Are certifications outdated? That's the conclusion from an analyst who studies the industry. An article on the tech job search site Dice.com quotes David Foote as saying the following:

"We've reached a point in our evolutionary rung that has outdistanced the value of certifications," says David Foote, chief executive and chief research officer for Foote Partners. "It is not that technology is not important, but other skills - especially in customer-facing jobs - are more important."

Although I disagree with the thrust of that quote -- in fact, there are several other folks quoted in the story who affirm the value of certifications -- Foote does make a valuable point. Soft skills, like communication, are becoming increasingly important.

Knowing how to write clear, concise emails, for example, can go a long way toward helping your career. Talking to non-tech-savvy folks in a way that doesn't make them feel stupid is another way. Sending out plenty of warning -- at least two emails -- before making a major computer system change that will affect the way your end-users go about doing their jobs is another.

Do you get my point here? Knowing the technology is only half the battle. You have to remember the other people in your organization, and make things as easy for them as possible with good communication. You might be surprised -- it could be those skills, not your wizardy with Group Policy -- that gets you that promotion and raise.

Certification, it seems to me, garners a lot more interest among the IT administrator audience than developers. Though there are plenty of certifications available for the programmer crowd, I don't sense the same level of passion that I do among admins.

But I don't know if this is a faulty perception on my part, or the reality. What do you say? If you're a developer and not interested in certification, why not? Or if you do get certified, what do you find it does for you? I'd like to get a good conversation going about this. Respond below, or feel free to send me an email, so we can talk directly about this.

A new report by an analyst with Forrester Research indicates that we may be entering a boom period for IT.

The report, highlighted by Redmond magazine, says that the uptick should kick in next quarter, i.e. next January. Actually, says the analyst, the boom started in 2007, but was stalled because of the recession and related financial problems. Here's the money quote from the story:

"The whole PC category had been going into a slump both from the release of Vista and because of emerging technologies such as netbooks and smart phones ... We see the release of Windows 7 as playing a factor in new capital investment in PCs, especially for companies that have not refreshed their PCs in four or five years."

What does that mean for certification? Good news all around. With an increase in spending will come an increase in jobs, and certification can help you land one of those jobs. In addition, Microsoft is already starting to release Windows 7 exams, and more are coming. In other words, there's never been a better time to get certified.

Lots of news coming out of Oracle certification these days. This time, it's certification opportunities at Oracle's conference, Oracle OpenWorld 2009.

OpenWorld, which starts Oct. 11 in San Francisco, is making its premier show more certification-friendly than ever. To start with, there's the Oracle Certification Program (OCP) lounge. The lounge is basically an informal networking space that allows attendees to rub elbows with other Oracle credential-holders. One additional perk is free access to  Self Test Software practice exams, to help you prepare for your next cert.

Oracle certification staff will also be available throughout the show, if you have any questions/comments. I find that making your opinion known in these types of settings can be valuable for you and the staff; if they're real professionals, they take any such feedback seriously.

Finally, there are several certification sessions being presented at the show. That's an excellent chance to learn more about the various certification offerings from Oracle.

One thing I don't see offered on the OpenWorld website is onsite certification testing. If this is the case, it seems like a missed opportunity to me. This is your certified community, Oracle; let them get or upgrade certifications while they're there! If onsite testing is being offered, I'm hoping someone from Oracle can correct me, and I'll add an update. It's offered at many vendor-sponsored shows, and always seems to be popular.

Oracle has added a management interface to its certification holders that acts as a one-stop shop.

Called CertView, it requires a username and password. Once logged on, a host of information is available, including certification history, certification logos, and a very cool tool that allows you to verify your certification to a third party.

This last function is pretty exciting, I think. It gives a potential or current employer, or client, the ability to check out your certifications for themselves. They will get a login that will allow them to examine the section of CertView that contains your certifications. Very easy, very slick.

Note that at your first logon, you'll need to provide demographic information from Pearson VUE, Oracle's new testing partner. I only bring this up because Oracle had a big "Warning" sign about it in its CertView overview video. Have that information on hand before you register for CertView, and enter it carefully, as you'll be locked out for awhile if you don't punch it in correctly.

I really like CertView, and the forward thinking it represents from Oracle. It's a terrific tool for credential holders.

As I mentioned last month, Oracle has switched vendors for its certification testing. At that time, the new company hadn't been announced.

Now it has. Prometric is out, Pearson VUE is in. Oracle made the change with very little fanfare, no doubt spurred by concerns among cert holders. They should be able to breathe easier, as Pearson is a very well known, well-respected certification testing vendor (as is Prometric).

Go to the Pearson VUE website to set up your account and make sure all your testing and certification data transferred over properly.

A couple of Microsoft certifications pertaining to Windows Server 2008 have received a rare boost -- ANSI accreditation.

The company announced on its Born To Learn blog that the certifications attained that ISO 17024 approval. The certifications are:

• Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Windows Server 2008 Server Administrator
• Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator

What does that mean for those who have gotten those credentials? Increased prestige -- these are the first two product-specific certs to get ISO 17024 accreditation. Microsoft says on the blog, correctly, that

ANSI accreditation is recognized as the highest standard in personnel certification accreditation and is the only accreditation that is recognized by governments around the world.

That's the other big perk -- it makes you more valuable. It's a certification that may be able to help you land public-sector jobs, which require more than just a vendor cert. Getting ANSI means the cert meets specific requirements, certain standards. And in this environment, every advantage, no matter how small, is crucial.

ISC(2) has released its first-ever certification specific to a country, rather than a technology.

The company, an independent security certification vendor,  announced the Japan Government Information Security Professional (JGISP) credential focused on the special requirements of doing security for that nation. ISC(2) worked with the Japan Network Security Association (JNSA) to develop the JGISP.

W. Hord Tipton, executive director of (ISC)2, had this to say in the press release as to why the certification was developed:

“After thorough research of the Japanese market, we believed a credential that focuses on the requirements specific to professionals in government security fields would be a more effective means to meet the particular needs for a highly qualified, ethical information security workforce in Japan."

At least two years of experience in at least two of four security-related domains are required before taking the test. The credential is good for three years, and requires 20 continuing education credits per year to maintain.

The JGISP has a Japanese-language home page on the ISC(2) site.

Based on this, I wonder if a similar U.S. government security credential is coming. There are certainly tons of security requirements already on the books, and more are surely coming. If it makes sense for Japan, why not the U.S., which is more complex?

Bryan Sullins, who blogs about Microsoft certification for Network World, recently wrote about virtualization, and some of the skills needed to obtain various certifications in this area.

Sullins lists seven areas of concentration; it's a good starting-point list, covering the key concepts that separate virtualization from the world of physical IT. He also said this, which I really like:

What I have found when it comes Virtualization in general, is that it is more about shattering your preconceived notions about physical environments, rather than your ignorance of virtualization.

Virutalization is complicated, because it adds another layer of complexity to your environment; but one of the real challenges is learning to think differently.