Going Virtual and Getting Certified

I was talking earlier this week at the WatITis conference (a University of Waterloo IT conference for the 300 or so campus IT network and technology support staff) and one of the presentations I gave was on cloud computing – To Cloud or Not to Cloud. One of the things I always talk about is how cloud computing and the virtualization technology that drives it, is and will continue to change how we do IT. It is changing how the business views the role of IT. It’s changing the way IT functions. And this is not a bad thing.

You can hide your head and pretend but change happens with or without you. Change is not something most of us find very easy and there are many IT folk who are fearful of this particular change. However, like the advent of personal computers moved us from main frames, like web browsers changed application development, easy access to computing power and storage on this scale moves us forward and advances our productivity, creativity and imagination.

Change doesn’t have to be feared, it can be embraced. Helping your team to develop their skills, be they business or technical, to move along with the changes and not get left by the wayside can be critical to ensuring your team continues to function productively and help you retain your people. One of the skills that will help them get there is being skilled in virtualization.

With that in mind, here are 2 things that may be of interest:

1. There are two great offers for anyone that wants to take the Windows Server Virtualization exam, 70-659:

  • Until the end of May, you or members of your team can take Exam 70-659: MCTS: Windows Server 2008 R2, Server Virtualization, at no cost. Take the Virtualization Challenge now .
  • If more training is needed you can sign up for the Virtualization Jump Start Offer. For only $99, an online training course is available plus a free exam voucher.

2.  Jonathan and I will be talking to Stuart Ngai on the next Manager Tech Talk about how to empower your team through knowledge, discussing why it’s important and how to develop a training plan. Join us live today, Dec 8 at noon ET or watch the recording later at your leisure.

 

Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine. ~ Robert C. Gallagher

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