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15 Top Paying Certifications for 2013
Randy Muller, Global Knowledge Instructor, MCT, MCSE, MCSA, MCDST

Having earned an IT certification, many individuals think they are automatically entitled to a huge raise. The truth is that several factors, including geography, industry, experience, and yes, certifications, combine to play a major role in determining an individual’s salary. However, certain certifications do have greater impact on the earning potential of an individual. Here, we take a look at the 15 certifications with the highest earning potential for 2013.

Note: The rankings below are derived from certifications that received the minimum number of responses to be statistically relevant in the Global Knowledge annual salary survey completed in October 2012. Certain certifications pay more, but are not represented due to their exclusive nature. These include CCIE: Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert and VCDX: VMware Certified Design Expert, for example.

1. PMP: Project Management Professional – $105,750
The Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) credential is recognized as the most important certification for project managers. It is globally acknowledged, in heavy demand, and highly sought after by corporations and individuals alike. A Project Management Professional designation demonstrates that you have not only the experience but also the education to successfully lead and direct projects. The PMP credential is for experienced project management professionals, as the qualifications and testing for this certification are rigorous, as are the required continuing education requirements. All of these factors ensure that the PMP credential is widely respected. The PMP experience and exam requirements focus on five process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling, and Closing.

2. CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional – $103,299
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credential is primarily intended for security managers and profes¬sionals who develop policies and procedures in information security. The CISSP certification has become the gold standard in information security certifications and education. Earning and maintaining a CISSP certification is required for many government, military, and civilian security positions. The CISSP was the first credential in the field of information security, accredited by the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standard 17024:2003.

3. MCSD: Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer – $97,849
The Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer is the new Microsoft developer certification that replaces the old Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer certification. The new certification validates a candidate’s ability to design and build application solutions. These solutions may span multiple versions of a single technology or integrate multiple technologies. Developers are expected to analyze and design enterprise solutions using different Microsoft languages and development tools.

Currently, there are three separate certification tracks for those seeking to earn this certification: MCSD: Windows Store Apps, MCSD: Web Applications, and MCSD: Application Lifecycle Management. Each MCSD track requires anywhere from three to six separate exams. Microsoft has introduced a recertification requirement for the new MCSD. Current certification holders will have to recertify every two years, ensuring that they remain current on the base technology that will have changed due to service packs, revisions, and new product releases. (Those holding MCSE certifications will have to recertify every three years).

4. MCDBA: Microsoft Certified Database Administrator – $95,950
Access to information is critical in today’s fast-paced, global environment. Corporations are even more dependent on quick and reliable systems to process and retrieve information. This means they must operate their own database servers and business intelligence software to access this information in order to grow and become more successful, and Microsoft Certified Database Administrators (MCDBA) are the ones who provide this expertise. An MCDBA-certified individual has proven his or her ability to design, implement, and manage SQL Server 2000 databases. This certification was retired on September 30, 2012, though if you achieved it before that date it will still appear on your transcript as a legacy certification. There are two new MCSE certifications for SQL 2012: Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE): Data Platform and Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE): Business Intelligence.

5. CCDA®: Cisco Certified Design Associate – $94,799
The Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) indicates that the certified individual has a strong foundation and apprentice knowledge of network design for Cisco converged networks. A CCDA certification is for network design engineers, technicians, and support engineers, who enable efficient network environments. The CCDA-certified individual has the skills to design a routed and switched network infrastructure and services involv¬ing LAN, WAN, and broadband access for businesses and organizations.

6. MCAD: Microsoft Certified Application Developer – $93,349
The Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) credential provides industry recognition for professional developers who build powerful applications using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET and Web services. Responsibilities include implementing requirements, developing, testing, deploying, and maintaining department-level applications components, Web or desktop clients, or back-end data services by using Microsoft tools and technologies. The MCAD certification is appropriate for Programmers, Analysts, Software Engineers, Software Application Specialists and Application/Software Developers.

7. VCP-DV: VMware Certified Professional Datacenter Virtualization – $92,400
Virtualization, and those who are knowledgeable on virtualization products, are in heavy demand, especially those professionals with datacenter virtualization skills. In the highly competitive virtualization market it is essential to distinguish yourself with a certification that validates your technical capabilities. VMware is one of the leading vendors of virtualization products and earning a VMware certification is the first step toward gaining industry-recognized expertise in virtual infrastructure. Earning the VCP-DV certification demonstrates that you have not only completed a VMWare-authorized training course but also have the necessary experience and training to successfully install, deploy, scale, and manage VMware vSphere environments.

8. CNE: Certified Novell Engineer – $91,350
The Certified Novell Engineer (CNE) shows that those certified individuals have the expertise and knowledge to solve advanced company-wide support problems and high-level network problems. They perform planning, installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and upgrade services for networks. The Certified Novell Engineer (CNE) has been recognized as one of the IT industry’s leading certifications for advanced networking and troubleshooting professionals.

9. ITIL v3 Foundation – $90,900
The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITILv3) is a foundational process that provides for quality IT Service Management. The success of ITIL is through the use of documented and proven processes that cover the entire Service Lifecycle. The ITIL Expert level is the third of four levels. The ITIL Expert level certification is aimed at those individuals who are interested in demonstrating a superior level of knowledge of ITIL Version 3 (v3) in its entirety. Once you have achieved ITIL Expert level you will also satisfy the pre-requisite entry criteria for the ITIL Master Level; the highest level of certification within the ITIL v3 scheme, though the Master level is still under development.

10. CCA: Citrix Certified Administrator – Citrix XenServer 6 – $90,850
The Citrix CCA is an entry-level certification. Earning this certification validates the candidate’s skills with one of 11 specific Citrix products, the most popular being XenApp, XenDesktop, and XenServer. The Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA) for Citrix XenServer 6 certification validates the certified individual’s ability to effectively install, configure, administer, troubleshoot, and maintain XenServer 6.0 Enterprise edition and Provisioning Services 6.0 in an enterprise environment.

11. MCITP: Database Administrator – $90,200
The MCITP certification validates that the IT professional is capable of deploying, building, designing, optimizing, and operating technologies for a particular job role. MCITP certifications builds on the technical proficiency measured in the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certifications. In order to earn the MCITP: Database Administrator you must first pass the Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist certification in SQL Server 2008 (by passing the 70-432 exam) and then pass the 70-450 exam. The MCITP Database Administrator demonstrates knowledge of SQL Server instances and database solutions, database server security solutions, high availability databases, backup and recovery solutions, monitoring strategies, database management and maintenance strategies, and data distribution strategies.

12. MCTS: SQL Server 2005 – $90,100
Those who have earned the MCTS: SQL Server 2005 certification are IT professionals who may pursue careers as database administrators, database developers, or business intelligence developers. They may also be people who do not work with Microsoft SQL Server as a part of their primary job functions but who want to show their breadth of technology experience, such as developers, systems administrators, and others. This certification validates that the IT professional can implement and maintain databases by using specific instructions and specifications.

13. MCT: Microsoft Certified Trainer – $89,949
Those holding the Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCTs) certification are the premier technical and instructional experts on Microsoft technologies. An MCT has earned at least one premier certification on a Microsoft product and maintains that certification. Some of the benefits of earning and maintaining an MCT include access to the complete library of Official Microsoft Learning Products; substantial discounts on exams, books, and Microsoft products; members-only newsgroups and online community resources; and invitations to exclusive events and programs. MCT’s must renew each year by completing an online application, pay an annual fee, and meet a number of program requirements to renew your certification for the coming year.

14. CCNP®: Cisco Certified Network Professional – $89,749
There are two tracks available at the Associate and Professional levels – Designing and Networking. The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) demonstrates that you have the ability to plan, implement, verify, and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks. A CCNP-certified individual is expected to work collaboratively with other Cisco specialists on advanced products such as security, voice, wireless, and video solutions.

15. CCA: Citrix Certified Administrator – Citrix XenDesktop 5 – $89,499
The Citrix CCA is an entry-level certification. Earning this certification validates the candidate’s skills with one of 11 specific Citrix products, the most popular being XenApp, XenDesktop, and XenServer. The CCA for Citrix XenDesktop 5 certifies the expertise required to install, administer, and troubleshoot an enterprise environment containing a XenDesktop implementation, including Provisioning Services, XenServer, XenApp and the Desktop Delivery Controller
Summary

Earning a certification does not guarantee that you will walk into a higher paying job. Certification counts, but employers look at several factors, including experience. There was a time when certification holders were reasonably assured of landing a job. Today it is more of a qualifier – not having a certification means you may not even get an interview.
About the Author

Randy Muller (MCT, MCTS, MCSE, CEH) is an instructor with Global Knowledge, specializing in teaching Microsoft Office 365, Exchange, Lync Server as well as Windows Server 2008.

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With Cisco more or less pulling the plug on its business tablet Cius, Microsoft tablets based on Windows 8 have an opportunity and a challenge.

The opportunity: give businesses an alternative to the popular iPad that employees bring in as part of sanctioned BYOD programs. This is a strong plus for Windows 8, which can support all the apps that Windows 7 can plus whatever new Windows 8 Metro style apps are developed. iPads can’t do either.

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BACKGROUND: Cisco all but kills Cius tablet computer

Even the more limited Windows 8 edition for ARM-based devices – Windows RT – has features attractive to businesses that iPads can’t duplicate, notably integration of four Microsoft Office applications.

The bottom line here is that from an IT management perspective and from a business functionality perspective, Windows 8 mobile devices are more attractive than iPads.

The challenge: for Windows 8 to succeed in a BYOD environment, employees first have to bring Windows 8 devices to the workplace. That means they have to choose them over iPads, a decision that likely doesn’t consider how well suited they are to work.

As consumers upgrade their personal mobile devices, they may in fact chose Windows 8 tablets based on their past use of Windows laptops and the new touch-centric features of the new operating system. Much depends on price, on how well cooked Windows 8 is at its release and on how well it performs on the hardware that it’s bundled with. If Microsoft and its hardware partners come through, there may be a surge in the number of Windows devices that are BYODs of choice.

That’s a big if, and Microsoft shouldn’t bet much on it coming to pass. The demise of Cius, however, offers lessons that indicate that eventually, Windows 8 mobile devices could do well in the enterprise.

First, businesses aren’t interested in buying business-tailored tablets when they can get employees to buy their own consumer-oriented mobile devices that support enough work-related tasks. But they might buy mobile PCs that support the corporate desktop, which is dominated by Windows. Windows 8 on tablets could become a preferred form of corporate desktop replacement.

Second, Windows 8 and Windows RT combined can be deployed on devices that range from low-cost tablets such as Kindle Fires and Nooks to ultrabooks and convertibles that can perform as tablets or full laptops. That gives the software the chance to fill a variety of corporate needs that could be met either buy businesses purchasing the devices or embracing them as part of BYOD programs. Either way, it’s good for Windows 8.

The downfall for Cius was inflexibility. It performed certain specific functions but not more general ones, and at the same time was being challenged by devices that couldn’t perform the work-specific functions, but did the more general ones well. The general and flexible won out.

Windows 8 in all its flavors does offer that flexibility and as such represents a wide net. Some of its success in business will depend on whether consumers embrace it.

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VSPEX platform includes tech from multiple partners like Cisco, Citrix, Intel and Brocade

Computerworld – EMC today announced a pre-configured private cloud platform created through an alliance with six hardware and software vendors.

EMC will sell the new VSPEX Proven Infrastructure cloud through its Velocity Program channel partners, who can rebrand the platform.

Some of the initial 13 channel partners that will sell the offering include Arrow Electronics, Avnet, Ingram Micro, WestconGroup and SiS.

“EMC will be doing a lot to build the brand and customer demand for VSPEX,” said Gregg Ambulos, senior vice president of global channel sales at EMC.

EMC learned not to compete with its channel partners after many were not happy when the storage vendor also offered its Atmos public cloud storage service through its direct sales force.

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The new VSPEX Proven Infrastructure includes EMC’s VNX and VNXe hybrid storage arrays, along with Avamar software and Data Domain backup appliances. The cloud platform also includes processors from Intel, switches from Brocade, servers from Cisco, and software from Citrix, Microsoft HyperV and VMware.

Avamar and Data Domain products will offer data deduplication to users, while EMC’s Fully Automated Storage Tiering (FAST), will offer data migration between varying disk storage arrays based on data use patterns.

Ambulos said that since delivering the vBlocks integrated computing system through EMC’s Virtual Computing Environment alliance with Cisco, sales have soared.

“What we heard from customers is there were times when they wanted more choice in terms of components with regard to private cloud,” he said.

“By integrating these technologies tightly with the hypervisor and end-user computing environments, customers can also benefit from simpler administration and lower management costs,” EMC stated in a news release.

There are initially 14 VSPEX configurations, which EMC said represent the most popular use cases for companies moving to cloud computing.

For private cloud deployments VSPEX users have the option of running VMware vSphere 5.0 or Microsoft Windows Hyper-V from 50-250 virtual machines. For end-user computing deployments, users can choose between VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop from 50 to 2000 virtual desktops.

EMC said additional VSPEX configurations will be made available based on partner demand.

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Insiemi being pitched by 3 star Cisco engineers who also worked on SAN, Nexus switches

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Cisco is reportedly considering incubating an internal startup chartered to develop the company’s software-defined networking product line.

According to The New York Times, Insiemi is the name of the startup, which would ostensibly be spun in to Cisco once its product is finished. The Times said Cisco is negotiating with three of its top engineers on whether to fund and commence the startup’s operations.

SDN WITH A CISCO PEDIGREE: Startup founded by ex-Cisco execs pushes software-defined networking

Cisco would not comment on the Times story.

Cisco has done this with two other internal startups — Andiamo, which made the company’s SAN switches; and Nuova, which developed Cisco’s Nexus data center switches. In all three cases, the same three Cisco engineers are involved in the startup company formation, operation and product strategy and development: Mario Mazzola, Prem Jain and Luca Cafiero.

The three have deep roots in Cisco’s Ethernet switching business, dating back to 1993. Andiamo was acquired by Cisco in 2002, with the purchase price based on SAN switch sales — potentially up to $2.5 billion, Cisco said at the time. Nuova was acquired in 2008 for between $70 million and $678 million, also dependent on product sales.

But the startup spin-in strategy has also strained relations between Cisco and its internal engineering teams who were not selected to join the startup and then saw their own teams recruited away. The practice led to the departures of these engineers who then started up their own companies to compete with Cisco, sources said.

Sources say Insiemi has already recruited Tom Edsall, a Cisco Fellow and a lead ASIC architect of the company’s Nexus and MDS switching lines (from the Nuova and Andiamo spin-ins); and Ronak Desai, the architect of Cisco’s NX-OS FabricPath and Virtual Device Context software, and of the MDS SAN switch operating system. The startup may also have recruited Michael Smith, a distinguished engineer who worked on Cisco’s Nexus 1000v virtual switch, sources say.

Insiemi has also been granted full source code licenses to Cisco’s NX-OS data center network operating system, the sources say. They also say Insiemi headquarters have been established for now in Cafiero’s Palo Alto home.

Insiemi would develop Cisco’s software-defined networking product line, according to The New York Times. Software-defined networking (SDN) allows an external controller to act as the brains of the switching and/or routing infrastructure, enabling software programmability and configurability without manual intervention on each and every network element.

The Nexus 1000v virtual switch would likely be the first “touch point” for the Cisco SDN controller, sources say.

SDNs are said to be a way to abstract the physical network from the logic with which to operate it, and to enable easier modification or feature extension. OpenFlow is supported by many in the industry as an API and protocol to enable SDNs.

Cisco has been tight-lipped on its OpenFlow/SDN strategy. SDNs are said to be a threat to Cisco’s hardware dominance and profits in that it opens up proprietary or customized hardware to manipulation by an external element. Cisco has said it plans to add OpenFlow to its Nexus switches, but beyond that, the company is not elaborating on its strategy to either embrace or combat SDNs.

In the previous internal startup ventures, Andiamo and Nuova both developed switches featuring custom Cisco ASICs with software very tightly coupled with these ASICs. Indeed, this continues to be Cisco’s strategy, even with SDNs, Cisco CEO John Chambers recently noted in a roundtable with trade reporters.

So it’s expected that Insiemi would develop an SDN controller, and perhaps other switching products, that tightly couple Cisco ASICs to the software control of associated switches. Whether OpenFlow is involved in the development — or a Cisco proprietary SDN API and protocol — is unclear at this point.

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Oracle and SAP may be back in court on June 18 to begin a retrial of Oracle’s corporate theft lawsuit involving SAP’s former TomorrowNow subsidiary, according to a judge’s order Thursday.

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Oracle was awarded US$1.3 billion in damages from SAP last November as compensation for TomorrowNow’s theft of software and support materials from an Oracle website.

SAP argued the sum was unfairly high, and the court agreed, overturning the jury’s award. Oracle was given a choice of accepting a lower damages amount of $272 million or going into a new trial, and earlier this month it picked the new trial.

The two weeks starting June 18 are the only two weeks free on the judge’s calendar this year, Judge Phyllis Hamilton of the Northern District Court of California said in her scheduling order Thursday. If Oracle and SAP reject that date, they can choose Aug. 13, 2013, or else hope an opening comes up before then.

It will be a busy year for Oracle in the courts. The company is fighting two other big cases that are due to go to trial this year. One was brought by Hewlett-Packard, over Oracle’s decision to drop support for Itanium. The other is Oracle’s suit against Google for alleged patent and copyright violations in Android.

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Microsoft is replacing its Office Academic SKU with a new Office University one that it hopes will help curtail fraudulent use.

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Whenever folks complain about how expensive Microsoft’s Office suite is, someone inevitably points out that the academic version is only about under $100 (usually around $80). And if you’re not a student… no worries. You can use someone else’s ID to buy it.

Microsoft officials know this, too. To help thwart non-students from getting an undeserved  deal on the Academic SKU — which includes Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, OneNote 2010, Outlook 2010, Publisher 2010, Access 2010, and Office Web Apps (the free, consumer-focused version of Microsoft’s Webified version of four of its Office apps) — Microsoft is tightening the verification requirements.

On February 1, Microsoft quietly replaced the Office Professional Academic 2010 SKU with a new one called “Microsoft Office University 2010.” The new SKU is for “higher-education” students and faculty only. “Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 is the recommended product for parents and families with K-12 students,” according to a Microsoft frequently asked questions (FAQ) document. (There’s a new comparable Office for Mac 2011 University SKU, too.)

C-FAX 1070 radio “Tech Talk” host Alan Perry is the one who alerted me to the new SKU, which Microsoft confirmed.

Office University 2010 includes the same point products as the former Academic Professional SKU. It costs $99 and can be installed on two PCs. But it has a new verification process, which works as follows, according to the FAQ:

Office University 2010 does not come with a product key. Your eligibility will be verified online before completing purchase. This product will not work without successful verification as you will not have a product key.

You will be required to verify your eligibility online to use this software.
1.Go to www.office.com/verify.
2.Sign in with your Windows Live ID or create one using any email address.
3.Provide your school email address, sign-in ID, or international student identity card (ISIC).

Once you pass verification, the online site displays the product key.

“The big change is the validation process, as you’ll see on the big warning stickers on the packaging,” said Perry. “Up to now, if you could persuade someone to sell you a copy, (even if you weren’t a student or faculty) it was yours to use. The change appears to be an effort to curtail the large number of ineligible people buying the Academic versions.”

Microsoft plans to offer a similar Office University SKU as part of its next versions of Office for Windows and Mac, Perry said the Softies told him.

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