CompTIA Blog

This past week there was a lot of coverage of cybersecurity measures and their effect on government agencies as well as the private sector. Recent estimates valued the material impact of cybercrime on top U.S. organizations at $171 million dollars annually.  Meanwhile, various federal departments and agencies are starting to mobilize their efforts on cybersecurity.  In addition to cybersecurity threats, health IT is an important issue that has been gaining the attention of inside the b ...

Policymakers and the military are continuing their focus on cybersecurity, with the military stepping up hiring, nations acknowledging the threat of cybersecurity and HHS working to strengthen security around online medical records.  Meanwhile, DowJones VentureSource has announced an upswing in VC investments.  The stories below highlight key policy news from the week of July 19.Military Stepping Up Cybersecurity Hiring – The Air Force has granted hiring officials special authority to use a stre ...

 “May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future,” remains one of my favorite quotes of all time. The author is unknown, but it truly summarizes the wishes of most 12 year olds. While I’m still waiting for my own personal jet pack to be delivered, new and  innovative technologies are introduced to the masses each and every day. Imagine running into a time traveler from 1970, visiting  the local electronics store for the first time in 2010. There are a host of things he wouldn’t recogn ...

Submitted by guest blogger MJ ShoerIn the book Drive by Daniel Pink, the author includes a fantastic chapter on Purpose in Chapter 6.  I somewhat struggled with the differentiation of Motivation 2.0 and Motivation 3.0 up to this chapter, but Pink’s correlation of purpose to these really brought things into clarity for me.  Simply stated, Motivation 3.0 brings to the table to concept that today’s professional is looking for much more than a lucrative paycheck to feel valued as a person and an emp ...

Those who enjoy baseball know that the game is as much about information and strategy as it is about skill. The most arcane player statistics are assembled and used to help managers make crucial decisions throughout a game. Picture a right handed starting pitcher facing a right handed batter in the eighth inning, with two runners on base and one out. Both managers will analyze the situation and consult a myriad of statistics before sending instructions to their team that could make the differenc ...

 At Breakaway, you’ll know you’ll learn new tips and make new connections to improve your business.  But hey folks, it’s summer time – time to kick back and party.  We’re planning a full-on Texas party for you, hoedown style.We’ll transport you to the Knibbe Ranch on Tuesday, August 10th.  Air-conditioned buses will depart at 6:30 p.m. for a 20-25 minute ride.  We’ll also outfit you with cowboy hats and bandannas, but wear your own jeans and boots.  Once at the ranch: Watch an authentic, profess ...

Submitted by guest blogger John MehrmannDaniel Pink drives right to the heart of what matters with his latest book, DRIVE. He cites numerous case studies, historical references, and clinical examples to demonstrate the intrinsic and practical pursuit of excellence. The examples are fascinating, but one need look no further than his or her own work environment to immediately recognize the simple truths illuminated in his work.In the chapter on Mastery, Daniel Pink clearly conveys the value of mot ...

Note: This is the eighth of eight blog entries in which I examine managed services best practices identified in the CompTIA MSP Partners 2010 market research.What is your most valuable asset? No, I’m not talking about your winning smile or superior intelligence… but the asset that is most import to your business success. Here’s a hint to what I’m looking for: I once worked for a CEO who told me “I’d rather lose a good customer than a good employee.” His point was simple; a good employee is more ...

Author Robert C. Gallagher once quipped “change is inevitable-except from a vending machine.” In the IT industry, change is something we hear about every day.  It seems that the latest trend or fad is always just around the corner, ready to revolutionize our industry and turn traditional businesses upside down.For those of us who have been in the IT industry for a significant length of time, we have learned how to weather this constant barrage of change. For every noteworthy innovation or indust ...

Despite the occasional news report of a major cloud outage, there is no shortage of demand for SaaS offerings these days. If you pay attention to social media sites and other online communities/message boards, you likely think the majority of technology users are logged into a cloud solution on their iPad or netbook. Truthfully, there is a great deal of progress to make before we reach that point in web-application delivery (although Apple would surely want it now), but what’s fueling all this g ...

Submitted by guest blogger Sue KrautbauerIt’s a beautiful thing when seemingly disparate ideas intersect. In the book  Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, David H. Pink examines traditional theories of motivation which utilize external rewards and brilliantly contrasts them with research in psychology and behavioral science that states an individual is successfully motivated by intrinsic rewards.The way we have always done things isn’t working.  The baby boomer generation is bur ...

If you are among the many traditional break/fix VARs interested in jumping into managed services, you won’t want to miss our Breakaway panel on just that topic at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 10. I’ve lined up industry leaders and successful MSPs to share their advice and answer your questions about successfully making the move from break/fix to managed services. Hear insight from Jeannine Edwards, director of ConnectWise Community; Edward Stringfellow, president of Stringfellow Technology Group; Al ...

Last week I had the privilege of watching 15 doctors talk candidly about technology from behind a one-way mirror. The two focus groups, among general practitioners and specialists, were very educational and at times quite entertaining. While the information gleaned may not be representative of all doctors, it helps provide some qualitative insights around what doctors are really thinking about IT. I’d like to share with you some examples of the key themes and interesting points I saw emerg ...

As the reality of health care reform begins to take shape, small businesses remain pressed by the high cost of health care for their employees, and comparison shopping becomes ever more important.  One of the obstacles in shopping for the best and most affordable coverage has always been the difficulty of comparing plan benefits and pricing; for most, comparing health plans is akin to comparing apples to oranges. In an earlier posting, I noted that the creation of health care insurance ex ...

Healthcare IT (HIT) is a huge opportunity for solutions providers, but it's important to understand the complexities and nuances when it comes to coming an HIT provider.  Patrick Wilson, President of Vital Signs Technology, will walk you through an overview of CompTIA's Healthcare IT Guide for building a practice. What are the various verticals in this space, and how are they different?  Should you become a general Electronic Health Records (EHR) provider or go after a specific verti ...