On June 5, thousands of Microsoft 365 software suite users, including Outlook and Teams, faced service outages for over two hours. Later that month, Microsoft announced that the service disruption resulted from a cyberattack. As per Microsoft, there was a surge in traffic against some services due to a DDoS attack, which impacted the availability of the services. So, let’s dive deep into this 2023 6th outage of Microsoft services and see what we know so far about it.

What Happened on June 5?

Microsoft’s flagship office suite faced a serious service disruption on June 5, which included the Outlook email, cloud computing platform, and OneDrive file-sharing apps. Due to this disruption, thousands of users could not access these services. In fact, it was peaking at 18,000 outage reports on the tracker Downdetector immediately after 11 a.m. Eastern time.

Microsoft initially flagged the outage and said it was looking at the issue hindering access to Outlook on the web. Later, it also included OneDrive, SharePoint Online, and Microsoft Teams to the outage.

It took Microsoft around 1-2 hours to resolve the disruption and restore services to normal operation. After the initial disruption, Microsoft also faced more service disruption in the next few days. On June 8, BleepingComputer.com, a news site, reported about the global shutdown of the cloud-based OneDrive file-hosting service. Similarly, on June 9, Microsoft confirmed issues with the Azure portal.

Microsoft didn’t comment on how many users had been affected by disruptions and whether they had a global impact. But security experts say that DDoS attacks are capable of making websites unreachable, which can impact millions of users for companies like Microsoft.

Microsoft Investigation on the Outage

Microsoft initially hesitated to announce that it was a cyberattack and declared it a service disruption. However, Microsoft clarified that it was a DDoS attack on June 16 and dubbed it as Storm-1359.

A DDoS attack involves directing massive internet traffic towards the targeted servers to let them reach their max limit and knock them offline. According to Microsoft’s initial investigation, Storm-1359 had access to a wide range of botnets and tools that empowered attackers to initiate DDoS attacks through multiple cloud services and open proxy infrastructures. Microsoft declared it a layer 7 DDoS attack, which launched several attack traffic, including HTTP(S) flood attack, Cache bypass, and Slowloris.

According to Microsoft, the attackers’ agenda was to cause propaganda and disruption, so they bombard Microsoft servers with so-called botnets of zombie computers worldwide. However, Microsoft mentioned that there was no evidence so far that any customer data was compromised or accessed.

Who Was Behind the Attack?

A shadowy hacktivist group claimed responsibility for DDoS attacks on Microsoft online services. Later, it was confirmed that the “Anonymous Sudan” group was behind the attacks. The group verified its involvement through its Telegram channel.

This January, the Anonymous Sudan group came to the limelight and declared to deploy attacks on any country that opposed Sudan. The group is already involved in many attacks on various government institutions and organizations worldwide, either for stealing data or making them go offline.

Sudan is going through chaos due to a bloody civil war, so it is suspicious that the group is not working from there. There are likely chances that some Russian hacking groups might have ties with the Anonymous Sudan group.

Killnet and other pro-Russian hacking groups have been attacking the websites of the governments and other organizations of Ukraine allies with DDoS attacks. In fact, the groups even managed to bombard U.S. airport sites. So, there is a high possibility that the Anonymous Sudan group is not located in Sudan, as they claim. The group must be working with Killnet or/and pro-Kremlin groups to attack organizations and outspread pro-Russian propaganda.

Series of Outages Faced by Microsoft in the First Half of 2023

Microsoft is facing strong criticism from users due to continuous outages this year. Just in the first six months of 2023, Microsoft faced six major outages. Other than the June outage, the rest of the major outages that occurred are as follows:

1. On May 9, Microsoft announced that it is investigating the malfunction causing UK users to cannot access some Microsoft 365 services.
2. On April 24, Microsoft announced that it is investigating the malfunction faced by users who cannot use the search functionality in many Microsoft 365 services, such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, Outlook on the Web and Desktop, and Exchange Online.
3. On April 20, Microsoft announced that it is investigating the high CPU utilization of components that handle back-end navigation feature APIs. This issue was causing users to be unable to access Teams and Microsoft 365 web applications.
4. On February 7, Microsoft experienced a global outage in which users were unable to send, receive, or search emails on Outlook or use Teams. Within a couple of hours of the outage, Microsoft applied mitigation throughout the affected infrastructure, resulting in gradual recovery.
5. On January 25, a Microsoft network change caused a global outage affecting many services, including OneDrive for Businesses, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint Online, and Microsoft Exchange Online.

Besides the above outages, Microsoft is also continuously experiencing minor outages and malfunctions. Moreover, Russian and Chinese hacking groups continuously seek to target Microsoft services. Recently, Microsoft is again facing criticism, as the Chinese hackers’ group managed to hack email accounts at the Commerce and State departments by exploiting a fundamental gap in Microsoft’s cloud.

Wrapping Up

2023 is not going in favor of Microsoft, as it is experiencing continuous outages and its vulnerabilities have made it a prime target for Russian and Chinese hacking groups. The June 5th outage due to the DDoS attack reflects the activeness of attackers and the negligence of Microsoft. Besides that, the increasing number of Microsoft’s global outages is also a concern. Overall, it does not seem that Microsoft won’t make it to the news in the remaining months of 2023, as new outages may pop up again. So, let’s see how this year ends for Microsoft.

After the initial wave of pre-orders of the iPhone 14 series and looking at the 2022 phone sales, Apple has started to adjust the production of the iPhone 14 series. Some possible justifications for the expected decrease in production include the rising interest rate, inflation figures, supply chain issues, fear of predicted recession, and similar others.

But the question is how come a company that became a $2 trillion company in the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic (even a $3 trillion company in 2022), fears the recession when it seems less bad than the pandemic? Let’s explore this point in detail in this article in light of Apple’s recent Q4 2022 earnings and other macroeconomic factors.

Apple Decreasing the Production of iPhone 14 Plus

It is hard to accept, but Apple is actually decreasing the production of the iPhone 14, especially the iPhone 14 Plus model due to its weak sales compared to its more expensive Pro models, as per TrendForce. 

The iPhone 14 Pro series come with many enhanced specifications at the same price as of iPhone 13 Pro series in the U.S., eventually making users buy the Pro series models. Moreover, the delay in the launch of the iPhone 14 Plus also led to more sales of the Pro series. In fact, the production ratio of both iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max has increased from 50% to 60% and is expected to even grow to 65% in the near future. Overall, Apple currently targets to keep a 36% portion of overall shipments for new iPhone models. 

Considering the interest rate hikes and their impact on consumer income, the smartphone industry will definitely experience some pressure in maintaining its sales figures. As per TrendForce, Apple will most likely feel the impact in the first quarter of 2023. It is projected that the production will drop to 52 million units compared to the estimated 56 million units, which will show a decline of 14% YoY. Device unlock experts Mobile Unlocked tell us that more and more phone users are keeping their old devices and recycling them. They’ve seen a sharp increase in iPhone unlock orders as devices are handed down to children or shared amongst family and friends.

Apple’s Q4 2022 Earnings – Exceeding the Expectations

On October 27, 2022, Apple announced its fourth-quarter earnings that exceeded the revenue and earnings per share expectations of Wall Street. The October earnings statistics involved a few days of iPhone 14 sales, so it gives a little glimpse of how things are going currently. Below is a quick look at some of the key earning statistics of Apple in Q4 2022 vs. Refinitiv consensus estimates:

• Revenue: $90.15 billion vs. $88.90 billion est. (+8.1% YoY)
• EPS: $1.29 vs. $1.27 est.
• iPhone Revenue: $42.63 billion vs. $43.21 billion est. (+9.67% YoY)
• iPad Revenue: $7.17 billion vs. $7.94 billion est. (-13.06% YoY)
• Mac Revenue: $11.51 billion vs. $9.36 billion est. (+25.39% YoY)

From the above statistics, it is clear that the impact of interest rate hikes or other macroeconomic factors is not prominently impacting the revenue, but we can clearly see a slight drop in iPhone revenue compared to the estimated figure. Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted that the phone sales performance of Apple is much better compared to many other smartphone companies that are experiencing a decline due to a decrease in demand. 

However, this does not mean that Apple can absorb the predicted recession and other macroeconomic factors easily. The company is already taking smart moves to combat the recession and other factors (discussed in the last part of this article).

Key Factors that Impact Apple Sales

Before we start discussing how Apple is addressing the global recession fears, let’s highlight the key factors that can impact Apple sales in the next few quarters:

• Interest Rate Hikes: To tackle inflation, Fed is raising interest rates aggressively for the past few months. The recent 0.75% rise has made the U.S. interest rate hit a 14-year high. With the raise of the interest rate, borrowing becomes harder and debt becomes costlier. Eventually, it leads Apple users to avoid buying new models and stick with their current ones.
• Inflation: Inflation is a global concern, which is forcing consumers to cut their extra expenses and focus more on essentials. Moreover, since new iPhone models are not coming with major structural changes, so many will tend to stick with their older models until their financial position improves.
• Strong Dollar: The interest rate hikes pump up the value of the dollar, making it stronger compared to other currencies. Due to that, many international currencies are recording historic lows against the U.S. dollar. So, the strong dollar is another influential factor in dropping Apple sales because the company has to increase the price of its phones even higher, making it even more difficult for consumers of those countries to purchase iPhones.
• Supply Chain Disruption: Ever since the pandemic, Apple is facing supply chain disruption. US-China relations, China COVID control, chip shortage, sanctions on Chinese chips, and similar other factors are impacting the supply chain, eventually causing the company to reduce its production.

Are Apple Users Shifting to Android Devices?

Other than the macroeconomic factors, some think that another reason why Apple is reducing production is that Apple users are shifting to Android devices. They believe that Apple failed to provide game-changing new features or significant hardware design changes in its recent models. But most don’t believe in such speculations because Apple users have shown many times that they are loyal to the brand. In fact, iPhone has also overtaken Android devices in the U.S., as more than 50% of smartphone users in the U.S. use iPhones.

Apple CEO Tim Cook also mentioned after 4Q 2022 results that the current active buyers of iPhones are “switchers”, which are individuals that are shifting from Android to iPhone. So, thinking that the decline in iPhone 14 production is due to the shift to Android devices does not seem to be true currently. The production decline is mostly due to the other factors discussed above.

Apple’s Strategy to Combat Recession Fears

Apple is smartly taking countermeasures with the changing global macroeconomic indicators. Some of the prominent strategies adopted by Apple to combat recession and revenue drops are as follows:

• Production in India: Apple is on the move to start manufacturing iPhone 14 in India to diversify its supply chain and reduce its production dependence on China. TrendForce projects that Apple’s production in India can exceed by 5% in 2023 and even more with every passing year. 
• Softness in Advertisement Spending: Apple is showing some softness in advertisement spending to absorb the expected revenue drop.
• Slowed the Pace of Hiring: Instead of doing layoffs, Apple has reduced the pace of hiring and is now hiring deliberately.
• Adjusting the Price of iPhones in Other Countries: Apple is keeping the iPhone prices in the U.S. the same but is actively adjusting the prices for other countries to address strong dollar and rising component costs.

Other than the above measures, Apple is also smartly handling its production. The reduced production of iPhone 14 Plus and increased production of iPhone 14 Pro models are indicators that the company is addressing the recession fears smartly. 

Wrapping Up

Recession fears are all over the news for the past couple of months. Tech companies are already taking measures to address the predicted recession and other macroeconomic fears. For example, Microsoft recently lay off over 1000 employees. Apple is also taking countermeasures by slightly reducing its iPhone production, rearranging its supply chain, and taking plenty of other measures.

Things might change more in the next few months since the impacts of interest rate hikes, the strong dollar, and the recession will start reflecting in the quarterly earnings of 2023. So, we can just wait and watch how the recession fears impact the tech giants in the next few months.

As technology advances, more and more software programs are being designed for architects, and while people may be familiar with some of the most popular ones, there are still many others that remain relatively unknown.

To help you become better acquainted with some of the most popular architect software programs, let’s discuss how much you know about them. You will also get a brief overview of each program and explain its key features.

Chief Architect Software

Chief Architect is a 3D architectural design program that allows users to create detailed plans and elevations for both residential and commercial buildings. It includes a wide variety of tools for tackling every aspect of the design process, from creating preliminary sketches to generating construction documents. Chief Architect is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly architect software programs on the market.

This program is ideal for those who want to create highly detailed plans and elevations. and to have software compatible with several different file formats, so they can easily share work with others.

SketchUp

SketchUp is a 3D modeling program that is widely used by architects and other design professionals. It is known for its user-friendly interface and wide range of features which puts it on the best architect software list created by Revizto. This program is perfect for those who want to quickly create 3D models and don’t need the same level of detail as the Chief Architect. SketchUp also offers an easy way to share models with others, thanks to its compatibility with a wide range of file formats.

On the other hand, this program doesn’t offer the same level of detail as Chief Architect and doesn’t have as many features. For instance, you can get plugins that offer more advanced features, but they come at an additional cost.

AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a 2D and 3D computer-aided drafting software application used by architects, engineers, and construction professionals worldwide. AutoCAD is known for its precise drawings and its wide range of features.

Some of the features that make AutoCAD such a popular choice for architects include its precision tools, its wide range of drawing options, and its ability to create 3D models. For instance, the software’s “snapping” feature allows users to quickly and easily create precise drawings. Additionally, AutoCAD offers a wide variety of drawing options, including isometric, orthographic, and perspective views. Finally, AutoCAD’s 3D modeling capabilities allow architects to create realistic models of their designs.

Revit

Revit is a BIM (Building Information Modeling) software program that allows users to create detailed 3D models of buildings. If you want to create a model that includes all the architectural elements of a building, Revit is the perfect software program for you.

This program is ideal for those who want to create detailed 3D models of buildings. Revit offers a wide range of features that make it easy to create accurate models, including the ability to add dimensions, materials, and lighting.

On the other hand, Revit can be a bit complex to use and is not as user-friendly as some of the other architect software programs on this list. Additionally, Revit is not compatible with as many file formats as some of the other programs.

3ds Max

3ds Max is a 3D modeling, animation, and rendering program used by architects and other design professionals. To create a 3D model in 3ds Max, you first need to create a “mesh.” A mesh is a collection of vertices, edges, and faces that define the shape of an object.

3ds Max offers a wide range of modeling tools that make it easy to create detailed models. For instance, the software’s “extrude” tool allows users to quickly and easily create 3D models from 2D drawings.

Additionally, 3ds Max offers a wide variety of material and lighting options, which makes it easy to create realistic models.

Vectorworks

Vectorworks is a 2D and 3D CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software program used by many design professionals, however, its spacial awareness makes it an excellent tool for architects. The difference between 2D and 3D software is that with Vectorworks you can not only draw in two dimensions but can also model in three. This gives the program an edge when it comes to creating models of buildings or other structures.

Vectorworks’ “symbol” feature allows users to quickly and easily insert objects into their drawings. Additionally, the software’s “projection” feature makes it easy to create accurate 2D or 3D drawings.

Each of the software programs listed above has its strengths and weaknesses. If you’re not sure which program is right for you, try out a few different ones to see which one feels the most comfortable.

Additionally, be sure to read reviews online before making your final decision. Doing so will help ensure that you choose a program that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations.

The controversial LIV Gold Invitational Series landed in Portland, Oregon on June 2022. The series is funded by the government of KSA (The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and promises to deliver, “Golf, but louder”. It’s being spearheaded by Australian golfing icon Greg Norman, LIV Golf chief executive and commissioner. He made a rousing speech at the opening ceremony, urging fans to be more accepting the LIV.

The LIV tour has had a polarizing effect on supporters. Several members of the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club have resigned in protest, while politicians and 9/11 survivors have also raised an outcry. Their issue is with Saudi Arabia’s serious backing of a tournament that has poached some of the best golf players, hence threatening the PGA tour. Before we dive into the reasons behind this controversy in this article, let’s take a closer look at what the LIV Tournament is all about.

What is the LIV Tournament?

LIV is a brand-new golf tournament that offers substantial prize money and high participation fees. LIV refers to the number 54, in Roman numerals, indicating a 54-hole layout for the tournament. It differs from PGA in various ways, including a three-round format versus PGA’s four. It also has about half the number of golfers that PGA has, meaning there’s no cut-off and that all participating golfers will have to compete from the first to third round unless they decide otherwise.

The biggest and most startling difference to fans is the team play system. While PGA requires golfers to play individually, LIV golf includes captains who draft teammates. The scoring relies on the total score from the team as opposed to individual achievements. The tournament ends with teams playing towards a championship through a knockout event. Teams work together and fight elimination to get to a winner. In the world of golf, LIV is a sensationalized event.

However, PGA comes up short when it comes to collecting payouts. LIV is backed by substantial funds and promises to pay golfers just for entering. This isn’t the case in PGA though, as golfers who don’t get the required score leave empty-handed. The payout format alone might be why PGA golfers Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson decided to enter, earning them a suspension from PGA.

So, why is a tournament that promises a better payout and wants to bring golf to the mainstream such a controversial topic? Keep reading to find out.

Why is LIV a Controversial Topic?

The Saudi-backed LIV tournament is being heavily criticized because of KSA’s history of human rights violations. Fans and other stakeholders believe this is the country’s way of “sports washing”, i.e., diverting attention from atrocities through global sporting events. This was particularly prominent here, where locals are still enraged about 15-year-old student Fallon Smart’s death, which was caused by a Saudi national. The perpetrator in question was never prosecuted and fled to KSA safe and sound.

The situation becomes even more serious when you look outside Oregon. LIV will have five total tournaments happening across the United States and people are outraged. This applies especially to 9/11 survivors or family members of some of the victims, who even held a news conference denouncing the tournament. This is because at least 15 of the 19 terrorists involved in the 9/11 incident hailed from Saudi Arabia.

What’s more, critics of LIV have brought up the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi back in 2018 by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and the fact that women in the country were only recently allowed to drive. These blatant human rights violations have made people boycotting LIV left right and center, demanding pro-golfers to step back and calling them hypocrites.

However, Norman made his case at the launch event, saying that PGA earns a significant chunk of revenue from Saudi Arabia’s business. He maintained that he was confused about why PGA supporters were giving him hate considering a lot of PGA golfers stand to benefit from LIV’s gargantuan payout. Norman also spoke about wanting a merger between the two rival tours.

In any case, there is a civil war going on in the world of golf right now and it begs the question: is LIV good or bad for golf?

How Does LIV Benefit Golf?

LIV works for golf in that it achieves two goals, as follows:

1. It breaks up the monopoly that is inherently present in golfing tournaments.
2. It brings golf to the mainstream.

The traditional golf ecosystem runs on a meritocracy where you have to maintain consistent and clean records, along with participating in tours where you might leave with nothing. LIV provides golfers with guaranteed payouts, even for participating. It could be argued that this will draw more people to the game, creating a larger golfing category and breaking up an existing monopoly.

The team play format and payout options also bring golfing into the mainstream, as KSA’s backing means the tournament will be advertised and broadcast globally instead of just a few selective countries. If you are struggling to understand more about how golf works, checkout The Left Rough for detailed explanations.

How Does LIV Harm Golf?

The biggest way in which LIV harms golf is by creating a split between golfers. Already, LIV has poached some of PGA’s best players and plans to continue doing so. Greg Norman wants to hammer in his legacy with LIV and is collecting pro-golfers like playing cards. The inherent controversy present in the tournament means the golfing community is unable to exist in a cohesive space.

Another potential factor that harms golf is the above-mentioned payout system. Seasoned pros, like Tiger Woods, insist that the only way to come up in golf is to consistently practice especially with the intervention of AI in golf, defeat the odds, and stay competitive . With a tournament like LIV where the payout is guaranteed, there’s a chance that golfers will stop honing their skills or trying to be the best. It could result in mediocre performance since payment is guaranteed.

The Final Verdict

While LIV is proving to be a popular tournament despite its nontraditional format, it doesn’t seem to be catching on with hardcore golf supporters. Many have argued that watching sports is a way for fans to blow off steam and escape real-world issues. However, the LIV Golf controversy is forcing fans to take a moral stance, stealing their attention from the actual sport. There is also disillusionment as certain golfing legends joined LIV, disappointing their fans by participating in a tournament that they see as fundamentally flawed.

Laptop use in India has gone up by leaps, with market analysts projecting revenue in the segment of tablets and laptops to reach $8.2 million USD in 2021. Annually, the market growth rate (CAGR) is predicted to be 2.4 percent between 2021 and 2025. During the pandemic, thousands of Indians invested in laptops as they were cooped up at home.

Their homes became the new office, classrooms, and overall workspace for Indians during the coronavirus outbreak. In fact, it still is, with over 50 percent of office staff choosing the work-from-home option, even as lockdowns eased. Fearing a second wave, many people are opting to remain at home.

Laptops that offer portability and versatility in every price segment, and for all purposes, lend a great way to kill time, as they do to effectively execute tasks. For regular use, people rely on laptops with i3 processors. This is a basic-level machine like the HP 14s with an Intel Core i3 processor (10th generation).

Nonetheless, most people like to strike a balance between affordability and performance, and will opt for an Intel Core i5 chip in a laptop, such as an excellent HP laptop like the HP 14 (10th generation, core i5). These laptops will go the extra mile and do more than just basic tasks, including a good amount of browsing and a moderate degree of gaming. Batteries in such laptops will be better, offering great performance for extended periods.

Intel Processors are Premium Performers

While AMD is giving Intel a tough run for its money with its new Ryzen processors, Intel isn’t taking a backseat in its area of expertise — making processors for laptops, desktops, and other devices that count. For instance, the Asus Vivobook 14 (X409JA) has an Intel Core i5 chip, is lightweight, and comes with a decent 8GB RAM. Performance-wise, this laptop gets all your job done quickly and efficiently, combining a fabulous Intel Ice Lake chip with 10 generation innovation. At the Computer and Electronics Show of 2021, which was held virtually, Intel was the star of the show with the brand’s new processors on display for all to envy.

Premier makers like Acer, Asus and Dell laptops will have these power packages in most of their upcoming models, as will tried and tested brands like Apple and Lenovo, not to mention, HP. Intel, with its most stunning processors yet, the Tiger Lake H35 series processors (11th generation) wowed the audience, as they get ready to power future laptops which will be uber slim and amazingly powerful. These processors can run robust programmes, apps, and displays at 1440p without draining the laptop’s battery, or overheating the machine. Plus, with new and advanced batteries, these performance-driven chips will make a laptop ultra-powerful.

Intel’s Power Performers

Some of the better performing laptops around have Intel processors that can let you enjoy your laptop to its full potential. Some models in the Asus Vivobook series have great Intel processors that are 10th generation versions. If budget isn’t a constraint, you can scale up your buy to include an i7 processor (10th generation), with which you can be assured of excellent performance in areas of gaming, multitasking, writing documents and browsing. You can also watch videos and livestream content. Some of the best laptop options today include:

• Dell XPS 15 (2020 Edition) – Armed with Intel’s Core i5 (10th generation) chip, this laptop comes with 8GB RAM and Intel Iris Plus Graphics. Adept at moderate gaming and video editing, this laptop is a great performer.
• HP Spectre x360 (2020 Edition) – With an Intel Core i5 or i7 (you can choose the variant) processor, this laptop comes with 8GB or 16GB RAM depending on the variant you choose. Great in build quality and rivalled by the MacBook Air (M1 of 2020), this device gives pure performance with its Bang & Olufsen speakers and WLED backlit multitouch display.
• Acer Swift 3 – This wonder of a “price-value” laptop comes with Intel processors up to i7 (8565U) with 4GB and 8GB RAM variant models. Famed for its superb keypad, reliable performance and overall edge, this is a laptop that compares with the new Microsoft Surface models.

Buy the best laptops with Intel Core CPUs, and choose from a myriad of brands on the Bajaj Finserv EMI Store. Pay in hassle-free EMIs with your Bajaj Finserv EMI Network Card, and get your laptop delivered to your doorstep within 24 hours of placing the order.

The question of whether the CCIE credential is still relevant in the IT industry anymore has been festering among professionals without any clear answer. Even though Cisco-certified professionals are compensated by a high salary, this is common for those who possess other certifications. Then why are the Cisco certifications considered so prestigious?

When it comes to a candidate’s expertise, professionals like Anthony Murabito, the Vice President of IT at Cambridge, Mass. Biotechnology company, and his hiring team, rely on Cisco’s top-tier certification as an indicator and consider it the network gospel. 

There are dozens of blogs and comments on the Internet seeking the answer to whether investing a significant amount of money, in addition to time and energy in Cisco CCIE exam preparation is the best course of action for advancing their network careers.

With the emergence of cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft’s Azure and a heavier virtualisation presence, limiting oneself to Cisco’s environment seems like a waste of time to some. Others believe that until another superior certification comes along, the CCIE is still the best option for professionals in networking.

Challenges

There are several challenges and insecurities that candidates suffer while pursuing or even after successfully completing their certification. The following are a few of the major concerns.

1. Certification Expense

This examination requires a significant monetary investment for both the preparations and test fees. The CCIE certification is split into the written and lab portions. While you can attempt the written part at a testing centre, the 8-hour lab exam is available at only nine Cisco worldwide locations or any of their mobile lab facilities.

The cost of airfare and lodging will almost double the exam price. Apart from this, one also has to consider the money spent on practice lab equipment, training and study materials. 

2. Difficulty Level

The volume of knowledge that is covered by the certification exam is quite daunting. These concepts have to be grasped and then tested. You also need to prepare for the practical exam. Adding to its difficulty, these exams do not come with any exam objectives.

You are expected to cover everything in your preparation. This level of dedication to one’s preparation causes problems when it comes to their existing lifestyle.

3. Suited For Specific Job Roles

After you have earned your Cisco certification, you shall be rendered overqualified for many jobs, and only the most demanding job titles will be suitable for your skill sets, such as a Senior Network Engineer or Network Architect. 

You can easily settle for a lower-level job, after putting yourself through the rigorous preparation and examination process, this will seem like a major downgrade. 

These factors have to be considered while weighing out the pros and cons of pursuing the certification. You should have a detailed course of action where CCIE is a step. It should not be a blind goal.

Reasons Cisco Certifications Are Still Relevant In 2021

Despite the changes in the job market, obtaining any certification validates your skill and dedication to an employer. The CCIE is thought of as the PhD-level certification and adds a great weightage to your resume. It will result in a lot of clout among peers and employers.

1. Besides the ongoing debate, it is important to remember that keeping the CCIE relevant and updated to meet the requirements of modern companies is in Cisco’s best interest and should be a priority for its training team. 
   
   For example, Cisco added an emerging technologies track to the CCIE (and CCDE) exam, and fine-tuned it so that it is worth 10% of the overall score now. They want to use the certification to train professionals to be more than just network engineers- they have to be technologists who can keep up with modern trends.

2. Cisco offers a certification lineup with some amount of flexibility so that you can utilize the training for your specialization. The CCENT is the entry-level certification and is a requirement for the CCNA certification. This will help you join the networking world in the roles of a network admin or engineer.

The CCNP requires a more in-depth understanding and some solid experience.

This is followed by the CCIE certification. These are expert, high-level qualifications that will give you an edge over other non-certified candidates at every interview, and help you grow and advance your career. There are six specializations under CCIE security, service provider, wireless, collaboration, data center, and routing and switching.

Conclusion

The answer to whether the Cisco certifications are worth the effort is highly relative to each individual. It depends on whether the certifications serve a purpose in your long-term plans. As far as their relevance is concerned, the CCIE still contributes to a great extent in one’s employment prospects and earning potential.

Many other certifications may serve the same purpose, but if you are going to work with Cisco devices, no other accreditation ranks above the CCIE.

If you’re thinking of spending money on assets now so that you can strengthen your wealth portfolio in the future, there are a lot of great ways to get started. You can experiment with different currencies, look into opportunities with real-estate and bonds, or you can go for the most common option with stocks.

Today, we’re going to be focusing on that last option. Stocks are often the go-to pick for many beginners who aren’t sure where they should be investing their money for long-term growth. It’s often easier than you’d think to find a company that you’re interested in and agree to take on a share for a certain price. However, before you dive too deep into this landscape, or experiment with day trading, you need to learn how to choose stocks.

Finding the Right Opportunities

If you’re looking for some excellent beginner-friendly investment ideas, make sure that you don’t take anyone else’s advice too much to heart. You still need to make decisions on your own, which means doing your due diligence and performing plenty of research before you spend any cash. Ultimately, figuring out how to succeed in this ever-changing market is a process that takes time and practice. The good news is that there are a few golden rules which might help to guide you when you’re in the initial stages of building a portfolio. These are:

• Always diversify as much as you can
• Make sure you invest in companies and industries that you understand
• Don’t do too much too fast
• Avoid high-volatility and risky stocks (like penny stocks)
• Learn the basics of evaluating your options, and commit to constant learning

It is a good idea to get advice from one of the many online investing resources such as Investment Honey. While you shouldn’t just blindly follow their advice, it will give you a good starting point to research further.

Remember, that first point is crucial not just when you’re building a much larger portfolio over time, but when you’re first getting started too. You need a variety of different kinds of shares and assets in your portfolio, as this will help you to hedge your bets against any losses. Just remember that diversification doesn’t mean jumping into asset types that you’re not comfortable with, or businesses that you don’t understand.

Take it Slow

As exciting as it might be to jump into the fast-paced world of the stock market and start exploring the options available to you, it’s important not to move too quickly. Remember that flashy stocks aren’t always the best way to build wealth, and high-volatility options can be dangerous when you’re not experienced enough to respond to the ups and downs of the industry.

If you’re brand-new in this space, it’s usually a good idea to create a foundation for your portfolio based on established businesses that you’re comfortable with. If you want to look at individual stocks, familiarize yourself with some of the best ways to evaluate them, and remember to keep yourself open to ongoing education as you continue working on your portfolio. Even the best, most successful financial experts in the world don’t think that they know everything. Making sure that you’re always ready to learn and adapt is crucial.

Small Business people live by the seat of their pants. They sole entrepreneur knows exactly how hard it is to build a customer list and market to those customers. Middle managers of large companies are hired into their position, maintain it for a period of time, then move on for career growth. This is an entirely different process than a small business owner who is fully invested in building the business from the first day.

One durable trait of small business people is that they do not trust external vendors to handle their core customer management functions. As shown in the chart by Forrester Research, despite 30 years of Cloud Based CRM products, a vast majority of small business still use a PC or On-Premise CRM solution for their core Contact and Accounting functions.

1. Not Sorry I’m Sorry Letters

Every small business owner has used an AOL or Yahoo account, and knows that online vendors are merely a target for hackers. What is worse, the online vendors take advantage of bias consumer protection laws and legal agreements that leave them with no responsibility for anything they do. Anyone who has spent years building a customer list gets completely frustrated to learn from an “I’m Sorry” letter that their customers were stolen and being marketed on the dark web.

2. Insatiable Costs

There is not a single SaaS product that is less expensive to own than a PC based product. Microsoft Office 2010 cost $199 for a perpetual license, Microsoft 365 costs $99 per year for the same features. QuickBooks 2012 cost $190, and QuickBooks Pro in 2020 now costs $299.99 per year. There is not a single common product that is less expensive as a SaaS than it was as a perpetual license. SaaS never saved anyone any money – it was used as a cover to provide less service for a higher price.

3. Unexpected Downtime

The promise of SaaS is that since they take care of the equipment, they will responsibly ensure there is no down time. The reality is that every service has down time and aside from pestering you with message about it, unexpected downtime is a serious cost to business. Whether it is a network backbone or local internet issue, a business that relies on internet service has a real vulnerability to uncontrolled downtime. A business based on in-house software may have a failed computer, but this is a fixable problem. Anyone who has sat for hours waiting for some uncontrolled event knows this.

4. Poor Technical Support

The past days of PC Software gave us a time when you called for technical support and received it. There was no guarantee of quality, as Franklin Covey learned when they outsourced their entire product team to India, and lost their product position in the market. But for the most part, you knew if you needed help you could get it on the phone. Today, no SaaS product provides adequate support. They merely listen to what you say and blandly tell you to try a different browser. It is impossible to reach someone who cares.

5. No Loyalty to Customers

Customers are often loyal to a product, but that loyalty is not reciprocated by SaaS vendors. They treat customers as throw away goods in their constant effort to charge more for less service. This comes in the form of email marketing that shows little concern for small business priorities, cost management or offers for the best price. Every small business knows the frustration of making a large purchase, only to see it go on sale shortly after – without any way to get credit for the sale price. To buy the wrong product and be told you cannot refund it (Apple -I’m looking at you!). SaaS vendors take zero responsibility for mis-information on their website.

6. Blackmail

Years ago, Blackmail was a crime. But with SaaS, every vendor has their moment where they inform their customer to cough up money now, or you will never see your data again. The heart of this is the ambiguity over who owns the data on the SaaS service. The customer has carefully curated and added the data, but the vendor may not reciprocate and provide robust tools to extract it or migrate it to another platform. This leads to a standoff where the SaaS vendor literally blackmails the customer when the customer attempts to regain control of their on contact and opportunity lists.

Blackmail is compounded by the short half-life of SaaS vendors. Every few years, a vendor change hands, and their careful customer support policies of “We will never sell your data” or “We pride ourselves on our service” changes overnight to a very cold “If you object to this you can end your service but never see your data again.” Check out Sunrise Calendar, SwiftKey Keyboard, or Picasa.

Summary

DejaOffice has disrupted CRM by introducing affordable On-Premise Customer Management. Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, Notes, History, Deals, Follow Ups and Sync to Android and iPhone built into a product that costs just $59 per user. Compare this to similar “low cost” SaaS products that are six times more costly and you cannot even call them if you have a question. If you run a small business, and have experienced any of the frustrations above, you will save time, money and frustration by switching to DejaOffice today.