Windows 8 is Enough? Microsoft OS Family Gets Confusing

Windows 8 is Enough? Microsoft OS Family Gets Confusing
Windows Phone 7: A major rebranding of the Microsoft phone operating system. Quite simply, the weight of Microsoft's mobile world is on Windows Phone 7, as Microsoft has fallen dangerously behind in the mobile race compared to Apple and RIM, with Android phones now also gaining steam. Windows Mobile 6.x phones will not be upgradeable to Windows Phone 7 because of hardware requirements. The OS is scheduled to ship for the 2010 holiday season.

Best Cisco CCNA Training, Cisco CCNA Certification and more at certkingdom.com

Windows Embedded Handheld: This is the newest member of Microsoft's mobile OS family and is built on Windows Mobile 6.5 technology (which was built on the Windows CE kernel, now known as Windows Embedded Compact. Confused yet?). This OS will be used on what Microsoft is calling "enterprise handheld mobile devices": durable smartphones and PDAs used by service technicians, field workers and healthcare reps who need custom line-of-business apps such as bar-code scanning and RFID reading. Windows Embedded Handheld will ship by the end of the year and then, in the second half of 2011, a new version based on the Windows Phone 7 kernel, aka Windows Embedded Compact 7, will be released.

Windows Embedded Standard 7: This is Microsoft's operating system for OEMs that want to include Windows 7 features like Aero, Windows Touch, Silverlight 2 and BitLocker in kiosks, point-of-sale terminals, televisions and set top boxes. It is shipping now.

Windows Embedded Compact 7: This is the next generation of Microsoft's Windows Embedded CE, the platform on which Microsoft builds its phone and mobile operating systems. The upcoming Windows Phone 7 is based on Windows Embedded Compact 7 core. On its own, Windows Embedded Compact 7 will be pitched to device makers whose products don't need or are not powerful enough for the full version of Windows 7, such as slates, portable media players and e-readers. OEMs can select from a menu of Windows Embedded Compact 7 features to get just what they need for their devices. The OS runs on either x86 or ARM-based chips and is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter of this year.

Shane O'Neill is a senior writer at CIO.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/smoneill. Follow everything from CIO.com on Twitter at twitter.com/CIOonline.

Read more about operating systems in CIO's Operating Systems Drilldown.

CCNA Security Part 1 What on the Test

CCNA Security Part 1 What on the Test

I had this grand vision of a nice morning at the book store. Three books stacked on the table next to the easy chair, cup of coffee in hand. The books: The CCNA Security ECG (Exam Cert Guide), The Cisco Press CCNA Voice ECG, and the CCNA Wireless ECG. The goal: figure out what was on each exam, and then blog about it over the coming weeks.

My plan was flawed in many ways - but with hopefully good results. The local bookstore didn't open until 10AM, and I started out at 7AM. The bookstore didn't stock these books, either. In fact, I don't recall seeing the Cisco Press ECG books for CCNA Training concentrations anywhere except (I think) Microcenter here in town (Cincinnati), and they're not exactly set up to let you sit around and read their books for free. So I ended up at a coffee shop, looking at the CCNA Security ECG online using Safari (www.safaribooksonline.com )

My own false start got me thinking about what the typical new CCNA must think when trying to even figure out which CCNA concentration to try. Today, I'm going to discuss some reasons why I ended up at the CCNA Security ECG book, and why I think that's a useful place to start.

First off, Cisco publishes exam objectives, and they are by definition pretty sparse. It's a place to start. However, Cisco does not publish details like "these are the sum total of all router CLI configuration commands possibly seen on the exam", or "these are all the terms you should know", or "these are all the topics you need to be able to troubleshoot". But by definition, the Cisco Press Exam Certification Guide series of books try to include all topics, terms, commands, etc that could be on the associated exam. These books also generally attempt to include a little extra, but only if helpful when discussing something that is fair game on the exam. I'm a little biased of course, because practically every workday I'm staring at something from a Cisco Press ECG book, but often times, when looking at exams that I don't write about, I often ignore the official exam topics from Cisco, other than to confirm things I see in the books. But that's just me.

While I'm at it... a quick aside about Exam Cert Guides and Self-study Guides from Cisco Press. The following is not a secret by any means, it's just not commonly known. Cisco Press publishes books with "Certification Guide" in the title, and some books with "Self-study Guide" in the title. The "Certification Guides" are focused on helping you pass an exam, with lots of study tools, a well as a core explanation of the topics. The Self-study Guides come from the content of the authorized Cisco courses for an exam; the author/editor takes that material, and turns it into a book. So, if you take a Cisco authorized course, and look at the corresponding Self-study Guide from Cisco Press, you'll see the same figures, and some or a lot of the same explanations, but clarified, made into book form. Both types of books cover the technology on the associated exam, so both can be useful to figure out what's on an exam. The Cert Guides have lots of exam prep tools, and purposefully different examples/figures/explanations of the topics (as compared to the authorized courses), while the Self-study Guides have mostly course content, and fewer exam prep tools.

Well, back to the whole premise of how to figure out what's on the exam. I think the best place for a detailed, comprehensive view of what's on a Cisco exam is to look at either the Exam Cert Guide or Sefl-study Guide. But there are other options, like these:

1. The official CCNA Security Exam topics at Cisco.com
2. Content of the authorized course
3. Content of the Exam Cert Guide (if it exists)
4. Content of the Self-study Guide (if it exists)
5. A not Cisco Press CCNA Security book
6. People you know
7. The Cisco Learning Network
8. Opinions from communities, like the CLN CCNA Security Study Group

Whatta you think? What source do you trust for the best detailed idea of what's on a Cisco exam?

I trust this source the most for a detailed, comprehensive idea about what's on a Cisco cert exam:
The official Exam topics at Cisco.com
The associated Cisco Authorized Course
The associated Cisco Press Exam Cert Guide
The associated Cisco Press Self-study Guide
Another book about the exam
People I know
The Cisco Learning Network (includes study groups)
Other online communities/groups
Other:
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So, today, I started out, got sidetracked, read, wrote three versions of this blog... and here at the end of the work day, I've just gotta move on. What I did get done was that I looked at the main headings in each chapter of the CCNA Security Exam Cert Guide, and wrote some general notes. I started making a table of topics, noting whether it covered concepts, CLI configuration, SDM configuration, troubleshooting, and whether some of the topic was already covered in CCNA. The results were not perfect - when reading over the book online today, I noticed a couple of topics (SAN security, VoIP security) that just don't appear to be on the exam per the exam topics. But I made a good start on diving the content of the CCNA Security exam based on the book.

You can do the same thing, with a free trial subscription to Safari (ww.safarionlinebooks.com). Be warned, it's a trial for which you give them a credit card number, and you pay if you don't cancel before the end of the trial period. But you could look at the CCNA Security ECG, as well as Voice and Wireless, even if your local bookstore doesn't have a copy.

So, I made a start, but didn't finish. I think a few of you were interested enough in CCNA Security that I think it's worth it to post what I've done so far. Next week I promise I'll write about CCNA Security content, and wrap up the write-up. Be gentle, it's a work in progress. Feel free to comment more, but I promise, next week's post is on CCNA Security content, straight on!
Tags

Thanks Wendell
By Fuzz on Fri, 10/02/2009 - 8:14am.

I am eagerly awaiting the next post. So far it seems that the Security track is where I want to be headed next (I might be able to make some sense of that ASA I bought then!) Finding out exactly what's in store in each of the concentrations will very much make the decision easier for me, but I'm glad you've started with Security. I think most people are interested in the security track, there's still a lot of call for security secialists.




Sure thing! Surprising conceptual depth there
By wendell on Fri, 10/02/2009 - 9:06am.

Fuzz,
It's not something I'd look into that deeply without the blog, but it gives me a chance to dig in a bit. I must say I was surprised by the depth/breadth of conceptual material in the book, compared to what you have to know to make the features work. I may even break down and go take the exam. I did break down and ask for a physical copy of the book, though! Later...




It's only Cisco most popular security appliance
By Anon (not verified) on Sat, 10/03/2009 - 7:48pm.

Fuzz and Wendell,

You might be as disappointed as I was when I learn that the ASA is NOT covered in the CCNA:Security exam...




Maybe not...
By Anon (not verified) on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 3:37am.

Maybe not, but IDS/IPS is, and that's the same on routers as it is on an ASA module (apparently), plus site-site VPN and IPSec is covered, so there's not much difference really.

-Fuzz




IOS and ASA Operating Systems
By Anon (not verified) on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 9:13am.

You can't say there isn't much of a difference when they run completely different Operating Systems.




Waiting for the next post.
By Michael8080 (not verified) on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 12:09pm.

Wendell,

I'm also eagerly waiting for you next post on this subject. I've had the Cisco CCNA-Security ESG sitting on my desk since I re-certified my CCNA in July. I want to start digging into it more in this uncertain job market. Security seems to be the broadest of the three specializations, with the most job potential.




Nice Info
By Exams (not verified) on Wed, 08/04/2010 - 5:38am.

These are some valuable information you have provided to us. By following these suggestion one may be prapre for CCNA Certification exams. I have also searched some sites about CCNA preparation and found a site http://www.certkingdom.com is looking very good and reliable.

CCNA Material

There is no need to fear the test. There are no negative marks for wrong answer. All answers are final; you cannot return to a question once you have answered it. Thus each question has to be carefully considered. The practical can be done at your convenience. Practice as often as you can and save time during the certification examination. Good practice will provide better time management and make sure that there is sufficient time to answer the multiple choice and theory questions.

The CCNA Certification Exam (640-802 CCNA) has evolved over time and it is no longer sufficient to just rely on one kind of CCNA study material (usually books) to prepare for the exam. I will outline several CCNA preparation materials which are essential if you wish to ace the exam through self-study.

CCNA Lab Simulation or Lab Equipment

Given the amount of emphasis on the 2-3 CCNA simulation questions in the actual exam, it is important to get some hands-on experience in the configuration of Cisco IOS devices. If you're lucky enough to get access to actual lab equipment, that would be ideal. However, for the typical CCNA candidate real equipment would not be an option. Thankfully there are a few cost effective CCNA simulators around which cover sufficient ground for the exam.

Practice Exams

Time management is extremely important during the CCNA exam. Typically you will have to answer 50-60 questions in a 90 minute period. This includes 2-3 simulation questions and several other time consuming questions. The best practice exams have a simulation engine to allow for you to get a feel for the real exam. Some of the good CCNA books also come included with a simulation engine and practice test questions.MCITP Training

The Guide to CCNA Training

Cisco is a world renowned networking company that provides training in all fields of networking. Their most sought after qualification is the CCNA as it is the first level that is needed to become a certified Cisco networking engineer. CCNA training is a very huge stepping stone into the world of networking, because with just that qualification alone, you can land yourself a great job with good pay. And CCNA is internationally recognized, so you are never limited to where you can work. This course will give you an insight into routers and the connections that is needed to effectively set up and monitor a network, from a small home or office network to a huge corporation that has both internet and intranet.

It is essential to get a CCNA training guide when you decide to take on the Cisco course; this should be done especially if you are not very familiar with routers on a whole or if you are fairly new to networking. When you decide to find a guide, try to get one that provides you with online support at all times and ensure that the instructors that are there to assist you are professionals. Many companies that offer the CCNA guides will have email support and telephone support, but do not settle for just that, because emails are no guarantees, you may send an email now and it gets delayed before it is delivered, or it may take hours before the inbox is updated and then another couple of hours before anyone responds. The telephone may seem like a sure thing, unless of course you calls are routed to a call centre, which means that your call will be stuck in a queue, if more than a few people are calling and even when your call get answered, the agent may not be able to provide you with immediate support, but will simply take your details and pass it on to an instructor who will give you a call back at his or her convenience.
MCTS Training | MCITP Training .

How to pass CCNA: 6 Steps

# CCNA is one of the most respected Associate level Certification in the world today. Getting a CCNA will definitely help you to get a better job or at least get your foot into Professional Networking Field. When you meet a person that has CCNA degree you will notice that he or she knows something about Networking. This article will describe and give you some tips on how to achieve CCNA. I did it so can you, so lets get started. 1. Getting ready mentally: First thing you need to do is mentally prepare your self. What I mean by that is that you have to seriously think about on why are you getting CCNA and why do you want to be CCNA certified. You have to firmly decide and believe that you will get CCNA within next 3-6 months or so. Try to budget your study time well. If you a very social person (like me) you will have to give up some of your social time for the next couple of months. Your friends and family will understand. Trust me: it is well worth it. Once you get that cert you can make up for the lost social time.



# 2. Getting the right study material: Second thing you need to do is to get proper study material. There is lot of controversy around this and some people go overboard with study guides, books, simulators and such. I believe that two Cisco Press books INTR and ICND by Wendell Odom are enough as far as the books go. They are really well written and easy to follow. So sign up at and get those two books. Make sure you got the latest version. You will also want to get some kind of a simulator that will let you practice commands and that will also build up your confidence. You can buy real equipment but that could get expensive. I highly recommend that you become member of Cisco Certification forum. Forum is huge and you will get lot of helpful answers, tips and advices pretty quick. (I know I did)
# 3. Approach and diving deep: There are many different approaches to studying from books but I will tell you about mine. This step will take the most of your studying time. -Before you even start reading any of the books I suggest learning binary math (really easy) and subnetting so you can do it in your sleep. is excellent resource. -read both books casually once from front to cover (make sure you cover introduction and practice questions too). This will give you good overview. -Install both CD’s that came with books and practices some of the questions. Don’t worry if you get lot of them wrong. -Now, you will ready both books again but this time you will have to read it to truly understand the concept and how things work. Master one chapter and do questions from just that chapter until you sick of it. Then move to the next chapter. -Once you mastered all chapters do lot of questions and labexercises. Those two CD’s will give you ability to do that.
4. Schedule the test: You’re not done yet with studying but it is really good to schedule the test after you completed step 3 in this article. Here is why: If you schedule the test a month in advance right after you completed step 3, you won’t be able to slack and make excuses not to study hard until tests and it is also good to give your self a headline. I have seen people working on their CCNA for 2 years. They master one or two chapters, then they rest for 2 two months and right when they think they are ready for the next chapter, they forget what they have learned in the first chapter.
5. Read both books one more time to refresh. This is optional, but I highly recommend reading the both books one more time. If you read both books in a three week that will give you one more week before the test to cram which is subject of the next step. So by now you should’ve read both books three times over. I also suggest re-reading questions and answers from both books one more time.
6. Cram, Cram and Cram -This is the last part of your study and there is no turning back. Deadline is hanging around your neck like a noose. You should cram Q&A for no more then 10 days before you take the test. At this point it is really important that you get fresh and different questions then those included with your CD’s. Some people claims that brain dumps or Q&A are bad and evil. I tend to disagree with that. At this point you already firmly grasped the whole CCNA concept and Q&A will only help you. So get some Q&A exam question and cram, cram and cram them for a week. Don’t use books or CD’s anymore. There is no looking back. No worries, material from the books will return to you at the right time. -Don’t do any studying a night or a day before the test. Go out with your wife or significant other to a dinner and a movie. Relax. It is very important to relax and get a good night sleep since one of those testing boots could really be intimidating. If you did all the steps above and read books with intention to understand the topics and how stuff works (no pun intended), and not just to pass the test you should be more then ready by now. We came to an end of this short tutorial. I hope this article give you at least some ideas on how to approach studying for CCNA. If you fail CCNA first time, don’t get discouraged. You will have more knowledge and confidence when you attempt it the next time then the person who passed it on the first try. Whatever approach you take I wish you good luck and prosper career. MCTS Training | MCITP Training .

CCNA Tools of the Trade

Your Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) training should include many tools for passing the CCNA Exam. The main tools should include some type of CCNA reading material along with a CCNA lab, and any other CCNA lab workbooks that you can get your hands on. If possible video courses would be great if you're choosing the self study route while extra lab time would be a good idea if you're taking an instructor based course.

The CCNA is the foundation for building up to the more challenging Cisco exams. Cisco is currently dominating the networking market so learning their equipment is really ideal before moving on to others. Many real world organizations depend on Cisco's technology and equipment for adapting to the fast past world of information Technology.

During your CCNA studies you will learn many valuable concepts and technologies that will no doubt help you in your future networking world. Such concepts as VLAN's, routing protocols, routing devices, and so on. You will also learn how to troubleshoot certain technologies and when. Don't be afraid to run those show and debug commands in your labs to really get a good grasp of what's happening in there.

The CCNA certifications are valid for three years. If you wish to recertify it, you should pass at least one of the following exams. The Interconnecting Cisco networking devices (ICND) part 2 exam, the current CCNA or CCDA written exam, Cisco specialist exam, or really any of the higher level exams such as the CCNP.
MCTS Training | MCITP Training .

How to Become a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert

Individuals who receive the CCIE certification have a reputation as experts in the network engineering field, and have mastered Cisco products. These professionals are typically assigned the most technically demanding assignments.

Introduced in 1993, the CCIE program is regularly updated and revised to keep up with modern technology trends. Less than 3% of all Cisco certified professionals hold the coveted CCIE certificate.

Prerequisites

The CCIE certification does not require any formal Cisco training. Candidates are instead expected to display a comprehensive understanding of end-to-end networking, and all of the intricacies and complexities involved with it. It is recommended to have a minimum of three to five years of job related experience before pursuing this certification.


Certification Tracks for CCIE

Network professionals can choose from six different tracks to obtain the CCIE certification:

*Routing and Switching

*Security

*Service Provider

*Storage Networking

*Voice

*Wireless

Each track requires passing a two-hour qualification exam at a cost $350. There is also a hands-on lab exam which is eight hours in length with a cost of $1400. Candidates can find Cisco training courses on the Cisco website to help them prepare for the exam. There are also several websites which offer additional online training courses as well.

Routing and Switching:

The Routing and Switching track indicates expertise in planning, operating, and troubleshooting intricate network infrastructures.

Security:

The Security track indicates expertise with IP and IP routing in addition to security procedures and components.

Service Provider:

The Service Providertrack indicates expertise in configuring an expandable Service Provider framework which delivers manageable services.

Storage and Networking:

The Storage and Networkingtrack indicates expertise in long distance storage solutions by utilizing multiple options in transport.

Voice:

The Voice track indicates expertise in VoIP solutions. Candidates should be able to solve Voice installation, configuration, and management issues over IP networks.

Wireless:

The Wireless track indicates expertise in network solutions for wireless LAN and WLAN technology.

Maintaining Certification:

Maintenance of a CCIE certification requires completion of either a CCDE or CCIE written exam. The exam must be taken within a two year timeframe immediately following the current deadline for recertification. Extension of active Professional, Associate, Expert, and Specialist certifications is automatic with an active CCDE or CCIE certification.
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