The ongoing digital transformation continues to generate a steady demand for workers with increasingly sophisticated digital skills. This process is multi-dimensional and workers with these highly specialized skills are very much sought after. The European Union Commissionestimates that there could be a shortage of around 800,000 information and communications technology (ICT) specialists in the EU by 2020. A third dimension is the fact that there is a growing need to reskill the existing workforce, especially in light of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the incorporation of the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber-physical systems into the industrial production process. The “smart factory” also opens up new possibilities of individualized and efficient customer care and smoother communication with suppliers in the supply chain logistics. This is based on cloud-based platforms and artificial intelligence.
↧
Europe: NCTA CloudMASTER® Hotspot | @CloudExpo #IoT #M2M #Cloud #DigitalTransformation
↧
Firebrand Announces 2017 Accelerated CloudMASTER® Dates
Firebrand, the leader in Accelerated Learning, has recently announced it's 2017 delivery schedule for their accelerated CloudMASTER® training course. Delivered in partnership with Logical Operations and the NCTA, this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in cloud computing will be offered during the following periods:
- February 6-14, 2017
- March 20-28, 2017
- May 1-9, 2017
- June 12-20, 2017
You’ll learn how the technologies work in each cloud system, from multiple perspectives. You’ll then move on to learning the specifics of how the cloud systems operate in your business. This will help you deploy complex applications across multiple cloud technologies. You’ll also learn practical cloud architecture skills, helping you plan and implement cloud architecture to complete your specific business goals.
Through Firebrand’s unique Lecture-Lab-Review technique:
- Lecture - You will be in a learning environment where there are no time restrictions. Your instructor will not be rushing away for lunch and no one is eager to catch the first train home. Appealing to both auditory and visual learners, instructors use demonstrations and real-world experience to keep the day interesting and engaging.
- Lab - Many benefit from this form of kinesthetic learning. In our state-of-the-art labs you will be able to practice what you learn. The labs are available 24 hours a day - this really is your chance to fully immerse yourself into the subject.
- Review - Take this opportunity to ask any questions and seek guidance from your instructor. With most training courses you will wait months before sitting the exam. Not at Firebrand Training. We operate the largest exam centre in the country, and you sit your exams as part of the course. Instructor-led self-test systems ensure you will be fully prepared for the exam.
This course is delivered by official NCTA instructors using official NCTA course materials. Once completed, you’ll be prepared for all three CloudMASTER exams covering topics like:
- Identifying business benefits of cloud computing
- Implementing Azure cloud services and virtual machines
- Implementing Rackspace cloud servers
- Protecting business continuity
For more information please visit the NCTA/Logical Ops registration page.
This content is being syndicated through multiple channels. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of GovCloud Network, GovCloud Network Partners or any other corporation or organization.
↧
↧
Olisipo Can Make You A CloudMASTER®
Olisipo Learning in Portugal has a culture that is based on the constant search for new challenges. Recognized by their clients as the “Best HR Supplier”, they have placed more than 450 specialists into some of the country's most attractive and innovative IT projects. As a leading Portuguese IT sourcing partner, they also take the responsibility of managing and developing consultant skills very seriously. Olisipo's diversified and differentiating training experience accelerates professional success and enhances talent. As the only Portuguese IT company listed as a Top 500 Growth Company in Europe, they also contribute directly to the creation of jobs in the European Union. These are just a few of the reason why Olisipo has prioritize NCTA CloudMASTER® Certification in 2017 for their candidates, consultants and clients.
The current European Cloud Computing Policy is set towards building a Digital Single Market Strategy through the European Cloud Initiative, the European Free Flow of Data Initiative and the emerging issues related to ownership, access, portability of data and switching of cloud service providers. This is why Olisipo sees themselves as more than just a company, They see themselves as a "Sea of Opportunity" for those seeking to participate in the growth of cloud computing in Europe.
In order to deliver on their promise of opportunity, 2017 CloudMASTER® Certification training is being delivered at their Lisbon office on the following dates:
- January 23-27, 2017 - Cloud Technologies: Managing the core set of cloud technologies.
- This course is designed for system administrators or prospective system administrators who have one year of experience working with Windows Server or other server platforms and who want to develop their evaluation, selection, and implementation skills for cloud services, including Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions, and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions that target businesses of all sizes.
- February 20-24, 2017 - Cloud Operations: Deploying, configuring, and administering Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions.
- This course is designed for system administrators or cloud technologists who wish to further develop their skills for evaluating, deploying, and administering cloud services. This includes evaluating and selecting Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions and deploying applications to the cloud, as well as maintaining, securing, and optimizing cloud solutions to achieve the best Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Return on Investment (ROI).
- TBD 2017 - Cloud Architecture: Manage the design and plan the implementation of cloud architectures.
- This course is designed for system administrators who wish to plan, design, and implement cloud services for their organizations. This includes the ability understand cloud solution features, capabilities, and components offered by cloud provides at a deep level so as to design cloud and hybrid solutions for application deployment and infrastructure scenarios. Cloud architects must also evaluate, and plan for the appropriate compute, network, database, and security components to build a solution that meets the needs of their organization. In addition, they must secure, monitor, and optimize those solutions.
If Lisbon, Portugal is not a convient location for you, NCTA CloudMASTER® training is also available from many other global locations. For more information please visit the NCTA/Logical Ops registration page.
Olisipo from Olisipo on Vimeo.
Olisipo from Olisipo on Vimeo.
This content is being syndicated through multiple channels. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of GovCloud Network, GovCloud Network Partners or any other corporation or organization.
↧
TAP Accelerates Artificial Intelligence | @CloudExpo #AI #Cloud #BigData
Over the past few years, the use of artificial intelligence has expanded more rapidly than many of us could have imagined. While this may invoke fear and dread in some, these relatively new technology applications are clearly delivering real value to our global society. This value is generally seen in four distinct areas:
↧
Cognitive on Cloud | @CloudExpo #AI #Cloud #CognitiveComputing
According to the IBM Institute for Business Value the market will see a rapid adoption of initial cognitive systems. The most likely candidates have moved beyond descriptive and diagnostic, predictive and routine industry-specific capabilities. 70 percent of survey respondents are currently using advanced programmatic analytics in three or more departments. In fact, the widespread adoption of cognitive systems and artificial intelligence (AI) across various industries is expected to drive worldwide revenues from nearly US$8.0 billion in 2016 to more than US$47 billion in 2020.
↧
↧
What Is Your 2017 Business Strategy? | @CloudExpo #Cloud #DigitalTransformation
End of year predictions in December are as predictable as tomorrow’s sunrise, but a recent video on 2017 Technology Trends helped me really understand how important a digital transformation strategy is to just about any business executive. The CSC Town Hall conversation actually identified some of the specific tasks that today’s corporate executive really need to address in the coming year. To enhance your opportunity for 2017 business success, your action item list should include:
↧
NATO ACT “Art of the Possible” Interoperability Demonstration
GovCloud Network is proud to have served as the Program Manager for the NATO Allied Command Transformation, "Art of the Possible" Interoperability Demonstration on December 16, 2016. supporting the The Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium (NCOIC), this effort featured an important demonstration for military, government and business leaders by its member-companies to underscore the benefits of collaborating via an interoperable network environment. The demonstration used a secure, federated-cloud infrastructure to highlight the consortium’s work over the past few years in how to develop a trusted environment, including governance processes and federation management as well as interoperability verification.
This demonstration itself is an outgrowth of the NCOIC Interoperability Verification (IV) process,NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency). It's intended for use by NATO in the acquisition of technical products and services for Federated Mission Networking (FMN), a concept to support secure collaboration and information exchange in multi-national operations. The IV assessment, based on product testing that takes place as part of the normal quality manufacturing process, looks at how well the technology meets NATO requirements and can be implemented and used by the NATO enterprise, NATO nations and NATO partners. The vision is for NATO and its partners to get enhanced capability for the same cost and for vendors to have access to more markets.
The NCOIC is an international not-for-profit organization with more than 50 members and advisors in 12 countries who represent businesses, government agencies and organizations that are focused on advancing global, cross-domain interoperability. The consortium has a 11-year history of developing world-class technical resources that promote the use of effective network-centric systems and interoperability in both the public and private sectors
The NCOIC technical team showed the critical prep work -- the implementation process NCOIC has developed for creating an interoperable IT environment that can mean mission success for multi-agency groups or organizations with complex needs. At the conclusion of the demo, senior leaders discussed their thoughts on various interoperability issues.
The project also included a demonstration of the Burstorm Platform, a computer aided design tool developed specifically for the design of cloud computing solutions. GovCloud Network leverages this capability to:
- Visually model of compute, storage, network and datacenter infrastructure;
- Research service provided catalogs that currently contains hundreds of vendors and over 40,000 products;
- Benchmark cloud computing solutions through the use of accurate price, performance and price-performance data;
- Summarize the current IT state of clients;
- Model and design application to build based on location, performance, price and security; and
- Conduct real-time collaboration with colleagues, customers and IT teams across the globe
The successful demonstration resulted in an ACT request for additional support and a follow-up demonstration tentatively scheduled for March 15, 2017. GovCloud Network looks forward to supporting that project as well.
This content is being syndicated through multiple channels. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of GovCloud Network, GovCloud Network Partners or any other corporation or organization.
↧
Cybersecurity in the President Trump Administration
From the rise of increasingly capable nation-states—like Iran and North Korea—conducting destructive attacks against American private sector companies, to the continuing pace of IP theft by China striking at the very heart of our innovation economy, the new team at the White House will have its hands full. And this doesn’t even account for ongoing efforts to infiltrate critical infrastructures by nation-state proxies and efforts to influence political, economic, and military conditions in the United States through cyber-enabled intelligence. Or recruitment activities, the reality of our aging federal cyber infrastructure, and the lack of serious federal government policies on joint public-private cyber defense and cyber deterrence.
 |
Given this dizzying list of challenges, the likely limited bandwidth to address these issues in the first 100 days, and the urgency of the threat, one might ask what critical issues the new administration ought to tackle immediately after inauguration day. To that end, there are five key steps that the Trump Administration should—consistent with its policy platform—take that might have a useful impact on our nation’s cybersecurity in the near-term.
First, as we did in the Cold War, the new administration should define the scope of cyber activities that would provoke our nation to action. That list must include efforts to conduct destructive attacks on the property of any American government or corporate assets, regardless of where they are located; activities targeting American critical infrastructures, and activities directly affecting our body politic—including, but not limited to, efforts to influence our political process or to fundamentally undermine our economic capabilities, including through the theft of the American core corporate intellectual property.
Second, the administration must make clear that it will respond swiftly and severely to activities that cross the lines described above. If we are to have credibility, we must also be prepared to actually take action when such lines are crossed. For better or worse, today, American redlines largely go disrespected because of our prior failures to enforce them. We also ought to make clear that our responses will be calibrated to the threat and may not necessarily take place in cyberspace.
Third, the Trump Administration should incorporate technology infrastructure into its $1 trillion initiative to build roads, bridges, and buildings. As it encourages private sector investment through tax credits and other incentive programs, the administration must, likewise, encourage investment in technology infrastructure including the build-out of high-speed network access to underserved areas and the broad deployment of cloud infrastructure for public and private needs. In addition, the administration should encourage the use of American infrastructure technology domestically and abroad, even in the face of efforts by other nations—like China—to subsidize their industries through low-to-no interest loans and government-enabled IP theft.
Fourth, the Trump Administration needs to establish a White House mechanism for engaging the American private sector in national security decision-making. As the recent Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity recently recommended, the new administration should create a forum for top private sector executives from key infrastructure sectors to be regularly briefed on critical national security matters with a cybersecurity nexus and to provide their input directly to the President through the National Security Advisor.
Fifth, the Trump Administration should require the U.S. intelligence community to immediately begin providing classified threat information directly to American critical infrastructure companies in a machine usable format that protects intelligence sources and methods. While Congress recently passed threat sharing legislation, the reality is that both the federal government and the private sector have remained reticent to share the most useful information. The government ought to show good faith by being the first to give in this area and start sharing immediately.
Like any new administration, the Trump team will face a steep learning curve on the wide range of threats the nation faces around the world, particularly in cyberspace. However, there are some key steps that it can take in the near-term to have a significant impact on our cybersecurity posture. By establishing the conditions for a serious, workable deterrence system, treating technology as a core infrastructure component, and establishing a tight working relationship with the private sector, the Trump Administration can take the very ideas at the core of its electoral platform and apply them to good use in cybersecurity in the first 100 days.
About the author: Jamil Jaffer, a cybersecurity and national security expert at Dūcō, recently served as the Chief Counsel and Senior Advisor for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he worked on key national security and foreign policy issues, including leading the drafting of the proposed Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against ISIS in 2014 and 2015, the AUMF against Syria in 2013, and revisions to the 9/11 AUMF against al Qaeda.
This content is being syndicated through multiple channels. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of GovCloud Network, GovCloud Network Partners or any other corporation or organization.↧
CloudMASTER® Pays Well In The US Great Northwest
The City of Beaverton is located seven miles west of Portland, Oregon, in the Tualatin River Valley, It encompasses 19.6 square miles, and is home to more than 95,000 residents. The city is Oregon’s sixth largest and the second-largest incorporated city in Washington County. Located in the heart of Oregon’s “Silicon Forest”, it is also home to many of the world’s top companies such as Nike, IBM and Tektronix, and Micro Power Electronics. Beaverton is also where Carver Technology Consulting LLC (Carver TC) is making a name for itself in cloud computing.
Over the past few years, CarverTC staff have increased their knowledge and experience with cloud services as more and more development projects involved cloud development, deployment, and integration. Simultaneously, they began providing support to its clients on planning and implementation of cloud software. In 2016 this was formalized when Logical Operations approached them with an opportunity to prepare students for the NCTA CloudMASTER® certification.
From their point of view, CloudMASTER® delivered in three critical industry areas:
- The curriculum covers all of the critical security skills need to design and build secure cloud computing infrastructures;
- Graduates are well educated about the variety of compliance issues surrounding moving data to the cloud; and
- There is strong evidence to support an expectation that holding a CloudMASTER® certification can lead to a fairly large salary!
- Cloud technologist that understand how to evaluate, select and implement cloud services, including Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions, and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions can earn from $57,000-$119,000;
- Cloud operations specialists that understand how to evaluate, deploy, administer and optimize Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions for the best Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Return on Investment (ROI) can earn from $60,000-$133,000; and
- Cloud computing architects that understand cloud solution features, capabilities, and components offered by cloud provides at a deep level so as to design cloud and hybrid solutions for application deployment and infrastructure scenarios can earn from $72,000-$151,000.
If this opportunity is right for you, check out the CarverTC training schedule and sign-up for a certification course. If the Great Northwest close, please visit the NCTA CloudMASTER® registration page and we will help you find a more convenient option.
This content is being syndicated through multiple channels. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of GovCloud Network, GovCloud Network Partners or any other corporation or organization.
↧
↧
The Path to Your Future | @CloudExpo #AI #ML #Cloud #DigitalTransformation
In 2016, cloud computing started to dominate many IT market segments. As a business, Synergy Research Group reported that industry revenue for the four quarters ended Sept. 30 grew 25%. Operator and vendor revenue for six segments of cloud computing reached $148 billion during that period, with spending on private clouds accounting for over half the total but spending on the public cloud growing much more rapidly. As more and more companies are taking advantage of the benefits of moving to cloud services, there is a significant need for IT professionals to gain the skills needed to successfully use and implement a wide range of cloud services, making typical vendor-focused training solutions less valuable.
↧
Business Chatbots Taking Over | @CloudExpo #AI #ML #IoT #M2M #Cloud
Chat apps characteristics make them very appealing to businesses and marketers. Prominent ones include their size, user retention, usage rates, and user demographics. In fact, the combined user base of the top four chat apps is larger than that of the top four social networks. Chat apps also have higher retention and usage rates than most mobile apps. Finally, the majority of their users are young, an extremely important demographic for brands, advertisers and publishers.
↧
The Enterprise Network | @ThingsExpo #IoT #M2M #DigitalTransformation
The computer and the network that connects them are both inextricably linked to the success of any business. This truth is at the heart of our contemporary connection economy. "The computer patiently measures and reports. [T]he network creates value in connection. The connection economy values the bridges between the nodes as much as the nodes themselves." - Seth Godin
This train of thought explains why Uber is worth more than the independent cars it connects. It also describes the imperative for enterprises to redefine their network in order to operate in the modern data economy. The instantiation of today's data economy lies in the digital supply chain that links customer demand and organizational products. This reality surfaces the need for organizations to transform their supply chains into demand and product networks. This strategic vector increasingly includes the Internet of Things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M) communications and their joint ability to support new and varied digital products.
↧
Both Sides of Enterprise Mobility | @CloudExpo #Cloud #Mobile #DigitalTransformation
Enterprise mobility has become table stakes in the world of business. The ability to access current information at any time, from anywhere, on any device has really become a cliché. The familiarity we all have with smartphones and wireless access, actually obscures the true difficulty of developing and executing an effective corporate mobile strategy. This reality is driven by the fact that companies must actually have two mobile strategies.
↧
↧
Cloud Computing Forensics Readiness | @CloudExpo #API #Cloud #Security
In today’s globally connected world, data security breaches are bound to occur. This, in turn, increases the importance of digital forensic readiness, or the ability to access and trust computer log data in the identification of a breach and the determination of what datasets may have been compromised. As organizations rapidly move into the cloud, the complexities of this multi-jurisdictional and multi-tenancy environment has made the importance of cloud forensics even more pronounced. This reality has also drastically heightened the legal risk associated with information technology operations. Cloud and digital forensics readiness are therefore critical to business disaster recovery, continuity of business services and cloud ecosystem management.
↧
Quantum Computing Delivered from the Cloud | @CloudExpo #AI #ML #DL
IBM Cloud is now providing developers with the infrastructure and portal to a 5 qubit quantum computer. This equips them with the ability to build interfaces between classic computers and IBM's quantum platform. Quantum computers make direct use of quantum-mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement to perform operations on data. Quantum computers are different from binary digital electronic computers based on transistors. Whereas common digital computing requires that the data be encoded into binary digits (bits), each of which is always in one of two definite states (0 or 1), quantum computation uses quantum bits, which can be in superpositions of states.
↧
IBM Interconnect 2017: Cloud, Cognitive and Data!
A couple of weeks ago while attending IBM Interconnect 2017 I had the awesome opportunity to participate in the IBM Interconnect 2017 Podcast Series with Dez Blanchfield. I not only got to pontificate on all things tech, but also had the honor of collaborating with some of the best minds in the business. The series is provided below in it entirety.
This content is being syndicated through multiple channels. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of GovCloud Network, GovCloud Network Partners or any other corporation or organization.
![Cloud Musings]()
( Thank you. If you enjoyed this article, get free updates by email or RSS - © Copyright Kevin L. Jackson 2016)
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
ENJOY!
This content is being syndicated through multiple channels. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of GovCloud Network, GovCloud Network Partners or any other corporation or organization.
↧
The BYOD Problem | @CloudExpo #Cloud #Mobile #Security
Everyone wants their device of choice right there next to them 24/7. To an employer, however, that smart device is nothing more than a dagger posed to rip apart every shred of corporate security. This reality of modern business was highlighted by the Information Security Community on LinkedIn through their 2016 Spotlight Report on “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD).
↧
↧
36 Shades of Hybrid IT | @CloudExpo #PaaS #SaaS #AI #DigitalTransformation
Everyone has heard of the 50 Shades of Grey. But do you know the “36 Shades of Hybrid IT”? These shades are a new way of describing the 36 point solutions across a hybrid IT environment. Enterprises looking to transform the way information technology is leveraged should evaluate their options by analyzing a transition across three specific high-level domains and their relevant sub-domains.
↧
Digital Transformation Driven by ITaaS | @CloudExpo #Cloud #ITaaS #DigitalTransformation
When executing an effective digital transformation strategy, management is tasked with placing the right workload into the most appropriate IT environment. This represents a shift from buying parts for self-assembly to composing services through self-serve consumption and pay-per-use models. Quite often this transition also leads to the adoption of software defined environments across the enterprise infrastructure.
↧
How Quantum Computing with DNA Storage Will Affect Your Health | @CloudExpo #Cloud #Storage
Moore's Law, which states that processing speeds will double every two years as we cram more and more silicon transistors onto chips, has been faltering since the early 2000s when the law started to run up against fundamental limitations presented by the laws of thermodynamics. While the chip industry, with Intel leading the charge, has found ways to sidestep the limitations up until now, many are now saying that despite the industry's best efforts, the stunning gains in processor speeds will not be seen again by the simple application of Moore's Law. In fact, there is evidence to show that we are reaching the plateau for the number of transistors that will fit on a single chip. Intel has even suggested silicon transistors can only keep getting smaller during the next five years.As a result, Intel has resorted to other practices to improve processing speeds, such as adding multiple processing cores. However, these new methods are just a temporary solution because computing programs can benefit from multi-processors systems up until a certain point.
↧