Cisco Learning Partner Award Winners

Cisco has recently announced the Fiscal Year 2009 Learning Partner Award Recipients. These were revealed on June 10th, 2009 during the Cisco Partner Summit in Boston . Cisco Learning Partner Award is an initiative to highlight the remarkable efforts in the areas of Excellence in Acceleratrion, Collaboration and Innovation.

Winners in the Excellence in Acceleration Category:
APAC – NIIT, Ltd.
Emerging Markets – Global Knowledge-Synergy
European Markets – ExperTeach GmbH
United States & Canada – World Wide Technology
Worldwide – NIIT, Ltd.

Winners in the Excellence in Collaboration Category:
APAC – Global Knowledge ASIA PTE LTD
Emerging Markets – CTT Corporation
European Markets – Global Knowledge
United States & Canada – Global Knowledge
Worldwide – Global Knowledge

Winners in the Excellence in Innovation Category:
APAC – Dimension Data Learning Solutions
Emerging Markets – NIL Data Communications
European Markets – Fast Lane Institute for Knowledge Transfer
Japan – Fast Lane Institute for Knowledge Transfer
United States & Canada – Sunset Learning Institute
Worldwide – Fast Lane

Winners of Learning Partner of the Year by Theater:
APAC – Training Partners Ltd.
Emerging Markets – Fast Lane Dubai
European Markets – Fast Lane
Japan – Global Knowledge
United States & Canada – New Horizons

And the Worldwide Learning Partner of the Year:
Global Knowledge Training LLC

Congratulations to all winners!

Certified Ethical Hacker

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is a certification for those individuals who have skills to penetrate network or computer systems. Using these same skills these individuals can identify and fix computer security weaknesses. CEH is a professional certification provided by International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council).

Ethical Hackers are computer or network experts who strike a security system on behalf of its owners, in the quest of vulnerabilities that a malicious hacker could utilize. To test a security system, ethical hackers use the same methods and tools as malicious hackers use, but report problems instead of taking advantage of them.

Ethical Hackers are also known as penetration testers and red teaming. The main objective of ethical hacker is to help the organization and take preventive measures against malicious attacks by attacking the system himself; while continuing their work within legal limits.

EC-Council Certifications are designed to provide the base required by every Electronic Commerce and Security Professional. EC-Council program provides broad range of skills and knowledge, required to build and administer an organization's networking and security operations.

Currently, CEH is in 6th version from August 2008. CEH certification is obtained after attended training at ATC (Accredited Training Center). Applicant can also prepare for Ethical hacking and Countermeasures Course through self-study, but he has to file an application and submits proof of relevant work experience in information security (min 2 years). After the training, applicant has to give one exam i.e. exam code 312-50. EC-Council Certification exams are available at authorized Prometric and Vue Test Centers and the exam costs USD $250.

IBM Lotus Certification Programs

IBM Lotus Notes is a client-server, shared application developed and sold by IBM Software Group. IBM describes the software as an "integrated desktop client option for accessing business e-mail, calendars and applications on an IBM Lotus Domino server”. It has many features like group calendaring and scheduling and SMTP based e-mail. It is essentially used as an e-mail client, but can it also be used as a browser, notebook, an instant messaging client as well as platform for interacting with shared applications.

Lotus Certification Programs
Lotus Notes and Domino 8.5	Associate, Professional and Advanced level Certifications in Application Development and System Administration.
Lotus Notes and Domino 8	Associate, Professional and Advanced level Certifications in Application Development and System Administration.
Lotus Notes and Domino 7	Associate, Professional and Advanced level Certifications in Application Development and System Administration.
Lotus Security	Advanced level Certifications for Lotus Notes and Domino Security Professionals
Lotus Social Software	Professional level Certifications for Lotus Connections, Domino and WebSphere Portal.
Lotus Sametime	Professional level Certifications in System Administration.
WebSphere Portal	Professional level Certifications in Solution Development and System Administration on Portal V6.0 and V6.1

Lotus Notes and Domino 8.5

Application Development

Associate Level - IBM Certified Associate Application Developer should be able to exhibit the fundamental skills necessary to design and alter a database application that can be accessed by both Notes and browser clients. It is recommended that the developer understand the basic elements of Domino 8 environment, apply them with programming formulas and functions. Only 1 test is required to earn this Certification i.e., Test LOT-952.

Professional Level - This Certification requires a deeper knowledge of architectural concepts and use of complex functions and features. It is for the experienced Notes Domino 8 Application Developers. Prerequisites for this Certification is:

1. IBM Certified Application Developer - Lotus Notes and Domino 8,
2. Test LOT 951-IBM Lotus Notes Domino 8.5 Application Development Update

Advanced Level - IBM Certified Advanced Level Application Developer on Lotus Notes Domino 8.5 should be able to validate the skills required to create and maintain Domino 8.5 Applications in one of the three areas; LotusScript or JavaScript or Web Services or developer can effectively create and deploy composite applications with Notes and Domino 8.5. To earn this Certification, prerequisites are; 1 Certification + 1 Test.

System Administration

Associate Level - This certification is for system administrators who are just starting out with Domino and who need to install, maintain and manage the Domino servers and users. It is required that administrator should be able to install and build the servers for the first time and establish the basic Domino domain. Applicant has to give one test, to earn this certification i.e. Test LOT -980 Operating Fundamentals.

Professional Level - IBM Certified System Administrator should be able to execute the tasks related with IBM Certified Associate System Administrator and express the skills linked with growth of Domino infrastructure. Prerequisites for this certification are; 1 Certification i.e. IBM Certified System Administrator - Lotus Notes and Domino 8 and 1 test i.e. Test LOT-956 System Administration Update.

Advanced Level - The IBM Certified Advanced System Administrator - Lotus Notes Domino 8.5 should be able to accomplish everyday jobs associated with the IBM Certified System Administrator - Lotus Notes and Domino 8.5, and validates knowledge of Domino Web server administration including configuring Web protocols (HTTP, LDAP, and others), and understanding HTTP rules and their effect on Web traffic. Prerequisites for this certification are; 1 Certification and 1 test.

Source: IBM Lotus