Why Linux & Windows Server Management Is Necessary

The go-go 90s are history, and now that the partys over, corporations the world over are nursing a king-sized post-bubble hangover. From the factory floor to the data center, businesses large and small are looking to reduce costs by wringing maximum efficiency out of scarce resources. In short, everyones looking to do more with less.

This trend is especially true in IT. Todays computing infrastructure is absolutely critical to a modern organization. From email to file servers to ERP systems, the health of a business is dependent on the health of its IT infrastructure. In spite of ITs growing importance, budget constraints are forcing CIOs to manage increasingly complex hardware and software infrastructures without increasing the ranks of system administration personnel. In fact, many organizations are experiencing staffing reductions, making this task even more daunting for those left behind.

Navigating todays tough business environment means effectively managing the existing mission critical infrastructure without increasing costs or administrative resources. One of the ways to accomplish this is by leveraging server management to increase the level of automation for routine but necessary tasks. Let’s take a look at what server management entails, as well as the various types of server management tools available today and what they can do to make life easier for today’s harried CIO or IT manager.

Why Server Management?

Make no mistake: Server management is absolutely necessary. Server OSes must be patched, applications must be upgraded, new applications must be installed, and server configurations must be frequently audited to ensure that corporate policies and guidelines are being followed. The difference lies in the level of automation: performing these vital tasks manually takes time and puts a strain on scarce resources.

The key to doing more with less means using server management tools that automate many of the tasks currently performed manually.

Corey Ferengul, vice president and principal analyst of Operations Strategies at the META Group, says there are numerous tools available for server management. These tools perform tasks such as server provisioning, configuration auditing, patch deployment, inventory, execution of administrative tasks, and monitoring of server log files, says Ferengul. Successful server management automates many of these tasks so they run behind the scenes.

Have Tools, Will Automate

As the recent flurry of damaging, selfreplicating worms demonstrated, OS patching to repair vulnerabilities is a critical server management task. But, manually managing the constant stream of security patches and updates quickly becomes a Sisyphean task: You need to promptly apply patches, yet you also must test them to ensure that they don’t interfere with the computing environment. And just when the madness stops, another virus or worm attack begins the cycle anew.

Enter server management: There are server management tools available that take some of the drudgery out of patch/update application by automating this process. These tools enable administrators to instantly apply a patch or update to multiple servers from a central location. Tools are in the works that maintain details on server configuration and automatically download, test, and install OS and application patches when needed.

Another task that server management can automate is preparing newly acquired servers for service. In a 2003 Yankee Group study, the Yankee Group’s Jamie Gruener, senior analyst for Enterprise Computing and Networking, points out that 76% of system administrators install server OSes and applications in other words, perform server provisioning manually.

According to the study, some of the tasks that must be performed when provisioning a server include OS installation, network identification configuration, application installation and configuration, storage capacity provisioning, configuration of user and application-centric policies, and testing and establishment of backup procedures. Server management tools that ease this burden by providing server-provisioning automation are compelling and can save both time and money.

Inventory and asset management is another necessary task that’s amenable to automation. Most organizations have policies that govern the proper configuration of hardware assets, including application and licensing requirements. Tools that maintain configuration information and automatically audit systems for compliance can add tremendous value.

So Whats Out There Now?

The aforementioned 2003 Yankee Group study defines four broad, feature-based categories for server provisioning tools: policy-based server management; provisioning, inventory, and asset management; change and configuration management; and image management. CIOs looking to purchase server management tools should assess their needs and apply this feature-based methodology when evaluating tools.

Image management tools manage OS and application images used for rapid deployment of corporate-approved configurations across multiple servers. Change and configuration management tools focus on the deployment and administration of application and OS software updates and patches. Inventory and asset management tools are used for auditing server assets and ensuring that production configurations are in tune with standard, policy-based images. Finally, policy-based server management and provisioning tools combine elements of all the aforementioned tools into one. (For specifics on some of the tools available, see “Server Management Tools”.)

The Holy Grail

The Holy Grail of server management is the automated, behind-the-scenes distribution of computing resources where needed. This is currently getting quite a bit of press in the marketplace and is known by various names, including utility computing and computing on demand.

The underlying vision is that of a server management application that constantly monitors computing resources, such as processor power, memory, and bandwidth, and instantly optimizes the deployment of those resources based on demand. In the ideal world of utility computing, idle infrastructure capacity is minimal because resources are constantly being deployed where they are needed the most.

In this vision, a server farm is transformed from a collection of discrete, isolated devices into a common, readily available pool of computing power.

While this vision is not yet market reality, companies such as IBM, HP, and Sun are busy developing applications to implement it. IBM has been especially active in the promotion of “autonomic computing”: IT infrastructure that is able to monitor, configure, heal, and regulate itself without manual intervention. As server management evolves, this is a trend that IT administrators and CIOs should keep in their sights.

The Future

As server management tools evolve, the level of automation they provide will continue to increase. Ferengul, for example, says server management tools will soon provide more integration between server monitoring and administration. In this scenario, Ferengul says, monitoring tools trigger automated actions from provisioning or configuration change tools. The Yankee Group’s Gruener foresees server management tools that measure resource allocation and use so that computing power use can be charged for by IT departments.

This article is distributed by Server Buddies Server Management and Monitoring by Server Buddies

Time Is Up- IPv6 OMB Mandate

Three years ago, the OMB set a June 2008 deadline “by which all agencies’ infrastructure (network backbones) must be using IPv6 and agency networks must interface with this infrastructure.”

Agencies are supposed to demonstrate that they can:
*Transmit IPv6 traffic from the Internet and external peers, through the core (WAN), to the LAN.
*Transmit IPv6 traffic from the LAN, through the core (WAN), out to the Internet and external peers.
*Transmit IPv6 traffic from the LAN, through the core (WAN), to another LAN (or another node on the same LAN).
(Source: OMB IPv6 FAQs)

One year ago, the OMB reviewed the Enterprise Architecture Assessment Framework results and found that six of the twenty-four agencies were on track to achieve the June deadline. Two months ago, there was a good article by Carolyn Marsan Duffy about the status of compliance. Take a look at this article because it seemed like there was a lot of backpedaling going on about meeting the date-using phrases like “we don’t like the term mandate” and “more of a recommendation than a mandate.” At the time, only three agencies were in compliance.

Duffy just wrote an updated article, “Feds say they have aced IPv6 deadline”, and suddenly two months later, all lights seem green. As of June 24, ten of the twenty-four agencies sent emails to the OMB stating that “they have successfully transmitted IPv6 packets.” Fourteen still need to report in, but none have asked for an extension. And all of it was done through the regular tech refresh budget over the past three years. So if this is true, kudos to the feds!

Right around the time of the first not-so-rosy article, we ran a survey at FOSE, the big federal government IT show. We asked attendees if their agencies would be ready by the deadline:
*33% said they would be ready
*6% said they were already there
*33% said they would NOT be ready
*About a quarter didn’t know

What was really interesting is that we asked this same question in 2007, and the audience was equally split (yes/no) on whether or not their agencies would meet the mandate-1 in 5 (2007) instead of 1 in 3 (2008).

So what can explain these numbers? Surprisingly, out of the attendees we talked to, only 65% of them said that IPv6 is important to their operations, making it second to last on the list of IT priorities covered by the survey. Maybe the answer lies in the relative “unimportance” of the milestone – that just the network backbones (and the routers supporting them) be capable of passing IPv6 packets. The true test for government IT workers will be when actual IPv6 applications must be supported which will impact networks, systems, application and monitoring tools throughout the government.

So was this a nice checklist item for the Bush administration? This initial deadline is the only one for IPv6 mandates from the current OMB incarnation. Actually running IPv6 applications, that’s a whole ‘nother story, apparently for a new administration.

Julia Lim is VP of Marketing for ScienceLogic, at IT company specializing in server monitoring software. Julia has extensive corporate, strategic and product marketing experience at companies ranging from early-stage startups to large public firms. She has an MBA in technology marketing from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

What You Need To Know About Ajax

You hear the word Ajax a lot these days, particularly in technology, so; what are people talking about? A Greek hero from the Odyssey – sure. A bathroom cleanser that gets your sink sparkly – indeed. But today, more often then not, Ajax refers to a specific type of web programming that has taken the internet by storm.

The term Ajax was coined as shorthand for – Asynchronous JavaScript and XML by a man named Jesse James Garrett who founded a technical consultancy called Adaptive Path. He would want me to make it clear that Ajax is not an acronym (so it isn’t spelled AJAX).

What Mr. Garrett described back in 2005 was a stack of technologies (not a single technology) being used at the time by very cutting-edge web sites. This stack of technologies allowed web sites to be turned from a set of static documents connected by hypertext links into something that approximated a true application. This was the intellectual birth (or coming out party anyway) of the Rich Internet Application (RIA).

At the heart of Ajax is a software object built into all browsers called the XMLHttpRequest object. This mouthful is frequently shortened to XHR for those that want to talk about it in fewer syllables. This software object allows JavaScript code, executed in the browser, to go out and request data from a server without reloading a page.

This technology was not new in 2005, but Mr. Garrett put a catchy name to it, and people noticed. Around the same time, a number of web applications such as Gmail emerged and people wondered, “how the heck did they do that?”

Think of a typical web page as one where you have to click a link or submit a form then wait for a new page to be returned to see your result. It’s slow and doesn’t really act the way we expect software to act. Now look at web applications like Flickr, Gmail, or Youtube. You can click in a box and enter some data, and your updates happen without you leaving the page. The magic that’s happening in the background is Ajax (or and XRH call).

With Ajax, the idea is that you get a richer, faster user experience. Properly implemented, a web page can become a rich internet application (RIA). Most extremely popular web sites use Ajax to some degree. Amazon’s rating system, where you click on the number of stars you give a book or CD is one example.

Even though Ajax and XMLHttpRequest both refernce XML, the data that is used does not necessarily have to be formatted as XML. In fact, more and more other data formats, such as JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), are being used. One restriction on XHR is called the single origin policy. This is a security policy, enforced by the browsers, that only allows JavaScript to request data from the server that originally served up a page. There is a technique using JSON that get around this restriction.

Since 2005 a number of toolkits have emerged that have allowed web developers to more easily implement Ajax in their applications. Some of these are Dojo, Prototype, jQuery, GWT, YUI… and many many others.

As a technology stack, Ajax is now quite mature and being used almost everywhere on the web. Ultimately, the most important thing to remember is to create the best posisble user experience.

John Moore is a Web 2.0 expert who creates Rich Internet Applications. He has created the web’s first RIA community at http://www.riaspot.com

Ten Indicators that Tell You it is Time to Move Your Site to a Dedicated Server

If you have a high traffic website with dynamic features, then switching to a dedicated server is probably the best choice for you. The major advantages are faster load time, increased security, and total control over your website.

This dedicated server is a single web server, devoted solely to the use of one organization, unlike shared servers that host a number of other users and websites. Particularly suitable for larger corporations that process and store high quantities of secure data, dedicated servers often require a higher capital investment yet have a number of key advantages:

1. Higher speed and performance levels
By switching to a dedicated server, the entire host is devoted to running one organization’s software and website. With a shared server, the actions and usage of other websites can impact upon the response times of a website and can even cause a time-out, especially if one website has a promotion and experiences a sudden surge in traffic.

2. Increased capacity
Because a dedicated server is created for just one organization, capacity is only limited by the size of the server rather than the number of users present on that host. Dedicated servers provide a more reliable website which can run full-time with less server jamming. Websites can feature more complex functions and there are fewer limitations on the number of email accounts and attached databases.

3. Increased security
By sharing the server with other sites and users, there is a possibility that other customers may be able to view secure files and in some cases overwrite certain files. This can be extremely risky if a company stores and processes highly sensitive data. If any website on the host is attacked by a hacker or virus, this also makes the rest of the sites on the server vulnerable.

4. Increased site control
With complete server dedication, it is possible to have more control over data access and over what happens on that server, such as which scripts can be run and which online activities can occur.

5. Ability to customise hardware set-up
Dedicated hardware is provided for the server which can only be used by one customer. This allows the customer to have control over the hardware and make any alterations or upgrades.

6. Customised software
Many shared sites have limited features and software availability due to security and stability issues. For example, JSP support on shared servers is still rare. With a dedicated server, there is greater freedom of choice as to which programmes run, allowing a customer’s individual needs to be catered for.

7. Creation of more than one domain
Companies that have multiple divisions or chains benefit greatly from a dedicated server in that they can create several domains on one server. This is more cost effective and efficient than each outlet renting space on a different host and creates a uniform sales platform with a simplified administration and support system.

8. Increased reliability
It only requires one rogue website in a shared server to cause a search engine to ban the entire server, due to the shared IP address. With a dedicated server, reliability is no longer compromised by other customers’ poorly written scripts or security problems.

9. Effective large website maintenance
A dedicated server provides the ability to run a large website, which can be remotely controlled and operated, without the need to employ large numbers of staff. There is no requirement to purchase or maintain server equipment and server upgrades are more cost effective.

10. Technical support
Many dedicated server providers offer additional administrative, trouble-shooting and management support.

If your website does not have any of these qualities, then you know that it is time to move your site to a dedicated server. You’ve put a lot of work into your website, so you deserve to have the best service possible.

Premiere provider of managed IT services with data centre locations across Canada, provides managed services and managed hosting solutions for enterprises that require the highest levels of security and availability.

Very Important Rules of Any Website Design

Designing a website, though quite simple to some, requires the designers and the planners to combine thoughts of what message you are trying to project. Below are a few rules that I suggest for a good quality web development plan.

1.Navigation
The single most important part of the website where more people falter is the navigation factor. The ease of navigation in your website can set you apart from your competition. The idea is simple, the easier it is for the user to browse through your website, the more pages he or she is going to end up reading and this could result in more profits for you depending upon your business model. The idea is to carefully plan your entire website before you start to actually design it. I do this with a paper and pencil. Thinking through about the various pages and the way they would be interlinked helps a lot to an easy navigational system on your website. Search engines love html(text) navigational systems; as it gives them an easier path to follow on your website.

2.Readability
You must have at some point of time encountered a website that had a, what I call eye-unfriendly color scheme. Some website owners think this will attract visitors where it does the exact opposite. Most of the times you would end up closing the eye unfriendly website without even bothering to see what the content is. So, it is again very important to make designs that don’t hurt the eye. Your website represents who you and your company are. You need to choose the colors carefully keeping in mind that the entire website must have readable text and your message must be clear within each page.

3.Screen Real Estate
The golden rule is the “Content is the King” rule. If you give a good deal of your real estate to your content you are attracting more people. You should plan how you will divide the space amongst your content, advertisement, graphics and navigation menus. Compare your layout from other new websites that have attracted you. An easy layout makes it easier for your web page to be read, don”t bunch up a lot of text in one area as visitors wont even read it. Make your body paragraphs short and to the point. Your message will be read lot more in small sections rather than one big huge text block.

4.Quick Loading Web Pages
How quickly your page loads is a very key parameter for the users to like or dislike your website. We have all clicked off a website when it does not load instantly, the web is to big to wait for some websites to load, I personally think next and press the back button. I am proudly guilty of this action myself. So make sure you have limited flash and smaller images on your website. Huge flash or images will up your load time drastically. So keep it simple!

5.Compatibility
Any discussion on a good website design will not be complete without the mention of the websites compatibilities. A good designer will always test the website in multiple browsers and in multiple resolutions. It is good to plan a layout which is compatible on all the browsers and looks alright on various resolutions and nowadays also the hand held devices. Planners may however also want to consider a target group of audience and then plan the best possible layout for them and have alternatives for the others. Make sure everyone can see your website efficiently!

Creatively yours,
Todd Herman, Senior Vice President
GlobalWebsiteCreations.com

President
GlobalWebsiteCreating.com

Visit Our Blog For More Website Development Articles.

Make It Easy To Purchase From Your Website

This is in large part due to the streamlining the buying process. A decade ago, commercial websites were not interactive and consisted of little more than an electronic version of a magazine ad. Such mail order purchasing is a cumbersome process and that is why internet commerce was minimal in the early days. Today, the way in which people can buy online is much easier. That is why they buy in such volumes. Yet, there are still those who employ a website design module that is ten years out of date. So, let’s take a look at the website design methods that are much easier for people to make purchases.

First and foremost, the website designers must make it apparent that the website is a commercial venture. Poor web development, for example, may be loaded with lots of cool graphics and interesting text but the actual items that are for sale are presented in a peripheral manner as opposed to the focus of the site. Needless to say, such website development is very weak and will not facilitate any profits.

Solid website design, however, will clearly identity the products or services that are offered. The description will be clear and properly illustrated. If you are selling boxing gloves, for example, you would need to provide a photo of the gloves; the manufacturer should be identified; the different weights of the various gloves; the different colors the gloves come available in; and, of course, the price of the gloves. In short, the potential customer knows EXACTLY what he is buying. If a person is provided with proper information then the person will be less likely to dismiss the purchase.

Now, here is the absolutely MOST CRITICAL aspect of commercial website design. The website positively must have reliable shopping cart software installed. Without such software the ability to make a purchase is made much more difficult. The first time a customer buys from your site all they will need to do is plug in vital purchasing information such as credit card info, mailing address, etc. This info can then be saved on the cart’s memory so the next time a visitor wants to make a purchase they can do so with one click. Such ease of use makes customers much more likely to buy.

Ultimately, that is the goal of streamlining website design for commercial sites. You want to make it as easy as possible for customers to purchase. When the process is easy then the ability to sell more items becomes much easier.

Creatively yours,
Todd Herman, Senior Vice President
GlobalWebsiteCreations.com

President
GlobalWebsiteCreating.com

Visit Our Blog For More Articles.

What Postures Gives You Backaches While On Your Computer

Let us have a look at the ergonomic key boards, monitors, chairs, pointers, and all other devices comprising your computer workstation for you to stay healthy even though you have to use your computer for prolonged hours. Some examples of this are vertical sitting posture, traction posture, declined sitting posture, and reclined sitting posture.

This article gives you various tips for selection and arrangement of various components of your computer workstation. These include monitors, keyboards, pointer/mouse, wrist/palm supports, document holders, desks, chairs, and even your telephones. We have taken account of different inputs for users who would like to know more about their workstation components to help them carry out their work more professionally, contentedly, and safely.

There are different pointing devices like mouse, touch pads, trackballs, fingertip joysticks, and pucks. We have taken efforts in bringing you information regarding pointer placement, pointer size, shape, and settings that would be of much help to users suffering from shoulder and neck discomforts. We have also discussed how the wrist/palm rests should be used to get full comfort while working for long hours.

For those users working more with printed materials, document holders give them more ease and comfort. Risk factors like awkward postures of the head and neck, fatigue, headaches and eyestrain can be reduced by proper placement of these holders.

This article brings to your notice the kind of desks that you should use for the best comfort and the leg space beneath them. Make sure that when you do buy a desk for your computing needs, you must ensure that the desk is build for computer users. Do not just buy a tea table and try to make it your computer table. It does not work like that. Doing this will only strain your body further. The clearance space under the work surface should have adequate legroom for the user while seated in comfortable postures.

While talking about a safe and productive computer workstation, the picture of a well-designed and appropriated-adjusted chair comes to our mind naturally. Being an inevitable part of a good workstation, chair offers essential support to the back, legs, buttocks, and arms, along with reducing exposures to awkward postures, contact stress, and forceful exertions. Keeping these in mind, we have included a long detailed list of chair ergonomics and its accessories like backrest, seat, armrest and base.

So, take note and be safe while using your computer!

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Get Used to Your Computer, Do Not Get Used By It

More than what the name connotes, computers have much to do with our lives today. You get in touch with your friends, make a purchase from a department store, you access your bank account, you make an opinion poll, you listen to your favorite music, you play chess online, you reserve your flight tickets, all with this odd assembly of electronic gadgets.

You often tend to think how clever you have been in manipulating the electrons into doing what you want them to do for you. Do not be too sure. The flip side of technology is that you get so addicted to the convenience of technology that you fail to see what hazards they bring. Do not ignore these hazards as they can be very detrimental to your own health. Always adhere to best practices and regulations.

This deals extensively with various things that can go wrong while someone spends their time on computers. The potential hazards that are hidden in the application of computers and their recommended preventive measures are discussed. In the event of you already suffering with any of the ailment mentioned, there are corrective actions recommended, which will reduce or eradicate them for you. You do not have to spend a single cent for this. Here, you do not lose anything. Besides, you gain much.

Have you felt eyes burning while having to sit for a long time in front of the monitor? Have you felt that unmistakable stiffness in your neck? Does your fingers and wrist ache and sprain when trying to flex them backwards? If you are, then know that you are being used by your computer!

A healthy mind is in a healthy body
This saying is true even for computer users. While working on the computer, your body is at rest and gets typically no physical workouts. But for fingers, your body is in a state of inaction and lethargy. You even forget to blink your eyelids sometimes! This results in the degeneration of muscles that are toned only if they get enough exercise.

Muscles sag, joints get stiff, fat deposits are added and you are susceptible to a number of small and big ailments. This is how computer users tend to go out of shape and gain weight easily. So, do remember to adhere to the advice and tips given above in order to say fit and healthy even after extremely long hours at your computer.

See registry cleaner reviews at Registry Cleaner Reviews to find out which registry cleaner would make your computer work at top speed again!

Great Ways To Free Up Our Precious Time

In an ideal world you will eventually come to the point as a business owner when you will have the time to choose what you want to do in your days. You may want to hand the business over to someone else to manage while you still retain a percentage of the profits or you may want to take more time off to be with your family.

How you automate your business usually determines how successful your business will be. The automation will often use some kind of computer solution. This system of business automation should be included in the original business plan and the business infrastructure.

The more tasks and projects that can be automated the smoother the business will run – therefore freeing up more time for you to concentrate on other business duties. If we look at the subject of automating an online business we can look at the daily jobs that are mundane or repetitive.

It is likely that on your computer there are already programs that you can use to automate these repetitive tasks. These could include auto responders and contact managers. Microsoft Outlook has facilities to do calendar appointments, to-do lists, and other daily scheduling functions including active tasks and overdue tasks.

Resources that can handle payment processing and automatic downloading of products include Paypal and Clickbank. If you want to have a network of affiliates selling your products then Clickbank can fulfill this function. Clickbank is also a platform for advertisers to sell their digital products.

There are many product categories for you to promote. Paypal is an example of a website that lets you set up a merchant account to take credit card payments online on your behalf. You can also send and receive money to anyone as long as they have an email address; recipients are then notified by email that they have received a payment from you.

Digital shopping carts are used to link to your inventory. The online process the customer goes through – from selecting the product – to purchasing and receiving the product – can be automated online.
Many companies including Paypal provide a shopping cart solution. Take time and do research to find a shopping cart that fulfills the functions you require. Automating and running your business efficiently will increase turnover and as a by product leave more time for you to make your own daily decisions or even take a little time off!

For more information on computer systems and solutions visit
http://www.info-solutions.info

Earning An MCSE Certification Is No Simple Task!

As an IT professional, you understand all too well the importance of certifications. Obtaining a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certification is definitely a positive move for your career. MCSE is a Microsoft-specific certification that proves your knowledge and abilities in the design and implementation of the network infrastructure for businesses. The MCSE certification requires the IT professional to successfully pass seven exams. No wonder it’s considered one of Microsoft’s Premier Certifications.

In today’s highly competitive IT market, advancing your education is very important. The fact that you are rising above other IT professionals to keep your competitive edge does not go unnoticed. Business owners looking for a self-motivated engineer to fill a position in their company often look for current certifications. Microsoft offers a wide variety of Microsoft Certified Professional certifications. Microsoft’s certifications carry a lot of influence with business owners. Whatever Microsoft certification you’re pursuing, you won’t be disappointed by the results after you add your certification to your resume.

Earning an MCSE certification is no simple task. This fact, paired with the demand for corporate level IT professionals, makes an MCSE a very valuable certification to acquire.

Your MCSE may be on Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000, Windows NT4.0 or Windows 2000. MCSE training is most appropriate for those already in a professional IT field. Systems engineers, technical support engineers, systems analysts, network analysts and technical consultants would already be familiar with the basic framework in a business’ infrastructure. IT professionals who have experience are already be familiar with some of the subject matter on the exams and would have the ability to put real-world experience to the test. Related work experience gives you the edge over someone who isn’t as familiar with design and implementation of a network infrastructure.

After you have achieved the MCSE certification on the operating system of your choice, you will have the opportunity to pick a specialty to further set yourself apart from your peers. MCSE specializations are a way for IT professionals to more easily identify their focus in a particular field. You may choose to specialize in messaging or security with any MCSE certification you acquire. Business owners often require an employee with specific specialization in security. An MCSE: Security would let potential employers know you are MCSE certified with a focus on security.

Many websites offer reading material, study guides and even free practice tests to help you prepare for your MCSE exam. Microsoft often offers a free second-chance test if you don’t pass the exam the first time. Many professionals require a second chance, so don’t let a first-exam failure deter you from reaching your goal.

The seven examinations leading up to certification consist of four on networking, one on client operations, one on design and one elective. The elective examination is of your choice and ranges from servers to security. Upon completion of the exams, you will receive your MCSE Certificate, a wallet card, a lapel pin and a few other bonus gifts from Microsoft. Students passing the examination can download their transcripts through the exclusive MCP member website. You will reap the benefits of the real reward when you’ve added your MCSE certification to your resume and negotiated a higher salary or landed a new job.

In addition to your certificate and other gifts from Microsoft, you will receive great deals on industry-specific magazines, websites and MCP-only databases. Through the MCP member website, you can access Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine Online. The magazine has been regarded as one of the industry’s leading career and professional development magazines. Regular online chats with other Microsoft professionals will keep you in the loop and help further your education and career.

Todd Moss is an IT professional and owns

http://mcsestudysite.com

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