Welcome to the FLCSPI Blog!

New online software megastore opens offering over 17,000 software titles!

2007-08-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

Check out the new press release for the FLCSPI online store!

http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200708/1187126211.html

Be sure to visit the store for all your software needs.

Check out the new FLCSPI Online Store!

2007-08-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out the new FLCSPI Online Store at http://store.flcspi.com

If you're looking for security software, anti-virus software, data recovery software, backup and synchronization software, or software to help you use a computer better, then you've got to check out the software available in our online Store!

We have over 17,000 software titles available - and our catalog is updated weekly! Stop back often to check for new tools and utilities!

Be sure to tell your friends and family where they can get the software they want!

Computer shows of 2007?

2006-12-03T12:59:00.001-08:00

I am looking for the best lists around that tell us computer-type people what shows and conventions will be held and where in 2007. I always seem to find out about these events a little too late, even though I get a ton of mailers in my snail mailbox each day. Since going to big events takes planning and approval from my employer (both for the time away from the office as well as the fees for the events themselves), I would like to be able to see what shows were being held across the country in an easy to use “view”. Am I asking too much? If any of you know of such a resource, please leave a comment. As I find details on more shows and events, I plan to have a section on this blog or on my main website (www.flcspi.com) that will list these so that others can benefit from my research. As I live in South Florida, I especially like to hear about events that take place in Orlando, since that is an easy drive for me and rooms are reasonable at hotels like Country Inn and Suites.

Computer certifications, where do you start?

2006-11-27T15:49:00.000-08:00

Ok - I am not an expert by any means, but having been in the IT industry now for over 16 years and having gathered several IT certifications, I have a lot of people ask me what IT related certifications to pursue first. I give them the advice that has seemed to work out pretty well for me:

I started getting serious about getting my certifications when I sat for my first MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) exam. I sat for the 70-215 exam, which was for Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. I was so nervous for that first test! I remember sitting in a testing room by myself, wondering if I had prepared well enough. When the exam was done, it felt like forever until the results popped up on the screen - I had passed! What a great feeling!

So why didn't I start with the CompTIA A+ exams like everyone else says to do? I am not really sure. Looking back - I probably should have - but I felt I had the basics down, and I started with the MCP exam and moved on from there. However, I always tell people that ask me for advice to start with the A+ exams if they have little to no experience - since I feel very strongly about having the background and/or experience before you embark on taking very difficult and expensive exams.

So from the MCP - I moved on and next I took the CompTIA Security+ exam - I studied very hard for that exam, and it was a very difficult exam. I knew I would one day take the CISSP exam, so I figured the Security+ exam would be good practice for that - and I was right!

I later took the CISSP exam (Certified Information Systems Security Professional - administered by ISC2) - that was one of the hardest exams I would ever take! I studied for months - and it took several hours to complete the exam. It also cost several hundred dollars to take the exam - so I am very happy that I did not have to re-take it! I tell everyone that asks me that they need to be very well prepared before they attempt one of the "big" exams like the CISSP or PMP exams.

I have now successfully completed the PMP (Project Management Professional) exam, the CISSP, the CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner - given by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners) and several others, and each of them seemed to be more and more difficult. I recommend a lot of studying and taking of practice tests.

One place that I like to use to take sample tests (actually, they are certifications all on their own) are ones from Brainbench (www.brainbench.com). They have lot of good exams and you can earn certs from them if you pass. I recently passed my first Computer Forensics exam from Brainbench and received a nice certificate from them. It was actually free since they were running a promotion and certain tests were free (they are usually around $50 per test to take plus another $15 to get a paper certificate mailed to you).

I am getting ready to study for the Certified Computer Examiner (CCE) exam which is all about computer forensics. I am going to attend a 5-day bootcamp in early 2007, and then I have to study hard and pass a hands on portion in addition to a written test.

So what do I think about other vendor specific certs like the Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, etc.? I like them - and I plan to pursue some of them in the future. If you are seeking a career in networking, then you have to start with the CCNA - and get that at a minimum. Want to make big money? Then pursue the certs like the Cisco CCIE - you won't have any trouble finding a well paying job!

Even if your employer does not require certifications, they are still good to get and to keep up to date - you never know when your current job may fall through and you need to go to and consult for a while, start your own business, or find another company to work for. The next place you go may require certs, so get them now - keep them up to date, and always look for the next one to get.

Want to know more? Email me at jchristly@flcspi.com and I will be happy to respond to your questions. Have a certification story of your own to share, post it here!

Identity Management discussion

2006-11-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years I have been gathering knowledge on what "Identity Mangement" (IDM) is and what a good IDM system can do for companies. At first, it was a concept that seemed too easy: automate your identity flow between systems that need the information, so that your corporate systems like phone directories, user authentication directories, etc. can all be updated in near real-time. This would help when users are hired, modified, or terminated. This also would help with various regulatory compliance efforts.

So, after years of learning (trust me, I am stil learning every single day), I wrote an article for the ISSA (Information Systems Security Association) and was published in a recent issue! It is my first time being published, and I am extremely proud. The article focused on Identity Management issues in Healthcare, one of the more heavily regulated industries these days.

If you would like a copy of the article I wrote, feel free to let me know - I have permission from the ISSA to share it...

I want to start a thread here - what are YOUR identity management issues where you work? Do you have time gathering and maintaining current contact info on your employees? Do you have an effective way for your employees to update their own contact data? What hapens when an employee is terminated? Is network and application access termninated as soon as HR lets you know, and is the process scripted and able to be audited?

More to come later - have a great weekend...

Ideas on making money working at home...

2006-10-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

If anyone has ideas on how to make real moeny while working at home or runing a website for profit, please post and let me know. I am not looking for the "get rich quick" schemes, but rather real things that can be done form a home computer that makes money. I will share the ideas on this Blog and my other site too! Thanks!

Making money with your Blog...

2006-10-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

Who would have thougt that making money with your blog could be so easy and start so quickly? if you check out my Blog, you wil see a button for Bidvertiser - I strongly recoemmend this service, as I added it to my site and started earning money right away! It's not a lot yet - but they pay you via Paypal when you earn $10 - so it shouldn't be long now until my first payment. How cool! I always wanted a website that could "earn money while I slept", and who knew that advertisers would pay ME to put their ads on my site! Help me out by clicking on the button and signing up for the service yourself - so we can all make money! Check out my other website too at www.flcspi.com Thanks!