Deep Learning, Machine Learning, AI, and Data Science are changing our lives because of their application in self-driving cars, medical devices, robots, automation, entertainment, commerce, and more.

In this article I’ll explain each of these four terms and also look at the immense job opportunities they have to offer.

Firstly, let’s talk about…

Deep Learning

Ever wondered how on earth your Google Assistant or Alexa makes sense of your commands, accents, and questions?

Or, how Google auto-corrects your search queries and shows you exactly what you are looking for?

It’s all due to Deep Learning.

Deep Learning is a subset of Machine Learning that is highly advanced and uses neural networks to make decisions and process data.

Deep Learning uses neural networks and several layers to identify patterns, subtle differences, and details.

For example, a teacher can easily identify numbers and letters written by kids in a class even if the text is extremely different in style. It’s possible due to the human brain’s capacity.

Deep Learning is inspired by the working of the human brain.

Deep Learning uses layers to process data. Each layer has a specific task to perform.

For example, in an image-processing system, one layer might work out the edge of an image, and send output to the next layer, which might identify the key items within the image.

Let’s say the second layer sends its output to the next layer that the image is of a cat. The final layer would map output to the cat category in the system to show the final results.

Deep Learning is used in extremely crucial and advanced systems. For example, autonomous driving companies use Deep Learning systems to identify and process objects on roads and train self-driving car software to differentiate between different objects and obstacles.

Deep Learning is also used in medical applications to identify, detect, and differentiate between different diseases, such as cancer.

Deep Learning systems usually need large amounts of data because it’s less effective to identify patterns with limited data.

Deep Learning also requires high-performance, multi-threaded hardware systems to process data and information.

How You Can Get a Job in Deep Learning

According to an article by The Enterprise Project, based on Indeed’s data, Deep Learning Engineers rank second in job listings seeking AI or Machine Learning skills.

Companies usually hire Deep Learning experts for roles like Machine Learning Engineer, Deep Learning Engineer, and Senior Data Scientist.

On average, Deep Learning experts have a salary of $114,000 US dollars, according to PayScale.

Next, let’s look at…

Machine Learning

There has been a lot of buzz about Machine Learning.  Simply put, Machine Learning is the study of algorithms that learn, evolve, and improve over time using input data, and existing events.

Think about a warehouse where you have a worker whose job is to differentiate between apples and oranges from large containers and put them in separate boxes. Suppose you want to automate this job to increase efficiency. How would you program your system?

If the object’s color is orange, its surface is smooth and round and its weight is 140g on average, tag that as an orange. If the object is yellowish or reddish and weighs around 100g, tag that as an apple.

In ideal circumstances this system would work, but what if there is an orange weighing 180g? Would your system be able to identify it?

Yes, if you implement Machine Learning!

Machine Learning-based systems are able to improve their performance and accuracy as we feed them data. More data (often known as “training data”), equals more accuracy.

Machine Learning is a subset of Artificial Intelligence and aims to train computer systems for accurate predictions, decision making, automated tasks, detection, identification, and performance without human intervention.

To see machine learning in action, look at:

• Computerized systems that detect oil underneath the Earth’s surface
• Medical systems to detect cancer and other diseases in early stages
• Stock market prediction systems that use past data and hidden patterns as input
• Speech recognition systems
• Chatbots, and
• YouTube’s recommendation algorithm that uses your consumption habits and patterns as input

How You Can Get a Job in Machine Learning

The Machine Learning industry is highly competitive. If you want to start a career in Machine Learning, start working on your programming and data analysis skills, build beginner-level language processing systems, learn data pipelines, and solve complex problems in data and image processing.

There are a lot of PhDs in the Machine Learning industry as the link between academia and Machine Learning technology is very strong.

However, there is demand for experts who are able to use programming and the latest tools to solve complex Machine Learning problems.

If you can combine theoretical expertise, for example, math, statistics, and image processing, with programming skills, you will flourish.

According to the Robert Half Technology 2020 Salary Guide, Machine Learning experts can earn over $163,000 US dollars.

Companies hire Machine Learning experts for a variety of roles, such as Big Data Engineers, Data Scientists, Data Modelers, and Software Engineers.

Ok, now let’s learn about…

Artificial Intelligence

When a device starts perceiving its environment and takes action based on its own decisions, it’s using Artificial Intelligence.

While Machine Learning is about creating systems that learn from data, AI is about creating intelligent systems.

For a system to be AI-based it should have the following characteristics:

• Natural Language Processing: It should process language data and differentiate between different responses.
• Knowledge Representation: It should store, remember and index when it comes across different events in its lifecycle.
• Automated Reasoning: It should use stored information to draw conclusions, answer questions and create connections between objects.
• Machine Learning: It should learn from new data and be able to adapt to changing or evolving situations based on new data and input.

Simply put, AI is a computing system that is able to perform tasks that usually require human intervention or decision making.

In the words of Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig, who wrote the famous book Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, for a computing system to be qualified as intelligent, it should think and act “humanly” and “rationally.”

Narrow AI

The AI we currently see in action worldwide in advanced systems, autonomous cars, search engines, robots, and medical systems is based on a lot of constraints and controls programmed by humans. This type of AI is called “Narrow” AI.

Artificial General Intelligence

The sort of AI you see in dystopian movies and fiction where robots and computers have total control and can supersede humans in decision making is called Artificial General Intelligence.

How You Can Get a Job in AI

AI forms the basis of Machine Learning, Data Processing, Decision-Making Systems, Automation Software, and NLP systems.

There is huge demand for experts who could work on AI-based software and hardware.

AI has deep academic roots. Therefore, having a PhD will be a strong plus if you want to enter the industry.

Careers in AI usually start with Machine Learning and Data Science roles. You should have strong programming and statistics skills. You should also have experience working with NLP systems to enter advanced AI roles.

AI is a vast field and there are a variety of roles for which companies hire Artificial Intelligence experts.

Just a simple Google search will show you tons of AI jobs for roles like Deep Learning Expert, Machine Learning Engineer, Software Engineer, Automation Engineer, Research Director, and Neural Networks Engineer.

According to PayScale, AI has an average salary of over $123,000 US dollars.

Lastly let’s look at…

Data Science

The art of making sense of data is called Data Science.

A Data Scientist usually excels at processing large chunks of data and doing analysis to solve a problem, predict a scenario, and find patterns that are helpful for businesses.

Data Science mainly involves two types of analysis:

• Predictive analysis, and
• Prescriptive analysis

Predictive analysis involves analyzing existing data and forecasting or modeling for specific events.

For example, a bank could hire a Data Scientist to process data and analyze the possibilities of its customers defaulting on their loans.

Prescriptive analysis involves making computing systems that can make their own decisions based on data.

You can change prescriptive analysis models based on dynamics parameters. This form of data science has much in common with Machine Learning and AI. It is used to train algorithms to make decisions based on possibilities.

Not every Data Scientist does the same job. There are numerous applications of Data Science.

A Data Scientist usually spends his day creating data models, coding, making database schemas, making ETLs, querying data, analyzing data, making plans, debugging code, and solving mathematical problems for data modeling.

Suppose a pharmaceutical company has tons of patient data and it wants to make an algorithm that would predict chances of diabetes in a patient in the future.

The first task of the Data Scientist would be to clean the available data. Data could be in any form  —logs, cloud data, SQL, NoSQL, or text.

To perform any kind of analysis, you need to analyze your data. After sorting the data, you will start processing the data to look for trends. This will be done using programming.

In the end, you will create a decision tree that will identify the probability of a patient getting diabetes based on different possibilities. Lastly, you will come up with a data model or algorithm.

How You Can Get a Job as a Data Scientist

To become a Data Scientist you should have strong programming skills.

Cleaning and analyzing data using programming languages like R, Python, VB, C++, and C, plays a key role in most Data Science jobs.

You will also need to use some tools for data cleaning and processing, such as RapidMiner, BigML and Weka.

Some companies and organizations also require their Data Scientists to solve mathematical problems.

Strong math skills will help you solve complex data modeling problems.

Data Science is being widely adapted by companies in major industries like pharmaceutical, defense, education, technology, food, and electronics.

The average salary for the Data Scientist role is $96,000, according to PayScale.

What is a Hypervisor?

A hypervisor, also known as a virtual machine manager, is a type of software that allows you to create and manage virtual machines.

Hypervisors were invented in the 1960s by IBM, originally intended to be used in IBM’s mainframe computers. But as the world of cloud computing took off, more companies such as VMware, Microsoft and Virtualbox began producing hypervisor products. Expanding offerings for both home and enterprise use.

The virtual machines that a hypervisor creates and manages are also known as virtual servers or virtual desktops.

On the front-end, Virtual machines are a lot like a regular computer. They operate the same as a normal computer. But the back-end of a virtual machine is different to a regular computer.

A regular computer has hardware supporting it on a 1-to-1 ratio, it typically has a CPU, RAM, hard disc etc.. all entirely dedicated to supporting it. Whereas virtual machines are simulated computers allowing for multiple of them to be hosted by one set of hardware – the host computer.

For virtual machines to be created and managed,  hypervisor software has to be installed and connected to the hardware.

Hypervisors play the crucial role of:

1 –  Virtualizing hardware resources and components of the “host computer” so that virtual machines can be supported by the hardware.

2 –  Depending on the quality of the hardware and the hypervisor, there are a limited number of virtual machines that can be created on a host computer. The process of determining and creating the number of available virtual machines is also administered by a hypervisor.

3 – The hypervisor is responsible for isolating all virtual machines on a single host computer so that any changes to or usage of the virtual machines does not affect each other or the host hardware itself.

How Exactly Do Virtual Computers Work?

To understand how virtual machines work and why they are useful, imagine your computer has the Windows 10 OS. But, you are a Computer Programmer that recently completed a new software prototype for Windows 8, Mac OS X, and even Linux.

Testing your software on computers that are used by people such as you or your friends, might be risky and expensive, as there are potentially unforeseen changes that can be caused by your software.

To solve this, you can simply install hypervisor software so you can create three virtual machines.

One with Windows 8, another with Mac OS X, and the last one with Ubuntu. You would then be able to use these virtual machines as if they were three separate computers in addition to your Windows 10 desktop. They would all be accessible through your Windows 10 computer.

This use of virtual machines and hypervisors is called desktop virtualization. But it does not only stop at testing new software, people also use virtual machines to operate old software that is no longer supported by current operating systems.

 Here are two other uses of virtual machines and hypervisors:

1 – Data replication

Hypervisors are used for data cloning and replication by data analysts and firms dealing with organizing and collecting data.

2 – Consolidating servers

Hypervisors enable server consolidation due to their downloadable enhancements. Allowing servers, including those based on different operating systems, to be consolidated.

Types of Hypervisors

There are different types of hypervisors, namely Type-1 and Type-2:

Type-1: A type-1 hypervisor is hosted directly on the hardware of a computer.  This type of hypervisor takes precedence over the operating system of the host computer. This setup makes type-1 hypervisors extremely fast, executing applications and input much faster than type-2 hypervisors.

Type-2: A type-2 hypervisor runs as an application on top of an operating system installed on the host computer. These hypervisors are much less efficient compared to their type-1 counterparts due to having the same access to the host computers hardware as any regular software application installed on the host computer.

Here Are a Few Examples of Type 1 and Type 2 Hypervisors

Type 1 Examples:  

• VMware ESXi: VMware ESXi is a hypervisor for enterprise clients through which they can manage virtual computers. The hypervisor is produced by VMware and is the best option for organizations seeking efficient architecture.
• VSphere: This is a server virtualization offering that includes the VMware ESXi and the vCenter Server which can be used to manage vSphere setups.
• Hyper-V: This hypervisor is produced by Microsoft and is compatible with x86 to x64 systems with Windows operating systems beginning from Windows 8.
• KVM: KVM is an open-source hypervisor linked to Red Hat. The KVM hypervisor is the core of all popular virtual distributions of OpenStack and Linux.

Open-source hypervisors are hypervisors which are built on free and crowd-sourced code. Allowing the hypervisor product to be free if not relatively cheaper.

They are also more frequently updated. While these hypervisors are typically your best option, it is hard to receive professional assistance with problems and troubleshooting for such hypervisors as there is no single organization to hold accountable for customer support.

However, forums and various other online groups and communities exist around most open-source hypervisors.  These communities are dedicated to helping users navigate and troubleshoot issues.

• Citrix XenServer: Also known as the Citrix Hypervisor, it is an open-source hypervisor that supports Linux and Windows operating systems. This hypervisor is a product of the Xen open source project.A non-profit initiative supported by AWS, Intel, Alibaba Cloud, AMD, and Huawei, among many other global tech companies.

Type 2 Examples:

• VMware workstation: This hypervisor works for Linux and Windows operating systems. The pro version allows a single computer to operate multiple operating systems for desktop simulation.

• VirtualBox: Is also another desktop simulation hypervisor for enterprise and home use. The hypervisor is open-source and operates on Windows, Linux, Macintosh and Solaris hosts. It can support very old versions of all the above mentioned operating systems.

• VMware Workstation Player: A VMware hypervisor that allows a single computer to run only a second operating system. It runs with the following host operating systems and all their successor versions: Ubuntu 14.04, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6,CentOS 6.0,Oracle Linux 6.0, openSUSE Leap 42.2,SUSE Linux 12.

• VMware fusion (MAC OS 10): Allows Mac users to operate almost any other guest operating systems on a computer, with over a hundred options. The VMWare fusion hypervisor is not open sourced and it is produced by VMware.

As businesses worldwide adopt IT and software systems, the demand for desktop support and help desk professionals is increasing. Millions of users face daily issues with their computers.

These issues affect productivity, so companies want to ensure that their IT systems run smoothly. That’s why they need desktop support and help desk professionals.

Desktop support and help desk interviews check your technical knowledge and problem-solving skills. The main focus however, is on your problem-solving approach, customer service, and communication skills.

If you have a desktop support or help desk job interview, here are the best 40 interview questions and answers you should use to boost your chances of getting the job.

Question #1 – Why do you want to work as a desktop support specialist?

Your answer should indicate that you have a real knack for solving problems.

Instead of just saying desktop support is my “passion”, try to be original and answer the question in such a way that the interviewer feels that you really enjoy solving computer problems.

So, a good answer would be:

I’ve loved solving computer problems since I was a child. I remember opening my childhood computer and toys to look at what’s going on inside them, and I tried to understand how they worked.

I think desktop support provides me an opportunity to refine my problem-solving skills in the area of IT.

Question #2 – Give us an example of a ticket that you resolved. What was the problem and what steps did you take to solve it?

This is a very common question in desktop support and help desk interviews.

Try to be genuine and give a real-life example of a ticket you’ve resolved at any point in your career.

The interviewer wants to know your problem-solving approach and your communication skills.

If you have never solved an IT ticket before, you can familiarize yourself with a few common computer problems and their solutions before going into the interview.  You can use one of these examples to answer this question.

If you have solved an IT ticket before, here’s a good answer to this question:

In my previous company, I was assigned a ticket in which a user was not able to drag and drop anything on their desktop.

I contacted the user remotely, as they were located in a different office.

I asked them to restart their computer, but the problem wasn’t fixed.

I asked the user to look at their keyboard and make sure that no key was pressed.

It turned out that the Escape key on the keyboard was pressed due to some stickiness. Bringing the Escape key to its normal position fixed this problem.

Question #3 – You receive a ticket in which a user’s monitor is not working. How will you solve this problem?

I will first check the power cable and then the VGA or DVI cables and ports to rule out any hardware issues. After that, I will connect a spare monitor, if available, to the computer to make sure the monitor itself is not faulty.

I will also check the display drivers and video card.

Question #4 – What is Safe Mode?

Safe Mode is used to start a computer in the most basic state. In Safe Mode, the computer does not use autoexec.bat or config.sys files and most of the device drivers are also not loaded.

This helps in narrowing down the cause of a specific problem.  If a problem is not appearing in Safe Mode, it means the default settings and basic files have no problem, and we should look elsewhere to diagnose the problem.

Question #5 – What is Active Directory?

Active Directory is a service by Microsoft that is used to manage, organize and run networks.

Active Directory makes it easier for system administrators to find and use information related to all the users and objects in a network.

An example would be using active directory to assign new policies to a specific group of users, restricting access to a printer for a specific user, or removing users from a network.

Active directory consists of different objects, like forests, domains, contacts, groups, sites, printers, and subnets.

Question #6 – What is Blue Screen of Death and how do you fix it?

The Blue Screen of Death is a critical error that occurs when the operating system cannot function, and it crashes. Mostly, BSoD problems are related to hardware, kernel, or drivers.

Blue Screen of Death errors often show an error code or stop code which we can be used to find out the cause of the problem.

To solve this problem, I will first restart the computer. If the computer restarts successfully, I will update all drivers.

If the problem persists, I will disconnect all unnecessary hardware to rule out the external causes. I will also boot the computer in safe mode to see if the problem occurs in this basic state as well.

Other fixes I can try include, checking the hard disk for bad sectors, system restore, installing updates if available, checking hard disk cables, and using the startup repair option from the boot menu.

Question #7 – A user complains that their system is running very slow. How would you solve this problem?

The primary reason behind a slow computer is usually lack of sufficient memory.

I will start by removing temporary files from the Windows folder. I will also, with the user’s permission, delete any unused files and programs that are taking up significant space on the hard disk.

I will also run defragmentation tools to optimize space on the hard disk.

If the user is facing slow performance while using the internet, I will delete cache from the browser.

As a last resort, I’ll explore the possibility of upgrading the hard disk to SSD, increasing RAM, or installing a more powerful processor.

Question #8 – Describe a situation where you had an angry client or user.

Try to answer this question in a way that shows you are always patient, and willing to listen to the customer no matter how angry or unfriendly they are.

The interviewer is trying to test your ability to solve problems in tough situations.  For example, when a customer is being angry, impatient, irrational, or unreasonable.

The employer wants someone who is a good listener, problem solver, and has the ability to put themselves in another person’s shoes.

So, here’s how you should answer this question:

In my previous company, a user was extremely upset with his printer issues. When I contacted him to resolve the ticket, he started yelling and complained that this specific problem has reoccurred for the third time.

Without interrupting the user, I kept listening to him and when I got a chance, I ensured him that I understood his frustration and the effect that this problem is having on his productivity.

I also assured him that this time his problem would be resolved to his satisfaction and told him that his problem was my priority.

When the user calmed down, I started looking into the problem. It was an IP conflict issue that was disrupting the printer configuration periodically.

Question #9 – A user is finding it difficult to configure a printer on their computer. How can you help them?

After making sure that the printer is powered on, and the computer is connected to the printer, I will open the “Add Printer” wizard in Windows and select the required printer from the list of available printers.

I will use the ‘Add a Network, Wireless or Bluetooth’ printer option if we are operating in a networked environment.

I will also install and update printer drivers if necessary.

If the user’s computer normally fails to detect their network printer, I will enable ‘Network Discovery’ and ‘File and Printer Sharing’ options in the Network and Sharing Center in Control Panel.

Question #10 – How will you make sure that a system is not infected with a virus?

I will use a good anti-virus software to scan the computer for any viruses or malware.

I will also look for signs of virus-related problems, including unexplained slow speed, endless pop-ups and spam, functioning of .exe files, PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs), unfamiliar programs, and unintended events.

Question #11 – What is PTR (Pointer Record)?

A PTR record resolves an IP address to a full domain name.

PTR records are used to check a server’s association with the IP address from where the connection was initiated.

PTR is often known as Reverse DNS because a PTR associates an IP with a domain name, opposite to DNS which points domains to IP addresses.

Question #12 – What is a Logical Drive?

A Logical Drive is a virtual storage unit that exists on a physical hard drive but acts as an independent storage drive.

Question #13 – What is the purpose of a Logical Drive?

The purpose of a logical drive is to optimize storage performance by making contiguous storage units, allowing them to interact optimally without intervening with irrelevant or unrelated physical units.

Logical drives add abstraction in storage, making it easier for the operating system to read from memory.

Question #14 – How do you get the MAC address for a specific NIC?

We can use “getmac /v” in the command prompt dialog box, or we can also find it using the Ipconfig/all command.

Question #15 – How does a VPN work?

A VPN builds a private network over a public network with extra encryption to connect users to the private network’s resources.

A VPN masks the original IP address, identity, and location of the originator of a web request.

Question #16 – What happens behind the scenes when you type “google.com” in the browser and hit enter?

When Enter is pressed, the browser checks the cache of the browser, operating system, router, and ISP for the DNS record to find the corresponding IP address of https://www.google.com/.

If the IP address of Google is not found in these caches, the ISP’s DNS server will initiate a request to other DNS servers on the internet to find the IP address of google.com.

When my browser receives the appropriate IP address, it establishes a connection, usually a TCP connection.

Once the connection is established, the data transfer process will start.

The browser will send a GET request asking for the google.com web page.

The server on the other end receives the request and the request handler (usually, a program written in common web languages like PHP, ASP, or RUBY) reads the request to identify what exactly is being requested and starts to assemble a response in the required format.

The server response contains the required web page and other details like compression type, cache format, cookie information, and more.

The browser will render HTML and send more GET requests, if necessary, based on HTML tags. Complete rendering will take place, which includes CSS, JavaScript files, images, and more.

The Google.com webpage will then appear on the browser.

Question #17 – What is the single most important factor that must be present in your work environment for you to be successful, and happily employed?

There could be several responses to this question. But here are the most useful ones that would convey to the interviewer that you plan to stick with the company, are willing to learn new things, and are open to challenges.

Your answer should be something like this:

The most important factor for me would be an opportunity to learn new things and the freedom to think outside of the box.

To be given a chance to present new ideas for growth and productivity.

To be appreciated when I work hard to remove obstacles in the way of the company’s goals and success.

Question #18 – How does a router work?

Routers manage the flow of data to multiple connected network devices.

If a packet has to go from Network A to Network D. The router connecting the Network A devices will first identify the best possible path for the packet to get to Network D, or the closest network to the final destination.  It does this by using a routing table to determine the best path based on the number of hops to the destination.

In simple words, a router sends IP packets to other networks using the best possible path which it identifies using routing tables.

Question #19 – You are asked by the company CEO to make sure that no employee in the company is able to open Facebook. How will you implement this policy?

There are several ways to do this, but the best one is to implement the restriction using the company’s router.

First, I will find the IP address of the main router by using the IPCONFIG command.

I will type the IP address in my browser to open the router’s settings. I will then open the content filter section.

I will add the Facebook URL to the content filter option.

This will block Facebook for all users.

Question #20 – What is a PST file and why is it important?

PST stands for personal storage table. A PST file is a file format built by Microsoft that is commonly used to store copies of emails, messages, calendar events, and other data items for applications like Microsoft Outlook.

The biggest advantage of a PST file is that it provides you with the portability to transfer your important Outlook data from one computer to the next.

Question #21 – A user complains that their computer clock resets every time they restart their PC. How would you solve this problem?

The most common cause of this problem is a faulty CMOS battery which provides power to Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) chip. This chip stores key information like data and time.

Replacing the CMOS battery solves this problem.

Question #22 – How you can you backup Outlook emails?

The best option is to use PST files to take Outlook backups.

We can use the Export option in Outlook to get a PST file for Outlook data.

Question #23 – What is DHCP?

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. DHCP assigns unique IP addresses to hosts.

We use DHCP to automate the process of IP address assignments, so that we don’t have to manually assign IP addresses to computers or devices in large networks.

Question #24 – Ok. Can you tell me, in a bit more detail, how DHCP works?

Yes.

A computer runs the DHCP client and sends a broadcast message requesting an IP address.

The DHCP server sends an IP address to the computer.

The computer accepts the IP address by sending a message back to the server.

The server sends an ACK message along with subnet mask, default gateway and other network details.

Question #25 – What is SCSI?

SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface. It’s a type of fast, parallel bus that is used to connect several devices within the computer, including hard disks, scanners, CD-ROM, and tape drives.

Question #26 – What is the difference between incremental backup and differential backup?

A differential backup only copies those files that were changed since the last full backup. For example, if I take a differential backup of my files today, the backup will copy everything that was changed since the last full backup.

The full backup copies all data.

An incremental backup copies everything that changed since the last backup.  The last backup does not necessarily have to be a full backup.

Question #27 – You talked about DNS earlier in the interview. Can you explain what is DNS?

DNS translates domain names to IP addresses so that browsers can load internet and network resources for end users.

Question #28 – What is Reverse DNS Lookup and Forward DNS Lookup?

Forward DNS lookup converts domain names to IP addresses, while reverse DNS lookup converts IP addresses to domain names.

Question #29 – A user is unable to log in their computer even when they are typing their password correctly. How can you solve this problem?

After making sure that the user is entering the right username and password, I’ll check the network cables and connectivity to ensure that the user is connected to the network.

I will also check whether the user is added in the domain.

I can also use the “Manage User Account” option by signing in as an administrator to change the password of the problematic account and try signing in again.

Running a system file check using the SFC command also helps in fixing this problem.  Sometimes corrupt files hamper the sign-in process.

Starting the computer in Safe Mode and trying to sign in with a local account, and doing a system restore or a complete reset of Windows can also help to solve this problem.

Question #30 – What is the difference between FAT32 and NTFS?

FAT stands for file allocation table. It’s a relatively older file system that stores data in chunks of 32 bits. Its file size is extremely limited.

NTFS stands for New Technology File System. It’s a modern file system that supports large file sizes, recovery features, file permissions and hard links.

Question #31 – What is IMAP?

IMAP is an email protocol. IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. It manages emails directly on the email server instead of downloading them on the end user device.

All modern e-mail clients and servers support IMAP.

Question #32 – What is a Cross Cable?

A cross cable is used to connect two devices of the same type. It is usually used when we need to connect two devices in the absence of an intermediary device, such as a switch.

Question #33 – What is boot.ini and when do you use it?

Boot.ini is an initialization file usually found on older Windows operating systems like Windows NT, XP, and 2000.

This file contains boot options for computers with BIOS firmware. It is located in the root directory of the primary hard disk drive partition.

Question #34 – Explain Cookies

Cookies are small text files used to track a user’s movement on a website.

They are used to save the user’s progress, remember their credentials, preferences, and other data items.

Cookies are stored on the user’s computer.

Question #35 – What is the difference between serial and parallel ports?

A serial port transmits data one bit at a time in serial order, while a parallel port transmits 8 bits at a time.

Question #36 – What is a phishing attack?

Phishing is a type of cyberattack usually masquerading as web links, emails, and forms.

When a user clicks on the malicious link, the attack initiates, or the user is asked to enter sensitive information like credit card data, passwords, or social security numbers.

Example: a user receives a link to sign up for a Bitcoin newsletter. When clicked, the link opens a registration form asking for the user’s Gmail ID and password. The user enters the credentials, giving away their secret information to the hackers. As a result, the user’s Gmail account is compromised.

Question #37 – What’s Your Biggest Weakness?

Sometimes I tend to be a perfectionist. I like to ensure that the outcome of my efforts are perfect. This could sometimes result in overthinking and exhaustion.

Question #38 – What Are Your Salary Expectations?

This is a highly subjective question. But the most important thing to note here, is that you should not shy away from this question.

It is totally rational and normal to mention your salary expectations. However, they should be realistic.

Data from Salary.com shows that the average annual salary for a desktop support job is around $52,000 US dollars.

If you have over 3 years of experience, you can mention that you are expecting a salary in line with your experience.

If you are already employed, you can say that your expectation is to receive an increase from your current salary.

Question #39 – Why Should We Hire you?

You should hire me mainly because I’m good at solving complex computer problems, and I work well with users.

I have a strong work ethic and I will be working sincerely for the satisfaction of the company’s clients.

Another reason is that I have a strong track record that proves that I am willing to work hard, I am a continuous learner, I work well within a team, and I’m flexible.

Question #40 – Do you have any questions?

This is your opportunity to prove to the interviewer that you have been paying attention, you know about the company, and you are genuinely interested in the job.

Never say that you don’t have any questions. This will leave a very bad impression.

Here are a few questions you can ask:

Yes. I was curious to know which incident management software your company uses for the IT department?

Yes. I wanted to know about the client base of the company. What types of clients does the company serve?

Yes. I wanted to ask how many people the company currently has in the desktop support department?

And there you have it.  Review these 40 questions a few times before attending your Helpdesk or Desktop Support job interview and you’ll be on your way to a rewarding IT career.

If you’ve ever wondered how data gets transferred securely over the internet, then you’ll want to read this article.

I’ll explain how HTTP, HTTPS, SSL, and TLS work individually, and how they work together to ensure your communication on the internet is secure.

How Does HTTP Work?

HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. This protocol forms the basis of communication on the World Wide Web. It is primarily used to send and receive data over the internet.

HTTP is a request-response protocol that allows you to fetch internet resources via hypertext messages from a server.

HTTP clients usually use TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) connections to communicate with servers.

Let’s explain this using an example.

Suppose you type the URL https://twitter.com/ into your browser and hit Enter.

After DNS resolves the web address, the following 5 steps will take place in order.

1 – A TCP connection is established.

2 – Your browser will send a “request message” to the HTTP server. This message contains:

• A Request line
• A Request header and,
• A Request body

The request line usually contains a method type that defines the type of request.

In this scenario, a “GET” method will be used in the request line.

A GET method requests the web resource.

Other commonly used methods are POST, PUT, and DELETE.

In addition to the method, the request line also contains URI and HTTP version.

Here’s an example of a GET method: GET /utilities/weatherfull/city/Detroit/ HTTP/1.1

Another important part of a request message is the “Header”.  The “Header” contains rules such as language, type of file (text,HTML, or image), and host address.

3 – The HTTP server will map the URL to a file under the HTTP servers document directory.

4 – The sever will then send a “response message.” A response message in HTTP usually contains a status code, header, and the actual file that was requested in the request message. The status code indicates whether the request succeeded or failed. For example, a 200-success code means that the request succeeded.

5 – Your browser will now process the HTML it received and repeat the same process for other resources that it needs, such as CSS files, images, JavaScript files, and others.

How Does HTTPS Work?

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. HTTPS works similar to HTTP.

The biggest difference between the two protocols is, with HTTP the data being transferred is not encrypted, and therefore the data transfer process is not secure.

With HTTPS, a layer of security is added using TLS (Transport Layer Security) or SSL (Secure Socket Layer). In simple terms, HTTP running over TLS or SSL becomes HTTPS.

We will get into the details of TLS and SSL shortly.

But before that, let’s dive a bit deeper to understand what makes HTTPS special and different from HTTP.

Difference Between HTTP and HTTPS

What makes HTTPS secure and better than HTTP is the fact that HTTPS has a mechanism to ensure that the client or browser is talking to the correct server, and that server is talking to correct client.

For example, if you were to give a very secret message to someone over the phone, you’d want to be sure that the person on the other end of the phone is actually the person who’s supposed to hear the message and not an untrusted third party.

HTTPS ensures that the end to end communication is secure by using digital certificates.

Digital Certificates

Digital certificates are digital documents that prove the identity of its owner.

A certificate is just like an ID.

Similar to the way your bank asks for your ID before giving you access to your account; the HTTPS protocol authenticates and validates a digital certificate before sending or receiving data over internet.

In this context, a digital certificate is used to authenticate the ownership of a public key.

What is a public key? You might be asking.

Public and Private Keys

Ok, before we continue let’s understand the concept of public and private keys.

With HTTPS, when user A wants to send a private message to user B, they encrypt or lock this message using the public key of user B.

When the message reaches user B, user B will check the message’s public key and use its corresponding private key to unlock the message.

Two important things to note here:

1 – Private keys are never shared over the internet in HTTPS and,

2 – Every public key has its own private key.

This public/private key mechanism ensures that hackers or un-trusted third parties are not able to unlock data being sent or received over the internet.

Let’s look at an example of how HTTPS works, step by step.

1 – Let’s say you want to open Youtube.com. You type the URL and hit Enter.

2 – The Youtube server sends your browser its certificate with a public key.

3 – Your browser verifies the public key it received.

4 – Your browser tells the Youtube server that it has verified the public key it received and has now created a new secret key, otherwise known as a “session key” and encrypted it with the Youtube server’s public key.

5 – The Youtube server decrypts this new ‘session key’ using its private key.

Now, the server and the client are the only two machines on the internet who are aware of this new session key. All of the communication from now on between the two machines will be encrypted using this new key.

How Does SSL Work?

SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. SSL is a protocol that is used to secure data communications between a client or browser, and a server over the web.

Netscape developed SSL protocols. The latest version of SSL, SSL 3.0, was declared obsolete in 2015 after experts found several vulnerabilities with it.

Since then, TLS is the most commonly used protocol to ensure security and encryption of data transfer sessions.

How does SSL work?

All the data transfer and encryption steps you saw in the ‘How Does HTTPS Work’ section was actually SSL in action.

SSL develops a secure connection by verifying the authenticity of both the client and server. This is done using an “SSL Handshake.”

In an SSL Handshake, the server and client perform the following steps:

1 – Authenticate each other’s identity using digital certificates and public keys

2 – Specify the SSL version they will use

3 – Specify the type of encryption algorithm to use and,

4 – Generate session keys

After the SSL Handshake, the client and server start the data transfer process.

Another important thing, SSL ensures data integrity.  It ensures that data remains the same throughout its travels over the internet and that nobody changes it, alters it or tampers with it.  It does this using message authentication code, otherwise known as MAC.

The sender signs data packets with a MAC and the recipient verifies the MAC to ensure the integrity of the data.

How Does TLS Work?

TLS stands for Transport Layer Security. It is essentially a newer version of SSL.

After SSL was retired in 2015, TLS became the standard encryption and data security protocol used to ensure secure data transfer between clients and servers over the internet.

TLS works almost exactly like SSL. TLS has three main jobs:

1 – Encryption of data

2 – Authentication – It ensures that the parties exchanging information are actually who they claim to be and,

3 – Data Integrity – It makes sure that data doesn’t get altered or forged during transmission using MAC – Message Authentication Code.

Just like SSL, TLS also uses a “handshake” mechanism to create a secure connection before the actual data transfer process.

And there you have it, that’s the way HTTP, HTTPS, SSL, and TLS work together to ensure that our communication over the Internet is secure and reliable.

As the demand for computing power and data processing rise exponentially, companies are scrambling to save costs and find ways to efficiently allocate their resources. 

Virtualization is the single most important technique that companies use to manage resources and save billions in costs.  

Research shows that virtualization could save over $106 billion for the Asia Pacific region alone. 

Being the market leader in virtualization, VMware has technologies, frameworks, and platforms that help companies run software applications as virtual resources on their hardware.  

Thousands of companies use VMware technologies worldwide and actively seek VMware experts. 

VMware’s top in-demand technologies include vSphere, ESXi, and vCentre. 

Here are the top 7 reasons you should learn these technologies. 

#1 – Learning VMware Virtualization Technologies Will Make You Extremely Valuable 

As companies move away from traditional server architecture and towards virtualization, the demand for VMware professionals is sure to grow. 

Virtualization allows companies to deploy applications on limited hardware via partitioning. 

Increasing virtualization results in fewer servers, reduced complexity, and increased availability.   

Virtualization makes it easier for companies to implement disaster recovery, which is more challenging in non-virtual environments.  

In the VMware virtualization architecture, a simple restore operation resolves data loss and recovery problems. 

VMware uses a technology called “thin provisioning” that allows companies to save a lot of money in data storage.

 #2 – VMware Technologies are Dominant in the Virtualization Market 

VMware is the leader in the virtualization market, with over 75% market share.  

The virtualization market around the world is expected to grow by 11% through 2022 and reach over $13 billion in size. 

VMware is a giant in this strong market and its competitors like Citrix, Microsoft, and Nutanix are way behind the curve.  

Therefore, learning VMware technologies like VSphere, ESXi, and vCenter would give you a huge opportunity to advance your career for many years to come. 

#3 – VMware vSphere, ESXi, and vCentre are Efficient 

vSphere is a free version of VMware architecture. It allows companies to save money through easy configuration, thin architecture (it requires only 144MB to install), scalability, and fewer patches. 

VMware ESXi is a hypervisor that has its own operating system.  

A hypervisor is software that runs on top of hardware and adds a layer to allow virtualization to happen.  

Compared to other hypervisors in the market like Citrix XenServer, Hyper-V, and Windows Server, ESXi consumes very little memory.   

vCenter is a server management platform that is used to monitor, scale, update, and optimize VMware infrastructure.  

vCenter is very useful for companies using vMotion, VMware High Availability, VMware Update Manager, and VMware Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS). 

Learning these three technologies will make you an expert in the VMware stack.  

You will get a chance to know the complete lifecycle and dynamics of the virtualization world, and solve real-world problems using these technologies. 

#4 – Many Available Jobs 

The VMware job market remains strong worldwide. A search on jobs boards like Indeed shows you thousands of open jobs that need to be filled by experts with vCenter, vSphere, and ESXi, expertise. 

With strong VMware skills, you can also get lucrative system admin jobs, which can eventually lead you to more senior roles like Infrastructure Solutions Architect. 

One thing to keep mind, as companies adapt Cloud platforms globally, virtualization could see a decline.  

Migrating to the Cloud removes the need for a company to implement local, on-premise virtualization infrastructure. 

The perception in the virtualization world is that technologies like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Docker, that are based on “container” technology, could possibly kill VMware. 

But the reality is that the Cloud is not the solution for every company.  

Many companies are skeptical of the Cloud due to security and infrastructure concerns. VMware provides cheap and efficient infrastructure for small, and medium–size companies that want on-premise virtualization solutions. 

More importantly, learning vSphere, ESXi, and vCentre, will help you pursue a career in Cloud technologies.  If you are interested in learning AWS or Azure in the future, your knowledge and experience with VMware technologies will be valuable. 

VMware is also making an active transition towards the Cloud with its new Cloud offerings. 

Many companies search for experts who have a VMware background with AWS skills. 

#5 – High Salaries 

Learning vSphere, vCenter, and VMware ESXi will make you eligible for various jobs, including VMware Administrator, VMware Specialist, VMware Engineer, VMware Consultant, and VMware Solutions Architect. 

There are currently over 1800 VMware job postings on Indeed.com that are offering annual salaries of over $65,000 US dollars. 

According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a VMware Administrator is over $47,000. 

At a broader level, the average annual salary in the virtualization sector is $76,000, according to salary data website PayScale. 

You can also get the VMware Certified Professional (VCP) certification to boost your salary and career prospects.  

According to PayScale, the average annual salary for candidates with VCP is $91,000. 

Learning VMware provides you with enormous career growth opportunities in the virtualization domain.  And, as you can see, the salaries that you can earn are lucrative.

#6 – VMware Technologies are a Gateway to Amazon Web Services 

Learning VMware vSphere, ESXi, and vCenter will make it easier for you to transition into AWS.  

Virtualization and Cloud Computing have a lot in common, such as: on-demand load balancing, storage optimization, REST interfaces, networking, disaster recovery, and security. 

VMware and AWS now allow you to extend and integrate applications on both platforms. Using VMware technology, you can easily learn how to extend virtualized applications to Amazon EC2. 

Employers also prefer candidates who have experience in both VMware technology and AWS. 

AWS is considered the public Cloud, while VMware helps you virtualize on-premise infrastructure.  

The combination of AWS and VMware skills will equip you with the knowledge required for hybrid Cloud jobs.  

Hybrid Cloud is being swiftly embraced worldwide due to its security, performance, and cost efficiency. 

#7 – VMware Technologies are a Gateway to DevOps 

Learning vSphere, ESXi, and vCenter will enhance your opportunities to become a DevOps engineer in the future.  

DevOps is an extremely in-demand skill, with an average annual salary ranging over $117,000 US dollars.  

With your VMware skills, try to learn key DevOps tools like Jenkins and Terraform to make your portfolio of skills stronger. 

And there you have it! 7 reasons to learn VMware vSphere, ESXi, and vCenter. 

On February 27th 2020, Microsoft announced that the MCSA, MCSE, and MCSD certifications will be retired in 2020.   

In the world of IT we’ve grown familiar with the use of acronyms to refer to Microsoft certifications.  With these new category certifications, called role-based certifications, we’ve decided to create an acronym for each new role-based certification. 

We’ll categorize each certification based on their level.  The three levels are Fundamental, Associate, and Expert. 

Send us a message and let us know what you think about these acronyms. Are they practical?  Can they be improved?  What about nicknames for the longer more complicated acronyms?  

Ok, here they are. 

Fundamental Role-Based Certifications Acronyms:

Microsoft Certified Power Platform Fundamentals – MCPPF 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals – MCD365F 

Microsoft 365 Certified Fundamentals – M365CF 

Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals – MCAF 

Associate Role-Based Certifications Acronyms:  

 Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate – MCADAA 

Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate – MCDAA 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Developer Associate – M365CDA 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate – M365CTAA 

Microsoft Certified: Power Apps + Dynamics 365 Developer Associate – MCPA+D365DA 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Developer Associate – MCD365FOADA 

Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate – MCASEA 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Marketing Functional Consultant Associate – MCD365MFCA 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Field Service Functional Consultant Associate – MCD365FSFCA 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Finance Functional Consultant Associate – MCD365FFCA 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing Functional Consultant Associate – MCD365SCMMFCA 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Associate – MCD365SCMFCA 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Messaging Administrator Associate – M365CMAA 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate – M365CMDAA 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate – M365CSAA 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Teamwork Administrator Associate – M365CTAA 

Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate – MCAAA 

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate – MCAAEA 

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate – MCADEA 

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate – MCADSA 

Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate – MCADA 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Service Functional Consultant Associate – MCD365CSFCA 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales Functional Consultant Associate – MCD365SFCA 

Expert Role-Based Certifications Acronyms 

Microsoft Certified: Power Apps + Dynamics 365 Solution Architect Expert – MCPA+D365SAE 

Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Solution Architect Expert – MCD365FOASAE 

Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert – M365CEAE 

Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert – MCADEE 

So there you have it.  What do you think?  Will you use any of these acronyms? 

What is CompTIA Security+ Certification?

CompTIA Security+ certification is a vendor neutral IT security certification that develops your skills and expertise in computer and network security domains like cybersecurity, network security and IT risk management.

The Security+ certification, offered by CompTIA, is compliant with ISO 17024 standards.  It is accredited by ANSI. The certification is also approved by the U.S. Department of Defense to meet directive 8140/8570.01-M requirements.

Security+ certification is an entry-level cybersecurity certification that covers topics such as,  how to identify risks in a connected environment, how to use tools, technologies and techniques to protect software and hardware assets against hackers and hostile parties on the internet.

Companies worldwide including big names like Amazon and Barnes & Noble prefer professionals with CompTIA Security+ certification.  This is evident from looking at the hundreds of cybersecurity job listings.

Security+ will help you get jobs in the cybersecurity and network security domains, including information security specialist, security engineer, penetration tester, network administrator, security administrator and security engineer.

According to Robert Half’s 2020 Salary Report, cybersecurity is one of the top in-demand skills of 2020. The report also lists CompTIA Security+ among the top IT certifications of the year.

The CompTIA Security+ exam consists of 90 questions.  They include multiple choice questions and performance-based questions.

Performance-based questions test your practical skills by showing different scenarios and asking you to solve a specific problem.

For example, a diagram shows the architecture of a network with different machines. The network is currently under attack from a hostile hacker. The question also shows the script used by the hacker. You are asked to identify the type of attack initiated by the hacker and the best defense mechanism to save your network.

The exam is 90 minutes long, and the passing score is 750.

The cost of the Security+ exam is $349 USD.

Skills Measured by CompTIA Security+ Certification

The key skills validated by the Security+ certification include, installation and configuration of secure applications, threat analysis, risk mitigation techniques, cryptography, awareness of cybersecurity policy and law, types of attacks and their solutions, network layers and protocols, mobile security, architecture design for maximum risk mitigation, and forensics.

The skills covered will make you competent at a basic level to understand the risks possible in the cybersecurity domain, and the possible solutions that an organization could use to save its data, software, and hardware assets.

As the certification includes labs and performance-based questions, you will get hands-on experience in solving complex problems of modern networks and cyber security.

At a very specific level, Security+ covers the following concepts.

Threats, Attacks and Vulnerabilities

• Viruses, Ransomware, Adware, Spyware and More
• Social engineering, brute force, phishing, DDoS, Buffer Overflow and other types of attacks
• Types of actors
• Memory leak, DLL injection, Point dereference, weak cipher and other types of vulnerabilities

Technologies and Tools

• Firewalls
• Routers
• Switches
• Ports
• Access points
• DLP
• NAC
• Mail gateways
• Network scanners
• Protocol analyzers
• Honeypot
• Password crackers
• Troubleshooting using logs, access rights, certifications and more
• Implementation of secure protocols

Architecture and Design

• Understanding standards
• Implementing zones and topologies
• Firmware security
• Patch management
• SoC
• SCADA
• Home automation security, HVAC
• Agile VS Waterfall
• Stress testing, sandboxing, secure coding practices, immutable systems
• Cloud security

 Identity and Access Management

• Multifactor authentication
• LDAP, Kerberos, TACACS+, CHAP, PAP, Secure tokens and more
• Biometric security
• Access control models
• Credential management

 Risk Management

• Agreement types
• Single point of failures
• RTO/RPO, MTBF, MTTR, Mission-essential functions, Identification of critical systems
• Threat assessment
• Risk assessment, SLE, ALE, ARO, Asset value, Risk register
• Recovery sites

 Cryptography and PKI

• Modes of operation
• Asymmetric algorithms
• Hashing
• Salt, IV, nonce
• Elliptic curve
• Weak/deprecated algorithms
• Key exchange
• Digital signatures
• Diffusion

Download the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) exam objectives for a more complete curriculum.

Pre-requisites for Security+ Certification

There are no pre-requisites for the Security+ certification exam. However, CompTIA recommends that you have already passed the Network+ certification, or have two years of experience in the IT industry with a focus on security.

If you are an absolute beginner, with little to no experience in IT, it’s suggested that you also pass the A+ Certification.

How to Prepare for the CompTIA Security+ Certification Exam

To prepare for the CompTIA Security+ exam, there are several options available.

Self-Study Resources

If you are self-driven and don’t need a lot of external guidance, you can use self-study resources to prepare for the Security+ exam. These resources include books, videos, study guides, and practice questions.

Books

Books provide in-depth coverage of the concepts you need to cover to pass the exam.

These books are usually based on the CompTIA Security+ exam objectives, so you won’t have to worry about missing anything important.

Books are useful especially if you don’t have any background in cybersecurity. Using books, you can grasp important and complex concepts at your own pace because books are written in a detailed fashion.

There are many good Security+ exam prep books available online and in stores. One of the most highly recommended is the CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide by Darril Gibson.  It covers theory, practice questions, performance-based questions and their answers based on exam objectives.

However, if you are short on time and just want to cover the most important concepts to pass the Security+ exam, books might not be the best option.

Video Training

Videos help in understanding difficult concepts. Studies show that video training is more effective in terms of retention as compared to methods of learning.

Using videos to prepare for Security+ certification will help you understand the core security concepts more quickly.

You can find a detailed, instructor-led Security+ video training course here.

However, video training could sometimes lack depth. If you solely rely on video training for the Security+ you could face difficulties when solving scenario-based questions where concepts are tested at a deeper level.

You should combine video-based training with practice questions and practice labs.

Instructor-Led Training

If you think self-study isn’t for you, you can use instructor-led training to prepare for the exam.

You can learn directly from cybersecurity experts and seek help in solving questions which you find challenging.

Instructor-led training programs allow you to get an in-depth understanding of every concept.

This training also increases retention as you are more likely to remember your discussions with the instructors.

Instructor-led training can include in-person training sessions, as well as those which you can attend remotely online.

However, instructor-led training tends to be quite expensive. For example, Global Knowledge’s Security+ instructor-led online training program costs over $1495.

Instructor-led training is suitable if you want a more guided and personal experience for your Security+ training.

Practice Tests

Simply completing training is usually not enough to pass the exam.

Most people find it challenging to apply themselves during the exam.  This is usually due to time management, difficulty in solving performance-based questions, and understanding complex scenarios in limited time.

All of these challenges can be overcome using practice tests.

In the Security+ exam, you have to answer 90 questions in 90 minutes.  Many of these questions are based on complex scenarios. It is very easy to lose track of time when attempting to answer these questions.

Using practice tests as part of your exam preparation process will help you in testing yourself and evaluating your weaknesses and strengths.

You can find Security+ exam practice tests here.

Practice Labs

Cybersecurity is a highly practical area of IT.

All the concepts covered in the Security+ certification have their application in the real world.

Using practice labs to prepare for the exam will equip you with a practical understanding of cybersecurity concepts.

Completing practice labs makes it easier for you to tackle performance-based questions in the exam. The more you use practice labs, the easier it becomes to solve scenario-based questions.

Practice labs develop your ability to understand complex problems in limited time.

You can find Security+ practice labs here.

What Jobs can you get with a Security+ Certification?

Security+ certification makes you eligible for a variety of roles in the information security, cybersecurity, and computer networking fields.

Companies worldwide want to secure their critical data, information, and services from hackers and hostile parties. That’s why the demand for security professionals is increasing.

According to the U.S. labor department statistics, jobs in the information security sector are expected to increase by 32% through 2028, faster than the average of all occupations.

The median annual salary for information security analysts is $98,350.

With Security+ certification, you can get the following jobs:

• Security analyst
• Cybersecurity expert
• Network architect
• Security architect
• Forensics expert
• Systems administrator
• Information Security analyst
• Technical security specialist

However, keep in mind that having the Security+ certification doesn’t necessarily make you eligible for these jobs.

Companies generally prefer candidates with practical experience.  If you prepared for your exam using practice labs you can mention this to your potential employer.  In many cases they will accept this ‘simulated time’ in lieu of real-world experience.

Security+ Certification Salary

There’s a strong demand for cybersecurity specialists and information security officers with Security+ certification.

There are hundreds of Security+ jobs posted on famous jobs platforms like Indeed.com. Big companies like JP Morgan and AT&T are offering as much as $117,000 for these roles.

According to jobs platform PayScale, the average salary for Security+ certification holders is around $74,000.

Companies hire Security+ holders for roles like Systems Administrator ($65,000), Cybersecurity Analyst ($75,000), and Information Security Analyst ($71,000).

The 2019 IT Skills and Salary report by Global Knowledge shows that Security+ is one of the most popular CompTIA certifications worldwide, with 62% of certification holders in North America.

According to the report, the average salary for CompTIA certification holders is $93,097.

Observations from Successful Security+ Certification Holders in the Industry

If you want to know about the best strategies to prepare for the Security+ exam, pay attention to the feedback of those who have already passed the test. Here are some important observations from Security+ certification holders.

The Security+ exam is highly practical. The exam doesn’t just test you for the theoretical concepts. If you understand the practical implications and logic of the concepts you study, you won’t have any problem solving the performance-based questions.

After reading the book, I made sure to do every single practice question. It is imperative that you know why the correct answer is the right answer and why the other answers are wrong, as the test doesn’t just ask you “What does TOTP stand for?”. A lot of the questions were scenario-based and were either vague or very specific in the amount of details, and you had to choose the BEST answer. Always make sure to read the question all the way through at least twice to ensure that you understand what it’s asking you

–Reddit User “The_Abyss136”

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/a77c88/i_passed_security_501_today_heres_what_i_did_and/

The exam has a lot of questions based on acronyms and terminologies of security concepts. You should memorize and understand all the important acronyms if you want to get a high score on the exam.

You absolutely have to know the acronyms and know what they mean, as nearly all the questions I had used acronyms, and a lot of them. This exam isn’t just a test to see if you know what an acronym is, it really pushes you to analyze a situation and use your knowledge from your studies.

Reddit User “The_Abyss136”

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/a77c88/i_passed_security_501_today_heres_what_i_did_and/

If you don’t have prior experience in IT security, it is better to familiarize yourself with the concepts before signing up for the Security+ exam. Many experts recommend doing CompTIA A+ and Network+ before going for Security+.

“A+ builds a foundation and teaches you about a lot of things you probably never knew to care about. A lot of the ifo might seem irrelevant, but you won’t know until you find yourself remembering it later. I’ve been doing a lot of DHCP migrations lately snd I always think back to Professor Messer’s video on DHCP. A bunch of objective in the 902 exam relate to networking, but it’s nothing too difficult.

Network+ builds on A+ and gets really into the thick of networking technologies, but not so much on implementation. You won’t learn any Cisco IOS commands.

Security+ builds on Network+ and there is also a lot of overlapping material. I’ve seen some posts saying Security+ was very difficult to study for and folks had to retake it multiple times, but I’ve also seen posts saying that Sec+ was very easy after A+ and Network+”

Reddit User “theblindness”

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/9oc6h6/sy0501_security_as_first_cert/

 

You should practice a lot beforehand because the Security+ exam is tricky when it comes to time allocation.

Also, try to attempt every question because there is no negative marking. Here is a helpful comment from a candidate who attempted the exam.

“In my opinion, even though the questions on the test can be very tricky, the actual test-taking is extremely fair. The user interface is straightforward, you are always kept aware of how much time is remaining and how many questions are remaining. Answer EVERY question, even if you have to guess, and if you need to you can easily “mark” a question for review later. I was going back and re-reviewing questions right up to the time limit, at which point whatever answers I had selected were automatically submitted (there’s also a “submit” button). In conclusion, I have no complaints about the testing software.

In a sense, I really appreciated the “trickiness” of the actual questions themselves. This is not a test that an unskilled person could could push their way through simply by looking at the “obvious” answer in the list of multiple choice responses. At least I could never have done that. The test does a good job of testing real computer knowledge while still being a simple multiple choice test”

Reddit User “HaikuLubber”

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/c3pt6b/how_i_prepared_for_the_security_sy0501_exam/

The Truth About Security+

Security+ certification validates your skills in the cybersecurity, information security, and networking domains. Having this certification will help you get the attention of recruiters.

Due to the certification being vendor-neutral, it gives you a general understanding of security concepts.

Companies are also looking for professionals who could handle vendor-specific architecture and equipment. Therefore, it would valuable to complement Security+ with vendor-specific certifications like Cisco’s Certified CyberOps Associate and CCNP Security.

If you already have some hands-on experience in cybersecurity, that can be a valuable addition to your Security+ certification when you are looking for a job.

Is the Security+ Certification for You?

Security+ covers all the important concepts that you need to work in the field of cybersecurity.

If you have a basic level understanding of IT security, and want to increase your skills and job opportunities, then Security+ is a good choice.

It will give you the opportunity the get a job that can pay over $65,000.

So, is the Security+ certification worth it?

If you are looking for an IT career that pays well, has lots of job opportunities, and gives you the chance to advance up the IT career ladder then Security+ will be worth the time, effort, and cost.

What is CompTIA Network+ Certification?

CompTIA Network+ is a computer network certification that provides expertise in computer networking concepts at both theoretical and practical levels.

Network+ is a vendor neutral certification offered by CompTIA. CompTIA is a trade association consisting of 2,000 member organizations and 3,000 business partners.

CompTIA Network+ certification is trusted by major companies including Apple, Cisco, Canon, Dell, HP and Verizon. Network+ covers both wired and wireless networks, with a special focus on core system connections with endpoint devices.

Network+ certification makes you a great fit for network engineering and network administrator jobs, for which the demand is increasing rapidly. According to Robert Half’s 2020 IT salary report, network engineers and network administrators are among the top 10 in-demand jobs of 2020.

CompTIA Network+ is accredited by The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and complies with ISO 17024 Standard.

According to the 2019 Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary Report, Network+ is one of the most popular CompTIA certifications worldwide.

The Network+ exam comprises of 90 questions and is 90 minutes long. You can expect multiple choice questions, drag and drop, and performance-based questions.

Performance-based questions are designed to test your ability to apply networking concepts practically. Performance-based questions are based on simulations and virtual environments.

For example, a diagram of different firewalls and DNS servers is provided. You are asked to solve a problem related to email services in the given scenario. You can drag and drop the correct answers in the blocks provided with the diagram.

Passing score for the certification is 720, and the cost of the Network+ exam is $329 USD.

Skills Measured by CompTIA Network+ Certification

Some of the key skills measured and validated by CompTIA Network+ include design and implementation of functional networks, configuration, management and maintenance of network devices, using routers and switches to maintain the flow of network traffic, identifying network vulnerabilities and resolving them, implementing network security best practices and standards, creating and visualizing new networks for complex environments and more.

Learning these skills will make you competent at understanding the networking dynamics of different organizations. Apart from theoretical concepts, the certification also includes labs and hands-on experience.

Specifically, the Network+ certification will give you an opportunity to learn the following concepts.

Networking Concepts

• Protocols and Ports
• Protocol Types
• OSI layers
• Properties of network traffic
• Segmentation and interface properties
• Routing
• Subnetting
• Wired topologies
• Configurations
• Cloud Concepts

Infrastructure

• Cabling solutions
• Transceivers
• Configuration of devices
• Virtualization

Network Operations

• Diagrams
• Availability concepts
• Monitoring

Network Security

• Detection
• Authentication
• Network Attacks
• Troubleshooting
• Hardware tools
• Software tools

Download the CompTIA Network+ (N10-007) Exam Objectives for a more complete curriculum.

Pre-requisites for Network+ Certification

As CompTIA Network+ is a vendor neutral certification, there are no required pre-requisites. Even if you don’t have a degree or prior experience in computer networking, you can still sign up for the certification.

However, CompTIA recommends having the CompTIA A+ certification or equivalent knowledge, and at least 9 months of experience in IT or a networking infrastructure environment. Having this background will help you understand the concepts much easier.

A+ certification covers all basic networking concepts at a beginner level. That’s why having A+ certification would help you with your Network+ certification.

How to Prepare for the CompTIA Network+ Certification Exam

To prepare for CompTIA Network+ certification, there are several options available.

Self-Study Resources

The first option is self-study resources. These resources include books, study guides, and videos. They are designed based on the course objectives of the Network+ exam and will help you cover the complete syllabus.

Let’s look at all of these resources and see their pros and cons.

Books

Using books to prepare for Network+ certification will give you a solid grasp of the subject matter. CompTIA Network+ preparation books cover all the curriculum of the certification, so you won’t have to worry about missing anything important from the exam objectives.

Books are a good option for you if you prefer to learn from written text and diagrams.

Books are written in serial order, and concepts build up on each other chapter by chapter. Using books to prepare for the exam will help you develop a solid understanding of networking concepts, and this will help you grasp more complex networking scenarios in the future.

There are many books which you can use to prepare for Network+ certification.  One of the most effective is the CompTIA Network+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide by Mike Myers, which covers all exam objectives and includes practice questions.

Preparing for the Network+ exam using a book is time consuming.  If you are short on time, and don’t want to read a lot of text, books aren’t the best option.

If you are a more visual learner, and enjoy an interactive learning experience, you might find books too complex.

Video Training

Videos based training helps in the understanding and retention of complex concepts. Videos are one of the best resources to prepare for the Network+ exam if you are short on time. Videos enable you to understand networking concepts in a visual and interactive way.

You can find an expert instructor-led Network+ video training course here.

Solely relying on videos for exam preparation could result in lack of in-depth understanding. Videos can sometimes be short and less detailed than books.   It is highly recommended that you complement your video training with practice labs and practice questions.

Instructor-Led Training

If you think the self-study method isn’t for you, you can use instructor-led training. The biggest advantage of this method is that you can ask questions directly to an expert, get hands-on training, and quickly remove confusion as you work through the exam preparation material.

There are several forms of instructor-led training available. You can use online instructor-led training programs in which you will learn remotely by attending live training sessions conducted by Network+ experts. There are instructor-led classroom training programs available as well.

However, instructor-led training programs are quite expensive. For example, the GlobalKnowledge training package costs upward of $1295 USD.  The package includes 5 days of hands-on, instructor-led online training.

Instructor-led training programs are suitable if you prefer to learn directly from an expert and ask questions whenever you want.

Practice Tests

It’s not easy to solve 90 questions in 90 minutes. No matter how well you prepared, you should do practice tests for Network+ certification before you sit in the actual exam.

Going through practice tests will help you understand how to solve complex network questions in a short period of time.

When you are given a scenario and asked to come up with the optimal solution, it’s very easy to become stuck and waste a lot of time on a single question. Practice tests will give you an idea about your speed. You will also learn to approach questions with the right perspective.

You can find Network+ exam practice tests here.

Practice Labs

Computer networking is a highly practical domain where concepts must be applied in real-life scenarios to resolve problems.

Practice labs are a must if you want to get a good pass mark on the exam.  Lab simulations allow you to try out networking concepts in a real live environment. Using live practice labs will solidify your learning and ensure you are prepared for any scenario-based questions.

One of the biggest advantages of focusing on practice labs is that you will develop a keen eye for practical resolution of different problems.

You can find Network+ exam practice labs here.

What Jobs can you get with a Network+ Certification?

Jobs in the area of computer networking are expected to rise significantly through 2028 and beyond, according to the US department of labor.

The average median salary of professionals in the computer networking domain is around $82,000, with huge growth potential.

As companies become more dependent on the inter-connectivity of their data resources, the demand for experts in networking rises. With a Network+ certification you can become eligible for a diverse range of jobs in networking. These jobs include

• Network Administrator
• Computer Technician
• Network Field Technician
• Help Desk Technician
• Junior System Engineer
• System Engineer
• IS Consultant
• Network Support Specialist
• Network Field Engineer
• Network Analyst

However, you should not expect to get these jobs just by having the Network+ certification alone. Many companies are looking for a combination of Network+ with advanced certifications like CCNA. You should also have some practical experience of working in the industry if you are looking for intermediate or advanced level jobs.

Network+ Certification Salary

A quick look at famous jobs website Indeed shows that there is a strong demand for Network+ certification from companies looking for network engineers, network administrators, and network analyst’s.

The average salary offered for these positions is over $75,000.

According to compensation data firm PayScale, companies hire CompTIA Network+ certificate holders for roles like network administrator, IT manager and system administrator.

Average salary for Network+ certification, according to PayScale, is $65,000.

According to the 2019 IT Skills and Salary Report by Global Knowledge, network engineer is one of the top non-management roles of 2019, with an average salary of $87,000 in North America.

Observations from Successful Network+ Certification Holders in the Industry

Some of the best feedback comes from successful Network+ candidates who also got jobs in the industry.

Their general recommendation is, while you are preparing for the Network+ exam you should try to apply the concepts, via practice labs or real networks, rather than simply trying to pass the exam.

For example, while reading about network topologies, ask yourself about the choices you’d make in a practical environment. What environment is best for a star topology? Where would you deploy mesh topology? This approach will help you in interviews and demonstrations.

Do NOT just learn “what” a term/concept is — rather learn “how/why” you would apply that concept when considering network troubleshooting or networking solutions.

For example, don’t just learn that 802.11a is 5GHz. Instead think of it in terms like “Why would I want to use 802.11a versus a different wireless standard such as 802.11b? What are the advantages of one over the other? How do they relate to more modern technologies like 802.11n and 802.11ac?”

That’s a very simple example but if you take that approach to every term and concept you learn, you’ll be much more prepared for the exam than just memorizing facts.

Reddit User “wguroot”

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/aeqpsx/comptia_network_n10007/

Candidates who pass Network+ and go onto advanced CompTIA certifications like Security+ believe that advanced certifications become easier after passing Network+.

The difficulty of Sec+ will depend on a lot of things. But the general consensus around here is that Sec+ is a lot easier after passing Net+. Good luck! The Sec+ 401 was easier than my N10-006 exam. The current 501 seems to be a pretty tough exam based on the feedback in here.

Reddit user “LabGeek5071”

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/8vd4s4/i_passed_my_comptia_network_certification/

People who have successfully passed the Network+ also recommend that anyone preparing for Network+ certification should print the exam objectives provided by CompTIA and continue to revisit them.  These objectives will offer detailed guidelines on the subject matter.

Overall I believe the most important part of this process was the time I spent ensuring I had physically writing down the answers to each objective for the exam. This ensured I had seen everything at least once. Without doing this I would have easily missed something important. All of the training resources, by themselves do not cover every item in the objectives, I needed to look in numerous areas for the information. I highly recommend you using this process when you begin preparing for a COMPtia exam!

Reddit User “Morganob”

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/86pw3t/passed_network_first_try_today_my_method_of/

 

If you’re studying for this exam I suggest following along with the CompTIA exam Objectives and X’ing out every concept you can explain already.

Reddit User “TheMoistiestMonk”

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompTIA/comments/9wsa1v/network/

The Truth About Network+

Network+ certification is an entry-level certification which is not vendor specific. This means that having this certification will give you a general, but solid understanding of networking concepts.

Network+ is very helpful in getting you started with your IT career, but if you want to advance to the upper echelons in the field of IT networking, it is recommend that you also get intermediate and advanced level certifications like CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), and CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional).

The majority of Network+ certified experts in the industry recommend pursuing intermediate and advanced certifications like CCNA and CCNP if you want to apply for high-end networking jobs.

Having a vendor-specific certification like Network+ will boost your chances of getting good jobs in the industry, as companies prefer experts who are qualified, and can configure, deploy, monitor and understand networks that are being used in their organization.

Is the Network+ Certification for You?

Network+ is one of the most popular networking certifications in the world because it gives you a very strong grasp of networking concepts and creates a foundation to help you understand more advanced concepts.

The certification is relatively cheap, and could be passed by studying just for one month with focus.

If you don’t have a Computer Science or Networking Degree, and are planning to start an IT career, the Network+ certification is for you.

The certification will remove the initial hurdles that you might face due to lack of experience or industry credentials, as it validates your understanding of networking.

With Network+, you can pursue advanced certifications and get high-end jobs with salaries of over $65,000.

So, is the CompTIA Network+ certification worth it?

If you are new to IT and looking for an infrastructure networking certification to help you get your first job or advance up the IT career ladder then Network+ will be worth the time, effort, and cost.

We have always been told, that a great career starts with great graduate education.  Is that always accurate? No, this isn’t a hundred percent applicable all the time, especially when it comes to starting a new career in IT.   

Emergence of various diverse opportunities in this booming field has made getting into an IT career much easier, and many entry-level positions simply require certifications to get you in the door.   

That being said, if you’re planning to change your career to one in the IT field, you should brass up your training wheels and get some certifications.   

To help you succeed in your endeavor, we’ve identified the best 7 certifications that would lay a solid foundation for your new IT career 

CompTIA IT Fundamentals 

If you are looking to get into an entry-level position in the IT field, a certification such as IT Fundamentals is perhaps the easiest one to complete for a newcomer.   

Other certifications like Network+ or CompTIA A+ are a little tougher and require a bit more experience.  For someone new to IT and starting from scratch, it’s advisable to obtain the IT Fundamentals certification first. 

Though this certification offered by CompTIA is not recommended for professionals having a general background in IT or working experience in the field, it would definitely help a beginner to obtain a robust foundation on which further knowledge and experience in IT can be developed. 

CompTIA A+ 

The A+ Certification is the ideal foundational course for many IT professions.  In the CompTIA A+ course, you will learn about and develop skills in networking, security, mobile devices, hardware, windows, troubleshooting and other operating systems and technologies. 

Due to the comprehensive nature of the skills taught in this course, A+ is widely recognized as being critical for anyone interested in starting a career in IT.  There are no prerequisites for this course and certification is granted on completion of the 1001 and 1002 CompTIA exams. 

CompTIA Network+ 

Network+ equips you with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively design, configure, troubleshoot and manage wired and wireless networks.  This course also ensures that you are trained to work with a variety of software and hardware. 

This course is highly respected and trusted around the world.  In fact, CompTIA Network+ meets the ISO 17024 standard and is approved by U.S. Department of Defense to fulfill Directive 8570.01-M requirements. 

This course can be considered a second level entry course.  It is recommended that candidates taking this exam have completed the CompTIA A+ certification and possess at least 9 months of networking experience. 

Microsoft Technology Associate 

If you want to pursue your career in developing and supporting Microsoft products, the MTA or Microsoft Technology Associate certification is probably the most appropriate option to go for.  

Microsoft offers several exams from which you can take your pick to earn your MTA. That being said, you would have the freedom to select your learning path from IT Infrastructure, Development or Databases.   

It’s important to note that this certification acts as an independent fundamentals course and won’t qualify you for any advanced level certifications. 

Cisco Certified Technician (CCT) 

This entry level Cisco Certification trains candidates with the skills to diagnose, repair, restore and replace critical Cisco networking and system devices at customer sites. 

You will work closely with the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) to effectively and efficiently resolve support incidents. 

There are no prerequisites for this course and authorized training is available online. 

Cisco Certified Technician (CCT) certification can be taken in multiple technology tracks, and this provides the opportunity for Cisco support technicians to expand their area of expertise. 

You can take the 010-151 DCTECH exam to qualify for the Cisco CCT Data Center certification, or take the 640-692 RSTECH exam to qualify for the Cisco CCT Routing and Switching certification. 

CCNA Routing and Switching 

CCNA (Cisco Certified Networking Associate) Routing & Switching certification establishes the proficiency of the holder in Cisco router and switch planning, installation, configuration as well as troubleshooting.   

You will be equipped with the foundational knowledge of the technologies, and will stay abreast of the skillsets needed for the adoption of next generation technologies.   

There are no prerequisites for candidates interested in the CCNA certification. This makes CCNA an attractive entry level course for individuals who want to start a career as a data center networking professional. 

VMware Certified Associate  – Data Center Virtualization 

The VCA (VMware Certified Associate) teaches you to define the technical requirements for data center virtualization, differentiate and describe vSphere related technologies and products, identify common use cases and how to address them.   

In addition, you will learn how to use vSphere web client to perform operational tasks.  

This certification focuses on helping candidates develop their understanding of basic virtualization technology and appropriate application of this knowledge to VMware products. 

There are no prerequisites for this course however, knowledge of data center virtualization fundamentals would be useful.  

Conclusion 

Having a globally accepted IT certification is a sure-fire method to make advancements in your IT career.  

To get a breakthrough in today’s IT landscape, your best bet is to validate your knowledge and skills through a cautiously selected combination of certifications. 

Now that you know about some of the top certifications that would surely help you make progress in your career in IT, what’s stopping you?  

If you’ve decided to leave your existing job and start afresh, it’s the ideal time to get a certification from the ones listed above and join the IT industry with confidence. 

According to Glassdoor, the tech industry is currently at the top of the employment pyramid due to the salary size and employment opportunities it offers to anyone with the right skills. 

Yes, we are in the information age.  But the question that remains to be answered is: just how lucrative are the top jobs in the IT sector? 

Here are the top 15 highest paying IT jobs for 2020. 

15. CRM Technical Developer – $89,750  

The CRM technical developer is responsible for ensuring client communication channels, systems, and networks are in optimal condition. The developer also ensures the final quality of developed products meet the standards of the client.  

14. IT Auditor– $92,000 

The IT auditor is the liaising officer who works with external auditors employed by regulatory bodies. The auditor ensures the IT systems, networks, and infrastructure are setup according to specified rules and regulations. 

13. Project Manager – $93,000 

The project manager is responsible for managing IT projects and for the personnel involved with them. The manager takes charge of; cost, development timelines, communication channels with involved parties, and managing payment/delivery milestones. 

12. ERP Technical Developer – $95,750 

The ERP technical developer is responsible for managing the Enterprise Resource Planning applications an organization uses. The developer also creates the tables, reports, and modules with the aim of improving system operations. 

11. Database Developer – $98,500 

The database developer is a team player who works with others to design, develop, test, and implement new and existing databases. The developer also creates methods and systems other staff can use to access the information in a database. 

10. Wireless Network Engineer – $102,000 

The wireless network engineer is tasked with optimizing network performance and supervising network-related tasks. These tasks include designing and implementing Wireless Local Area Networks and other wireless networks. The responsibilities also include setting security measures in place to protect networks. 

9. Data Security Analyst – $105,000 

The data security analyst is responsible for the development of security measures and policies to prevent phishing attacks. The analyst also tests and checks for soft targets in a data center, networks, and systems  

8. Database Manager – $108,500 

Here again, another data-related job specification makes the list. The Database manager is responsible for monitoring and managing the data collected by a data center. The manager is also responsible for updating the applications and certifications used in data centres. 

7. Data Architect– $111,000 

The ability to derive business insight from data is currently a highly rewarding skill in the IT industry. The Data Architect is responsible for designing, deploying, and configuring data centers.  

6. Applications Architect – $112,250 

The applications architect is responsible for the design and analysis of software projects. The architect is responsible for developing product prototypes and creating technical documents on executed projects. 

5. Network Architect – $114,000  

The Network Architect is a key player in any organisation regardless of the industry. The network architect is responsible for the connectivity, upgrades and ensuring system downtime’s are brought to a minimum. Designing and deploying network systems and components are also core duties.  

4. Information Systems Security Officer – $116,000 

2019 saw an exponential increase in the number of cyber-attacks that occurred and 2020 will not be different. The information systems security officer will be tasked with setting the cyber security policy of an organization. The job involves predicting attacks, planning for threats, and managing risk. 

3. Mobile Applications Developer– $117,000 

The rise of mobile ecosystems has led to app developers pulling in the big bucks. A mobile app developer is responsible for managing the complete development cycle of a mobile app. The app developer also manages the deployment phase and technical support tasks associated with the deployed mobile app. 

2. Enterprise Architect– $119,000 

The enterprise architect has the responsibility of deploying enterprise architecture for an organisation. The enterprise architect also maintains, coordinates and manages the IT architecture models of the firm.  

1. Big Data Engineer – $127,250 

The field of Big Data and the analytical process surrounding it has continued to grow and this is why a Big Data Engineer’s earning capacity tops the list. The Big Data engineer is responsible for developing, testing, maintaining, and evaluating Big Data analytics architecture.