCSN-E) requires all of them.
SNIA certifications are good for three years from the date of certification. After that, a certification holder must take the most current exam to maintain the credential.
Certification Name |
Storage Networking Certification Program (SNCP) |
Prerequisites & Required Courses |
Training is recommended but not required. |
Number of Exams |
SCSP: One exam; Storage Networking Foundations S10-110 (65 questions, 90 minutes, passing score of 66 percent) SQSSP: One exam; SNAI Qualified Storage Sales Professional exam (S10-905) |
Cost per Exam |
All exams are $220 except the SQSSP exam which is $100. Exams administered by Kryterion. |
URL |
|
Self-Study Materials |
SNIA provides links to study reference materials, practice exams and training on each certification’s web page. Study materials are also available through training partners. |
Beyond the top five storage certifications mentioned in this article, there are lots of other certification programs that can further the careers and professional development of IT professionals who work in the networked storage arena.
Although no EMC storage certifications made our top five list for 2018 or 2019, EMC (acquired by Dell in 2016) has one of the longest-standing certification programs for storage. The program offers credentials for data scientists, cloud architects and administrators, storage administrators, cloud and implementation engineers, and a whole lot more.
In addition, look at the credentials available from Arcitura, HPE, Huawei, IBM, Nimble and Sun/Oracle:
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The best patch management software makes it simple and easy to manage software updates across your IT infrastructure.
This is important, because with new software vulnerabilities and exploits appearing daily, it's vital to install Windows and application security patches just as soon as they're released. Unfortunately, that's not always easy.
The standard approach to patch management lets every app handle its own updates. You must make sure the apps are set up correctly, allow them to run any standalone updaters, pay attention when they raise alerts, and spot any problems. (Ever run a PC speedup tool, for instance? Some will disable software updaters to Strengthen boot times.)
A dedicated patch manager replaces this chaos with a single central interface to scan multiple apps for updates, report any missing patches it finds, and (sometimes) automatically rectify the situation.
The simplest of these tools work as little more than PC update reminders. They'll warn you when new patches appear, and you then sort out any updates yourself. Sometimes that's a minor hassle, but in some instances it takes mere seconds (in Chrome, click Help > About > Update and the browser sorts out everything else).
The most powerful enterprise-level patch managers can scan systems on your network (often across multiple platforms), detect missing patches (both third-party apps and operating system updates), remotely install them on your preferred schedule, and even roll back any updates if there are problems.
This technology has risks, as well as advantages. If a poorly configured patch manager downloads the wrong update file, for instance, it might break your application, or even affect your entire PC. It's important to choose your manager carefully, and ensure you know how to cope if anything goes wrong.
Here we'll feature the best patch management software platforms currently available on the market.
We've also featured the best endpoint protection software.
Avira Software Updater is a simple patch manager which helps you spot the latest updates for more than 150 popular applications.
Avira doesn't provide a full list of its supported applications, unfortunately, but it seems to include Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, CCleaner and more.
Software Updater can also scan for out-of-date drivers, but we wouldn't recommend that. You're unlikely to see any major benefits (drivers rarely get significant security patches that Windows won't handle itself), and a failed or poorly chosen driver update can seriously mess up your PC. Leave driver updates to Windows, it's much safer.
The free version of Software Updater (available standalone, there is no need to install Avira Antivirus) scans your system on launch, displays missing patches, and – that's it. There's no automatic update option, no scheduling or anything else. Clicking a globe icon should take you to the developer's product page, so you can download it yourself, but even that doesn't always work as you expect.
The Google Chrome download link took us to Google.de, for instance, Google's German language site. That's not a big deal – Google automatically translated it for us, and the download would still have worked – but it's an example of how a software updater may use update links and files that you wouldn't see normally.
This won't be an issue for everyone. Arguably the safest way to use any software updater is to get reminders of any missing patches, but then to find and install them yourself. Your software stays current, and you don't risk problems caused by the updater using the wrong patch or not installing it properly.
If automatic updates are a must, Avira's Software Updater Pro is available on the annual plan. It supports Windows updates, too, and includes unlimited customer support via a toll-free number and email.
Security vendor Avast has interesting software update tools covering three levels of user.
Bargain hunters and beginners can install Avast Free Antivirus to get its basic Software Updater. This scans for missing patches, includes a 'What's changed?' link (where possible) to explain what's in an update, and can download and silently install your chosen updates with a click.
Avast's Premier and Ultimate security suites add the ability to automatically install updates as they're detected.
Top of the range, though, is Avast Business Patch Management. Deploy this with one of Avast's managed antivirus products (Antivirus, Antivirus Pro, Antivirus Pro Plus) across your network, and it allows you to check the update status for a vast range of Windows apps from 100 top vendors: Adobe, Google, Microsoft (Windows and applications), Mozilla, Piriform, WinZip and more.
Avast says there's support for thousands of applications, but keep in mind that as with many competitors, this includes multiple versions. Firefox is counted 72 times, for instance. For a more realistic view of the total, take a look at this PDF (opens in new tab) of the full application list.
You get vast control over how and when the scan and patching process works. Instead of being forced to scan your entire network at the same time, you're able to set up special rules for each device, or define particular apps or vendors you'd like to exclude. You can choose when to deploy patches (immediately, on a schedule, manually) and decide what should happen afterwards (ask the user, request or even force a reboot).
Comprehensive reports help you see exactly what's going on across your network, covering everything from the most patched applications to details on patches which haven't deployed (important information if the same update is regularly failing across your network).
There's no minimum number of devices, making the package suitable for any small business, or maybe even a home network. And if any of this sounds interesting, a free trial gives you 30 days to find out more.
Read our full Avast Business Patch Management review.
GFI LanGuard is a comprehensive patch manager for businesses, or anyone with 10 or more systems to protect.
The tool is designed to cover your entire network, and can handle updates for multiple operating systems, including Windows 7-10, Windows Server 2003-2012, along with Mac and assorted Linux distros.
If you prefer to leave your OS to handle its own updates, that could be wise, but GFI LanGuard also supports more than 80 third-party apps.
Although we're mostly interested in patch management, GFI LanGuard also includes industrial-strength network auditing and vulnerability scans. Reports might highlight issues with installed applications, your security tools, mobile devices connecting to your network, open ports, file shares, and more.
Start to install GFI LanGuard and it's immediately obvious that this isn't a product for beginners. It prompted us to install SQL server, then a web server, and even when it was running, it took us a while to find out how to do as much as run a scan.
However, put in the effort and you'll get some very impressive results. Items are organized into lists of missing security updates, non-security updates and Windows service packs and update rollups. You can also view recently installed updates, a handy way to see that all is well. All updates have descriptions, notes on severity, and even a link to the developer's website where you can find out more.
You can opt to update some or all missing patches, either immediately or at a specific time. If you're deploying patches to another computer on your network, you can choose to warn the user beforehand, as well as what happens afterwards (do nothing, shut down, reboot and so on).
A free 30-day trial provides a risk-free way to explore what's on offer. Beware, though, that's not as generous as it sounds: GFI LanGuard comes so crammed with functionality you'll probably wish the test period was longer.
ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus is a very powerful tool for deploying patches across Windows, Mac and Linux systems.
Patch Manager Plus updates operating systems, Microsoft Office and a host of Office components, and a decent list of third-party apps, too. Although it's very business-oriented, there's a good range of apps that any experienced home user might have on their PC: 7Zip, Adobe Reader, CCleaner, Chrome, FileZilla, Firefox, IrfanView, Opera, Recuva, RoboForm, and more (check out the full list here (opens in new tab) – 350+ apps are supported in total).
This isn't some basic software updater where you have to manually check for or initiate updates. Everything can be automated, from checking local systems for missing updates, to downloading as required, deploying updates, and sending you detailed reports on progress.
The entire process is highly configurable. You're able to schedule scanning by time, group or some custom collection of devices, for instance, then deploy in your preferred time window and with per-device custom actions (display alerts, reboot and so on).
This flexibility has all kinds of advantages. If you're managing a large number of devices in a business, for instance, you can deploy critical patches to a small test group of PCs first, and wait for them to be approved as safe (another process you can automate) before rolling them out across the company.
Although Patch Manager Plus isn't exactly difficult to use, the sheer weight of features means you've plenty to learn before you'll be able to find your way around. It's well worth a look for demanding users, though, especially as a Free Edition enables protecting up to 20 computers and 5 servers.
If that's not enough, commercial plans are reasonably priced. For example, Patch Manager Plus supports up to 50 computers, and adds extras like support for a distribution server to serve patches from your local network (so there is no need for every device to download them separately).
Chocolatey is a comprehensive package manager for Windows which can automate installing, updating and uninstalling all your software.
This isn't a tool for newbies. Chocolatey makes heavy use of PowerShell and is run from the command line, rather than a graphical interface, so you'll need some knowledge and experience to get the most from the product. But if you're willing to spend some time learning the basics, don't necessarily let that put you off.
There's nothing difficult about Chocolatey's basic commands, for instance. Here are three examples:
It's very obvious what they're going to do, and now you've got the basic idea, you can probably figure out how to do the same with a host of other apps (for example, just replace 'firefox' with 'googlechrome', 'adobereader' or whatever other app you need).
Chocolatey works its magic with 'packages', PowerShell files which automate the install, upgrade and uninstall tasks for each app. Users can create packages for their own use or share them with others, and as a result of this flexibility, Chocolatey now supports more than 7,000 apps.
Although Chocolatey doesn't have the built-in automation options of specialist patch management tools, you can get a lot done with some very simple scripts. The single command 'choco upgrade all' will upgrade all installed apps, for instance; just run that when your device boots, maybe as a scheduled task, and the system will automatically keep itself updated.
Chocolatey is available for free in its very capable open source form. Commercial plans add all kinds of handy package-building options, reporting features and other enhancements specifically for business use.
Ninite is a simple tool for installing and updating a lot of Windows apps at once.
The service stands out for its streamlined, web-based interface and its automated installers. If you decide you need to install or update Chrome, Firefox and Opera on a PC, for instance, this is all you need to do: go to Ninite.com; check the box for each browser; click download to download a custom installer, and run it to install or update the browsers.
That's it. Really, it's that simple. No need to register, create an account, hand over your email address – there aren't even any ads. You'll be done in 30 seconds, maybe less.
It's not all good news. Although Ninite supports 90+ apps, and some big names among them – the main browsers, Skype, various free antivirus (Avast, AVG, Avira), iTunes, .NET, Java, Google Earth, Steam – it's mostly focused on open source and freeware projects. If you're looking for a PDF viewer, for instance, there's no Adobe Reader; instead you get Foxit Reader, maybe SumatraPDF or CutePDF.
The free Ninite only has the most basic features, too. Once you have your installer, you can share it with others, then run it to install your chosen apps, or update any that are missing patches. But there's no automation, no scheduling, no reports or anything else.
Ninite probably works best as an easy way to install your favorite apps on a new PC. You can equip your new hardware with Chrome, Steam, 7-Zip, IrfanView, Paint.NET, Google Earth and more in a fraction of the time it would take if you installed them manually.
Ninite's simple updating is worth a try as well, though, and businesses who need more can check out Ninite Pro. Install the Pro agent on each system and they show up on your web management interface, with all their installed app details, and you can update them manually or automatically with a range of configuration options.
Ninite Pro still can't match the vast power of tools like GFI LanGuard, but that's reflected in the price.
Patch My PC Home Updater is a free Windows program which can help you monitor over 300 popular apps, automatically detecting any updates and (optionally) silently downloading and installing any patches it finds.
The '300 apps' figure is boosted a little by the inclusion of products which are obscure, obsolete or both (Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware, Imgburn, Microsoft EMET – the full list is here (opens in new tab)). But it's still better than many competitors, especially for a free product, and geeks will appreciate some of the more technical apps it supports: Angry IP Scanner, Atom, Brackets, GIMP, Sysinternals Suite, and more.
Unusually, Patch My PC doesn't require installation, or ask you to hand over your email address or other personal details. Launch it, the program detects your installed apps (and portable versions) and displays up-to-date products in green, or any which are missing patches in red.
Patch My PC's interface is a little cluttered, and doesn't always work as you might expect. Its scan report doesn't provide you a table of results you can work with individually, for instance (update these two immediately, ignore that for now, don't check these apps in future, say). The results are plain text only, and you can't do anything but look at them.
If you're more interested in speed and automation, though, the program works very well. You can have it install all missing patches with a click, for example. And a well-designed scheduler enables automatically checking for updates at your preferred time and frequency, with the option to run it again later if a check is missed (because your PC was turned off, say).
Patch My PC also works well as a simple application manager. It's easy to create a custom list of your ten favorite apps, say, and have the program set them all up for you on a new PC. And a built-in Uninstaller lets you remove multiple apps in a single operation.
An interesting range of bonus options includes the ability to cache updates in a local folder. If you're running Patch My PC on a USB key, for instance, it will save new updates to a local folder. Plug the key into other PCs, and if they need the same update, they'll use the cached copy rather than download it again.
KC Software's SUMo (Software Update Monitor) is a veteran patch manager that's been helping PC owners update their systems for many, many years.
This experience brings some immediate and very obvious benefits. While Patch My PC supported 29 applications on our test PC, SUMo recognized 70. It counted some of these twice – BlueStacks, PaintShop Pro – so this was a little misleading, but even so, the package still found more applications and updates than anything else we've tried.
We would like to tell you exactly how many apps SUMo supports, but unfortunately, the website doesn't say, and the company didn't provide us a figure, either. It seems to work with most of the products you'd expect, though – browsers, Adobe Reader, Flash, more – and a page on the website (opens in new tab) facilitates searching the database for any apps you particularly need.
SUMo's free users won't necessarily be pleased to hear about its wide software support, because there's no support for automatic updates. All you get is a web page to launch searches for the package on Google and popular download sites. For every update it spots, you must find the correct site, the page, the download, all by yourself.
Upgrading to SUMo Pro improves the situation a little, getting you a direct link to the product page for your app. There's still no automatic download and installation, though, and it's expensive for what you get.
Heimdal Free is the software updating module from Heimdal Security's commercial range of security suites. As the name would suggest, it’s free to download and use.
As we write, the package supports updating around 100 apps (or around 60, if we exclude those with multiple versions). The full list is available on the website (opens in new tab).
Heimdal Free has the same interface as Heimdal's full-strength suites, making it a little bulkier than most of the competition. Our opening screen had four greyed-out areas with 'Upgrade' messages, for instance, and one button which led to the real updating module, which Thor calls 'X-Ploit Resilience.'
Even the main Heimdal Free module isn't as straightforward as usual. There's no Scan button, and we had to check a 'Monitor' option before Heimdal Free looked for updates. And once you get the report, all you can do is tell Heimdal Free to automatically update that package in future, or leave it up to you.
There's not a lot of power or configurability here, then, but the few features you do get seem to work very well. Once we checked the Monitor and AutoUpdate boxes for our chosen apps, Heimdal Free automatically detected updates, downloaded and silently installed them in the background, without hassling us in any way.
Npackd is an interesting open source application store for Windows which can help you find, install, update and uninstall a host of popular apps.
The package supports an impressive 1,469 apps at the time of writing. That's not quite as good as it sounds, because many apps count at least twice for 32-bit and 64-bit downloads, plus many are low-level runtimes rather than applications you actually want to install (there are 13 downloads supporting 'WinRT Intellisense', for instance). Still, even if we ruled out all of those, there's a lot more here than you'll see with most of the competition.
Launch Npackd and its full catalog appears in a simple table, along with the current version of all apps, and whatever version you have installed. It's a very long list, but fortunately you can filter it by category (Music, Productivity, Security and so on) or by entering part of an app name in the Search box.
Select one or more apps and you can have Npackd silently install (or uninstall) them all in a couple of clicks. Choose the 'Updateable' category and Npackd displays every supported app you've installed with a missing patch. Again, select them all, tap Install, and Npackd will quickly run its update tasks.
We noticed some technical and interface oddities. Npackd didn't seem able to detect the currently available version for quite a few apps, for instance, which presumably will make it impossible to safely update them. Some apps didn't properly install for us, either, although the package does at least provide quite a few ways to address this. (You can look at the commands used during the installation, for instance, or open the app website directly to check version numbers.)
The interface doesn't directly enable automating, scheduling or otherwise managing your updates, either. Although there's a lot you can do – add support for custom apps, for instance, or manage tasks from the command line or scripts – you'll need some Windows experience to get the most out of the system.
Still, overall it's a capable product, and well worth a look for more demanding users.
RuckZuck is a free and very easy to use software package manager for Windows. And it really is seriously easy to get to grips with. You don't have to install anything or create an account, for instance. Just download and run the portable version and you're ready to go.
The interface is extremely simple. Launch RuckZuck, and after a few seconds it tells you how many updates, if any, are available for your installed apps. Click that button and RuckZuck lists them all, highlighting the current and latest version numbers. Clicking Update All silently updates everything on the list, or you can select one or more apps and update only those.
If you think that sounds basic, you'd be right, but RuckZuck has more to offer. A command line tool enables automating updates from your own scripts, for instance. Installing RuckZuck's OneGet Provider gives you custom software updating PowerShell commands, and enterprise users can even get integration with Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager.
RuckZuck's software catalog looks impressive, too, with hundreds of apps supported: 540 at the latest count. It's not quite as good as it seems – there are a lot of open source and freeware projects you may not even recognize, let alone use – but you'll find plenty of popular apps, too: 7-Zip, .NET, Adobe Reader, Chrome, CCleaner, FileZilla, Firefox, IrfanView, iTunes and more.
Our main reservation is that RuckZuck is a small project – and entirely free to use – so doesn't have the people or resources behind it that you'll see with the bigger names. That's not really a criticism – it's a huge achievement that RuckZuck does so well – but inevitably means it can't possibly have as much testing or as many updates as the well-funded competition. And although the developer is very responsive, generally identifying and fixing problems within a day or two, he can't possibly replace the professional support team you'd get with a commercial service.
Experienced users should check out RuckZuck anyway, as it's a likeable tool with a lot to offer. But if you're a business user, looking for maximum reliability and guaranteed speedy support if anything goes wrong, you'll probably be better off elsewhere.
Additionally, we've featured the best network monitoring tools. (opens in new tab)
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The research has been based mainly on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information gathered from specialist sources about the Medical Imaging Informatics market from 2022 to 2030. The report’s section on the competition landscape offers a detailed analysis of the market shares of the top Medical Imaging Informatics industry players.
The main goal of this Medical Imaging Informatics study is to describe the size of the various categories and regions and to anticipate the trends that are expected to acquire popularity in the next couple of years. Each area of the world has been examined in detail in this study, which includes both qualitative and quantitative data.
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Using secondary sources such as company websites, annual reports, press releases, financial data, investor presentations, articles, news, white papers, certified publications, and government publishing sources as a starting point for the research methodology used to estimate and forecast the size of the Global Medical Imaging Informatics Market. In addition, the research takes into account vendor offers in order to categorise the market.
Using this data, the research then calculates the size of the global Medical Imaging Informatics market using a bottom-up approach. Primary research included thorough interviews with senior executives, chief executive officers, and directors, as well as vice presidents (VPs) and managers to determine the size of the market. These categories and sub-segments were then confirmed and validated by secondary research. Data triangulation processes are then used to complete the total market engineering process and arrive at precise statistics for all segments and sub-segments.
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Reports concerning the impact of cyber operations, directed at both Russian and Ukrainian targets, have been many and varied. While it's a step too far, in the eyes of most experts, to describe what has been happening as cyber warfare, it's certainly accurate to suggest that ongoing cyber incidents are a reality. Beyond the ever-present disinformation campaigns, a highly organized cybercrime group appears to have entered the field of conflict. In an apparent change of tactics from being a purely financially motivated criminal business, this Russian cybergang is thought to be Trickbot.
I can exclusively report that threat intelligence specialist Cyjax has today published an in-depth analysis delving deep into the heart of the Trickbot cybergang. Months of painstaking research through hundreds of leaked documents has resulted in what is possibly the most comprehensive breakdown of a significant international cybercrime syndicate I've seen. Covering everything from membership and management to operational infrastructure, these are the Trickbot Leaks.
Russian cybercrime groups were not only placed into a difficult position at the start of what Putin still refers to as a special military operation but what proved to be an impossible one. Although working out of Russia and likely with the state turning a blind eye to their activities if not actively sponsoring them, many of these groups comprised both Russian and Ukrainian nationals. The Conti cybercrime group, one of the most successful ransomware operators, was no exception. The day after the invasion, it posted a declaration officially offering full support to the Russian government and pledging to use "all possible resources to strike back at the official infrastructures" of anyone, or any country, targeting Russia in a cyberattack scenario.
The Conti group initially supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine
CyjaxNeedless to say, this was something akin to kicking a hornet's nest: Conti had Ukrainian members who did not support the Russian operation, and the global intelligence community had little choice but to take a renewed interest in the group. Within 48 hours, Conti retracted the statement and pledged only to target Western warmongers, as they put it. However, the seeds of discontent were already sewn, and that same day an account called ContiLeaks started posting logs of internal Conti communications to Twitter. Cyjax was able to access a dump of some 60,000 such messages. A few days later, on 4 March, another account called Trickleaks posted that it had evidence of collaboration between Trickbot and the Federal Security Service (FSB), the primary security service in Russia.
The Trickbot Leaks eventually consisted of more than 1,000 communication extracts, 250,000 messages, 2,500 IP addresses, and 500 potential crypto wallet addresses. PDF files were also leaked, Cyjax reports, "containing large amounts of information" that appeared to be about individual members. These became known in-house as the Doxing PDF files.
The Trickbot Leaks make the Conti disclosures all but pale into insignificance, being not only four times the size but containing much more helpful information from the threat intelligence perspective. Of course, researching and analyzing this data was far from a straightforward task. Cyjax had to develop a bespoke set of tools and processes. By way of example, standard language translation tools encountered difficulty in dealing with slang and nuance. One Russian word that directly translates to toad was actually referring to the Jabber messaging service. "While this research took time and required the development of bespoke tools to analyze the data," Joe Wrieden, the primary intelligence analyst at Cyjax involved in the report, told me, "I feel we have uncovered some key information that will help shape the way we view threat actors such as Trickbot. I was surprised by the level of sophistication, not only from a technical standpoint with malware and infrastructure but also with the complex management systems used to run the organization."
The key findings of this deep dive into the Trickbot Leaks, and consequently the criminal cybergang itself, can be divided into three areas: members, operational infrastructure, and business management.
The sheer quantity and quality of personal information leaked about members of the Trickbot organization was genuinely unprecedented. Cyjax analysts say they could determine overall member counts (at least 133 individuals) and locations, position within the gang, dates of birth, tax details, passport numbers, email and other contact details, and more. These Doxing PDFs appear to have combined open source intelligence (OSINT) data with insider knowledge. "It is clear whoever is behind this leak was either very close to the group itself," the report states, "or had broad access to the group's records." In conversation with Chris Spinks, head of operations at Cyjax, he expressed surprise “given the level of personal detail in these leaks and the resources of the U.S. Department of Justice as well as Europol,” that “indictments have not been raised against the majority of these named threat actors.”
The Trickbot Leaks included HR style membership records
CyjaxIt became evident, very quickly, that Trickbot is not a ragtag collection of some criminal actors who are also proficient coders. "This is a large business which operates at a commercial level," Cyjax states. This means it comes complete with a human resources system and salaried employees. The analysis reveals that Trickbot even has access to lawyers and, Cyjax concludes, is "very much a criminal advanced persistent threat" operation. Most developers recruited into Trickbot were salaried at around $2,000 per month and allocated line managers. Efficient payment systems are used to encourage work of high quality. This is especially important in ensuring that development teams are agile enough to quickly evolve the malware in response to commercial cybersecurity defenses and, more often than not, negate them.
Trickbot members were found to be organized into distinct groups by role, managed by senior players. So, there was a crypter group developing malware obfuscation tools and a locker group responsible for developing "fast and efficient encryption systems" to be built into both ransomware payloads and wiper malware. Inter-group collaboration is another essential part of the business strategy. Trickbot works alongside other cybercrime outfits to Strengthen their technical capabilities and gain reputational leverage within the broader criminal community.
Regarding the technical stuff, the operational infrastructure employed by the Trickbot cybergang, among the more critical components are bots and loaders. These support both the group’s management structure and effective malware distribution. The bots host malicious files for phishing and attack vectors. The loaders, meanwhile, take care of the command and control functions and delivery of secondary payloads. Multiple other server hosts were identified, which took on roles such as malware development, antivirus, and crypter detection testing, and various proxies to add further protective layers to the operation.
"We see the threat actors actively building bespoke exploits to defeat antivirus with an in-house capability," Spinks says. "We also see they are willing to reach out when they cannot develop things fast enough. Reliance on singular defense mechanisms such as antivirus or single vendor cover is clearly not providing the defensive layering needed to prevent this threat from gaining traction within the networks."
According to the latest analysis from IBM's X-Force intelligence team, Trickbot has been systematically attacking Ukrainian targets. X-Force tracks the Trickbot group as ITG23 and confirms that the recent anti-Ukraine campaigns "differ from historical precedent" and are aimed at a wide range of state, business, and individual targets. The recent activity, X-Force analysts, stated, "highlights a trend of this group choosing targets that align with Russian state interests against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict."
Then there's the small matter of Conti. Until recently, the most successful and undoubtedly best-known of the ransomware groups, Conti, apparently shut down its infrastructure back in May, but things are not always what they seem in this murky criminal world. One industry expert working on the frontline of offensive security put it, the threat and people behind them within Conti haven't gone away; it’s all just franchises and brands. Conti had been vocal in its support of targeting those working against the Russian Federation during the invasion of Ukraine. Before the shutdown, Conti was also reported to have gotten involved with the Trickbot operation as well. If Russian Conti 'patriots' are involved with Trickbot now, that could explain the apparent shift from purely a criminal business to one aligned with Russian state interests.
Remember I just said that things are not always what they seem? Yes, we have to return there. "We have had several discussions around the state-sponsored factor. There is not enough evidence within the leak to provide clarity in this matter; however, for sure, inference can be drawn," Spinks told me. He says that what's interesting is understanding the nuance between state-sponsored and state-supported. "Maybe these are two factors that have influenced the deployment of key individuals and tools into the Russian cyber offensive," Spinks continues, "and maybe the ability to draw on these tools when required is the payoff for operating without prosecution?" Ultimately, though, the truth is at this point, we don't know for sure. If it isn't already a time-served cybersecurity industry adage, it should be: attribution is a bitch.
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."
“This research helps businesses know the enemy,” Spinks says, “through a better understanding of the dynamic nature and capability within the threat group and a more thorough understanding of the processes undertaken by the threat actors around reconnaissance and targeting and indeed recruitment.”
I will leave the final words to Cyjax intelligence analyst Joe Wrieden, though: “The crossover between the higher-ups of Conti and Trickbot paints a picture of a new threat landscape that is highly interconnected and capable, and one where threat actors work together for a common goal.” Research and analysis such as this in-depth dive into the Trickbot cybergang, “enables businesses and researchers to appropriately manage the risk these threat actors pose, in a scenario where it is a cybercrime business versus your business.”