CertCities.com News
http://certcities.com
http://certcities.com/rss
Dec. 12, 2007: Vol. 8, Issue 41
Editor: Becky Nagel (bnagel 1105media.com)
============================================================
====
SPONSORED THIS WEEK BY:
- EXCELSIOR COLLEGE
http://in
fo.101com.com/default.asp?id=45470
- Hosted Microsoft Exchange: A Business Case
http://in
fo.101com.com/default.asp?id=45621
- Affordable Network Performance Management that Delivers
http://in
fo.101com.com/default.asp?id=45623
============================================================
====
In this issue:
1) DULANEY ON CERTS
- Cisco's Exam Security Upgrades: E for Effort
- PDI+ Ready To Debut
2) ZUBAIR'S TIP O' THE WEEK: ADDING OUTLOOK 2003 PAB TO
OUTLOOK 2007
CONTACTS
3) FROM THE FORUMS: LOAD BALANCING, PASSWORD RESET
============================================================
============
SPONSOR: EXCELSIOR COLLEGE
============================================================
============
Apply credit earned through certifications like Microsoft,
Novell,
Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Cisco and others to your BS in IT.
Optional concentrations in information security, network
management,
object-oriented software development, and video game and
simulations
development.
Accredited, affordable, flexible.
At http://i
nfo.101com.com/default.aspx?id=45470
============================================================
============
1) DULANEY ON CERTS
By Emmett Dulaney
CISCO'S EXAM SECURITY UPGRADES: E FOR EFFORT
Cisco caught my attention last week when it announced its
new exam
security measures. In brief, the company is now requiring
all exam
candidates to have a digital picture taken at the exam site,
as
well as submit a digital copy of their signature -- both of
which
will become a part of their test record. This, of course, is
all
being done in the name of integrity.
http://certcities.com/editorial/news/story.asp?E
ditorialsID=1293
Taking your picture and signature won't keep you from
visiting brain
dump sites. It won't keep you from taking the exam multiple
times
until you memorize all the concepts and questions. And it
won't
solve -- or even address -- a host of other problems. What
it WILL
do, however, is place a bigger yoke on the independent
testing
centers who must meet a quota each month before they're paid
a
percentage for each exam.
While Cisco can spin this as a move to make the exam more
valuable
("...to ensure the integrity of your Cisco
certification..."), the
truth of the matter is that fear of proxy testing must have
escalated
to the point that it has become a top priority. And while I
salute
any attempt to decrease cheating, the economics of proxy
testing
baffles me.
Suppose I wake up one day and decide that I want to become
CCSP-certified -- a mid-level Cisco certification -- but I
don't want
to devote the time and effort necessary for it. According to
the
proxy-theorists, I would hire someone to do all this work
for me.
Not only would I have to pay for the four exams, but I'd
probably
have to pay someone a couple thousand dollars additionally
(http://tinyurl.com/yw5exp) to sit through and pass them. In the
end, I'm out a few thousand and holding a piece of paper
that says
CCSP on it -- but what is its value? Do I really believe
that an
employer will hire me without question? Do I really believe
that
an employer won't fire me once they realize that my
knowledge
exists only on paper? It's not as if I can really do that
much
with the paper minus the knowledge.
Again, I'm all for ensuring integrity -- but I think there
are
problems far worse than proxy testing in the certification
channel.
Over the years, I've heard horror stories of testing centers
that
allow books to be taken into the room; of center
administrators who
look at your failing test score, tell you what you should
have
studied and then point out that you can use same-day-testing
to
take the test again in the afternoon. These are the avenues
taken
by test takers who are far more motivated than those who
just phone
it in, and I don't think taking a picture and a digital
signature
will do anything to alleviate these issues.
PDI+ READY TO DEBUT
PDI+, the newest one-exam certification from CompTIA, will
go live in
January. With a focus on printing and document imaging
(hence the
title), the exam elevates what was formerly a subset of A+
to a
standalone certification. Aimed at the entry-level
technician, PDI+
requires knowledge of copiers, fax machines, printers,
scanners and
all-in-one devices. In a carryover from A+, the exam also
tests on
soft skills such as professionalism and communication.
The weighting of each of the eight domains on the exam is as
follows:
- Print Engine Process and Components (21 percent)
- Scan Process and Components (10 percent)
- General Troubleshooting (23 percent)
- Basic Electromechanical Components and Tools (13
percent)
- Connectivity (11 percent)
- Color Theory (8 percent)
- Professionalism and Communication (8 percent)
- Safety and Environment (6 percent)
Between now and Feb. 29, you can purchase a voucher for the
exam
from CompTIA that substantially reduces the price. All
vouchers must
be used before April 30.
More information on PDI+ and the vouchers can be found
here:
http://certific
ation.comptia.org/pdi/
To comment, go to:
http://certcities.com/editorial/columns/story.
asp?EditorialsID=263
Emmett Dulaney is the author of several books on Linux,
Unix, and
certification, including the Security+ Study Guide, Third
Edition. He
can be reached at edulaneyinsightbb.com.
============================================================
============
SPONSOR: Hosted Microsoft Exchange: A Business Case
============================================================
============
Agile businesses need the productivity gains that come with
a
feature-rich, secure, and highly reliable messaging solution
like Microsoft Exchange. However, the internal deployment of
such a solution has become increasingly complex and
cost-prohibitive.
Learn the benefits of working with an Exchange hosting
provider now!
http://in
fo.101com.com/default.asp?id=45621
============================================================
============
2) ZUBAIR'S TIP O' THE WEEK: ADDING OUTLOOK 2003 PAB TO
OUTLOOK 2007
CONTACTS
QUESTION:
How can I add my Personal Address Book (PAB) from Outlook
2003 to
Outlook 2007 Contacts?
ANSWER:
If you've tried to add a Personal Address Book in Outlook
2007, you
might have noticed that the option isn't there. This is
because
Outlook 2007 no longer supports Personal Address Books.
Contacts are much more flexible and offer better
customization than
the .PAB file, so Microsoft decided to drop .PAB file
support in
Outlook 2007. This of course means that in Outlook 2007
client, you
can neither create nor add a Personal Address Book.
However, you CAN import an existing book into Outlook 2007
and then
convert it to Outlook Contacts. Your Contacts list will then
be
visible in Outlook Address Book.
To import addresses in your old Personal Address Book into
the new
Outlook 2007, follow this procedure:
1. Start Outlook 2007.
2. From the menu, select File and then click Import and
Export.
3. In the Import and Export Wizard, select the option
Import from
another program or file.
4. On the Import a File screen, select Personal Address
Book.
5. On the next screen click Browse to locate your .PAB file
and then
click Next.
If you have multiple locations to choose from -- for
example, if you
have an Exchange profile and a Personal Storage File (.PST)
-- click
Change Destination to select the appropriate Contact's list,
and then
click Finish.
To comment, go to:
http://certcities.com/editorial/columns/story.
asp?EditorialsID=264
-- Zubair Alexander, MCSE, MCT, MCSA and Microsoft MVP, is
the owner
of SeattlePro Enterprises, an IT training and consulting
business.
His experience covers a wide range: trainer, consultant,
systems
administrator, security architect, network engineer, author,
technical editor, college instructor and public speaker.
Zubair holds
more than 18 technical certifications and bachelor of
science
degrees in aeronautics and astronautics engineering,
mathematics
and computer information systems. His Web site,
www.techgalaxy.net,
is dedicated to technical resources for IT professionals.
Zubair may
be reached at alexandertechgalaxy.net.
------------------------------------------------------------
----
3) FROM THE FORUMS: LOAD BALANCING, PASSWORD RESET
The following posts were made to our forums recently by IT
professionals like yourself. To post your own comments,
please
register with the forums.
To respond to one of these posts or find out more, go to the
link under each post. To read our other posts and start a
thread of your own, go to http://certcities.com/f
orums/
-----------------------------------
*Load Balancing with Two Links* (CCNA/CCNP Forum)
stone123 writes:
"I want to configure two 512 Kbps links on the same
router. Can anyone
tell me how to configure two links in such a way that if one
link
fails, the other link will take the responsibility?
We have Cisco 3600 Series router and my boss wants load
balancing to
be configured for both the links. We don't have Cisco's load
balancer.
So I think with the access-list I can decide which IP
addresses can
reach the Internet through which interface. So I think I
need to
configure static/manual load balancing. Can it be possible
to
configure dynamic load balancing without a load
balancer?"
Read the entire post and responses (11 so far) at:
http://certcities.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?tid=5720
-----------------------------------
*Cisco ACS 3.2 Password Reset* (Cisco -- Real World Forum)
ciscokuwait writes:
"I have Cisco ACS v3.2 and unfortunately I have
forgotten the admin
password. According to Cisco, I should change the registry
setting in
Windows as follows: AllowAutoLogin=1 to get local access
(from the
server itself) without any password.
I did these steps but all in vain. It's still asking me the
password.
Does someone know how to reset the admin password without
altering
AAA rules?"
Read the entire post and responses (4 so far) at:
http://certcities.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?tid=5718
============================================================
============
SPONSOR: FREE Trial Dowload: Network Performance Management
that
Delivers
============================================================
============
SolarWinds Orion is a highly affordable fault and
performance management
platform that provides extensive visibility into the health
of network
devices, servers, and applications. Keep your systems
running at peak
performance. Free 30-day trial download!
Download Orion today!
http://in
fo.101com.com/default.asp?id=45623
============================================================
============
MORE RESOURCES
NEW! Redmond Developer News magazine! Charter subscriptions
are now available. Claim your FREE issues today. Click
here:
https://subscribe.1105pubs.com/sub/RW?WP=NEW
FREE&TC=1&PC=MK5
Are you a developer? Considering the CCIE? How about the
MCSE?
The Redmond Media Group offers a large number of free
newsletters
for IT pros. Try one today!
https://newsletters.1105pubs.com/nl/URMG.do?pc=R07NL
Encourage your peers to excel! Please forward this
newsletter
to any IT professional.
============================================================
====
CertCities.com News is brought to you by the editorial staff
of
http://CertCities.com
We love to hear from our readers! Send your questions,
comments,
suggestions, praise and flames to Becky Nagel, Editor, at
bnagel1105media.com
To learn how you can sponsor a future edition of this
newsletter,
contact Matt Morollo at (508) 875-6644 x18 or
e-mail mmorollo1105media.com
CertCities.com
http://certcities.com
Redmond Media Group
16261 Laguna Canyon Rd., Suite 130
Irvine, CA 92618-3608
editorcertcities.com
bnagel1105media.com
Newsletter problems: RED1105service.com
============================================================
========
UNSUBSCRIBE OR CHANGE E-MAIL ADDRESS:
https://newsletters.1105pubs.com/nl/URMGf.do?e=nesstosharedlog.com
============================================================
========
To review our Privacy Policy, visit our Web site at
http://www.1105
media.com/privacy.aspx
Copyright 2007 1105 Media Inc. CertCities.com News may
only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written
permission
from the editor must be obtained to reprint the information
contained within this newsletter. Contact: editorcertcities.com
|
