On December 18, 2015, United States Congress passed the Cyber Security Information Sharing Act known as CISA. CISA, in its current form will create numerous changes to the field of cyber security and these changes will create many cyber security jobs.
CISA makes it easier for the federal government to obtain information from private citizens through the creation of information portals, which law enforcement can access without a warrant. The new legislation will force the government to examine numerous amounts of data, which might not be relevant to any type of investigation. Having to analyze such data will make it necessary to hire countless security professionals to evaluate this information.
This information, which can be accessed by law enforcement, can be protected. The question of who can protect company information and how can this be done will be answered in the paragraphs below.
The field of cyber security is creating over 50,000 new cyber security jobs in the coming 12 months. For example Chase bank is increasing spending for its cyber security penetration team from five hundred million in 2015 to eight hundred million in 2016. Bank of America has announced the same amount of spending. Banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and countless organizations in the health care industry are forced to follow suit. Cyber security jobs are exploding at hospitals because of HIPAA regulations. Campuses of universities and colleges throughout the US are now hiring network administrators who are certified for cyber security. A breach in a college’s network will result in a massive lawsuit against the institution who allowed the breach to occur. This creates a strong need to hire professionals with the right skills who can ensure network break INS do not happen.
Cyber security certifications
Network administrators who hold certifications including the MCSA, MCSE, and Network+ generally work as network administrators or in desktop support. Companies who have data to protect want their network administrators to hold additional certifications for advancement in their corporate structure.
The entry-level certification into the cyber security field is the CompTIA security plus, which provides a network administrator with a strong background in basic network security. Network administrators wanting to advance their skills can obtain the Certified Ethical Hacker, which opens the door to numerous security jobs. Finally we have the CISSP or Certified Information Security Systems Professional, which is a very high level certification. Holders of the CISSP often manage network penetration teams, which analyze networks for their vulnerability to cyber attacks.
The Cyber Security Information Sharing Act is forcing companies to invest large sums of money in cyber security. In fact companies contracting with the US government for many projects must submit proof their network administrators have cyber security certifications. CISA is another example of the large amounts of money spent on security in 2016.
Join an elite group of professionals who have the credentials to work in a CISA work environment.
Contact ABCO Technology for a list of cyber security courses in 2016. The right certification in cyber security will open the door to the job of your dreams. Call ABCO Technology between 9 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday. You can reach us by phone at (310) 216-3067. Email us for our student catalog at:info@abcotechnology.edu.
Start your new career in 2016 in Cyber Security, the fastest growing field of information technology.
Ref: CISA Law Passes through Senate with Flaws
Showing posts with label abco technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abco technology. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Eight Search Engine usability tips to improve your website’s ranking
Eight Search Engine usability tips to improve your website’s ranking
When analyzing your website’s search engine rankings, most of the emphasis has been placed on developing excellent content. The phrase “content is king” is found in numerous articles, which discuss search engine optimization. Unfortunately the concept of usability is rarely discussed. Usability is important and the major search engines are emphasizing this idea. Panda 4.0 is mainly about content, but several aspects of the Panda 4.0 2014 update focus on usability. In this article we will provide eight solid suggestions, which you can use to improve the user experience for your webpages.
1. Find accessibility issues
Google Webmaster Tools is the best place to search for any accessibility issues your website could possibly have. This free software will help you understand what is going on with your website.
A partner to Google Analytics, Webmaster Tools is more focused on the technical aspects of your website.
Google discovers your site’s content by sending out what is often known as a ‘spider’ to crawl your site’s pages. This bot moves around from link to link, cataloguing and/or indexing what it finds. When the spider attempts to look at a page, your server will return a HTTP status code in response. This code gives the Google spider key information about your page.
Once you are logged into your Webmaster Tools account you can check to see if Google’s spider has found any crawling errors on your website. For example, it may find a ‘404 error’ which means ‘your page is not found’.
2. Simplify your URL structure
Having a good site structure will greatly improve your chance of ranking well in Google’s results. By making your URL structure clear will simply allow search engines to easily find your most important content as well as helping your users to enjoy an excellent user experience.
I recommend using a simple structure. All of your important content should be positioned within two clicks of your homepage when this is possible.
Your users will likely assume that your most important content is close to your homepage, as will search engines. Successful search engines are designed to copy user behavior.
3. Create an XML sitemap
Another way to let Google know which pages you consider important is by creating an XML sitemap.
An XML sitemap is a text file that maps your site and makes sure search engines crawl and index your pages on your website efficiently. Google has a free XML sitemap and I’ve personally observed that when a website adapts Google’s XML sitemap their rankings greatly improve. It stands to reason because the sitemap is created by Google.
Your sitemap will communicate other useful information to Google – such as which pages you consider to be the most important and which have been changed recently.
4. Check your robots.txt file
A standard method of communicating with Google’s spider is to use a Robots.txt file.
This is a text file that allows you to tell search engines which of your site’s pages you want to crawl and which not to index. If your site already has this file, it’s usually found at yoursite.com/robots.txt
Here is an example of what your robots file may say:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /
The “Disallow: /” line tells the spider not to crawl the site. In practice this means you’re instructing Google not to include any of your pages to be indexed in their search results.
5. Identify duplicate content
Duplicate content is a very important SEO issue.
Google may not show your pages in its results if it finds multiple versions of a page. This means your site is likely to suffer.
A common example of duplicate content is as follows:
www.yoursite.com www.YOURSITE.com
You may believe these are one of the same but this is not necessarily the case. Google could see each version as a separate page. This would cause a problem with your rankings.
Other common duplication examples are listed below:
I. Architecture
Duplicate content is common on ecommerce sites. This problem commonly occurs when a product on the site is placed into more than one category with the site’s architecture not correctly setup to accommodate this properly.
Although this may make sense to a user, from a search engine’s point of view it is classed as duplication.
ii. HTTP vs HTTPs
HTTPs session can also cause duplicate content. HTTPs pages are secure, often for logins, shopping baskets and payment transactions – they provide an encrypted connection, making them more secure than a typical HTTP page.
If a page is accessible via both HTTP and HTTPs this may cause duplication issues.
iii. Pagination
Another error is when content is spread over multiple pages. This is common on ecommerce sites that offer lots of products.
It is possible that Google will view these long blog posts as duplicates.
iv. URL capitalization
Capitalized letters in the URLs are another cause of duplication problems. Examples as follows:
www.example.com/abc
www.example.com/ABC
www.example.com/Abc
This issue can easily be resolved.
v. Click and session tracking
Some websites create ‘sessions’ for reasons such as tracking customers’ behavior. Such instances include when ecommerce sites create a session when a user is adding a product to their shopping cart. This session allows the user to continue shopping and browsing the site while maintaining their product(s) in the shopping cart.
A new URL will often be created when a new session has been created to allow the website to track the users’ activity. This makes it a duplication issue.
6. Use redirects correctly
There are a number of reasons why you may redirect content:
•When moving an old site to a new domain
•Directing traffic from one page to another
•Moving traffic from an expired page to an existing page
•Broken links on a page that you want to move to an alternative
There are a few different ways to redirect pages and it is advisable that you do so to avoid wasting traffic and losing your position in Google’s search results.
7. Check your internal linking
Internal links on your site will be an important factor in your site’s overall SEO. Links are not only a good navigational source for users but they also tell Google which of your pages are important.
Make it as easy as possible to help Google understand the purpose of each link. Here are the different kinds of links you will find:
II. Nofollow
The purpose of a Nofollow link is to tell Google that this link should be given no SEO benefit (for example, an advertorial). Adding this code in the HTML prevents the link from receiving any benefit.
All you need to do to create a Nofollow link is to add rel=”nofollow” in the HTML code. It is recommended to Nofollow a link in the following situations:
•The link is a paid advertisement
•The links are in a comments or forum section of your site
•You’re linking to a site that may not be entirely reputable
I have seen links that have inappropriately had a Nofollow tag added to them. As a result, link value is lost.
ii. JavaScript or flash links
Links using JavaScript or Flash are not crawled in the same way as HTML links. While Google does not have the ability to read most JavaScript links it is still recommended to use HTML where possible as JavaScript can still make it difficult for search engines to find your content.
8. Structured data (rich snippets)
Rich Snippets are a good way of helping your website to stand out in Google’s search results. These enable Google to show additional information, including images, as part of your listing.
Pages that use structured data, such as authorship mark up (example below) receive higher click through rates from Google than pages that don’t. Similar to listings with images – they attract approximately 25% more clicks.
Rich Snippets can be used to mark up the following:
•Events
•People
•Places
•Local Businesses
•Products
•Offers
•Reviews
•Music
The results of adding structured data to your pages increases your visibility and generates more traffic. If you want to learn more about rich Snippets, visit:
www.schema.org.
Search Engine is not rocket science. Learn to optimize your website today. Calll ABCO Technology at: (310) 216-3067 Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM. If you want to email our team for a class schedule, please email to:
info@abcotechnology.edu
Start optimizing your website today.
For more information visit ABCO Technology's reviews below.
ABCO Technology - Better Business Bureau
ABCO Technology - Yellow Pages
ABCO Technology - CitySearch
Ecommerce classes, Google’s product feed
Google Product Feed
Did you know that Google has a large portion of their website where they sell products? Naturally they do, you laugh to yourself, they have everything… with all joking aside, this is a serious topic for your business, because it can help you increase sales for your website, and that should be your goal.
Google Product Optimization Factors
As usual, Google is very tight-lipped about what it takes to get products to the top of Google’s Product Search. To clarify, we are discussing this in the following article.
Here are the main factors to just only having your products show up, but excelling in the Google product search index.
Product Title
Just like regular search engine optimization, you are going to want to strategically place your keyword in the title. This will increase your chances for ranking for that term.
Product Description
Product description is another factor for Google Product search engine optimization. Make sure your description also contains the keywords you would like to rank for.
Product Price
Price is a fairly significant factor in this equation. If your price is low, it will result in your product ranking higher.
Feed Attribute Data
Within your Google Product feed, whether it’s programmed in XML or CSV, you have the option of adding certain fields that identify your product. Some of these fields are mandatory and some are not, but the more accurate and information rich identifiers you list the more information Google will have to rank your product.
Product Identifiers
Category
You must choose from one of the four categories. Each category requests certain information.
• Media (i.e., Music, Movies, and Video Games): Must list UPC, EAN or JAN see types of unique product identifiers
• Books: ISBN (Either ISBN-10 or ISBN-13. Exceptions apply for books published before 1970.)
• Apparel: Type of Brand
• Custom made goods: Lucky, no identifiers are required at the moment
• All Other: You need to list at least 2 of the following: UPC, EAN, or JAN, Brand or MPN
The more data fields you fill out the better!
Fresh Google Product Feed Data
Google wants to see this feed refreshed and resubmitted on a regular basis. Make sure you set up a feed refresh, automatic crawl and submission process for your feed. If you do this once a week or so you should be in good shape.
Reviews of your Google Shopping Products
Getting positive reviews is one of the most important factors. This also plays a role in organic search engine optimization in some ways, so you really can’t go wrong with reviews. Those being the case, reviews are very important to Google Product optimization. In particular, the Google product search engine likes Google Checkout reviews.
Google Product Reviews
As you will come to learn, Google Product SEO is a project within itself. However, with a little work in this area you could be making more sales online before you know it.
Learn to promote your website or business online. ABCO Technology has an excellent curriculum of Ecommerce Classes. Call us Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 Pm or email us at:
info@abcotechnology.com
Start beating your competition today!
More about ABCO Technology
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Tuesday, January 6, 2015
DOD 8570 Definition & TRAINING IN LOS ANGELES
It pays to be both cleared and certified
DOD 8570 cyber security professionals are in high demand in numerous businesses and organizations including government, private industry, education and science. Protecting proprietary data is vital to any business or organization working in the information technology security field. A key question asked by many of our students concerns how can they find a fulfilling career in the information security industry? The following article will answer this question by explaining the DOD 8570 security clearance as it relates to information technology.
Beginning in 2003 the United States government began to implement information assurance qualifications. Persons who were trusted to protect proprietary data were considered as information assurance professionals. In 2005 the DOD developed the 8570 information assurance security clearance. The Department of Defense in 2011 required anyone charged with the job of protecting classified information must have the DOD 8570 clearance. We will describe the information technology certifications, which will be considered valid for DOD 8570 classification.
What is Dodd 8570?
Department of Defense Directive 8570 (DOD 8570) provides guidance and procedures for the training, certification, and management of all government employees who conduct Information Assurance functions in assigned duty positions. These individuals are required to carry an approved certification for their particular job classification. Dodd 8570 certifications are among those required for Technical and Management jobs working with companies who are under contract to the United States government.
Who is affected by Dodd 8570?
Any full or part-time military service member, contractor, or local nationals with privileged access to a Dodd information system performing information assurance (security) functions -- regardless of job or occupational series.
•Office of the Secretary of Defense
•Military Departments
•Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
•Combatant Commands
•Office of the Inspector General of the Dodd
•Defense companies & Agencies
•Dodd Field Activities
•All other organizational entities in the Dodd
Dodd 8570 Requires:
•By the end of CY 2010, all personnel performing IAT and IAM functions must be certified.
•By the end of CY 2011 all personnel performing CND-SP and IASAE roles must be certified.
•All IA jobs will be categorized as 'Technical' or 'Management' Level I, II, or III, and to be qualified for those jobs, you must be certified.
How can you benefit from this information?
Information technology professionals who have DOD 8570 clearance will be placed at the top of the list when applying for jobs with companies who are government contractors. Some firms advertise openly for DOD 8570 cleared professionals. Other companies will simply list an information technology position and place 8570 candidates at the top of the list. You can find companies advertising for DOD 8570 professionals at:www.indeed.com, www.monster.com andwww.careerbuilder.com. After viewing the job titles listed on these web sites, you will soon discover DOD candidates are in high demand. Obtaining a DOD 8570 clearance will place your application into a new category, which is not known to the general public.
What are the top certifications for DOD 8570 clearance?
The top three certifications under DOD 8570 are CompTIA’s A+, Network+ and Security+. The government considers the CompTia certifications to be mission critical because CompTia is vender neutral. A vender neutral certification makes a security professional highly flexible because the government can purchase computers from any vender and be assured the employee is cleared to work on that particular machine or network
Companies wanting to hire information assurance professionals value the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification as critical to 8570 security standards. The CISSP is a management level certification. The CISSP receives its credibility when a candidate holds the CompTia certifications of A+, Net+ and Security+, which were listed above.
The Cisco Certified Network Associate is next on the list for DOD 8570 because holders of this Cisco certificate are certified to protect routers, which serve as an organization’s gateway to the Internet. Governments are moving to voice over IP, which increases the importance of protecting router information.
Industry and government organizations are now under considerable pressure to improve efficiency. The DOD 8570 added the Project Management Professional certification as a key component for 8570 clearance. Project managers have access to entire divisions of companies and agencies while they work on assigned projects.
Finally the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert completes the list for DOD 8570 standards. Numerous government agencies and defense contractors are using Microsoft’s cloud network to store and manage their critical data.
ABCO Technology in Los Angeles, California offers the essential certifications for DOD 8570. Classes are offered year round.
Call ABCO Technology today for information about DOD 8570 training and clearance. You can reach us by phone at (310)-216-3067 Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 Pm.
To contact us by email please email to:
info@abcotechnology.com
Start your security career path today. Let us help you to obtain the best certifications and DOD 8570 clearance.
DOD 8570 Definition & TRAINING IN LOS ANGELES
It pays to be both cleared and certified
DOD 8570 cyber security professionals are in high demand in numerous businesses and organizations including government, private industry, education and science. Protecting proprietary data is vital to any business or organization working in the information technology security field. A key question asked by many of our students concerns how can they find a fulfilling career in the information security industry? The following article will answer this question by explaining the DOD 8570 security clearance as it relates to information technology.
Beginning in 2003 the United States government began to implement information assurance qualifications. Persons who were trusted to protect proprietary data were considered as information assurance professionals. In 2005 the DOD developed the 8570 information assurance security clearance. The Department of Defense in 2011 required anyone charged with the job of protecting classified information must have the DOD 8570 clearance. We will describe the information technology certifications, which will be considered valid for DOD 8570 classification.
What is Dodd 8570?
Department of Defense Directive 8570 (DOD 8570) provides guidance and procedures for the training, certification, and management of all government employees who conduct Information Assurance functions in assigned duty positions. These individuals are required to carry an approved certification for their particular job classification. Dodd 8570 certifications are among those required for Technical and Management jobs working with companies who are under contract to the United States government.
Who is affected by Dodd 8570?
Any full or part-time military service member, contractor, or local nationals with privileged access to a Dodd information system performing information assurance (security) functions -- regardless of job or occupational series.
•Office of the Secretary of Defense
•Military Departments
•Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
•Combatant Commands
•Office of the Inspector General of the Dodd
•Defense companies & Agencies
•Dodd Field Activities
•All other organizational entities in the Dodd
Dodd 8570 Requires:
•By the end of CY 2010, all personnel performing IAT and IAM functions must be certified.
•By the end of CY 2011 all personnel performing CND-SP and IASAE roles must be certified.
•All IA jobs will be categorized as 'Technical' or 'Management' Level I, II, or III, and to be qualified for those jobs, you must be certified.
How can you benefit from this information?
Information technology professionals who have DOD 8570 clearance will be placed at the top of the list when applying for jobs with companies who are government contractors. Some firms advertise openly for DOD 8570 cleared professionals. Other companies will simply list an information technology position and place 8570 candidates at the top of the list. You can find companies advertising for DOD 8570 professionals at:www.indeed.com, www.monster.com andwww.careerbuilder.com. After viewing the job titles listed on these web sites, you will soon discover DOD candidates are in high demand. Obtaining a DOD 8570 clearance will place your application into a new category, which is not known to the general public.
What are the top certifications for DOD 8570 clearance?
The top three certifications under DOD 8570 are CompTIA’s A+, Network+ and Security+. The government considers the CompTia certifications to be mission critical because CompTia is vender neutral. A vender neutral certification makes a security professional highly flexible because the government can purchase computers from any vender and be assured the employee is cleared to work on that particular machine or network.
Companies wanting to hire information assurance professionals value the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification as critical to 8570 security standards. The CISSP is a management level certification. The CISSP receives its credibility when a candidate holds the CompTia certifications of A+, Net+ and Security+, which were listed above.
The Cisco Certified Network Associate is next on the list for DOD 8570 because holders of this Cisco certificate are certified to protect routers, which serve as an organization’s gateway to the Internet. Governments are moving to voice over IP, which increases the importance of protecting router information.
Industry and government organizations are now under considerable pressure to improve efficiency. The DOD 8570 added the Project Management Professional certification as a key component for 8570 clearance. Project managers have access to entire divisions of companies and agencies while they work on assigned projects.
Finally the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert completes the list for DOD 8570 standards. Numerous government agencies and defense contractors are using Microsoft’s cloud network to store and manage their critical data.
ABCO Technology in Los Angeles, California offers the essential certifications for DOD 8570. Classes are offered year round.
Call ABCO Technology today for information about DOD 8570 training and clearance. You can reach us by phone at (310)-216-3067 Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 Pm.
To contact us by email please email to:
info@abcotechnology.com
Start your security career path today. Let us help you to obtain the best certifications and DOD 8570 clearance.
For more information visit us online
ABCO Technology - Better Business Bureau
ABCO Technology - Yellow Pages
DOD 8570 cyber security professionals are in high demand in numerous businesses and organizations including government, private industry, education and science. Protecting proprietary data is vital to any business or organization working in the information technology security field. A key question asked by many of our students concerns how can they find a fulfilling career in the information security industry? The following article will answer this question by explaining the DOD 8570 security clearance as it relates to information technology.
Beginning in 2003 the United States government began to implement information assurance qualifications. Persons who were trusted to protect proprietary data were considered as information assurance professionals. In 2005 the DOD developed the 8570 information assurance security clearance. The Department of Defense in 2011 required anyone charged with the job of protecting classified information must have the DOD 8570 clearance. We will describe the information technology certifications, which will be considered valid for DOD 8570 classification.
What is Dodd 8570?
Department of Defense Directive 8570 (DOD 8570) provides guidance and procedures for the training, certification, and management of all government employees who conduct Information Assurance functions in assigned duty positions. These individuals are required to carry an approved certification for their particular job classification. Dodd 8570 certifications are among those required for Technical and Management jobs working with companies who are under contract to the United States government.
Who is affected by Dodd 8570?
Any full or part-time military service member, contractor, or local nationals with privileged access to a Dodd information system performing information assurance (security) functions -- regardless of job or occupational series.
•Office of the Secretary of Defense
•Military Departments
•Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
•Combatant Commands
•Office of the Inspector General of the Dodd
•Defense companies & Agencies
•Dodd Field Activities
•All other organizational entities in the Dodd
Dodd 8570 Requires:
•By the end of CY 2010, all personnel performing IAT and IAM functions must be certified.
•By the end of CY 2011 all personnel performing CND-SP and IASAE roles must be certified.
•All IA jobs will be categorized as 'Technical' or 'Management' Level I, II, or III, and to be qualified for those jobs, you must be certified.
How can you benefit from this information?
Information technology professionals who have DOD 8570 clearance will be placed at the top of the list when applying for jobs with companies who are government contractors. Some firms advertise openly for DOD 8570 cleared professionals. Other companies will simply list an information technology position and place 8570 candidates at the top of the list. You can find companies advertising for DOD 8570 professionals at:www.indeed.com, www.monster.com andwww.careerbuilder.com. After viewing the job titles listed on these web sites, you will soon discover DOD candidates are in high demand. Obtaining a DOD 8570 clearance will place your application into a new category, which is not known to the general public.
What are the top certifications for DOD 8570 clearance?
The top three certifications under DOD 8570 are CompTIA’s A+, Network+ and Security+. The government considers the CompTia certifications to be mission critical because CompTia is vender neutral. A vender neutral certification makes a security professional highly flexible because the government can purchase computers from any vender and be assured the employee is cleared to work on that particular machine or network
Companies wanting to hire information assurance professionals value the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification as critical to 8570 security standards. The CISSP is a management level certification. The CISSP receives its credibility when a candidate holds the CompTia certifications of A+, Net+ and Security+, which were listed above.
The Cisco Certified Network Associate is next on the list for DOD 8570 because holders of this Cisco certificate are certified to protect routers, which serve as an organization’s gateway to the Internet. Governments are moving to voice over IP, which increases the importance of protecting router information.
Industry and government organizations are now under considerable pressure to improve efficiency. The DOD 8570 added the Project Management Professional certification as a key component for 8570 clearance. Project managers have access to entire divisions of companies and agencies while they work on assigned projects.
Finally the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert completes the list for DOD 8570 standards. Numerous government agencies and defense contractors are using Microsoft’s cloud network to store and manage their critical data.
ABCO Technology in Los Angeles, California offers the essential certifications for DOD 8570. Classes are offered year round.
Call ABCO Technology today for information about DOD 8570 training and clearance. You can reach us by phone at (310)-216-3067 Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 Pm.
To contact us by email please email to:
info@abcotechnology.com
Start your security career path today. Let us help you to obtain the best certifications and DOD 8570 clearance.
DOD 8570 Definition & TRAINING IN LOS ANGELES
It pays to be both cleared and certified
DOD 8570 cyber security professionals are in high demand in numerous businesses and organizations including government, private industry, education and science. Protecting proprietary data is vital to any business or organization working in the information technology security field. A key question asked by many of our students concerns how can they find a fulfilling career in the information security industry? The following article will answer this question by explaining the DOD 8570 security clearance as it relates to information technology.
Beginning in 2003 the United States government began to implement information assurance qualifications. Persons who were trusted to protect proprietary data were considered as information assurance professionals. In 2005 the DOD developed the 8570 information assurance security clearance. The Department of Defense in 2011 required anyone charged with the job of protecting classified information must have the DOD 8570 clearance. We will describe the information technology certifications, which will be considered valid for DOD 8570 classification.
What is Dodd 8570?
Department of Defense Directive 8570 (DOD 8570) provides guidance and procedures for the training, certification, and management of all government employees who conduct Information Assurance functions in assigned duty positions. These individuals are required to carry an approved certification for their particular job classification. Dodd 8570 certifications are among those required for Technical and Management jobs working with companies who are under contract to the United States government.
Who is affected by Dodd 8570?
Any full or part-time military service member, contractor, or local nationals with privileged access to a Dodd information system performing information assurance (security) functions -- regardless of job or occupational series.
•Office of the Secretary of Defense
•Military Departments
•Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
•Combatant Commands
•Office of the Inspector General of the Dodd
•Defense companies & Agencies
•Dodd Field Activities
•All other organizational entities in the Dodd
Dodd 8570 Requires:
•By the end of CY 2010, all personnel performing IAT and IAM functions must be certified.
•By the end of CY 2011 all personnel performing CND-SP and IASAE roles must be certified.
•All IA jobs will be categorized as 'Technical' or 'Management' Level I, II, or III, and to be qualified for those jobs, you must be certified.
How can you benefit from this information?
Information technology professionals who have DOD 8570 clearance will be placed at the top of the list when applying for jobs with companies who are government contractors. Some firms advertise openly for DOD 8570 cleared professionals. Other companies will simply list an information technology position and place 8570 candidates at the top of the list. You can find companies advertising for DOD 8570 professionals at:www.indeed.com, www.monster.com andwww.careerbuilder.com. After viewing the job titles listed on these web sites, you will soon discover DOD candidates are in high demand. Obtaining a DOD 8570 clearance will place your application into a new category, which is not known to the general public.
What are the top certifications for DOD 8570 clearance?
The top three certifications under DOD 8570 are CompTIA’s A+, Network+ and Security+. The government considers the CompTia certifications to be mission critical because CompTia is vender neutral. A vender neutral certification makes a security professional highly flexible because the government can purchase computers from any vender and be assured the employee is cleared to work on that particular machine or network.
Companies wanting to hire information assurance professionals value the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification as critical to 8570 security standards. The CISSP is a management level certification. The CISSP receives its credibility when a candidate holds the CompTia certifications of A+, Net+ and Security+, which were listed above.
The Cisco Certified Network Associate is next on the list for DOD 8570 because holders of this Cisco certificate are certified to protect routers, which serve as an organization’s gateway to the Internet. Governments are moving to voice over IP, which increases the importance of protecting router information.
Industry and government organizations are now under considerable pressure to improve efficiency. The DOD 8570 added the Project Management Professional certification as a key component for 8570 clearance. Project managers have access to entire divisions of companies and agencies while they work on assigned projects.
Finally the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert completes the list for DOD 8570 standards. Numerous government agencies and defense contractors are using Microsoft’s cloud network to store and manage their critical data.
ABCO Technology in Los Angeles, California offers the essential certifications for DOD 8570. Classes are offered year round.
Call ABCO Technology today for information about DOD 8570 training and clearance. You can reach us by phone at (310)-216-3067 Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 Pm.
To contact us by email please email to:
info@abcotechnology.com
Start your security career path today. Let us help you to obtain the best certifications and DOD 8570 clearance.
For more information visit us online
ABCO Technology - Better Business Bureau
ABCO Technology - Yellow Pages
Demand for Internet Security Professionals continues to increase
On August 28, 2014 the news was filled with stories about United States banks being hacked by government sponsored hackers believed to be from Russia. Reports stated at least five major U.S. banks have been hacked.
Jamie Dimon chief executive officer for Chase bank told reporters that the bank had been the victim of a major hack attack. Mr. Dimon went on to say that Chase bank currently employs 1,000 information technology professionals strictly devoted to the task of network security. Mr. Dimon told reporters the bank will be doubling the size of this security work force over the next 18 months.
Bank of America, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank were also hacked. Professionals representing these banks stated their cyber security teams would be doubled and possibly tripled in size over the next two years.
Major hospitals, insurance companies and even universities are under cyber-attacks from government sponsored hackers.
Cyber-attacks are now a major weapon of war in the twenty-first century. Russia is in a dispute with the world regarding the country’s activities in the Ukraine. Russia along with other countries believes a cyber-attack will cause more destruction than an invading army under certain circumstances. The need for companies, organizations and governments to defend against these attacks is now a key component for survival in this century. The need for Internet professionals who understand cyber security will continue to expand.
If you are a network administrator, want to become one or own a company having critical data that needs protection the field of cyber security is essential to the future of your business.
Types of Internet Security certifications available.
The information technology field has many certifications, which will help you protect your network. At the beginner level CompTIA offers an excellent curriculum to introduce you to cyber threats and some excellent strategies to reduce them. CompTIA’s course provides students with a strong overview of the field.
The CISSP or Certified Internet Systems Securities Professional is your next step on the ladder to becoming a cyber-security professional. Organizations and companies large and small highly value this certification. Students will learn the finer points of Internet Security.
The Certified Ethical Hacker is at the top of the list. In this course students learn how to think like a government sponsored hacker. The course will show you several solid strategies, which network security professionals use to defend a network against a hacking attack.
The old folk song, which said “for the times they are a changing” echo throughout the field of cyber security. Gone are the teenage hackers with nothing but time on their hands. The teenage hacker has been replaced by highly trained professionals who are sophisticated.
ABCO Technology located at 6733 S Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles teaches all of the certifications mentioned in this article. Call our team from 9 AM to 6 PM. Monday through Friday at (310) 216-3067. You can email us for a schedule of current classes to: info@abcotechnology.com
Bring your security skills up-to-date today!
For more information visit us online
ABCO Technology - Better Business Bureau
ABCO Technology - YellowPages
Jamie Dimon chief executive officer for Chase bank told reporters that the bank had been the victim of a major hack attack. Mr. Dimon went on to say that Chase bank currently employs 1,000 information technology professionals strictly devoted to the task of network security. Mr. Dimon told reporters the bank will be doubling the size of this security work force over the next 18 months.
Bank of America, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank were also hacked. Professionals representing these banks stated their cyber security teams would be doubled and possibly tripled in size over the next two years.
Major hospitals, insurance companies and even universities are under cyber-attacks from government sponsored hackers.
Cyber-attacks are now a major weapon of war in the twenty-first century. Russia is in a dispute with the world regarding the country’s activities in the Ukraine. Russia along with other countries believes a cyber-attack will cause more destruction than an invading army under certain circumstances. The need for companies, organizations and governments to defend against these attacks is now a key component for survival in this century. The need for Internet professionals who understand cyber security will continue to expand.
If you are a network administrator, want to become one or own a company having critical data that needs protection the field of cyber security is essential to the future of your business.
Types of Internet Security certifications available.
The information technology field has many certifications, which will help you protect your network. At the beginner level CompTIA offers an excellent curriculum to introduce you to cyber threats and some excellent strategies to reduce them. CompTIA’s course provides students with a strong overview of the field.
The CISSP or Certified Internet Systems Securities Professional is your next step on the ladder to becoming a cyber-security professional. Organizations and companies large and small highly value this certification. Students will learn the finer points of Internet Security.
The Certified Ethical Hacker is at the top of the list. In this course students learn how to think like a government sponsored hacker. The course will show you several solid strategies, which network security professionals use to defend a network against a hacking attack.
The old folk song, which said “for the times they are a changing” echo throughout the field of cyber security. Gone are the teenage hackers with nothing but time on their hands. The teenage hacker has been replaced by highly trained professionals who are sophisticated.
ABCO Technology located at 6733 S Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles teaches all of the certifications mentioned in this article. Call our team from 9 AM to 6 PM. Monday through Friday at (310) 216-3067. You can email us for a schedule of current classes to: info@abcotechnology.com
Bring your security skills up-to-date today!
For more information visit us online
ABCO Technology - Better Business Bureau
ABCO Technology - YellowPages
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Cyber Security classes and certification courses in Los Angeles.
For the past decade cyber security has been a hotly debated topic regarding jobs in information technology. The key questions asked by information technology professionals concerns, which certifications are in demand and where can I find employment after training is completed. On May 19, 2014, the United States Department of Justice filed major indictments against five leading government Chinese officials for cyber stalking and hacking. The United States government by filing these charges officially admitted a major Internet cold war is in progress. Secretary of State Chuck Hagel is tripled his staff to combat this serious securities threat. As a cyber-securities professional, you can find work in this growing field because of the demand, which now exists. We will reprint the Fox news story below and follow it up with some suggestions regarding, which certifications will benefit you in this present environment.
DOJ brings cyber-espionage case against Chinese officials
The Justice Department on Monday announced a first-of-its-kind criminal cyber-espionage case against Chinese military officials, accusing them of hacking into major U.S. companies to steal trade secrets.
Prosecutors described the alleged crimes as "21st century burglary."
Attorney General Eric Holder and other federal law enforcement officials revealed the indictment Monday morning, accusing five Shanghai-based Chinese officials of targeting the U.S. nuclear power, metals and solar products industries. The alleged victims include major U.S. firms like Alcoa, Westinghouse and United States Steel.
Holder said the hackers were targeting a total of six American companies, stealing information deemed useful to companies in China, including state-owned firms. He stressed that the alleged hacking is far different than the type of intelligence gathering conducted by governments around the world, in that this involved cyber-espionage for the sheer purpose of gaining the commercial upper hand against U.S. businesses.
"This is a tactic that the United States government categorically denounces," Holder said. "This case should serve as a wake-up call to the seriousness of the ongoing cyberthreat."
The charges were described as the first such case brought against state actors. The specific charges relate to cyber-espionage and theft of trade secrets.
John Carlin, recently installed as head of the Justice's National Security Division, had identified the prosecution of state-sponsored cyberthreats as a goal for the Obama administration.
"For the first time, we are exposing the faces and names behind the keyboards in Shanghai used to steal from American businesses," he said Monday, accusing the Chinese officials of "stealing the fruits of our labor."
The charges are being brought in a federal court in Pittsburgh, Pa. Holder, who acknowledged the defendants have never set foot in the United States, was pressed Monday on whether there's any hope that the Chinese government would hand over the five officials charged in the indictment.
Holder said the "intention" is for the defendants to face the charges in a U.S. court, and he hopes to have Chinese government cooperation.
U.S. officials have accused China's army and China-based hackers of launching attacks on American industrial and military targets, often to steal secrets or intellectual property. China has said that it faces a major threat from hackers, and the country's military is believed to be among the biggest targets of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command.
Last September, President Obama discussed cybersecurity issues on the sidelines of a summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
White House spokesman Ben Rhodes said at the time that Obama had addressed concerns about cyber threats emanating from China. He said Obama told Xi the U.S. sees it not through the prism of security, but out of concern over theft of trade secrets.
In late March, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel revealed that the Pentagon planned to more than triple its cybersecurity staff in the next few years to defend against Internet attacks that threaten national security.
Hagel's comments at the National Security Agency headquarters in suburban Washington came as he prepared to visit China.
"Our nation's reliance on cyberspace outpaces our cybersecurity," Hagel said at the time. "Our nation confronts the proliferation of destructive malware and a new reality of steady, ongoing and aggressive efforts to probe, access or disrupt public and private networks, and the industrial control systems that manage our water, and our energy and our food supplies."
Fox News' Shayla Bezdrob and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
What certifications will benefit you as an information technology professional?
There are three certifications, which are in high demand for those who want to work in cyber security. They are: the CompTIA Security+, The Certified Internet Systems Securities Professional/CISSP and the Certified Ethical Hacker. Companies needing employees with the capability to protect their data will look for people who hold these credentials.
ABCO Technology located at 6733 S Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles offers classes for all three certifications mentioned above. Call us from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday at: (310) 216-3067. You can email us at:
info@abcotechnology.com
Join the Internet security industry today!
Check out our Reviews
ABCO Technology - Better Business Bureau
ABCO Technology - Yellow Pages
DOJ brings cyber-espionage case against Chinese officials
The Justice Department on Monday announced a first-of-its-kind criminal cyber-espionage case against Chinese military officials, accusing them of hacking into major U.S. companies to steal trade secrets.
Prosecutors described the alleged crimes as "21st century burglary."
Attorney General Eric Holder and other federal law enforcement officials revealed the indictment Monday morning, accusing five Shanghai-based Chinese officials of targeting the U.S. nuclear power, metals and solar products industries. The alleged victims include major U.S. firms like Alcoa, Westinghouse and United States Steel.
Holder said the hackers were targeting a total of six American companies, stealing information deemed useful to companies in China, including state-owned firms. He stressed that the alleged hacking is far different than the type of intelligence gathering conducted by governments around the world, in that this involved cyber-espionage for the sheer purpose of gaining the commercial upper hand against U.S. businesses.
"This is a tactic that the United States government categorically denounces," Holder said. "This case should serve as a wake-up call to the seriousness of the ongoing cyberthreat."
The charges were described as the first such case brought against state actors. The specific charges relate to cyber-espionage and theft of trade secrets.
John Carlin, recently installed as head of the Justice's National Security Division, had identified the prosecution of state-sponsored cyberthreats as a goal for the Obama administration.
"For the first time, we are exposing the faces and names behind the keyboards in Shanghai used to steal from American businesses," he said Monday, accusing the Chinese officials of "stealing the fruits of our labor."
The charges are being brought in a federal court in Pittsburgh, Pa. Holder, who acknowledged the defendants have never set foot in the United States, was pressed Monday on whether there's any hope that the Chinese government would hand over the five officials charged in the indictment.
Holder said the "intention" is for the defendants to face the charges in a U.S. court, and he hopes to have Chinese government cooperation.
U.S. officials have accused China's army and China-based hackers of launching attacks on American industrial and military targets, often to steal secrets or intellectual property. China has said that it faces a major threat from hackers, and the country's military is believed to be among the biggest targets of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command.
Last September, President Obama discussed cybersecurity issues on the sidelines of a summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
White House spokesman Ben Rhodes said at the time that Obama had addressed concerns about cyber threats emanating from China. He said Obama told Xi the U.S. sees it not through the prism of security, but out of concern over theft of trade secrets.
In late March, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel revealed that the Pentagon planned to more than triple its cybersecurity staff in the next few years to defend against Internet attacks that threaten national security.
Hagel's comments at the National Security Agency headquarters in suburban Washington came as he prepared to visit China.
"Our nation's reliance on cyberspace outpaces our cybersecurity," Hagel said at the time. "Our nation confronts the proliferation of destructive malware and a new reality of steady, ongoing and aggressive efforts to probe, access or disrupt public and private networks, and the industrial control systems that manage our water, and our energy and our food supplies."
Fox News' Shayla Bezdrob and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
What certifications will benefit you as an information technology professional?
There are three certifications, which are in high demand for those who want to work in cyber security. They are: the CompTIA Security+, The Certified Internet Systems Securities Professional/CISSP and the Certified Ethical Hacker. Companies needing employees with the capability to protect their data will look for people who hold these credentials.
ABCO Technology located at 6733 S Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles offers classes for all three certifications mentioned above. Call us from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday at: (310) 216-3067. You can email us at:
info@abcotechnology.com
Join the Internet security industry today!
Check out our Reviews
ABCO Technology - Better Business Bureau
ABCO Technology - Yellow Pages
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Crowd funding in 2014, the New Ecommerce strategy to gather capital for your project!
The twenty-first century, with break-throughs in technology has created innovative strategies for small and medium-sized businesses to raise capital to fund their projects. Conventional banks and lending institutions are crippled by extensive regulations including Dodd-Frank, which limits the amount of financial risk banks can take for small companies who want to market their product or service. As a result of this vacuum the need is being filled by the emergence of crowd funding. Crowd funding is becoming a lucrative source of capital for small businesses. This article will briefly look at 10 websites who are active players in this new industry. The Internet is filled with discussions about crowd funding. Fox news recently featured a 3D printing company who used crowd funding to bring their new $199 3D printer to market. New ideas create excitement and this draws millions of potential businesses and investors to this market place. Unfortunately we have found over 700 websites who claim to provide crowd funding. Our research has limited this number down to ten sites who are crowd funding sites with a strong track record of providing accurate and complete information to investors.
Let us ask the question… what crowd funding site is best for you?
As a crowdfunding industry reporter, I wanted to provide you an easy guide for which site to visit for your crowdfunding needs.
I’ll begin with a small overview of this industry, a short primer on the different kinds of crowdfunding models so you can find what you’re looking for, and then I’ll get to specific site recommendations.
The base of the Crowdfunding Industry
Collaboration on the web is an area of tremendous growth. Crowdfunding, or collaborative funding via the web, is one of the standouts for growth in this evolving collaborative economy.
The Crowdfunding Industry Report by Massolution provided data showing the general crowdfunding industry has raised $5.7 billion in 2013, across more than 2 million individual campaigns globally. In 2014 the industry is projected to grow to $7.1 billion.
Some of the most interesting developments in crowdfunding, which are expected to grow in the months and years ahead, include: investment crowdfunding, which is simply (becoming a shareholder in a company), localization (funding focused on participants in specific cities and neighborhoods), mobile solutions, and group-based approaches.
The JOBS Act that was passed in April of 2012 paved the way to investment crowdfunding; however, the JOBS Act Rulings by the SEC have yet to be fully implemented to formally start the market. Expect big movement and activity in this area in 2014 and 2015.
Crowdfunding Models
There are 2 main models or types of crowdfunding. The first is what is known as donation-based funding. The birth of crowdfunding has evolved through this model, where funders donate via a collaborative goal based process in return for products, perks or rewards.
The second and more recent model is investment crowdfunding, where businesses seeking capital sell ownership stakes online in the form of equity or debt. In this model, individuals who fund become owners or shareholders and have a potential for financial return, unlike the donation model.
Crowdfunding Sites You Can Choose From
Business owners are using different crowdfunding sites than musicians. Musicians are using different sites from causes and charities. Below is a list of crowdfunding sites that have different models and focuses. This list can help you find the right place for your crowdfunding goals and needs.
1. Kickstarter
Kickstarter is a site where creative projects raise donation-based funding. These projects will range from new creative products, like an art installation, to a cool watch, to pre-selling a music album. It’s not for businesses, causes, charities, or personal financing needs. Kickstarter is one of the earlier platforms, and has experienced strong growth and many break-out large campaigns in the last few years.
2. Indiegogo
While Kickstarter maintains a tighter focus and curates the creative projects approved on its site, Indiegogo approves donation-based fundraising campaigns for most anything — music, hobbyists, personal finance needs, charities and whatever else you could think of (except investment). They have had international growth because of their flexibility, broad approach and their early start in the industry.
3. Crowdfunder
Crowdfunder is the crowdfunding platform for businesses, with a growing social network of investors, tech startups, small businesses, and social enterprises (financially sustainable/profitable businesses with social impact goals).
Crowdfunder offers a blend of donation-based and investment crowdfunding from individuals and angel investors, and was a leading participant in the JOBS Act legislation. The company has localized crowdfunding and investment to help develop entrepreneurial ecosystems and access to capital outside Silicon Valley. Its unique CROWDFUNDING initiative in cities across the US and Mexico connects local investors with local entrepreneurs both online and offline, and does the work to validate top local companies in each city across the US and Mexico.
4. RocketHub
RocketHub powers donation-based funding for a wide variety of creative projects.
What’s unique about RocketHub is their FuelPad and LaunchPad programs that help campaign owners and potential promotion and marketing partners connect and collaborate for the success of a campaign.
5. Crowdrise
Crowdrise is a place for donation-based funding for Causes and Charities. They’ve attracted a community of do-gooders and fund all types of inspiring causes and needs.
A unique Points System on Crowdrise helps track and reveal how much charitable impact members and organizations are making.
6. Somolend
Somolend is a site for lending for small businesses in the US, providing debt-based investment funding to qualified businesses with existing operations and revenue. Somolend has partnered with banks to provide loans, as well as helping small business owners bring their friends and family into the effort.
With their Midwest roots, a strong founder who was a leading participant in the JOBS Act legislation, and their focus and lead in the local small business market, Somolend has begun expanding into multiple cities and markets in the US.
7. appbackr
If you want to create the next new mobile app and are seeking donation-based funding to get things off the ground or growing, then check out appbackr and their niche community for mobile app development.
8. AngelList
If you’re a tech startup with a shiny lead investor already signed on, or looking for Silicon Valley momentum, then there are angels and institutions finding investments through AngelList. For some time AngelList didn’t say that they did crowdfunding, which makes sense as they have catered to the investment establishment in tech startups, but now they’re getting into the game. The accredited investors and institutions on AngelList have been funding a growing number of select tech startup deals.
9. Invested.in
You might want to create your own crowdfunding community to support donation-based fundraising for a specific group or niche in the market. Invested.in is a Venice, CA based company that is a top name “white label” software provider, giving you the tools to get started and grow your own.
10. Quirky
If you’re an inventor, maker, or tinkerer of some kind then Quirky is a place to collaborate and crowdfund for donation-based funding with a community of other like-minded inventors. Their site digs deeper into helping the process of bringing an invention or product to life, allowing community participation in the process.
These 10 crowdfunding sites cover most campaign types or funding goals you may have. Whether you’re looking to fundraise or not, go visit the sites listed in this article that grab your attention and become involved in this collaborative community.
ABCO Technology offers classes for Ecommerce and crowd funding strategies. Please call us at (310) 216-3067 between 9 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday. You can Email us at: info@abcotechnology.edu for a schedule of classes.
Bring your new idea or project to market today.
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Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Apple’s new iPhone six could be a real game changing device in Apple’s brand history.
With the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, which were simple updates to previous models, there's a lot of pressure placed on the birth of the iPhone 6.
As per the norm, the internet is filled with rumor, speculation and some might say lies over this next-generation handset, which is why we spent our time reading through each nugget of information, debating its merits and curating it into this easy-to-read article for the technical land of iPhone 6.
According to a survey of 4132 US consumers, the iPhone 6 is the most anticipated Apple smartphone in the company’s history, with interest easily outstripping that of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5.
Let’s peak at what Apple may have in store for us on the iPhone 6, thanks to the announcement of iOS 8 at WWDC.
From a bigger screen and camera to health monitoring and more storage capacity.
•What iOS 8 tells us about the iPhone 6
Some of you might have been expecting the iPhone 6 to have debuted in 2013, but given the iPhone's past history, from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone. We were never going to receive the iPhone 6 until 2014. In fact, it will actually be the iPhone 8 when the new product finally launches. But, who’s counting iPhones these days?
One thing is for sure, with the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One M8 now out, Apple needs to be on its game with the new iPhone - and many believe a bigger screen is simply a must have.
Let’s cut to the heart of the matter
•What is it? A major revision of the iPhone including entire design
•When is it out? September 2014 seems most probable
•What will it cost? Expect luxury pricing for a premium smartphone
Latest update: Taiwanese driving and movie star Jimmy Lin has posted some images to social network Weibo apparently showing off the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 alongside the iPhone 5S
IPhone 6 release date
The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014 and it's looking increasingly likely that we'll see it in September, which would fit in nicely with the rollout of the newly announced iOS 8.
Apple has launched the last several iPhones at a special event in September, so the smart money has always been on September 2014 for the iPhone 6's birth.
Not to mention the fact that according to ifun.de, Apple is restricting holidays during September for employees at German Apple Stores, which strongly suggests a new hardware launch just might take place
What does all of this mean to an information technology professional?
The iPhone six will create the need for countless new applications. New hardware always opens the door for programmers to create those killer applications. The article mentioned health monitoring; do you have a new idea? If you are reading this article and have a strong desire to learn computer programming, you could be a future talented person who will design the next block buster application for the iPhone 6.
ABCO Technology located at 6733 S Sepulveda Blvd. Ste #106 in Los Angeles, Ca. 90045 offers a wide variety of computer programming courses. Call us today at (310) 216-3067 from 9 AM. To 6 PM. Monday through Friday. You can email us for a schedule of classes to:
info@abcotechnology.com.
Start developing innovative applications today!
Article by Melissa Waltch
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Sunday, September 14, 2014
Content Length Long Verses Short
Content Length Long Verses Short
For many years the deep secret of blogging was the 500-word blog post. It was the winning formula. These posts worked every time. Until it didn't.
Then in August 2013, Google updated their algorithm for showing search results for in-depth articles. Google explained this by saying that "up to 10% of users' daily information needs revolve around learning about a broad topic." And so we saw an influx of brands publishing upward of 2,000 words per post!
So, going forward, which form of content should you focus your content creation energy on: short or long, or perhaps a mix? If you go for a mix, then at what ratio? Let's look at some factors you need to consider that will help you make this decision.
A caveat before we proceed: I think we can all agree that content length for the sake of length is not just a dumb strategy, but it will backfire all of the advantages discussed below. So we'll continue this analysis with the hypothesis that all content being created, whether long or short, meets quality criteria (i.e., it is valuable, helpful, entertaining, etc.)
Marco Arment quote
Long-Form Content
Long-form content is described as content that is typically 2,000 words in length or thereabouts and makes for a compelling, insightful read. Examples of long-form content include whitepapers, e-books, guides, resources, videos, and webinars.
Pros:
•Google has a dedicated ranking mechanism for long articles.
•Keeps audience on site longer, increases engagement.
•Supports evergreen, foundational content.
•Presents a broader, deeper view on the topic.
•Caters to a deeply invested audience.
•Provides quality backlinks.
•Establishes credibility and thought-leadership.
Cons:
•People don't always have time to read.
•Short attention spans.
•Typically less shareable.
•Probably won't go viral.
•Length itself doesn't guarantee higher ranking.
Here's what experts in the long-form content camp have to say about its value:
Neil Patel quote
Marcus Sheridan quote
Short-Form Content
According to Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress, "The average post on WordPress is 280 words long, and that's remained 'relatively constant' over the past few years." Examples of short-form content include blog posts that are less than 1,000 words, list posts, Vine videos, and infographics.
Pros:
•People scan online, rather than read.
•Lends itself to being shared.
•Mobile-friendly.
•Attract more eyeballs.
•Potential to go viral.
•Fun!
Cons:
•Spouts me-too content.
•People have become blind to formulaic posts.
•Can't go in-depth into topic.
•Too shallow.
•May not provide enough info about topic.
People in the short-form content camp include Mark Schaefer and Jakob Nielsen.
Jakob Nielsen Quote
Mark Schaefer quote
Long vs. Short Content: Which Should You Create More of?
So, which form of content should you be focused on creating? Common sense would dictate that you produce both types of content because both serve a different need. But how you decide what ratio they should be in? How much long-form and how much short content should you be producing?
It really depends on six questions:
1. What Stage of Business Are You At?
Early-stage start-ups may not have the resources or time required to produce long-form content. They would be looking to gain traction sooner rather than later and so might prefer shorter stories that would be more likely to be shared.
Conversely, a business that's an industry heavyweight would have both the expertise and the resources to produce foundation-building evergreen long-form content.
2. What's Your Personality & Style?
Seth Godin produces blog posts in small spurts. That's his style. Is that your style? Does that suit your business's tone and voice?
Your decision to go long or short will also depend on what matches the style that is most authentic to your personality. You will attract an audience who loves you for your style and personality, rather than the other way around of building a style to support an audience you feel you should be catering to. I'm a big believer in being authentic because anything else is not a sustainable strategy.
3. What's the Goal of Your Content?
Your answer may be different if your goal is to be a NY Times best-selling author versus becoming your industry's go-to news guy. What are the goals you wish to achieve with your content: engagement, discussion, industry status, shareability, traffic, search rankings, or more?
It's OK for goals to evolve and change with time as your business grows. Develop content according to the goals it can achieve today.
4. What Platform Will It Be Consumed On?
It's a no-brainer to remember that people prefer consuming short-form content on their mobiles while they are on-the-go.
Tablets are traditionally used to read e-books and watch movies since we're comfortable with holding the lightweight devices in our hands for a longer time.
Desktops and laptops can potentially be used to consume both short-form (Twitter Web) and long-form (downloadable guides) content.
5. Who's the End Consumer?
Who's your audience: people bored on the Internet looking for something funny or industry professionals? The length of your content and therefore, its appeal, would depend on what kind of material your customer most prefers.
6. What Are the Topic's Requirements?
What does the topic itself require? For example, if you're tackling an ultimate guide that would naturally demand long-form content versus if you're writing about celebrity gossip.
Although for some businesses it makes sense to produce only long-form or only short-form content, for most of us, it makes sense to choose both.
So what should the ratio be? Some businesses might be more suited to producing more of long-form than short, while others may benefit from shorter bite-sized nuggets.
Summary
Analyze your business and decide for yourself how these six fields may influence your content length decision:
Long-Form vs Short-Form Content
These are rough guidelines, but you can use them as a starting point when deciding which type of content to produce. Ultimately, though, whichever form of content you create, it must meet your current goals.
Improve your website content today. Contact ABCO Technology Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM at: 310-216-3067 or email us at:
info@abcotechnology.com. Improve your content writing today.
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For many years the deep secret of blogging was the 500-word blog post. It was the winning formula. These posts worked every time. Until it didn't.
Then in August 2013, Google updated their algorithm for showing search results for in-depth articles. Google explained this by saying that "up to 10% of users' daily information needs revolve around learning about a broad topic." And so we saw an influx of brands publishing upward of 2,000 words per post!
So, going forward, which form of content should you focus your content creation energy on: short or long, or perhaps a mix? If you go for a mix, then at what ratio? Let's look at some factors you need to consider that will help you make this decision.
A caveat before we proceed: I think we can all agree that content length for the sake of length is not just a dumb strategy, but it will backfire all of the advantages discussed below. So we'll continue this analysis with the hypothesis that all content being created, whether long or short, meets quality criteria (i.e., it is valuable, helpful, entertaining, etc.)
Marco Arment quote
Long-Form Content
Long-form content is described as content that is typically 2,000 words in length or thereabouts and makes for a compelling, insightful read. Examples of long-form content include whitepapers, e-books, guides, resources, videos, and webinars.
Pros:
•Google has a dedicated ranking mechanism for long articles.
•Keeps audience on site longer, increases engagement.
•Supports evergreen, foundational content.
•Presents a broader, deeper view on the topic.
•Caters to a deeply invested audience.
•Provides quality backlinks.
•Establishes credibility and thought-leadership.
Cons:
•People don't always have time to read.
•Short attention spans.
•Typically less shareable.
•Probably won't go viral.
•Length itself doesn't guarantee higher ranking.
Here's what experts in the long-form content camp have to say about its value:
Neil Patel quote
Marcus Sheridan quote
Short-Form Content
According to Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress, "The average post on WordPress is 280 words long, and that's remained 'relatively constant' over the past few years." Examples of short-form content include blog posts that are less than 1,000 words, list posts, Vine videos, and infographics.
Pros:
•People scan online, rather than read.
•Lends itself to being shared.
•Mobile-friendly.
•Attract more eyeballs.
•Potential to go viral.
•Fun!
Cons:
•Spouts me-too content.
•People have become blind to formulaic posts.
•Can't go in-depth into topic.
•Too shallow.
•May not provide enough info about topic.
People in the short-form content camp include Mark Schaefer and Jakob Nielsen.
Jakob Nielsen Quote
Mark Schaefer quote
Long vs. Short Content: Which Should You Create More of?
So, which form of content should you be focused on creating? Common sense would dictate that you produce both types of content because both serve a different need. But how you decide what ratio they should be in? How much long-form and how much short content should you be producing?
It really depends on six questions:
1. What Stage of Business Are You At?
Early-stage start-ups may not have the resources or time required to produce long-form content. They would be looking to gain traction sooner rather than later and so might prefer shorter stories that would be more likely to be shared.
Conversely, a business that's an industry heavyweight would have both the expertise and the resources to produce foundation-building evergreen long-form content.
2. What's Your Personality & Style?
Seth Godin produces blog posts in small spurts. That's his style. Is that your style? Does that suit your business's tone and voice?
Your decision to go long or short will also depend on what matches the style that is most authentic to your personality. You will attract an audience who loves you for your style and personality, rather than the other way around of building a style to support an audience you feel you should be catering to. I'm a big believer in being authentic because anything else is not a sustainable strategy.
3. What's the Goal of Your Content?
Your answer may be different if your goal is to be a NY Times best-selling author versus becoming your industry's go-to news guy. What are the goals you wish to achieve with your content: engagement, discussion, industry status, shareability, traffic, search rankings, or more?
It's OK for goals to evolve and change with time as your business grows. Develop content according to the goals it can achieve today.
4. What Platform Will It Be Consumed On?
It's a no-brainer to remember that people prefer consuming short-form content on their mobiles while they are on-the-go.
Tablets are traditionally used to read e-books and watch movies since we're comfortable with holding the lightweight devices in our hands for a longer time.
Desktops and laptops can potentially be used to consume both short-form (Twitter Web) and long-form (downloadable guides) content.
5. Who's the End Consumer?
Who's your audience: people bored on the Internet looking for something funny or industry professionals? The length of your content and therefore, its appeal, would depend on what kind of material your customer most prefers.
6. What Are the Topic's Requirements?
What does the topic itself require? For example, if you're tackling an ultimate guide that would naturally demand long-form content versus if you're writing about celebrity gossip.
Although for some businesses it makes sense to produce only long-form or only short-form content, for most of us, it makes sense to choose both.
So what should the ratio be? Some businesses might be more suited to producing more of long-form than short, while others may benefit from shorter bite-sized nuggets.
Summary
Analyze your business and decide for yourself how these six fields may influence your content length decision:
Long-Form vs Short-Form Content
These are rough guidelines, but you can use them as a starting point when deciding which type of content to produce. Ultimately, though, whichever form of content you create, it must meet your current goals.
Improve your website content today. Contact ABCO Technology Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM at: 310-216-3067 or email us at:
info@abcotechnology.com. Improve your content writing today.
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Monday, August 11, 2014
3D printing information for Los Angeles
3D printing is rapidly changing the manufacturing industry. Within a few years it will cost the same to build a custom item as it would to mass produce a product. This revolution in manufacturing will change industrial products like the printing press changed the delivery of words. The rapid changes will create new career opportunities for information technology professionals who want to work in this space.
MakerBot was the first company to put 3D printing on the map, but it could be New Matter that will place 3D printing technology into the hands of the average person.
Backed by Idealab, the new startup launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign on Wednesday and hopes to deliver an end-to-end 3D printing solution for less than $200 by early 2015. Aside from do it yourself 3D printer kits, it’s an unheard of price point for 3D printing technology and it comes with quite a pedigree. It reminds this author of transistor radios in the late 1950s dropping in price from $50 to $6. See also: Micro 3D Printer Blasts Through $1 Million on Kickstarter in a Day
New Matter is working with and is fully backed by Frog Design, the legendary design firm that has worked with everyone from Apple and Microsoft to GE and Sony, and the result is MOD-t, an austere and attractive 16-inch by 12-inch by 15-inch tall 3D printer encased in a translucent, removable cover. The company is also helping New Matter build a suite of companion apps.
“When we started working on this project, we gave ourselves this provocation: What if you could send a 3D print to someone like you send them a text message?” says Frog Designer Christin Todorovich in the launch video.
Stephen Schell, who cofounded New Matter along with Idea Labs CEO Bill Gross, has been working in the 3D printing space for a decade, and originally started by building sub $2,000 3D printers for small businesses. Now, with this new venture, the New Matter president and CTO are targeting consumers, and Schell believes he knows the ingredients necessary for consumer 3D printing success.
•The cost has to be something consumers can bear. “If you charge $500-to-several thousand dollars, you only get people who are very enthusiastic and passionate about 3D printing.”•The software must be simple and easy to use. “Consumers don’t want to understand and set temperature set points on an extruder.”
•Offer access to great 3D designs.
With Frog Design’s help, they’ve created an online store and application that allows consumers to download and share 3D creations, and because New Matter’s MOD-t 3D Printer is Wi-Fi enabled, the 3D designs can go straight from the site or app to the printer.
The Hardware
The MOD-t is a good-looking device, a rarity for a 3D printer, but at a $149 introductory price (it will eventually be $199 and include a spool of print material), it’s not really designed to compete with, for instance, MarkerBot's $2,000 Replicator 2. Speed wise, Schell estimates the MOD-t, which prints at 80mm per seconds, is in the middle of the pack. Print times can take anywhere from a half an hour to six hours depending on object size (up to 150 mm x 100 mm x 125 mm) Beyond that, though, MOD-t stacks up fairly well against the competition. Like MakerBot’s $1,375 Replicator Mini and 3D System’s Cube, New Matter’s MOD-t prints from a spool of biodegradable PLA, with a minimum layer height of 200 microns. This is essentially a measure of print resolution: the higher the number here, the greater the smoothness of printed objects.
In addition to software and overall design, the MOD-t may stand apart in another way: its print plate. According to Schell, the MOD-t’s build plate, which moves while the print head only moves up and down, uses a patent-pending design. Its rack and pinion mechanism lowers both the number of components and overall cost of the printer.
Why would I?
Even with a sexy Frog design and “magical” price point, why would consumers want a 3D printer? Schell says he’d tell consumers that 3D printers let you “customize the world around you.” He contends that when we shop for decorations or even toys for our children, we’re often constrained by what’s on the shelf. 3D printers let you design and print out your ideas.
Of course, most consumers are not designers so they’ll still rely on the template designs offered on New Matter’s apps and web site. According to the campaign video, though, they’ll be able to easily modify the designs. It shows people manipulating the virtual 3D models on their iPad via touch, including previewing how different color PLA might look and then sharing the prints via the app so that someone else with a New Matter MOD-t can print out the same 3D object.
Its “3D printing for the rest of us,” said Schell.
3D printing will create many new career opportunities in the field of information technology. Jobs in programming, hardware and manufacturers databases will be needed. ABCO Technology offers several programs, which will benefit from 3D printing. Call us from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday at (310) 216-3067. You can email us for a class schedule at: info@abcotechnology.com.
Prepare for a 3D printing career today.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Computer repair, learn your way out of the recession.
Since 2008 the US. Labor Department has reported over thirty million Americans have lost their jobs. Finding new employment in this competitive job market is extremely difficult, especially if you don’t have the new skills employers demand, which are critical to your future success. Employers are hiring applicants in the field of computer repair who have earned a certification from CompTia to repair a personal laptop or computer . In the field of information technology, having a resume, which states you can fix a computer or a network will not cut it with most employers in today’s job market. Insurance liabilities, lawsuits, and benefits offered by large PC manufacturers to employers who hire a CompTia certified employee have changed the way new jobs are applied for and found.
In addition to working for a company, some students have decided to open their own business fixing computers in their local area. Self employment is an exciting option and your new school should provide you some helpful information concerning how to get started.
Many students have enquired about what to look for in a good computer repair certification program or school. We’ve prepared a short list of what we believe will be helpful to you in finding a program, which will contribute to your personal success.
1. Find a school, which has small classes, usually teaching to a maximum of 8 students.
2. The School’s instructors should have at least five years of teaching experience and currently work in the field.
3. Your school should offer on campus testing so students will not have to travel when they need to take a certification exam.
4. The instructor or school should provide hands-on training and have a large number of personal computers where students can physically work with the components.
5. Talk with other students who are currently attending the school. Most schools will encourage you to chat with their students.
6. Ask the student recruiter to allow you to audit a class. The majority of schools will encourage you to attend one class and meet their instructor.
7. Your future school should offer flexible payment plans or have financial aid if they are nationally accredited.
8. Ask to meet the school’s job developer. A successful school who teaches computer repair will have a job developer who will provide you knowledge of jobs in your local community. Ask to talk with a student who has graduate from the program and found employment.
In addition to working for a company, some students have decided to open their own business fixing computers in their local area. Self employment is an exciting option and your new school should provide you some helpful information concerning how to get started.
Many students have enquired about what to look for in a good computer repair certification program or school. We’ve prepared a short list of what we believe will be helpful to you in finding a program, which will contribute to your personal success.
1. Find a school, which has small classes, usually teaching to a maximum of 8 students.
2. The School’s instructors should have at least five years of teaching experience and currently work in the field.
3. Your school should offer on campus testing so students will not have to travel when they need to take a certification exam.
4. The instructor or school should provide hands-on training and have a large number of personal computers where students can physically work with the components.
5. Talk with other students who are currently attending the school. Most schools will encourage you to chat with their students.
6. Ask the student recruiter to allow you to audit a class. The majority of schools will encourage you to attend one class and meet their instructor.
7. Your future school should offer flexible payment plans or have financial aid if they are nationally accredited.
8. Ask to meet the school’s job developer. A successful school who teaches computer repair will have a job developer who will provide you knowledge of jobs in your local community. Ask to talk with a student who has graduate from the program and found employment.
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Saturday, January 14, 2012
How to connect to a MySQL Database Using PHP - ABCO Technology
ABCO Technology explains, I'd like to explain to our students on creating a config file, which is the first part of creating any application. I'll start from phpMyadmin. Connect to the phpmyadmin interface for MySQL and create a database along with the user. For this purpose we are going to assume that we are creating a blogtastic database for a web blog, and a user named blog_usr, with a password "password". You will obviously have your own credentials, If the MySQL database and the PHP Code is on the same server, then your host will be "localhost", or you will have to type the name or IP address of your database server.
After the database is created, using a simple HTML editor, create a config file, in which you will create variables for your site. These are variables that are going to be used throughout the site, and hence must be defined in the config.php file. This also makes the website more scalable, as in the future, if you change the server or the database, you will have to only make the changes in one place.
The most important point to remember is the fact that on every page of your site, where you need to retrieve information from the database, or send information to the database, it is required to connect to the database at the very top.
So here's a sample config.php file, that you must prepare at the start of every application. Once the file is prepared, include this file at the top of every page using the include("config.php") or require ("config.php") function. You may watch a video of this file at the following link: "ABCO Technology presents how to connect to MySQL from PHP"
SAMPLE CONFIG.PHP File:
<?php
//define the variables for the database
$dbhost = "localhost";
$dbuser = "root";
$dbpassword = "password";
$dbdatabase = "blogtastic";
//Other site related variables
$config_sitename = "The Ultimate Blog";
$config_baseurl = "http://localhost/projects/blogtastic";
$config_author = "ABCO Technology";
//functions to connect to the database
$db = mysql_connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpassword); //connects to the database
if(!db){
echo "Not Connected to the database";
}
$dbselect = mysql_select_db($dbdatabase,$db); //selects the database
?>
Please feel free to write comments so we can get a proper feedback. For more information please contact us at ABCO Technology at (310) 216-3067. This blog is part of the Advanced PHP Course taught at ABCO Technology. Visit our website for more details.
After the database is created, using a simple HTML editor, create a config file, in which you will create variables for your site. These are variables that are going to be used throughout the site, and hence must be defined in the config.php file. This also makes the website more scalable, as in the future, if you change the server or the database, you will have to only make the changes in one place.
The most important point to remember is the fact that on every page of your site, where you need to retrieve information from the database, or send information to the database, it is required to connect to the database at the very top.
So here's a sample config.php file, that you must prepare at the start of every application. Once the file is prepared, include this file at the top of every page using the include("config.php") or require ("config.php") function. You may watch a video of this file at the following link: "ABCO Technology presents how to connect to MySQL from PHP"
SAMPLE CONFIG.PHP File:
<?php
//define the variables for the database
$dbhost = "localhost";
$dbuser = "root";
$dbpassword = "password";
$dbdatabase = "blogtastic";
//Other site related variables
$config_sitename = "The Ultimate Blog";
$config_baseurl = "http://localhost/projects/blogtastic";
$config_author = "ABCO Technology";
//functions to connect to the database
$db = mysql_connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpassword); //connects to the database
if(!db){
echo "Not Connected to the database";
}
$dbselect = mysql_select_db($dbdatabase,$db); //selects the database
?>
Please feel free to write comments so we can get a proper feedback. For more information please contact us at ABCO Technology at (310) 216-3067. This blog is part of the Advanced PHP Course taught at ABCO Technology. Visit our website for more details.
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
ABCO Technology gives 5 reasons for every business to have a server to increase efficiency
It’s common for small business employees to wear a number of hats in the course of the average day, from tech support to customer service to office manager, and even finding time for the job they were hired to do. That’s because small businesses need to make the most of the resources they have.
Whether it’s dealing with customers, technical issues, or other employees, it’s important for everyone involved in a small business to know where they can find the resources they need to get the job done. Investing time and energy into any task that takes away from focusing on the core business simply cannot be tolerated in a successful small business. Every month small businesses devote countless hours to tasks that drain their precious resources. Time can’t be wasted searching for the right file or form or updating PC software, for example.
Investing in a server and creating a server-based network for the small business creates a number of efficiencies. A server changes the way that small businesses handle information by making small businesses more efficient in the way they communicate with partners and employees, collaborate on projects, and secure the information that is vital to the business.
Here are five ways that buying that first server for the small business will increase efficiency and allow employees to concentrate on the core business.
1. Easier Access to Information
Once a small business grows beyond more than one person or PC, the files and data that the business depends on can become more difficult to track. Peer-to-peer networks, which are popular among small businesses without a server, only work when all of the PCs are available and connected to the network. USB drives and Web-based e-mail are popular ways to transport and store data, but they present security risks and aren’t an efficient way to find and share files.
A server provides a centralized, secure repository for all of the important files that make small businesses go. Administrators can create, edit, and delete registered users of server-based networks to help control which users have access to the information. Applications that live on servers, and the information they contain, are available to users with accounts for those applications.
Using secure remote access technologies like virtual private networks allows employees to access information from laptops when they aren’t physically in the office. The ability to remotely connect to a server-based network means even a small business with one employee can benefit from using a server if they spend a lot of time on the road, visiting clients, or working from job sites. Gaining access to e-mail and information from mobile devices like a BlackBerry or Windows Phone requires a server to manage users and security. Small business employees need to quickly and easily locate the information they need regardless of their location. Introducing a server-based network keeps information organized and accessible to those who need it with more reliability and security than peer-to-peer networks and ad hoc methods of storing information.
2. Gain Control of E-Mail
Having a server allows small businesses to create, use, and control e-mail addresses on their own domain, which gives even the smallest of businesses a more professional image than using a free e-mail service like Yahoo! or Hotmail. Small businesses can turn to a hosting provider to get e-mail using their domain name, but like any outsourcing relationship, that means giving up some amount of control.
Buying a server and hosting e-mail lets small businesses control the creation of e-mail addresses, aliases, and distribution lists. This level of control makes it easier for e-mail to grow with the company.
Even more important than the e-mail addresses is the e-mail data. Businesses of all sizes rely on e-mail for communication with employees, customers, partners, and suppliers. Maintaining control over all of those communications is not only convenient, but it has legal implications as well.
Business working in a number of industries, such as financial services and pharmaceuticals, are subject o industry and government regulations that require that they store electronic communications and make them available for legal proceedings when requested. In some instances, businesses that work with companies in these industries may be subject to these electronic discovery requirements as well.
A server allows small businesses to maintain, archive, and search their electronic communications without relying on a third party to store and retrieve the information. This data portability is important for businesses with plans to grow or working in industries with compliance regulations.
3. Better Collaboration
It’s easier than ever for people to collaborate on projects, whether they’re working with customers, partners, or co-workers. Thanks to a number of technologies, it’s entirely possible — and not really unusual — for small businesses to be run by employees working from home offices that rarely see each other in person.
E-mail is usually the method of choice for sharing documents like spreadsheets and presentation, but when it comes to collaborating on the creation of documents and files e-mail is possibly the most inefficient method of collaboration since the Pony Express.
Rather than e-mailing documents back and forth and incorporating edits, a server-based document repository that allows users to check out documents, make and track edits, and even host team workspaces creates a more efficient method of collaboration. Microsoft SharePoint is one example of an application with a document repository. Windows SharePoint Services are included with Microsoft Small Business Server software.
Small businesses that work with large files in industries like engineering, design, and media will find that a server-based repository for their CAD files, rich media designs, and audio and video files makes transporting the files easier because they’re often too big for e-mail.
A server-based repository makes collaboration more efficient whether the collaborators are across the hall or across the globe. By controlling the access and security, helping track the changes, and supplying a place on the network where collaborators can discuss ideas, a server allows collaboration to focus on the exchange of ideas and the creation of information, rather than the transporting, tracking, and storing of documents and files.
4. Centralized Data Protection
Small businesses that use peer-to-peer networks to store and share information are relying on the security of individual PCs in the organization. Using a server-based network, on the other hand, provides a secure repository for information and helps keep the entire network secure.
Data protection on a server-based network starts with user accounts, controlled by an administrator, that allow users to access the network, applications, and information. User accounts can be set to allow different levels of access, so users can only access the information they really need.
Like PCs and laptops, servers need to be defended from malicious attack. But servers can also decide which PCs, laptops, and devices can access the network. Machines that don’t meet the security bar set for the network can be denied access.
Protecting the data on the server is important because it’s often the most sensitive data in the business. Communications with customers, suppliers, and partners; information about products and services; and sensitive information about customers, including social security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, account numbers, and credit card information all need to be protected to help ensure the trust and loyalty of all parties involved. Putting this information on a secure server reduces the attack surface exposed to hackers and malware.
Centralized information is easier to protect that data that’s scattered among different PCs and storage devices. A server helps small businesses reduce their attack surface and protect their company’s information by keeping it secure and available only to users who need to access it.
5. Easier IT Management
For all of the ways computers and the Internet make it easier for small businesses to level the playing field and grow their business, PCs and laptops still require a lot of time and resources for maintenance.
Smart small businesses recognize that to run efficiently and securely, their applications need to be up to date with patches and security fixes. Applications still need to be installed on new machines, for new employees, or rolled out as they are introduced; machines need to be scanned for malware and viruses; and tech support needs to be available when there are problems.
All of these scenarios can be accomplished more efficiently with a server, especially when the small business doesn’t have a full-time IT person.
Consider the alternatives: desk-side visits for tech support and software installations, which take up valuable time and resources and increase downtime for affected employees, and relying on employees to conduct their own virus scans, and patch downloads and installations.
A server-based network can allow applications, patches, and updates to be installed remotely by an administrator. It can also allow an administrator to remotely take control of a PC to fix technical problems or install software.
Small businesses shouldn’t be worried about uptime and PC maintenance because these tasks detract from the core business. Easier IT management using a server-based network allows small businesses to make the most of their technical support resources, decreases downtime, and increases the safety of the network and information.
Summary
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