Five Cloudy Stats

Following are some of the stats for CompTIA Cloud Essentials, launched by CompTIA and Firebrand very recently:

• More than 12,000 jobs are now open in the U.K. and U.S. that involve cloud computing (source: Indeed.com)
• The mobile cloud-based application market expected to reach $9.5 billion by 2014, (source: Gartner Research)
• 8 in 10 HR professionals say IT certifications will grow in importance over the next two years (source: CompTIA’s market research)
• 72 per cent of businesses feel more positive about cloud computing than they did one year ago (source: CompTIA’s market research)
• 56 per cent of business end-users plan to increase their cloud investments by 10 per cent or more in the next one year (source: CompTIA’s market research)

(ISC)² Creates Harold F. Tipton Memorial Scholarship

(ISC)2 has created the Harold F. Tipton Memorial Scholarship Fund as a tribute to (ISC)² founder Harold F. Tipton, CISSP-ISSAP, ISSMP.


Mr. Tipton, also a key architect and long-time keeper of the (ISC)² CBK®, upon which all security credentials are based, passed away on March 16, 2012. His life and career impacted thousands of information security professionals around the world.


W. Hord Tipton, CISSP-ISSEP, CAP, CISA, executive director for (ISC)², remarked, “Hal’s passion for information security was legendary. He had a significant hand in shaping and growing our profession, and his mentorship and tireless work continue to drive (ISC)²’s mission today. Hal’s work with our organization as CBK committee chair, past president, chief instructor, and ambassador has made an imprint on us all. We hope to honour his drive, charitable spirit and relentless pursuit of excellence through this new Scholarship by opening doors for students to this exciting, rewarding career field.”

CompTIA expands Troops To Tech Careers Program

CompTIA has launched a website for its Troops to Tech Careers initiative, and has included corporate employment registry.


CompTIA’s Troops to Tech Careers program aims to assist the veterans from military to have a transition to civilian life by providing a pathway to successful careers in IT through education, credentialing and employment.


“With the accelerated return of our veterans from Afghanistan beginning in earnest this year and next, and the anticipated discharge of tens of thousands of Iraqi vets, the public workforce system will be taxed like never before,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA. “Troops to Tech Careers is one way in which the IT industry is doing its part to ease this burden by offering a chance at a new start to the men and women who have done so much to keep our country secure, safe and free.”

LPI announces “Linux Essentials” certification

The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) announced “Linux Essentials”, an innovative new credential measuring foundation knowledge in Linux and Open Source Software.

"Linux is ubiquitous and plays a significant role in the server room, on our phones and tablets, cash registers and, of course, embedded devices everywhere.  Linux is in the enterprise, in movie studios, government, academia and throughout industry around the world.  We at LPI, with the help of our partner channel, are going to take it to the last frontier--the classroom.  LPI is at the forefront of creating the first generation of Linux professionals, and now with our "Linux Essentials" program we're going to create the first global generation of "users" who are as comfortable with Linux as they are with any other operating system," said Jim Lacey, president and CEO of LPI. 

The “Linux Essentials” credential has been under development by LPI for approximately two years and includes the participation of qualification authorities, academic partners, private trainers, publishers, government organizations, volunteer IT professionals and Linux and Open Source experts. The "Linux Essentials" exam leads to a "Certificate of Achievement" recognizing knowledge of the subject matter. The certification is valid for 10 years.

The “Linux Essentials” exam will be available in June 2012 in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and in other nations around the world in 2013.

A full description of “Linux Essentials” is available at: http://www.lpi.org/linuxessentials

Current Linux courses offered are: http://www.firebrandtraining.co.uk/courses/linux

C3 to promote security credentials

Vendor-neutral global leaders in cyber-security credentials have announced the launching of Cyber-security Credentials Collaborative (C3). C3 is created to promote the benefits of certifications in the security world. It was made public at the RSA® Conference 2012 which is the annual gathering of cyber-security experts from around the world.


Some of the members of C3 include ASIS International, CompTIA, EC-Council, GIAC, IAPP, IEEE Computer Society, ISACA, (ISC)2 and the NBISE.


“We want IT professionals to be better prepared with proven solutions to validate their cyber-security skills,” said Rick Bauer, C3 chairman and director, product management, skills certification of CompTIA. “By bringing these credentialing groups together under the C3 banner we can provide a more coherent and disciplined picture of cyber-security certifications and the value these credentials deliver to individual workers and the organizations that employ them.”


Apart from promoting the benefits of certifications, C3 also plans to include research and advocacy, according to Marc Noble, C3 vice chairman.


“We look to sponsor independent research to validate empirically that people who take the time and effort to train and certify themselves make a significant difference in the security posture of an organization,” said Noble, director of government affairs for (ISC)2.  “We’ll be telling our story to legislative and policy-making bodies around the world, and want to invite organizations with a similar shared interest to join us.”


“We see this as a broad, collaborative initiative open to any organization seeking to improve the preparation, training and credentialing of cybersecurity professionals in the private and public sectors worldwide,” he said.

Top 10 Certifications in 2012

TechRepublic has released a list of what they think are the top 10 in-demand certifications:

1. MCITP: Enterprise Administrator on Windows Server 2008
2. MCTS
3. VCP
4. CCNA
5. CSSA
6. PMP
7. CISSP
8. ACSP
9. Network+ / A+
10. CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician

Do certified Project Managers earn more?

The Arras People Project Management Benchmark data reveals that accredited Project Managers earn more than those who are not certified.

PRINCE2 qualified project managers run more successful projects, which correlates with Arras People’s data showing that they also earn more.

MSP practitioners tend to have higher salaries than PPM practitioners in general. 60% of MSP practitioners are earning over £50k a year whereas Project Managers overall peaks at a salary of around £40k.

Young Women starting their IT Careers

Lack of women in the IT industry has been in the news recently. But the young women of Chicago Tech Academy High School (ChiTech) are learning all that they can about technology, science, math and entrepreneurship while pursuing their individual goals. And they are thriving.  Read more about them on CompTIA’s two-part series on female students pursuing IT skills.  This is in line with their efforts to encourage women looking to enter the IT workforce through the Advancing Women in IT (AWIT) Community. 

Cisco plans to launch CCIE Data Center Certification

Cisco has announced that they are launching a new CCIE Data Centre certification. CCIE is an expert-level cert, which is available from September 2012. The certification proves a professional’s knowledge on implementing and troubleshooting complex data centre networks.

The cert teaches you skills needed to design, implement, operate, monitor, and troubleshoot complex data centre networks. Products tested include Cisco Catalyst 3750, MDS 9222i, Nexus 7709, 5548, 2232, 1000v and Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS), and Cisco Application Control Engine Appliance.

The beta version of the CCIE Data Center Written Exam will be available at all worldwide Cisco-authorized Pearson VUE testing centres beginning May 1 through June 15, 2012 and also offered during Cisco Live San Diego event from June 10-14, 2012.

Hablando del Estilo Metro en Mobile Monday Medellín

Ayer estuve en el Mobile Monday Medellín (#MomoMed en Twitter), nuevamente representando a Avanet y hablando acerca del Estilo Metro desde las implementaciones en Windows Phone y Windows 8, les comparto las diapositivas de mi exposición, se veían mucho mejor con las animaciones de Power Point pero espero les resulten de utilidad.

Actualización: Ahora también está disponible el video de mi charla


Siempre me resulta muy agradable hablar de los principios del estilo Metro y como Microsoft se ha dado a la tarea de poner gente y las nuevas interacciones entre personas a través de los diferentes servicios de redes sociales, antes que los escritorios llenos de iconos en nuestros dispositivos móviles.

Además no hay mejor forma de conocer Metro que ver algunas de las aplicaciones que ya les he recomendado antes en mi blog, analizando la forma en que Metro lleva a los desarrolladores, diseñadores y dueños de aplicaciones a pensar en la recordación de marca, la facilidad de uso, la generación de contenido gráfico y con significado, y la redistribución del mismo de formas atractivas e intuitivas.

En esta ocasión y después de haber participado recientemente en el Developer Camp de Windows 8 por hacer parte del programa MCS, les compartí como Metro sigue siendo la filosofía base, y como ha sido la evidente evolución de Microsoft con Metro que hace que se vayan acentuando los conceptos que se presentaron inicialmente para Windows Phone y que crece entornos de mayores dimensiones y capacidades como lo son las tabletas, computadoras personales y portátiles.

La primera idea, dejar el miedo a los espacios vacíos. pasar de las experiencias complejas de las aplicaciones actuales y re-imaginarlas de formas simples, dando protagonismo al contenido, planeando rutas de navegación y ofreciendo niveles de visualización de los datos, intermedios y detallados, y usando la nueva propuesta de zoom semántico, además de la posibilidad de compartir y comunicarse con el usuario aun fuera de la aplicación, permitiendo que el usuario se concentre en lo que hace, dejando las operaciones complementarias fuera del contenido y pensando en que nuestra aplicación pueda adaptarse para permitir el trabajo de forma simultánea.

Lo mejor de todo con Windows 8 y que no mencioné en mi charla es que si trabajas con tecnologías .NET hacer aplicaciones Metro solo dará continuidad a tu trabajo y si no, podrás usar HTML 5 y CSS3 y hacer que tus aplicaciones se vean exactamente igual a las creadas con tecnologías .NET sin ningún esfuerzo adicional, y las expectativas que se tienen es que esto un día sea igual para Windows Phone.

Los siguientes son algunos apartados de Centro de Desarrolladores de Windows y el Blog de Windows para Latinoamérica, que confirman, detallan y amplían, los conceptos de los que antes les he hablado.

• Las aplicaciones estilo Metro comparten un conjunto de rasgos que conforman una experiencia del usuario coherente, elegante y atractiva. 
• Las aplicaciones estilo Metro son inmersivas y sin contenedor visual, por lo que llenan la pantalla completa y no provocan distracciones. 
• Las aplicaciones estilo Metro trabajan en colaboración, lo que hace que sea fácil buscar, compartir y enviar contenido entre ellas. 
• En las aplicaciones Metro las animaciones no son solo adornos Los tiles o mosaicos son una extensión de las aplicaciones, y deben usarse para mantener conectados a los usuarios con la aplicación e invitarlos a usarla. 
• El movimiento es una parte fundamental del lenguaje de diseño Metro. Unas animaciones bien diseñadas dan vida a las aplicaciones y ofrecen una experiencia que se percibe elaborada y elegante. Usa animaciones con propósito para enlazar las experiencias visuales y contar una historia. En una interfaz fluida, todo viene de algún lugar y va a algún lugar.

Además les comparto este video también del Centro de Desarrolladores de Windows en el cual se mencionan los 8 principios que deberán seguir las aplicaciones Metro en  Windows 8.

 

Espero que todo esto les sea útil y empiecen a animarse a intentar hacer sus propias aplicaciones, ahora para Windows 8.

Sorey

CompTIA Introduces Advanced Security Practitioner

The CASP certification is an international, vendor-neutral certification that validates that you are competent in enterprise security; risk management; research and analysis; and integration of computing, communications, and business disciplines.


The exam covers the technical knowledge and skills required to conceptualize, design, and engineer secure solutions across complex enterprise environments. 


The CASP certification does not have a pre-requisite, but ideally it follows CompTIA Security+ or equivalent experience.


IT professionals attribute security breaches to human error than technology shortcomings, and those breaches are on the rise. CASP validate the IT skills that help ensure companies are safe from cyber threats.

Link: http://certification.comptia.org/getCertified/certifications/casp.aspx

Students Talk About Microsoft Certifications

Students share their experience of Microsoft certifications:

Source: Microsoft Learning

Two Microsoft MTA courses launched

Firebrand has been given the opportunity to pilot the MTA program with Microsoft. MTA stands for Microsoft Technology Associate, and is the entry-level Microsoft certification. The image below shows how the Microsoft certs stack up.

This is a great opportunity for Firebrand – and a first for Microsoft’s commercial market - as MTA has previously only been delivered in the academy and apprentice space.

Two MTA courses have been added to the websites: MTA Software Development & Database Administration and MTA Networking, Security & Windows Server Administration. These courses will provide you with a first step on the Microsoft career path – in database, development, networking and security.

What is ISO 27001?

ISO 27001 explains how to manage information security in an organisation. This standard is the foundation of information security management.

ISO 27001 aims to provide an approach to implement information security in an organisation. An organisation can get certified, which would affirm that an independent certification body has confirmed that information security has been implemented in the most effective manner in the organisation.

ISO 27001 has become a basis for drawing up different regulations in the field of personal data protection, protection of confidential information, protection of information systems, management of operational risks in financial institutions, etc.

New Courses: Scrum Courses Launched

Firebrand has today launched three Scrum courses:

• Professional Scrum Master
• Professional Scrum Developer .NET
• Professional Scrum Developer Java 

Scrum is an Agile project management framework, developed in the 1990s. It provides a highly-effective method for software development and project delivery. Using Scrum, product development occurs in small stages, with each task building upon previously-created stages. The courses include certifications.

What is MCSE?

A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer is a certified professional who has the knowledge and skills to work with concepts and systems of networking.

The MCSE cert demonstrates that the professional is skilled in designing, implementing, and administering infrastructures, based on Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows 2000 Server.

The Microsoft MCITP Enterprise & Server Administrator certification is the latest "MCSE 2008”. It has replaced the MCSE and MCSA on Server 2003.

If you have the MCSE 2003, you can upgrade your certification by certifying in the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) on Windows Server 2008 certifications.

Which Industry is Hiring IT Professionals?

According to a survey by Robert Half Technologies, executives in the wholesale industry expect the most IT hiring in the second quarter. 12 per cent of CIOs in this sector plan to expand their IT departments. Transportation industry followed wholesale, with a net 9 per cent of technology leaders anticipating hiring increases. Manufacturing was next, with a net 7 per cent of executives in this industry planning to add IT staff.

Skills in Demand in Q2

Out of 1400 CIOs surveyed by Robert Half Technology, 16 per cent claim that the greatest challenge in finding skilled IT professionals are networking in Q2, while 15 per cent believe finding qualified IT security professionals is most challenging.

Help desk/technical support, applications development and data/database management come next — cited by 14 per cent, 13 per cent and 10 per cent of survey respondents respectively. 

55 per cent of CIOs maintain that Network Administration qualification remains in greatest demand.Database management and desktop support came next, with 54 per cent and 51 per cent of the response, respectively.

What do the CIOs think about IT’s prospects this Quarter?

Robert Half Technology has very recently released an IT Hiring Index and Skills Report, which gives some interesting insights on how IT is expected to perform in the Q2. Some of the key findings from the survey of over 1400 CIOs are:

• 3 per cent increase in anticipated IT hiring activity is down from a 10 per cent increase projected last quarter.

• Eighty-five per cent of CIOs plan to maintain their current staffing levels. This is up 15 points from the first quarter. 

• Networking and IT security professionals are in greatest demand.

• Sixty-five per cent of CIOs claim it's challenging to find skilled professionals today.

• Eighty-seven per cent of CIOs are somewhat or very confident in their companies' growth prospects in Q2.

"Although hiring in the second quarter isn't expected to be as robust as it was at the beginning of the year, the trend remains positive. Those in hot specialties, such as networking and IT security, will continue to be in strong demand," said John Reed, executive director of Robert Half Technology.

CompTIA pushes for more women in IT

CompTIA has recently released a new member community which aims to expand the role of women in IT.

The community, named Advancing Women in IT Community aims to provide women with competency and skills needed to have a successful IT career. They also want to inspire women to make IT as their career choice. The community wants to be an information resource, provide mentorship and networking opportunities, develop member-driven initiatives and programs, and take an active role in legislation involving women and careers.

“Women have realised many breakthroughs in the workplace, but the truth is our progress has stalled in IT,” said Nancy Hammervik, senior vice president, industry relations, CompTIA.

She cited a research by the National Center for Women & Information Technology which reveals that post 1991, when women made up 36 per cent of the industry’s workforce, female employment in the IT industry reached has been steadily declining.

“As someone who has spent nearly my entire career in high-tech industry, I’m acutely aware of the gender gap,” Hammervik said. “CompTIA is committed to doing its part to raise awareness of the valuable role women can and do play in our industry and to effect change to bring more women into our ranks.” 

Members include women working in the IT industry, women seeking IT careers and men who support the mission of diversifying the IT workforce.

An overview of Cisco Certifications

Cisco certifies professionals from the associate to expert level in networking.

Entry-Level and Associate Certifications: certify expertise at the foundation level.

• CCENT(Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician)
• CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), with Cisco training programs in Voice, Wireless, Security, and Service Provider Operations.
• CCDA(Cisco Certified Design Associate)

Professional certifications: are for more advanced network professionals with some networking job experience.

• CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional)
• CCDP (Cisco Certified Design Professional)
• CCIP (Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional)
• CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional)
• CCVP (Cisco Certified Voice Professional)

Expert and Architect certifications: is the highest level of accreditation available in the Cisco Career Certification Program.

• CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
• CCDE (Cisco Certified Design Expert)
• CCAr (Cisco Certified Architect)

Latest Certification Stats

IT has always remained a growing sector, even during the recession period. Networking sector, in particular, has seen a rapid growth.

The U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics has ranked network systems analysts as the second fastest-growing occupation, and have predicted a 53.4 per cent job growth during 2008 to 2018.

The demand, however, still outpaces the supply of qualified networking experts. Fred Weiller, director of marketing for CiscoLearning, sees a “talent gap between business needs and people with the right skills”.

According to the consulting firm IDC, 66 per cent of managers believe that IT certifications improve the overall level of service and support offered to end users. Three out of four say certifications are vital to team performance. In addition, Weiller cites a 2009 PayScale figure demonstrating a standard salary premium of 10 to 20 per cent upon certification.

Microsoft Course Update: 80422A – Intercompany Setup and Order Processing in Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012

MSL has launched a two day 80422A: Intercompany Setup and Order Processing in Microsoft Dynamics ® AX 2012 course. It teaches professionals the knowledge and skills to set up and use the Intercompany functionality in Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012. 

Topics covered in the course include basic setup of intercompany relations, basic and advanced workflows, and return orders in Intercompany. Additionally, it introduces the synchronisation of batch and serial numbers and setup of security roles, amongst other intercompany specific areas of functionality.

This course is suitable for candidates who have an understanding of the Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012 supply chain.

Course Syllabus: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/Course.aspx?ID=80422A&Locale=en-us

Note: This course is available for download on Partner Source, and will be available on the MCT Download Center 12 April 2012.

Microsoft Course Update: 80423A - Development IV in Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012

Microsoft has released a two-day 80423A: Master in Microsoft Dynamics ® AX 2012 course. It provides professionals with tools and resources to undertake intermediate to advanced tasks for the setup and process for forecast and master planning in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. 

Topics covered on the course include main concepts, considerations and setups used in master planning, master scheduling, forecast scheduling, coverage groups , product item detailed coverage settings, and the effect that intercompany and multisite operations has on the Master planning module.

The course would suit professionals who want to learn the moderate to advanced features and develop a working knowledge of procedures required to effectively use Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Master planning functionality. They are usually application consultants who are responsible for assessing a customer's business needs and advising them on the use, configuration, and customization of the application. 

Course Syllabus: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/Course.aspx?ID=80423A&Locale=en-us 

Note: This course is available for download on Partner Source, and will be available on the MCT Download Center 12 April 2012.

Con Windows 8 en Versión Beta TV

Una vez más gracias a los amigos de Versión Beta TV por la invitación a su programa, esta vez para hablar un poco sobre Windows 8 :)

Watch live streaming video from puntolink at livestream.com

What is ITIL?

IT Infrastructure Library, or ITIL, is the only consistent and comprehensive documentation of best practice for IT Service Management. It's used by thousands of organisations around the world, including NASA, the UK National Health Service (NHS), HSBC bank and Disney™.


ITIL preaches that IT services must be “in sync” to the needs of the business and should reinforce the core business processes. It provides guidance to organisations on how to use IT as a tool to facilitate business change, transformation and growth.


The ITIL Service Lifecycle begins with the identification of customer needs and drivers of IT requirements, through to the design and implementation of the service into operation and finally, on to the monitoring and improvement phase of the service.


Some of the benefits of adopting ITIL include:

• improved IT services
• reduced costs
• improved customer satisfaction
• improved productivity
• improved use of skills and experience
• improved delivery of third party service

Microsoft Course Update: 80313A - Development IV in Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012

Microsoft has released a four-day instructor-led course that covers the programming architecture of Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012 more extensively. It provides professionals with a hands-on approach to customizing the system, along with case studies. This course involves coding.

The course is for experienced systems consultants, ideally working for a Microsoft Dynamics partner that is selling, consulting, implementing, and supporting Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.

You can find the Course curriculum here: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/Course.aspx?ID=80313A&Locale=en-us

Note: This course is available for download on PartnerSource, and will be available on the MCT Download Center 12 April 2012.

PRINCE2 vs PMP

PRINCE2	PMP
Origin - United Kingdom	Origin - United States
Administered by APMG	Administered by PMI
Applicable Worldwide	Applicable Worldwide
A process based approach	A knowledge based approach
Teaches you a series of management processes to define what must be done, when and how it must be done and by whom over the course of a project	Describes core practices and techniques that can be applied to manage a project
Defines the roles of everyone involved in a project	Focuses on the project manager's role
3 Days Certification	5 Days Certification

What is CCNA?

CCNA is a beginning-level certification that aims to provide a solid foundation in Cisco networking. Cisco’s certification programs are about certifying the competence of networking professionals in routing, switching and connectivity. CCNA requires passing two exams - 640-822 and 640-816. This credential can be a stopping point, as you’ve become qualified in Routing and Switching, or you can set yourself for a Professional-level certification.


A CCNA is valid for 3 years.


For CCNA, you must have a good background in networking. It is meant for anyone involved in implementing or supporting networks. A CCNA professional should be able to manage simple networked and internetworked environments incorporating routers and switches. 

Reference: http://www.firebrandtraining.co.uk/courses/cisco/ccna

(ISC)2 Expands Associate Program

(ISC)² recently expanded its opportunities for professionals who have the text book knowledge, but not the experience to earn the full-fledged ISC2 certifications. To become an (ISC)²  Associate, professionals must pass the same exam as their more experienced professionals.

If the candidate gets the required experience within the time period specified, the individual then obtains the full-fledged certification. Associate status is currently available for CSSLP, CAP, CISSP, and SSCP certifications.

New CompTIA Storage Networking Exam Goes Live

CompTIA’s new Storage+ Powered by SNIA exam is now available in testing centers worldwide. The new credential is a collaboration of CompTIA and the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA). It focuses on data storage and storage networking skills and concepts.


The certification covers storage system configuration and administration. It includes backup and restoration technologies, business continuity, basic troubleshooting, and data availability, among other topics.

10 Microsoft Exams Retiring in January 2013

Microsoft is retiring ten of its exams on January 31, 2013. The list includes MCTS exams related to Microsoft Office 2007 (SharePoint Server 2007, Visio 2007, Project 2007 and Project Server 2007), and an MCITP exam for Office Project Server 2007. The list also includes 5 exams related to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0. For more details, see the full Microsoft exam retirement schedule.

Sybase Certifications move to SAP

On April 1, 2012, the Sybase certification program will be merged into the SAP certification program. Ten of the Sybase exams will retire, but four of those will be transferred over to SAP.


You won’t have to recertify if you hold Sybase certifications. View the Sybase to SAP certification migration FAQ (PDF) to find out more.

Course Update: Cisco Security Exams

Cisco has updated the versions and objectives of exams that lead to the CCNA Security and CCNP Security. The exams are available immediately.

The previous version of the CCNA Security exam (IINS v1.0 640-553) is available till September 30th. The previous versions of the CCNP Security exams, which include the FIREWALL and VPN exams, are available through May 28th.

CISA and CISM Deadlines

There are only two chances to sit ISACA's Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Manager (CISM) exams each year.

Here are the relevant dates for the exam in June 2012:

10th February - Early registration deadline for the CISM/CISA exam.

4th April - Final registration deadline

9th June - CISM/CISA Exam

Our next 3-day accelerated CISA Course starts on the 21st May.

Our next 4-day accelerated CISM Course starts on the 14th May.

Call your Account Manager on 080 80 800 888 for best pricing, to help you certify in CISA and CISM.

Since it was established in 1978, the CISA certification has been the globally accepted standard of competency among IS audit, and control and security professionals.

The CISM certification proves that the certified professionals have the required knowledge, experience and skills to provide effective consulting services and security management.

Manipulando Contenedores de Windows Phone en Expression Blend

En este video les explico brevemente como manipular algunos contenedores básicos de Windows Phone usando Expression Blend. Estos controles contenedores son muy usados y aprenderlos a manejar nos ayuda a aprender a distribuir mejor los elementos de nuestras aplicaciones Windows Phone.

Los controles que les explico en el video son:

Canvas: Este contenedor permite mostrar elementos hijos en coordenadas específicas.
Grid: Este contenedor permite crecer filas y columnas para mostrar elementos hijos.
StackPanel: Este contenedor permite mostrar elementos secundarios en una línea, ya sea horizontal o verticalmente.
ScrollViewer: Este contenedor permite desplazarse para mostrar un elemento hijo que tiene una superficie superior.

Espero que les sea útil

Sorey

Más ejemplos de buenas implementaciones del estilo Metro en Windows Phone

Después de mi primer post sobre Ejemplos de buenas implementaciones del estilo Metro en el Marketplace de Windows Phone, varios me han recomendado algunas aplicaciones. En este nuevo post les menciono algunas de las que me gustaron a mi y espero que nuevamente les sirva de inspiración para sus propias aplicaciones. Si no sabes que es el estilo Metro de invito a que lo leas antes en mi post.

To Do: Esta es una aplicación de Telerik, una de mis compañias favoritas para controles de .NET (aclaro que este post no es pago o nada por el estilo). Esta aplicación es uno de los varios ejemplos que tienen para mostrar sus controles. Lo que más me gusta de su implementación Metro es que se atreven a proponer el uso de figuras diferentes a los cuadros que son tan típicos además de aplicarles inclinaciones, por otro lado la aplicación visualmente es bastante alegre y divertida, y no es monótona, no conserva el mismo estilo en todas las ventanas.

Cine Colombia: Esta es una aplicación de Colombia (mi pais), a mi particulamente me ha gustado la implementación que hicieron en la mayoría de las páginas de la aplicación, definitivamente un muy digno representante del buen trabajo hecho en casa ;)

Flickr: Confieso que por alguna razón los fondos de la aplicación no me gustaron mucho al principio, teniendo en cuenta que solo pensar en Flickr te genera un montón de sensaciones por la cantidad de buenas imágenes que encuentras, sin embargo esta aplicación esta totalmente alineada con la marca y resulta muy cómodo usarla para explorar las cosas bonitas de este servicio, lo que de alguna forma te hace pensar en todo ese ecosistema de conceptos e implementación que es Metro. Esta fue una de las sugerencias que hicieron en mi post en MiWindowsPhone.Net

Social Mints: Esta aplicación la encontré accidentalmente en el Marketplace, nunca la he usado sin embargo su icono me causó curiosidad y entré a ver las pantallas de muestra. La verdad que no sé que tan cómodo resulte usar frecuentemente una aplicación con estos colores pero, creo que no es ahí donde me centro al decir que es una buena implementación de metro, quizá me gusta por que lo considero algo diferente, como ya he resaltado en otras ocasiones, Metro no indica que debemos usar siempre cuadros y parecer un ejercito de aplicaciones todos uniformados, se dan unos puntos claros con los principios y filosofía Metro, pero igual indican que está igual colocar la marca y el estilo personal y yo creo que esta aplicación se atreve a poner este toque, de verdad muy bonita y llama la atención solo ver las imágenes de muestra, provoca descargarla y finalmente eso es l que queremos que suceda con nuestras aplicaciones.

TuneIn Radio: Ayer estuve mirando una aplicación que me recomendaron, me pareció bonita al abrirla pero no pensaba colocarla aquí, después de varios minutos usándola, sencillamente solo pensaba en una cosa "Metro". Es increíble la forma tan intuitiva como se manipula esta aplicación, todo está claramente identificado y a pesar de la cantidad de información a mostrar todo está muy bien distribuido. La verdad verla no es tan bueno como usarla, así que los invito a usarla y a seguirla de ejemplo.

Espero que les hayan gustado estas recomendaciones y que sigan dejando las suyas, hasta la próxima.

Sorey