One thing is certain - IT spending and growth is on the upside. IT trends indicate that the global demand for IT driven products and services is growing daily. Innovation is key to enabling greater IT efficiency and better response to business demands. And information technology is still providing career opportunities in virtually all sectors. The need for skilled IT professionals is solid and rising now and in the foreseeable future due to the continuing demand for innovation and entry of new emerging technologies.
But don't equate increased IT spending to increased demand in all areas of IT. Neither is IT an all comers affair. Some areas will be hot, some will not. And even in areas of high growth you will have to make the effort to get opportunity. The IT trends analysis will indicate areas of growth and strong opportunity. Looking ahead it should help you decide what knowledge and which certification (s) to consider as part of your career strategy. Examine certification, career prospects and other opportunities – what you want to learn, how you can grow, how you can contribute - in these high growth areas.
IT Trends: IT Security
Once again, IT security is going to be an area of high activity and growth. IT security is an obvious priority in an environment infested by spam, bugs, bots, browser holes, exploits, spyware, adware, denial of service (DoS) attacks, viruses and phishing. IT security breaches are serious business problems that can often result in significant financial loss and collateral damage.
Organizations need to be proactive in protecting their business and IT infrastructure. And companies are learning that investing in IT security skills and knowledge is one of the most effective ways of keeping enemies at bay. This translates to increase opportunity and growth for those who can improve IT security, implement security tools, resolve security problems and identify security breaches. In fact in realization of the soaring demand, 2005 has been tagged by some as the year of the security professional.
Reputable and solid IT security certifications are: CompTIA's Security+ (vendor-neutral, entry-level), MCSE: Security, MCSA: Security (Microsoft plus Security), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) (vendor-neutral IT security management), Certified Information System Auditor (CISA) (vendor-neutral IT Security auditing) and Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) (Cisco plus security). More information on Security Certifications at jidaw.com . . .
IT Trends: Linux
Linux is another area that is continuing to record impressive growth. According to various research reports and forecasts, Linux growth is going to be massive over the next few years.
The reason why major manufacturers including IBM, Novell and HP are all pushing the Linux market is because they realize Linux makes good business sense. It is now a major player in the operating system market due to its comparatively lower total cost of ownership, maintenance, functionality, increased support, stability, security and efficient hardware utilization.
Although Linux still has a long way to go in the desktop arena, its impact in the server field is generating massive demand for competent Linux professionals. Already this is reflected in the growing interest in Linux training and certification.
Linux certification titles to consider include: Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) (Advanced level) "The RHCE is the open source community's MCSE.", Novell Certified Linux Professional (Novell CLP), Certified Linux Engineer (CLE), Linux Professional Institute (LPI) certifications. (vendor-neutral) and CompTIA's Linux+ (vendor-neutral, entry-level). More information on Linux Certifications at jidaw.com . . .
IT Trends: Open Source
Linux is obviously the big kid on the block in the open source world, but other open source technologies are establishing themselves. This further fuels demand for qualified IT professionals with such skills. Already MySQL is making an impressive impact in the database world. Though Oracle's DBA and Microsoft's MCDBA are still leaders in the database certifications, MySQL Core Certification is establishing itself as a valued credential.