IT Insights Blog

In the words of a favorite Christmas carol, "Fast away the old year passes." It will be 2016 before you know it, and a new year brings new possibilities and new opportunities to strive for excellence in IT certification. If you didn't hit your certification mark in 2015, now is the time to think about giving it another shot. And speaking of second chances, one thing that pops up over and over again in the cybersecurity realm is companies and organizations (sometimes even governments) who are begging consumers and constituents for a second chance to do a better job of...

Happy Star Wars Day from TestOut Continuing Education! Yeah, we know, some of you think that Star Wars Day happens in May. May the 4th be with you and all of that. (Trivia time: Star Wars was actually released on May 25, 1977, so, um, yeah. Sorry May 4.) Don’t kid yourself. Dec. 18 is the new Star Wars Day. We participated in a pre-Star Wars Day screening last night, and if the level of enthusiasm we observed at the local 17-screen theater is any indication, then it’s clear that We the People have unequivocally declared a brand new Star Wars...

Vince Lombardi is revered by many as the greatest football mind to ever coach the game. He’s known for his earth-shaking speeches that could motivate a turtle to finish a 40-yard dash in 4.2 seconds. Lombardi hung his hat, and his nearly 72 percent winning percentage, on the ideals of hard work and diligent practice. “Practice does not make perfect” Lombardi would say to his players. “Only perfect practice makes perfect.” This mindset won’t only produce results on a football field. You can succeed in all aspects of life by practicing perfectly. This is particularly true in the realm of...

There's a fun new article up at the Certification Magazine website. Compiled from data gathered in CertMag's most recent Salary Survey, the article lists the "best" hacker characters in Hollywood movies, as determined by real-world cybersecurity professionals. It's like asking doctors to rate the characters on "Grey's Anatomy," or having actual superheroes decide who are the most real-seeming characters in an "Avengers" movie. So who did the best job of convincing actual security techs that his (or her) hacking skills were legit? Hey, read the article — who are we to spoil their fun? Of course, when it comes to...

LabSim is TestOut’s software platform that provides comprehensive, experience-based learning and assessment. LabSim uniquely combines rich multimedia materials, best-of-class labs and simulations, comprehensive instructor tools, and 100 percent performance-based certifications. In 2014, TestOut began working on a new version of LabSim. Its primary purpose was to create a more comprehensive experience for students utilizing online learning environments in conjunction with recent developments among modern internet browsers. Since this is the fifth version of LabSim, it’s aptly called LabSim 5. This fifth-generation platform incorporates the innovations of past platform versions, and is built upon the core technology and upcoming standard for...