The data clearly shows Apple sold more iPhones, Macs, iPads and iPod Touch devices than the total number of computers sold by the entire Windows PC industry
In fact the pattern of Mac growth exceeding Windows PC growth (and overall PC growth which includes the Mac has been observed for at least 40 of the last 42 quarters.When comparing iOS shipments (iPhone, iPad and iPod touch) to Windows we can see that combined iOS shipments exceed all Windows PC shipments for all three previous quarters.
Speaking from a meeting room that previously held Firebrand’s sever rack, we caught up with Bevan Miller, our Head of IT, to discuss Firebrand’s recent migration to Microsoft Azure and Office 365.
Firebrand now in the cloud
Over the past year, Firebrand’s forward-thinking IT team have been migrating business critical systems to Microsoft’s public cloud platform – Azure.
A modern business requires countless services and software to run, and Firebrand has been working hard at getting them into the cloud. Our recent Office 365 migration means that users can now login to the Firebrand business applications and authenticate through Azure and Federation Services.
Firebrand employees can access their critical apps across public networks – BYOD and working from home has never been simpler.
But that’s not all – OneDrive for Business, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Yammer, Skype for Business, File Services, legacy CRM, database services, finance systems, RemoteApp, Directory Services and Windows Deployment Services are now all running in Azure.
Cloud migration – not just a buzzword
Full cloud migration can be a daunting task but the benefits are massive. Firebrand staff now experience full BYOD and working from home flexibility – when they connect to the corporate network, regardless of their connection, they’ll find their apps are already installed alongside their personal settings.
The IT team have also cut their operational time by enabling the cloud to manage their server load. Real time scaling support that efficiently adapts to business demands is now maintained by Dot Net Solutions, a managed services and solutions partner.
Dot Net Solutions manages all of Firebrand’s third line support – using System Centre Operations Manager for security and update patches, monitor, maintain and triage system issues before they impact business applications.
The result: Bevan and his team get more time to focus on business solutions and streamlining technologies.
With our server stack sitting securely in the cloud, little to no operational time is being dedicated to regular hardware maintenance tasks. There’s now no need to add to the server stack when the company expands, Azure flexibly responds to any increase or decrease in our business demands.
Firebrand can now easily deploy additional security features through Azure’s Multi Factor Authentication giving us real time security monitoring and enabling fast action on alerts.
Risk to critical files is minimised too - if our server room experiences any disasters, our critical servers and data will be spared as they are now backed-up multiple times across Azure's geo-redundant virtual machines.
We now also use Microsoft Data Protection manager in conjunction with Azure Data Backup Vaults as well as a full Virtual Machine through the Azure Backup Service.
Those training with us will also get to see Azure in action - Firebrand’s cloud courses are now powered by Azure. Plus, Bevan’s team can now utilise Azure to set up Firebrand’s classrooms, cutting 6-7 days of setup time to a mere ten minutes
How we converted our server rack space into a meeting room
Cloud migration means saying ‘Goodbye’ to the majority of your server racks and when we said our farewells, we suddenly came into possession of a whole new workspace.
Previously stuffed with whirring servers and their backups, we quickly made use of the space by converting it into a new meeting room.
Our absence of physical servers and specialised AC means that the Firebrand London office has more than halved power consumption, server estate footprint and redundant power requirement – cutting electricity bills and contributing to Firebrand's green commitment.
Why Firebrand migrated with Azure
As Microsoft are also the Operating System vendor, they are able to closely integrate the hosting platform with the desktop. For example, Operating System stack integrated to back-end infrastructure makes it easy for personal devices to securely and quickly access corporate resources through Azure Rights Management Service.
And despite launching later than other cloud services, Azure has learnt from its competitors – taking advantage of their successes and avoiding their failures.
Azure isn’t the only public cloud service available, but with over $15billion invested into Azure – it’s clear that Microsoft is committed to their advancing cloud service.
Putting themselves out of a job?
As more and more of Firebrand’s IT services become automated and self-sufficient – Bevan’s team is leaving behind the traditional IT support role.
It may sound like Firebrand’s IT team are putting themselves out of a job, but the fact is, when conventional support becomes automated, IT departments are able to apply their skills to business enhancing projects - like making Firebrand's business files more accessible by migrating them to Microsoft OneDrive.
Bevan and his staff now have more time to ensure Firebrand continues to be a cutting edge business with the best tools available.
Sarah writes for Firebrand Training on a number of IT related topics. This includes exams, training, certification trends, project management, certification, careers advice and the industry itself. Sarah has 11 years of experience in the IT industry.
Microsoft’s highly anticipated Windows 10 was released yesterday. The new multi-platform operating system is intended to bridge the gap between Microsoft devices and merges the eccentric Windows 8, with more traditional components of Windows that users are familiar with.
Whilst achieving these things, the intention is to advance Microsoft’s operating system, giving businesses a platform for the long-term future of computing.
Also, for the first year, it is free to anyone with Windows 7 or 8 currently installed. Find out how to upgrade here.
How the new features can help your business
Being multi-platform, Windows 10 will increase interactivity across the workplace and when working from home. Transitioning between a PC and tablet has never been easier. The majority of Microsoft Office programs are now Universal apps, which means they are available across all Windows 10 platforms.
Operating features like the new start menu, Action center and Quick Access area will increase productivity, making day-to-day usage quicker and easier. Also, Microsoft’s new, faster browser Microsoft Edge, allows you to annotate, save and share web pages easily between colleagues.
Your business’s data will be more protected with the new Windows Passport. This removes the need to use passwords, which can be hacked, instead using fingerprint readers and eventually face and iris readers to gain access to data. This is vital for protecting sensitive data.
The range of platforms on which Windows 10 can operate
What else is new?
Security enhancements, including Windows Passport
Device Guard - ensures a device only runs apps authorised by your business
Device management features – allows you to lock down a device to for a function, for example a portable device for drivers to check their route, to manage multiple users who have Azure AD accounts and to manage VPN configuration
Enterprise Data Protection - preventing accidental data disclosure through apps and services outside of your control like e-mail, social media and the cloud
Provisioning packages – come with simple instructions so it is quick and easy to configure multiple devices in your business and without mobile device management infrastructure
Task view - makes switching between apps and windows easier giving you multiple desktops, allowing you to separate different areas of your work
How you can master Windows 10 first
Because Windows 10 is such a large scale release, expect it to affect many certifications. As referred to in our previous blog post, at WPC 2015, Microsoft unveiled six new MOCs relevant to Windows 10. As well as these, we expect Microsoft to announce a new curriculum for Microsoft MCSA: Windows 10 towards the end of 2015.
Sarah writes for Firebrand Training on a number of IT related topics. This includes exams, training, certification trends, project management, certification, careers advice and the industry itself. Sarah has 11 years of experience in the IT industry.
The chart shows the list of European nations who tops internet shopping per users. To see the chart and the list of nations.click here or see below the jump
How European nations ranks among the highest online spends per user
The UK leads in Internet shopping across europe with a average 1071 sterling per shopper in 2014, which increased almost 10% in 2015 to record 1174 pounds
Online retail sales are predicted to reach £52.25bn in the UK this year, which equals to 15% of retail sales online .
Germany ranks no 2 with with an average german user spending 1023 sterling online as compared to 890 sterling in 2014 , showing a solid growth of 14% in 2015
France takes the next place with online shopping spends per person at 767 sterling, followed by Spain, Italy and Netherlands
The best companies to work for : top brands, their employee strengths and number of job openings. Know more after the jump
This years ranking of the top 100 best companies to work for has 16 new comers including Twitter , Acuity ,Workday, Nationwide and Hilti and one returnee after 18 tears of absence : outdoor retailer LL Bean . What does it take to create the best company to work for ? Apart from everything else.. The true measure of a company is how well they treat their lowest paid employees . Also covered are the job openings across these top 100 companies as confirmed and verified by the HR during the Fortune research survey .
These Job openings in top 100 best companies to work for are as on july,2015
1) The number 1 best company to work for is Google a)Number of employees : 44,862 b) Number of job openings : 2500
2) The number 2 best companies to work for: Boston Consulting group a) Number of employees : 2701 b)What makes them great : One of the biggest allures of working at BCG is the ability to take social impact leave of absence from 3 months to 12 months c)Job Openings: 1000
3)The number 3 best companies to work for is Acuity aNumber of employees : 1093 a)Number of job openings :150
4) The number 4 best companies to work for is SaaS Institute a)Number of employees:6647 b)Number of openings: 350
5)The number 5 best companies to work for is Robert W Baird a)Number of employees :2822 Number of job openings
6)The number 6 best companies to work is Edward jones a)Number of employees: 37,164 b)Number of job openings:4874
7) The number 7 in the best companies to work for is Wegman's Food Market a)Number of Employees: 43,211 b) Number of job openings:1900
8)The number 8 in best companies to work for : Salesforce a) Number of employees :10,146 b) Number of job openings:946
9)The number 9 in the best companies to work for is genetech a) Number of employees :12,895 b)Job Openings: 993
10)The number 10 best companies to work for is Camden Property Trust a)Number of employees :1746 b)Number of job openings: 72
What you did not about Bain Capital : know these 10 trivia facts and how the company is incubating several start up companies
Bain Capital
Year in which it was Founded :1973,
Number of full time employees : 900+
Investor capital Bain manages as of date : :$75billion
Bain Capital was founded in 1984 by Bain & Company partners Mitt Romney, T. Coleman Andrews III, and Eric Kriss,
Bain Cap specialises in : private equity, venture capital, credit products
Investments across industries :Bain Capital invests across a range of industry sectors and geographic regions.
Bains Total Assets: $66,000,000,000
Initial Investment Funding Raised $37,000,000
Earliest Bain's investment : earliest and most notable venture investments was "Staples, Inc., the office supply retailer.
Bains acquisitions and investments : Along with Thomas H. Lee Partners, acquired Experian, the consumer credit reporting business of TRW Inc., in 1996 for more than $1 billion.
These Toy boys have founded their companies when they were just 20. During which they already made giant size companies multi million companies. Find out these movers and shakers
1.Mark Zuckerberg : 28 founder of Facebook : Net worth :$13.3 Billion
2.Andrew Gower: 29 founder of Runescape : Net worth :$650 Million
3.Chad Hurley 31 founder of Youtube Net worth : $300 Million
4.Blake Ross & David Hyatt: 23 founder :Mozilla Net worth :$120 Million
5.Andrew Michael: 30 founder of Fast Hosts Net worth : $120 Million
6.Angelo Sotira :27 founder : Deviant Art Net worth :$75 Million
7. John Vechey founder :PopCap Games Net worth :29 $60 Million
8. Alexander Levin: 24 founder Image Shack Net worth: $56 Million
9.Jake Nickell: 29 founder :Threadless Net worth :$50 Million 10.
10.Greg Tseng &Johann Schleier-Smith: 28 founders:Tagged 28 Net worth :$45 Million
In late 2014, Microsoft announced plans to retire 31 exams over the following 6-12 months. With the last of those exams now set to retire in the next two weeks, details have emerged of a further 28 exams facing retirement.
Why are these Microsoft exams scheduled to be withdrawn?
A large driving force behind the planned exam retirements will be the wave of next generation enterprise technologies set for launch. The next 3 months will see new versions of all major Microsoft platforms - SQL Server, Windows Server, Windows Desktop, SharePoint and Exchange Server.
Enterprises will migrate to the latest technology with demand for MOCs transitioning also. To find the exams scheduled for withdrawal in the next 12 months, listed by technology, see below:
(nb. The information that follows is subject to change.)
Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 and NAV 2015 were launched early in Q1, with new courses hitting the market in March. Whilst the following exams have been retired, there are currently no plans to create exams aligned to Dynamics 2015 products.
Despite this fact, demand for the skills to manage the range of Dynamics CRM and NAV platforms is high.
Microsoft Dynamics exams retiring on July 31, 2015:
MB3-700: Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Installation & Configuration
MB7-700: Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Installation & Configuration
MB7-701: Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Core Setup and Finance
MB7-702: Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 C/Side Development
Exchange and Exchange Server
With Exchange Server 2013 having been out for a couple of years the majority of users have migrated away from the legacy 2010 version. This migration will continue with Exchange Server 206 expected in the next few months. As demand for the exams declines retirement is planned for early 2016, possibly coinciding with the release of new MOCs aligned to Exchange Server 2016.
Exams retiring on January 31, 2016
70-662: TS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Configuring
70-663: PRO: Designing and Deploying Messaging Solutions with Microsoft Exchange
Lync and Lync Server
The retiring of Lync Server related exams is a similar story. Lync Server 2010 is now 5 years old and with the re-branded Skype for Business Server out now, the retirement of Lync Server 2013 focussed exams is unsuprising .
Exams retiring on July 31, 2015
74-322: Microsoft Lync Server 2010—Advanced Design and Deployment
Retiring on November 30, 2015
70-336: Core Solutions of Microsoft Lync Server 2013
70-337: Enterprise Voice Online Services with Microsoft Lync Server 2013
The last of the MCTS and MCITP exams are now retiring. Following the re-invention of the MCSA and MCSE certifications in 2012, it was only a matter of time before the old acronyms removed from circulation.
Plus, SharePoint Server 2016 is now mere weeks away meaning SharePoint Server 2010 will now be two versions out of date.
Exams retiring on January 31, 2016
70-667: TS: Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Configuring
70-668: PRO: Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Administrator
SQL Server
Originally planned for retirement on December 31, 2014, the following exams have avoided retirement on three separate occasions. It is clear demand continues amongst SQL Server professionals to transition MCITP certifications to the modern MCSE equivalent. Time will tell if this deadline gets extended yet again.
Exams retiring on January 31, 2016
70-459: Transition Your MCITP: Database Administrator 2008 or MCITP: Database Developer 2008 to MCSE: Data Platform
70-460: Transition Your MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer 2008 to MCSE: Business Intelligence
Windows
In mid-2012 Microsoft announced the latest Windows 8, which given it is now 5 years since its predecessor (Windows 7) was released, it’s little surprise that the exams are being retired.
We also witness the retirement of the first MTA entry level certifications. With the retirement of 90-349, we wave good bye to the MTA: Windows Operating System Fundamentals certification.
A continued story of reduced demand for technologies. Windows Server 2016 is now only weeks away, pushing Windows Server 2008 two versions out of date. This retirement has been coming for a while as Microsoft announced retirement of several other Windows Server 2008 exams in their last batch. This is also a continued example of the MCTS and MCITP retirements.
Exams retiring on July 31, 2015
70-643: TS: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuring
70-647: Pro: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator
70-649: TS: Upgrading Your MCSE on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, Technology
Specialist
70-693: PRO: Windows Server 2008 R2, Virtualization Administrator
10 interesting and mind boggling statistics on how Tumblr is giving Facebook the jitters
According to a recent brand measuring research company Tumblr was the only network to occupy nearly as much of its users’ time as Facebook (respectively, 50.6 vs. 51 minutes daily) for individuals between the ages of 18 and 29.
lesser known facts on Tumble :Tumblr Statistics Data ( This data is updated till July 1st,2015
Very few of us know that Tumblr's , founder and CEO David Karp who is worth more than $300m have not completed his high school. Karp left Bronx Science high school when he was 19..
Tumblr was bough over by Yahoo for $1.1billion in May,2013
Total Blogs hosted by Tumblr :243.3
Total number of Tumblr users :425,000,000
Total number of Tumblr blogs :219,000,000
Annual Tumblr Revenue :$85,000,000
New Sign ups in Tumblr daily :120,000
Total number of Tumblr posts until now : 101,000,000,000
Number of average monthly Tumblr visitors :199,100,000
Tumblr’s active user base in the last six months( jan 2015 to july ) grew by 120 percent Facebook in contrast grew by 1%( source :)
Tumblr's growth in mobile apps downloads during jan-july,2015 : 22%
Teens using Tumblr on their mobile device : 28 %
Average length of a Tumblr user : 14 minutes
35% users who visit Tumblr regularly has an annual income of atleast $35,00
In 2011 content sharing from Tumblr to other sites increased by 1299%:
Knowing how to start your career in IT can be daunting. Certifications are a great way to boost your skills and CompTIA’s A+ certification is a fantastic place to begin.
During your preparation for the A+ certification you’ll learn maintenance and setup of PCs, laptops, printers, mobile devices and networks as well as the basics of operating systems, security and troubleshooting. Here are the top reasons why the A+ certification is a great way to kick start your career.
1.Widely supported in the IT industry
The A+ certification has been established for 20 years and a massive amount of revision resources are now available to help you learn the skills you need. This includes revision books like:
Online resources include CompTIA’s practice questions on their own website. TechExams has a CompTIA A+ forum where you can get useful posts from people who have already taken and passed the exam.
You can also find a full list of free revision resources on our previous blog post.
2.Access to advanced courses
After passing your A+ certification, you can progress on to the Network+ and Security+, both well respected and desired certifications in their own right.
The Network+ will prove your knowledge of network architecture, operations and security as well as network theory and industry standards and practices.
Security+ covers in-depth network security, data and host security, access control and identity management and cryptography.
You can continue to develop your skills afterwards, on more advanced certifications. CCNA (Routing & Switching) will allow you to pursue networking and IP services and troubleshooting. The Microsoft MCSA: Windows Server 2012 cert will build upon security fundamentals in Microsoft based formats. Plus, after years of industry experience, you’ll be able to work towards certifications in advanced areas of security, like the Certified Ethical Hacker certification or the CISSP.
3.Universal and globally recognised
The skills you’ll learn on your A+ certification will be transferable across many types of hardware. This means it is applicable to many IT situations and tasks like security application and prevention, troubleshooting and configuring PC hardware. The A+ certification has a global reputation, meaning your skills will be valued by employers all over the world. Stats on the CompTIA website state that over 1,000,000 people have been A+ certified.
4.More opportunities to plan and diversify your career
The versatility of your newly gained skills, combined with lots of opportunities to specialise into new areas, gives you a fantastic chance to plan and change the direction of your career. It is also used as a reliable benchmark for hiring, promoting and career planning because it proves you have a strong foundation of working IT knowledge.
The A+ certification allows you access to a wide range of career opportunities. For example, security roles are specialised and require qualifications that are hard to achieve. According to itjobswatch.co.uk, 100% of Chief Information Security Officers, earning an average of £100,000 a year, have a CISSP. Establishing yourself with an A+ certification can set you on the path to diversify into an exciting role in a specialised field like vulnerability analyst or penetration tester.
5.You’ll have the potential to work in higher paid roles
According to itjobswatch.com, the average salary for someone who is A+ certified is £23,500. After you gain your cert, you will begin on the path to higher level certifications and higher level job roles. Jobs available to someone A+ certified include, Support Engineer, Analyst and IT Support. It’s a fantastic way to invest in your future career opportunities.
How you can get your A+ certification fast.
If you’re looking to get trained quickly, Firebrand’s A+ course can get you certified in just four days. You can also combine your A+ certification with the Network+ course and achieve both in just seven days. The resources available to you and the boost the certification can give to your career mean there has never been a better time to get your A+ certification.
About the Author: Sarah writes for Firebrand Training on a number of IT related topics. This includes exams, training, certification trends, project management, certification, careers advice and the industry itself. Sarah has 11 years of experience in the IT industry.
Citigroup Statistics Fortune 500 Rank 14 Total Number of Employees 267,150 Total Number of Customer Accounts 200 million R ank in Megabanks 14
Citigroup Average Salary of 10 divisions
Vice President $117,807 Assistant Vice President $87,435 Senior Vice President $143,225 Business Analyst $77,193 Technical Specialist $96,729 Senior Programmer Analyst$88,822 Operations Analyst $53,972 IT Analyst $68,371 Financial Analyst $64,007 Vice President Finance $117,318
How CitiCorp was formed
City Bank of New York was chartered by New York State on June 16, 1812, with $2 million of capital.
The company's name was changed to The National City Bank of New York in 1865 after it joined the new U.S. national banking system, and it became the largest American bank by 1895.
In 1976, under the leadership of CEO Walter B. Wriston, First National City Bank (and its holding company First National City Corporation) was renamed as Citibank, N.A. (and Citicorp, respectively).
