CompTIA Volley

Carolyn and Seth take a look at CompTIA's new research, Trends in Managed Services. The managed services space has become very complex, with most firms offering a wide variety of options for clients beyond the management and automation of routine services. Two areas of specialized growth are Internet of Things and security, where companies are looking for strategic consulting and solutions that mi...

Carolyn and Seth review CompTIA's newest research, Trends in Data Management. The study looks at the capabilities companies have around managing their data, from sourcing to processing to analytics and security. The conversation also covers the use of blockchain and other digital ledger technologies for data activities, with these tools currently in an early hype phase but likely becoming foundati...

Carolyn and Seth talk about software development with Sarah Mei, Software Architect and Director of Design System Enablement at Salesforce. The conversation begins with a quick look at the software problems in the Iowa caucus system, then moves into a discussion of code schools as a method for filling the software development pipeline, then concludes with questions of how ethics are becoming a mor...

Carolyn and Seth have a discussion around privacy in the wake of the recent focus on Apple's encryption capabilities. Even though there are conflicting sentiments from both businesses and consumers, determining the level of transparency is a key part of a modern data strategy.

Carolyn and Seth talk with Jim Hamilton, CompTIA's vice president of member communities, about the structure of CompTIA communities and the plans these communities have in 2020. CompTIA's member communities are collections of technology professionals focused on certain technologies, business models, and workforce issues. In addition, CompTIA serves member needs globally with four existing regional...

For the last episode of 2019, Carolyn and Seth take a look back at the biggest tech trends of the past decade. From cloud/mobile changing IT infrastructure to social changing the fabric of society to security becoming a constant moving target, the technology industry matured from a niche player to a dominant industry. The two hosts share their thoughts on these topics and predict how this decade w...

Carolyn and Seth take a look back at the year in tech, discussing the adoption (or lack thereof) of emerging technologies, the rise in importance of cybersecurity, the need for deeper discussions around complex issues, and the opportunities for a diverse group of people seeking technology careers.

Carolyn and Seth review CompTIA's IT Industry Outlook 2020, which has a fresh new design. Along with ten trends for the new year and the statistics around the size and growth of the industry, this report looks at the priorities of IT professionals and the changes taking place within technology firms. The discussion covers some of the most interesting takeaways, including new aspects of workforce d...

Carolyn and Seth welcome Randy Gross, CompTIA's CIO and Executive VP of Certification Operations, for the annual holiday episode. The group covers one thing in technology that is scary (the industry's disconnect from real-world impact), one thing to be thankful for (the people who drive the industry forward), and one thing on the wish list (for the good news about technology to outweigh the bad).

Carolyn and Seth welcome Spencer Bone, director of marketing at CompTIA, to discuss the new individual membership programs at CompTIA. CompTIA now offers memberships for IT professionals and students to help people start and build IT careers, and Spencer describes the opportunities and benefits available to members. CompTIA membership website:  https://www.comptia.org/membership/it-pro

Carolyn and Seth welcome Ian Thornton-Trump, head of cybersecurity for Amtrust International, to discuss the major cybersecurity issues he sees in the market as Cybersecurity Awareness Month takes off. Ian talks about how digital transformation efforts have been too slow to bring cybersecurity to the table, how cybersecurity needs to shift from cost center to business enabler, and the role of thir...

Carolyn and Seth follow up on the announcement of the iPhone11 by examining the state of enterprise mobility. The topic is not nearly as hot as it once was, but companies are still struggling with integration. Rather than focusing heavily on management of devices, enterprise mobility should be focused on the new workflows that can be created by integrating applications across multiple platforms.

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's upcoming State of the Channel research. In its eighth iteration, this study looks at the sentiment of channel firms as the economy and the use of technology change. Emerging trends are presenting new possibilities, but solution providers may not have all the skills needed to translate these trends into business applications. As they go through their own...

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's upcoming research report on cybersecurity. Companies are showing signs that their security is improving, but there still may need to be a cultural shift at many firms towards treating cybersecurity as an ongoing operational concern. Especially for small businesses, the formation of a dedicated cybersecurity team--whether that is internal or external--is...

Fresh off a great ChannelCon event, Carolyn and Seth discuss the naming that is used in the technology industry. The early days of the industry that were marked by physical distribution led to names that don't always apply in a far more complex ecosystem, and using broader terms or thinking about the problem from the bottom up can lead to environments that are more applicable to a broad range of t...

Carolyn and Seth welcome back Nancy Hammervik, CompTIA's EVP of Industry Relations, to discuss the upcoming issue of CompTIA World. This issue focuses on Tech for Good, featuring examples of technology companies contributing to some of the major issues that society is facing. There are workforce implications, as new technology replaces some jobs but creates opportunities to manage the solutions in...

Carolyn and Seth welcome John Tippett, VP of Product at Datto Networking, to talk about some of the main themes that emerged at this year's DattoCon event. John talks about the increased investment activity taking place in the MSP space, the need for MSPs to improve their cybersecurity approach, and the importance of networking as emerging technologies continue to hit the market.

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's ChannelCon event, taking place August 5-7 in Las Vegas. With attendees coming from technology vendors, managed service providers, and IT departments, there will be lively conversations around emerging technology, customer experience, and skills. For more information on the event and to register, visit the ChannelCon website www.channelcon.com

To kick off Volley's fourth year, Carolyn and Seth welcome back Dave Sobel, the Sr. Director of MSP Evangelism at Solarwinds. Dave shares his thoughts around the most overrated and most underrated topics in the IT industry and what companies can do to avoid pitfalls or capitalize on opportunities. Dave's podcast Killing IT: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-killing-it-podcast/id1463295432

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's upcoming research on customer experience (CX). This research looks specifically at the way that IT companies are evolving their CX practices, including new technology, new skills, or new mindsets. The CX research will be available on comptia.org in mid-June.

Carolyn and Seth talk about CompTIA's new research on artificial intelligence. The idea of AI has been around for a while, and most of computing is some form of mimicking human behavior, but there is still a recent shift in the type of decision-making computers are able to do. The new research, which consists of a broad survey and targeted interviews, examines how current AI is different from trad...

Carolyn and Seth take a look at where the overall tech industry is from a growth cycle perspective. On one hand, there are elements of maturity, such as the amount of integration into society and the scale of modern technology. On the other hand, there are elements of the tech industry that will never fully stabilize, since technology is more of a platform than most other industries. These factors...

Carolyn and Seth welcome David Hyman, President of the Center for Technology and Workforce Solutions, to talk about the steps needed to best prepare candidates for the tech jobs of the future. David discusses how professional competencies like communication and teamwork should be thought of as foundational skills and how technical breadth is important for launching into a wide variety of tech care...

Carolyn and Seth welcome Teresa Varela, CompTIA's Director of Workforce Development, to talk about the IT skills gap. Teresa shares her experience in talking with employers about the skills they are looking for and the actions they are taking to build those skills. CompTIA's A+ certification is a prime tool for employers building both a strong foundation of technical skills and also the employabil...

Carolyn and Seth welcome Cristina Greysman, the chair of CompTIA's Advancing Women in Technology community, to discuss the problem of diversity and inclusion in the high-tech industry. On this podcast, they take a look at CompTIA's research to describe the lack of diversity and the fact that companies may be overestimating their efforts in this space. The conversation continues on CompTIA's Women...