Top 5 Certifications To Grab in 2014

A list of desirable IT certifications from 2014 captures the priorities of a technology industry moving toward wider cloud adoption, stronger cybersecurity controls and more standardized enterprise operations. It does not represent a live examination schedule. Names and delivery methods have changed substantially since then, so readers should distinguish the historical reasons for a credential's… Read More »

Holiday Freebie from Microsoft: Earn Your MCS Server Virtualization Cert For FREE

Editorial update — October 2026: The no-cost Server Virtualization certification offer described below was a 2013 holiday promotion. It is no longer a way to register for an exam or earn an MCSA/MCSE credential. Keep the virtualization lab ideas as technical history, but do not rely on the original voucher terms, exam numbers or deadlines.… Read More »

Microsoft Postpones The Retirement of SQL Server 2008 Exams, And How You Can Benefit From This

Historical certification context — October 2026: This article records the earlier postponement of SQL Server 2008 certification-exam retirements. That extended examination window has long since closed. Any invitation below to book one of these exams or act before the historical deadline is archival, not current registration advice. Microsoft has made an unexpected but welcome announcement… Read More »

The Year In Review: Best Paid IT Certifications of 2013

The question of which IT certifications paid the most in 2013 reveals what employers valued at a particular moment in technology history. Virtualization was becoming normal in enterprise data centers, public cloud adoption was accelerating, and security and infrastructure specialists were being asked to manage increasingly interconnected systems. Lists from that period are useful as… Read More »

CISSP in 2013: Historical Exam, Ten Domains, and Career Value

The year 2013 was a landmark period for information security professionals. Organizations around the world were waking up to the reality that cybersecurity was no longer a back-office concern but a boardroom priority. High-profile data breaches, growing regulatory pressure, and the rapid expansion of internet-connected systems had created an urgent demand for skilled security professionals… Read More »

New Cisco CCIE R&S Exam V5.0 Coming Soon

The networking world is buzzing with anticipation as Cisco prepares to roll out the updated CCIE Routing and Switching version 5.0 exam. For networking professionals who have built their careers around Cisco technologies, this update represents one of the most significant shifts in the certification program in recent years. The changes coming with version 5.0… Read More »

HPExpertOne: Balanced Approach That Deserves a Closer Look

HP ExpertOne belongs to a particular period of enterprise IT certification. The program was built around Hewlett-Packard’s server, storage, networking, software, and converged-infrastructure businesses, and its purpose was to connect technical skills with professional and partner roles. It should not be presented in 2026 as a newly bookable certification track simply because historical course descriptions… Read More »

What’s Not To Miss: Microsoft Certification Upgrade Offer

Editorial update — October 2026: This is a record of a Microsoft certification-upgrade promotion from 2013, not a presently valid exam-discount or upgrade offer. Promotional prices, eligibility and upgrade exams from that period have expired. The useful lesson is how to evaluate a certification upgrade against a career goal; before paying for any exam today,… Read More »

Take New VMware Associate Level Exams For FREE: Find the Promo Code Inside!

The free VMware Associate-level exam promotion discussed in the original article belongs to an earlier stage of VMware certification. It should not be treated as a working voucher offer in October 2026. The original post dates to November 2013; a promotion that was useful to candidates then is not evidence that registration codes, associated exam… Read More »

Windows Store Apps Exam Updates: 70-481, 70-482, 70-484 and 70-485

The Microsoft certification ecosystem has always been a living, breathing structure that shifts in response to how developers actually build software. When Windows 8 arrived and brought with it the concept of Windows Store apps, Microsoft needed a credentialing framework that reflected the new development paradigm. The exams that emerged from that effort — 70-481,… Read More »

Should I get Certified as a Windows Phone Developer?

The question of whether to pursue certification as a Windows Phone developer is one that requires honest and direct consideration of where that platform stands today and what the certification landscape around it looks like. Windows Phone was Microsoft’s ambitious attempt to compete in the smartphone market against Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems.… Read More »

Should Juniper Networks Certification Be Your Next Step?

Juniper certification is a strong option for networking professionals who work with Junos OS, enterprise routing and switching, service-provider systems, data-center fabrics, network security or Mist AI environments. The most important question is not whether a Juniper badge looks prestigious; it is whether the credential develops skills that match the devices and services you are… Read More »

I’m Only Good at HTML and CSS. Any Chance I Can Get a ‘Grown Up’ Certification?

The question comes up more often than most people in the tech industry might expect. A developer who has spent years building websites, styling layouts, and crafting responsive interfaces with nothing but HTML and CSS in their toolkit starts wondering whether their skills are substantial enough to pursue formal recognition. The honest answer is yes,… Read More »

Certified Ethical Hackers, or Welcome to the Light Side

Historical context for this 2013 article Originally published on October 28, 2013, this article records ethical hacking as a profession and the early CEH credential discussion. The discussion below retains the language and assumptions of its publication period. Words such as “new,” “now,” “coming soon,” “free,” and references to exam registration or a specific product… Read More »

Cisco Associate Level Certifications: No Prerequisites, But Where’s The Catch?

Cisco associate level certifications have long attracted attention from aspiring network professionals because of one particularly inviting characteristic: there are no formal prerequisites required to sit the exams. Anyone can register, pay the exam fee, and attempt the certification without needing to prove prior learning, hold a lower-level credential, or complete any mandatory training program.… Read More »