The ways of earning money in today’s world is endless and the more technology is put into the world as the artificial workman, the more would the people in the business be able to develop more programs and systems that could only be done by a specific few.
This specific few does not just turn up each night or the night after it, as they are trained for it and the end-result of every training process is always a test, but in Microsoft, this test come in the form of Certification Examinations that are quite meaningful.
For example, in the Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) that caters towards Business Intelligence the examination is question is hard enough that a good and capable taker is often faced with questions that are too complex.
Studying helps in many ways, but the main thrusts of every preparation stage should also encompass doing training for real and not just on paper as this kind of work is also included in the certification examination.
A MCITP BI should also be able to show to his superiors as well as to the certification examination proctors that he is capable of designing a wide range of analysis solutions and data transformations that are sure to pass any scrutiny.
He must also be able to give the proper reports on the results of his work on the development of designs and multi-dimensional database models on aspects that are both logical in approach, but still physical.
The claims of being good in data warehousing and data transformation should also be proven through the examination itself, and this performance should also be continued even after the said trial.

The ITIL Foundation is an on demand online program that you can start at any given point in time. You can complete your ITIL training from home, from the office …

Is ITIL certification really a salary booster?

Despite the economic woes facing most of the developed world, IT professionals have been doing rather well over the last few years.  Last year, which was rough for most to say the least, IT professionals seem to have done rather well in spite of shrinking markets and employment.  The fact is that the entire IT field appears to be rather well-insulated from many of the issues facing other professional fields.  The question is, how is it possible for an individual to foster upward career mobility in an industry that is already performing well?

There are many within the field of IT who are not only looking to “climb the ladder” so to speak, but to also increase their earning potential; and rightly so, if you are skilled and worth it, you should be correctly compensated.  This is of course where technical certifications come into play.  While the average IT employee might earn around $70,000 to $90,000 per year, those with additional certifications, like ITIL, are able to routinely add around $20,000-$30,000 per year or more to their salaries.   Additionally, the costs associated with even the most comprehensive and involved multi-volume certification course in ITIL (designed for IT managers) will only cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of around $500 – $2,000 (at most).  In other words, any funds that you put toward ITIL certification will boost your salary and continue to do so, year after year.  The initial costs associated with ITIL certification are paltry compared with the long-term financial benefits gained; however, one must be dedicated to their profession to truly reap the benefits.

Let’s examine why ITIL is such an IT salary booster.  If you’re not familiar with ITIL, it can be briefly described as a collection of the best methodologies for establishing, maintaining, modifying and managing IT infrastructure.  The ITIL itself is essentially a compilation of the research and findings from various IT experts down throughout the years and across the globe.   In the same way that scientists in any particular field are apt to study the theories laid out by their predecessors, IT professionals should also be eager to digest the information contained in the ITIL (any version).

Likewise, big business has caught on to the inherent value of ITIL as well; with its ability to help them run operations more smoothly (internally as well as externally) and make more informed decisions regarding long term goals, structuring along with other budgetary considerations.  The point is, ITIL certification tells prospective employers that you not only are in touch with brilliant ideas in your own field, but also are prepared and equipped to help them achieve their objectives as well.

What types of ITIL certification are available?
ITIL certification can essentially be broken down into three principal areas:

1. Foundation
2. Intermediate
3. Expert

Each of these levels of study more or less corresponds with a specific type of IT employee.  For example, those studying foundation will likely be current or future IT employees who are new to ITIL (and / or are perhaps updating their knowledge base from a previous version).   Foundation programs are often a favorite choice for managers looking to introduce an entire team or IT department to ITIL; some organizations even offer discounted pricing for those looking to purchase multiple courses in bulk.

Intermediate programs in ITIL are understandably more intricate and detailed than that of foundation.  ITIL intermediate programs tend to focus toward specific volumes of ITIL which relate to the management of the IT lifecycle itself.  This is to say that your basic intermediate program for ITIL might center on service operation, or perhaps service transition and those solutions / methodologies inherent to that branch of the lifecycle.

Last, but certainly not least, you have the expert level ITIL courses.  As the name implies, expert level ITIL courses are not designed for initiates; in fact, they are mostly angled toward managers, IT specialists and those with lots of experience.  Undertaking an expert level certification course in ITIL is certainly no light undertaking, however it is undoubtedly the most rewarding and potentially profitable form of ITIL certification one can receive.

Even if you’re not interested in the direct influence that the study of ITIL will have on your annual salary, it’s still an area worth studying.  There is a great deal of understanding that one will gain through the study of ITIL that will help in making more informed career decisions as well as empowering you in your duties on a daily basis.   ITIL isn’t just about improving your financial standing or career objectives; it’s about gaining intimate knowledge of IT infrastructure in a way that allows you to better serve the interests of all involved parties.  In this way, ITIL is as much a career and critical thinking-booster as it is a salary booster.

Get your ITIL certification(s) here.

Frameworks like ITIL add “rigidity” to the Cloud

If there’s one thing (which many have previously stated) that might be lacking with regards to cloud computing it is perhaps “rigidity”, or rather a very well-defined system and components.   Of the major complaints about cloud technology, lack of established methodologies and policies inherent to its infrastructure ranks extremely high.  This perceived lack of established guidelines makes cloud computing seem scattered or incomplete, and further opens the door for questions about security (or rather, the ability of IT personnel to ensure security in the cloud).  The simple fact of the matter is that we desperately need additional frameworks in cloud computing; one of them being ITIL.

To truly understand how ITIL can impact cloud computing we have to back up and ask how they are related.  Though many are quick to brand cloud computing as some entirely new form of technology, it is in fact more a re-thinking or reorganization of traditional IT infrastructure.  When we speak of cloud computing, we are really referencing a new type of IT / computing architecture which is primarily centralized; this is the exact opposite of the traditional IT model which is largely decentralized.  Perhaps calling the traditional IT model “decentralized” is a bit extreme, it’s better to say that many individual elements of it are decentralized, while it still relies on a centralized system for cross-communication.   Cloud computing on the other hand, is pretty much entirely centralized.

In traditional IT, you have multitudes of individual nodes / systems, each with its own hardware and software resources.  The problem with this model is that things like energy usage tends to be disproportionate to any actual work performed / power resources requisitioned; so, in other words, money is spent fueling a large network of systems which essentially do nothing at all.   Cloud computing on the other hand, creates a central infrastructure which comprises multitudes of virtual systems which can be managed more efficiently.

In a cloud computing model, there is no need for individual hardware / software resources as they can created and managed from one central location.  What most people aren’t aware of is the fact that hardware stacks from traditional IT infrastructure are routinely repurposed for use in cloud computing infrastructures.   In other words, cloud computing isn’t necessarily dependent on entirely new hardware or software, it is merely a rethinking of how we might be able to better use and organize existing components.

Many of the services inherent to cloud computing are essentially ITIL-constructed and reliant structures which have been separated and placed inside of “silos”, if you will.  This is to say that many of the most valuable or critical elements of cloud computing are not only compatible with ITIL, but have actually been built utilizing it.  Likewise, ITIL can be (and perhaps should be) utilized to manage those components.

Though ITIL is basically a collection of best practices for IT infrastructure management and problem solving, it can actually serve multiple roles in other capacities.  For instance, through the application of ITIL, IT team members come to understand the nature of IT and their relation to it in a more personal, or direct manner.  ITIL also fosters organizing principles which virtually any IT professional can use to enhance their ability to perform their career duties more efficiently.

In addition to facilitating smooth cloud operation, ITIL training is also one of the absolute best ways to prepare an IT department and infrastructure for transition to the cloud.  Organizations that regularly practice and apply ITIL principles are not only more effective overall; they are also able to transition into cloud computing in a much smoother fashion.  Even those organizations that aren’t fully transitioning to the cloud and are opting for adding cloud services / technologies to their existing (traditional) IT infrastructure tend to greatly benefit from ITIL entrenchment.  Simply put, ITIL is a powerhouse solutions facilitator for virtually anything concerning and IT operations and its infrastructure.

Along with ITIL, there is also certification available in the field of cloud computing itself.  Cloud computing certification courses tend to focus on either infrastructure or security and prepare current or future IT professionals for the duties and challenges they are likely to face when working with cloud components and / or architecture.  However, unlike ITIL, cloud computing is still a work-in-progress and perhaps can’t offer the same level of career benefits as that of ITIL.   This isn’t to say that one shouldn’t consider a cloud computing certification course in addition to that of ITIL; only that for most IT workers, ITIL might be more of an immediate priority.

To learn more about ITIL certification and shop for courses online, click here.
To learn more about Cloud Computing certification and shop for courses online, click here.

What is an ITIL-certified solution?

What do you get when you take all best proven processes for dealing with IT infrastructure-related qualms (and situational considerations) and cram them into a reference digest?  This is of course, a loose description of ITIL.  There is an extraordinary amount of useful information contained within any particular version ITIL, of which pertains to not only solving problems as they occur, but also in preventing them from even happening in the first place.

The strength and power of ITIL comes from the system used to collect and organize the information / solutions that it might incorporate.  ITIL utilizes a system of “continual improvement and integration” which allows for the inclusion of any and all solutions which have merit.  So, any IT methodologies can be added to the ITIL foundation if they are in fact beneficial practices; likewise, any group or private individual can submit their research / findings.  This all-inclusive attitude toward allowing virtually anyone to participate is yet another reason why ITIL is such an amazing and useful reference tool.

Given that ITIL is basically a big collection of workable methodologies, the easiest answer to the question, “what is an ITIL-certified solution?” would be any viable solution stemming from concepts inherent to the ITIL.  More specifically however, an ITIL-certified solution is one that the governing body (responsible for approving and publishing the ITIL) approves of.

Many organizations these days are using the phrase “ITIL-certified solution” to promote their products or services, and for good reason, ITIL demands respect and authority.  Organizations that are looking to have their solutions validated by ITIL are not only helping themselves and servicing their clientele, they are in many ways performing a service for everyone in the IT industry, as their findings will likely be included in the next ITIL release.  In other words, if your organization seeks to incorporate their solution(s), you don’t have to invest in terms of research costs and/or time spent performing tedious trial-and-error experiments.

As much as ITIL is about providing solutions it is, by the same token, about preserving industry-wide infrastructure functionality.  Imagine what the world of IT would be like without ITIL or some similar guide, nearly every single problem might cripple the entire infrastructure. If ITIL didn’t exist it would also be very much more difficult to train personnel and initiate any long-term plans with regards to management of IT assets.

In the same way that companies are looking to incorporate ITIL-certified solutions they are also seeking ITIL-certified personnel.  This is a very direct and important concept that virtually anyone should be able to grasp; those who employ IT professionals need to know what they are capable of.  Since ITIL can align itself with the interests and goals of businesses, it only makes sense that employers want IT workers who not only understand it (ITIL), but also utilize it on a regular basis.

This of course brings us to our next big question, is it difficult for the average IT employee to attain ITIL certification?   In a word, no; it’s never been easier (or more affordable) for IT pros to achieve some form of genuine ITIL certification.   In fact, there are numerous ITIL courses available, nearly all of which are delivered digitally (also called e-learning).   These e-learning courses not only train students to “think with ITIL” and use ITIL solutions in their everyday duties, they’re also expertly crafted to prepare you for a certification examination (kind of like “having your cake and eating it too”, to quote an old saying).

In addition, these e-learning programs are great travel companions as they are viewable on virtually any device (including PC’s, Mac’s, Tablets, Laptops, Netbooks, and of course, smartphones).   So, if you are already juggling a busy work schedule, you can still find the time to squeeze in ITIL, even if it’s on-the-go.
Those who take the time to become certified in ITIL will likely find themselves utilizing ITIL-certified solutions on a daily basis, which should boost their company standing as well as open the door to future opportunities.  Interested in becoming ITIL-certified?  Click here!

ITIL® Post Implementation Review

There are various stages that determine the success of any organization using ITIL®, especially in the management section. Many companies believe that effective Planning and accurate Implementation is all they require but what is even more important is ITIL® post implementation review.

How will you know about the effect of the process and structure unless you review it under different parameters? ITIL® post implementation review is included in the guidelines offered by OGC. ITIL® framework is of different significance to different companies as far as implementation is concerned. Therefore a review is must to ensure that the plan is working. ITIL® Service Management is one area that requires constant check and amendments. ITIL® post implementation reviews help in determining the strength and weakness that can be further modified to augment the effect.

This process gives the analysts and planners an idea that how the next plan may be different from the existing plan.