8/18/2009 -- By all accounts, the government's "Cash for Clunkers" program has been successful at motivating people to trade in their less-than-optimal older cars for newer ones. It's been so successful, in fact, that the original pot of money is already gone and more must be allotted.

Shouldn't a similar program be instituted for old IT equipment -- and the under-optimization that's rampant there? If you're wondering exactly how prevalent the problem is, consider this: There are enough businesses still running Windows 2000 that CompTIA has decided to incorporate it in the newest versions of the A+ exams.

Not only would a "Cash for Clunker PCs" program allow businesses to upgrade old equipment and increase their productivity (which would hopefully lower their costs, increase GDP and make rainbows around every bend), but it would also stimulate sales in another sector of the economy that could really use it right now.

I'm all for helping the auto industry, but there's no reason the help should stop there.

CompTIA New A+ Exams Now Live
Those new A+ exams that I mentioned? CompTIA announced that they went live on Aug. 11. The two new exams, Essentials (220-701) and Practical Applications (220-702), are all that are necessary to earn the certification that's currently held by approximately 725,000 people. Both can be taken at any Prometric or VUE testing center and currently cost $168 (USD) each. 

The older versions of the certification exams -- of which there were four: 220-601,602,603 and 604 -- will still be available until July 31, 2010. This is to let training centers use existing materials, as well as let those who've studied for this lifetime certification to take the exam on what they've already been studying.

Speaking of study materials, the first two chapters (over 130 pages) of the updated "CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide" can be found in PDF form here. For more information on the objectives for the new exams themselves, go here and click the link to view the new objectives. After you enter your contact information, you'll be able to access the PDFs for each exam.

Introducing Strata
In more CompTIA news, the vendor announced recently that it's offering a new computing fundamentals certification, Strata, that will be below A+ and focus on these areas:

• Green IT.
• Security (risks and prevention).
• Computer hardware and technology basics.
• Common errors and compatibility problems.
• Software functions and installation.

The proposed continuum of certifications is that Strata, which focuses on basic PC functions and maintenance, will lead to A+, which focuses on PC repair and support -- and then on to higher-level certifications, such as Network+. Not currently available in the United States, the two exams (Fundamentals of IT Technology and Fundamentals of IT Technology Sales) are expected to be released in October and closely mirror two similar exams currently available in the U.K.

Cisco Networking Academy Adding More Focus on Security
The Cisco Networking Academy, a partnership with schools around the world, announced last week a new CCNA security course to help students prepare for the Cisco IOS Network Security exam. This exam (number 640-553) is intended to help students authenticate the skills they need to be a network security specialist, or to function in a similar role.

According to the press release:

"Security and risk-management skills are among the most sought-after skills in networking, and global demand continues to grow. Organizations around the world are experiencing a shortage of qualified ICT (information and communications technology) candidates with the specialized knowledge and skills needed to administer devices and applications in a highly secure infrastructure, to recognize network vulnerabilities, and to mitigate security threats."

More information can be found here.

Sun Shines on OpenOffice.org
As more users and more businesses consider moving away from proprietary applications to open source solutions, there's a growing need for certification in some of the more popular open source applications.

Sun Microsystems is answering the call, offering specialist certifications for three of the most common OpenOffice.org applications: Writer, Calc and Impress. The exams are given through Prometric testing centers and cost $95 each.

MySQL Certs Reach for Sun
A key component of the LAMP open source solution stack, MySQL certification is now available through Sun. While there've been certification tests on MySQL in the past, Sun is now offering four levels of certification:

• Sun Certified MySQL Associate (SCMA)
• Sun Certified MySQL Developer (SCMDEV)
• Sun Certified MySQL Database Administrator (SCMDBA)
• Sun Certified MySQL Cluster Database Administrator (SCMCDBA)

Books of the Week: 'Grown Up Digital' and 'Network+ Exam Cram'
I became a fan of Don Tapscott after reading his earlier book, Wikinomics. His most recent work, which was picked by the Economist as a 2008 Best Business Book of the Year, is Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation Is Changing Your World.

It focuses on generational differences when it comes to the ways we interact with technology and our ability to multitask. Understanding and adapting to these differences is key when it comes to educating and managing the "Net generation." Rather than just listing these differences, the topics are tackled head-on, offering tips to attract and engage young talent in the workforce, as well as ways educators can tap the Net-Gen potential.

And now for something completely different. The third edition of the Network+ Exam Cram by Mike Harwood is a good study book for someone who has been implementing and administering networks for quite some time and now just wants to get certified in it. It covers a lot of material in 11 chapters that this audience will appreciate (just be willing to look past the typos). It condenses content into understandable segments -- and that is saying a lot for an exam that has a great number of topics it tries to address.

A word of advice, however: Those who aren't comfortable with networking or as experienced in it should consider purchasing another book along with this one that takes more of a tutorial approach. After you've finished with the tutorial book, use this one to verify that you are indeed ready to go spend the money for the exam.