15 http://www.aspe-it.com ASPE's IT division is a national provider of real-world technical and professional skills training for Microsoft, Cisco and related networking, Java, Red Hat, Virtualization, and much more en-us 130 50 http://www.aspe-it.com http://www.aspe-it.com/graphics/ASPE-it-logo.jpg ASPE instructor Mark Weinstein, and developer of our SharePoint Curriculum, recently released a new book for pre-order on Amazon.com. Entitled Pro Project Management with SharePoint 2010, the book looks at the latest release of Microsoft SharePoint and how to best utilize it for managing projects. Learn more about the book on our SharePoint Training Curriculum page. http://www.aspe-it.com/sharepointtraining.php http://www.aspe-it.com/sharepointtraining.php This week we held the 2010 Instructor Conference here in Cary, NC. Instructors from all of the ASPE family of companies were present. Our latest blog post highlights the lighter side of ASPE and the conference. Get a glimpse behind the scenes as we review the after hours event at Chef Mario’s where we, as a team, prepared a 5-course meal. Menu items included Prosciutto wrapped Shrimp, Steakhouse Bruschetta, Orange Glazed Salmon, Pistachio Crusted Chicken Breast, and even Berries in Pappillote. Be sure to check out instructor Bill Gaiennie’s Carrot Henge masterpiece and the video of Chef Mario doing a little showing off. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=339 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=339 We hope you all have a safe and lovely New Years! Thanks to everyone who helped make 2009 a great year despite the tough economy, and we look forward to what 2010 brings. We are happy to announce that Katie Cothran has joined our team as a Marketing Specialist, and will be focused on helping improve our direct mail marketing in 2010 and beyond. If we don't talk to you before Friday, we'll see you in 2010. Be safe in your celebrations. Think long and hard about those New Year resolutions, and if we can help in any way please let us know. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=332 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=332 If the weather here on the East Coast is any indication, we are in the thick of the Holiday Season. All of us here at ASPE want to thank you all for a wonderful year and tell you how much we appreciate your business. Not only has it been great to be successful as a company in these tough economic times, but it has been a thrill to work with so many individuals and have our training help them cover the lose of team members, increase their job security through additional skills, knowledge, and certification, and most importantly help some find employment through training that made the difference in their job hunt. We wish everyone a wonderful and safe holiday. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=323 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=323 In a recent blog post we spoke with instructor Mark Weinstein about his new book Pro Project Management with SharePoint 2010 and got his feelings about the new 2010 release of Microsoft SharePoint. We asked him about the biggest improvements in the new release from a project management perspective, got his thoughts about adoption of the 2010 edition, what Microsoft missed in the new release, and where he sees SharePoint heading in the future. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=321 http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/?p=321 In addition to all the other virtual courses we offer, we are excited to now offer Utilizing SharePoint Project Management, Hands-On Mastering SharePoint Customization, Hands-On Microsoft SharePoint 2007 Administration, and Mastering Microsoft SharePoint 2007 Governance as a virtual course. Experience live expert instruction, the same classroom courseware, hands-on breakout session labs, and peer interaction in these online courses. There is no need for you to travel to get up to speed. These courses consist of daily sessions delivered over several consecutive days and are now scheduled between February and May 2010. http://www.aspe-it.com/vcl.php http://www.aspe-it.com/vcl.php We are excited to now offer Hands-On Deploying Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. We will cover all the most up-to-date deployment tools. You'll learn what needs to be accomplished for a smooth transition to Windows 7 and 2008 R2 deployment and you'll learn it hands-on. You’ll discover what tools are available, what resources you will need and what plan to take. Learn by doing as you participate in detailed lab exercises. We won’t waste your time with past components – get right to the "new stuff" and take home solutions you will use immediately at your work site. This course is perfect for IT, networking, support, and deployment specialists and it also awards 21 PDUs. Check out the course outline! http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9535/ http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9535/ Red Hat certifications are indisputably regarded as the best in Linux, and perhaps in all of IT. Selecting the right certification depends on your background and goals. Whether you have advanced, minimal, or no UNIX or Linux experience, Red Hat Training has a path that is right for you. Take the Red Hat Pre-Assessment Questionnaire to see which level of training you need. Choose from Red Hat Linux Essentials, Red Hat Linux Networking and Security Administration, Red Hat Linux System Administration and RHCT Exam, and RHCE Rapid Track Course and RHCE Exam. http://www.aspe-it.com/redhattraining.php http://www.aspe-it.com/redhattraining.php Microsoft products have really become the most dominant business productivity software in use in the corporate world. ASPE-IT offers quality Microsoft training that can be put to good use quickly. We are focused on designing cutting-edge training and offer a hands-on real world environment with experienced experts that have years of experience in the field. Ensure your team achieves peak efficiency in the shortest possible amount of time. We also stand by our training and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. http://www.aspe-it.com/moremicrosoft.php http://www.aspe-it.com/moremicrosoft.php Today is your last chance to register for our free web seminar, "Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 - What's Coming!" Co-run with our partners over at BrightWork, this event will introduce you to all the new features and capabilities that will be included in the latest version of SharePoint. SharePoint Server is the fastest growing server product Microsoft has ever developed, with over $1 billion in revenue and over 100 million users and growing! If it has not already found its way into your IT systems it will definitely be a topic of conversation over the next year. Get ahead of the game now, and learn what you gain by upgrading or find out whether the new features add that extra functionality that now makes SharePoint even harder to resist. http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/ Don't forget that all of our web seminars are recorded and available for playback. Visit aspeevents.webex.com and click on the View Event Recordings link. You will be taken to a page with links to the recordings of all our past web seminars. Currently the list goes all the way back to November 2007, so there is a ton of great material for your on-demand viewing pleasure. The list includes recordings from all the ASPE, Inc. divisions, so you can see presentations for IT, the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), Finance, and Healthcare. http://www.aspeinc.com/seminararchive.php http://www.aspeinc.com/seminararchive.php Our new 2-day SQL Server Administration and Support course will give you a solid foundation of the automate administration and maintenance of SQL Server. You’ll learn everything from correct install and implementation to security and database optimization. This is a no non-sense two-day course meant to get you ramped up quickly and back to the office to implement your new knowledge. Save time and money with this one of a kind 2-day course, and avoid expensive reinstallation and reconfiguration costs. http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/sqladmin/ http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/sqladmin/ Training and education provide you the opportunity to extend your skill set and can be one of the strongest tools you can use to fight the difficult and evolving job market. ASPE, Inc. wants to provide a support solution for unemployed professionals looking to match their skills to the changes happening in the market place. We've put aside a $350,000 to provide unemployed professionals an opportunity to take ASPE courses as a way to effectively build the skills the market is requiring. The program is running from September 1st to February 28th. http://www.aspe-it.com/scholarship.php http://www.aspe-it.com/scholarship.php ASPE has posted some very handy free sources of information on some of the latest technologies from Microsoft. Get a peek at the capabilities and differences in the new upcoming version of SharePoint with 'SharePoint 2010: A Preview of Microsoft’s Premier Collaboration Tool.' In 'Hyper-V R2: What’s New?' you will get an expert's overview of the latest virtualization program just released from Microsoft, and finally you can learn a few very straightforward methods to improve your database performance without spending much money in 'SQL Server Performance Tuning for DBAs.' Check out the ASPE free offers archive to download! http://www.aspe-it.com/offers/ http://www.aspe-it.com/offers/ For three years now the Microsoft SharePoint team in Redmond has been developing new and very exciting functionality for the SharePoint platform. SharePoint 2010 will essentially be the fourth major version of the platform since the first version shipped in 2001. SharePoint Server is the fastest growing server product Microsoft has ever developed, with over $1Bn in revenue and over 100 million users and growing! We have partnered with BrightWork to hold a free web seminar on Oct. 28 to discuss the new features and capabilities coming with SharePoint 2010. BrightWork has worked closely with the Microsoft SharePoint team throughout the development of the new release, and knows firsthand what has to this point been a pretty closely guarded secret at Microsoft. Join us, and be one of the first to know about SharePoint 2010. http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/#seminar2 http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/#seminar2 The latest addition to our SharePoint training curriculum is our new Integrating SharePoint for Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management course. The two-day program will identify and examine the key BI tools that are available in your Microsoft suite, and which will work best for you when integrated within a SharePoint Business Intelligence platform. Your efforts will pay off with better document management, security, external data integration, and information dissemination - in a systematic and well-organized environment. http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9955 http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9955 Business Intelligence for decision-making has traditionally meant consuming data from a data warehouse or writing code to pull information together from multiple sources. Certainly this isn't an option for the "non-techie." Business Intelligence should be the domain of the information worker! Utilizing SharePoint Server in conjunction with the Microsoft Office Suite and Performance Point Server, information workers are empowered to create reports, charts, and display key performance indicators (KPI), easily and within familiar user interfaces. Our free web seminar on September 2nd will show you how. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ The Exceptional Manager: Leading Teams through Challenging Times After the abysmal introduction of Vista, Windows 7 is set to capitalize on the positive aspects of Vista and improve or remove the problem areas. Whether you were forced to move to Vista or avoided it altogether, Windows 7 may be the solution you've been looking for. On August 27th we will hold a free web seminar that examines the enhancements made to Windows 7 that make it appealing. http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/ How Windows 7 Solves the Vista Problems Windows Vista has not been well-received in the IT community. Problems have prevented many IT groups from moving to the Vista OS, while in the consumer marketplace it has become wildly popular because it's nearly impossible to buy a computer with Windows XP. Enter Windows 7 as a corporate solution. In this white paper, you are introduced to three core areas where Windows 7 improves on the Vista operating system, including: application compatibility, hardware compatibility and the user interface learning curve. The aim of the paper is to show that Windows 7 is more corporate friendly and more user friendly. The position of the author is simple: Windows 7 is far better than Vista. http://www.aspe-it.com/offers/#62 Why Windows 7 is Better Than Vista A modern Project Management Information System (PMIS) is a collaborative solution that allows for the management of projects and the documentation and processes associated with them. Dozens of solutions exist; however, if you have implemented Microsoft SharePoint or plan to implement it, you may already have one of the best PMIS solutions available today. To help you understand how Microsoft SharePoint can assist you in implementing a collaborative PMIS, this whitepaper will step through the five phases of a project. While discussing each phase, suggestions will be made for how Microsoft SharePoint can be used to manage the processes within each phase. http://www.aspe-it.com/offers/#63 Using SharePoint for Project Management So you've been thinking about using SharePoint after hearing about all the amazing stuff it can do, right? Or you might be saying to yourself, "Yeah, I've heard of SharePoint...but what exactly is it?" In our newest white paper we'll explain what SharePoint is, what it does, and most importantly what it can do for your business. If you're new to the idea of collaboration, we will introduce the concept and show you why SharePoint is one of the premier collaboration server applications on the market today. http://www.aspe-it.com/offers/#61 What is SharePoint and what can it do for your business? Information Technology is the world’s best success story. No industry has grown as quickly or changed with such lightning speed. Yet in spite of all the major progress and achievements, IT service has also suffered a lingering perception of unreliability, poor communication, and even poor self-management. Since the 1980’s a set of principles and processes have been refined by ITIL® (IT Infrastructure Library) to guide IT Service Management in adding value to the business needs. http://www.aspe-it.com/offers/#60 Introduction to ITIL V3 This week we introduced the new and improved ASPE-SDLC blog. The new blog allows for increased customer participation and commenting, and utilizes AddtoAny buttons for quick sharing over social media channels. We have also introduced a new section where you can Rate Our Courses and give your honest feedback about your experience. The blog is reachable from a new icon on our ASPE-SDLC site, which is accompanied by icons to also connect with us through RSS, Twitter, and LinkedIn. So take a few minutes, check out our hard work, and connect with us. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/blog/ On July 9th we will be holding our next ASPE-IT web seminar after a bit of a hiatus. This event will look at several security issues to consider when deploying SharePoint. Presenter, Mark Weinstein, will explain how "it's not that SharePoint is insecure, it's that it frequently is deployed insecurely." We will cover several popular security concepts and topics, including: Authentication methods such as Active Directory and Web Single Sign-On, SharePoint User Authorization, Content and Site Security, and Security Trimming. http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/ In our blog post last week we did a follow-up to our June Agile Industry Watch web seminar. After the event we had so many questions regarding trends in Agile job titles and the adoption of Agile projects that we decided to dive a little deeper. The post takes a look at Indeed.com data on the number of job listings with SDLC, Agile, or Scrum over the period of Jul '05 to Jan '09 and its correlation to what we are hearing from our customers. It also discusses possible causes of these trends and its implications in the future. http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/agile-industry-watch-agile-jobs.html http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/agile-industry-watch-agile-jobs.html In our latest blog post we examine the PMP recertification and what to consider when earning your necessary PDUs. We look at the value of a PDU, what you should pay for a PDU, and ways to earn free PDUs. Additionally, we discuss why you should be focused on the education received because when you strip it all down, you can meet the PDU recertification requirements for free. http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/your-pmp-recertification-for-pdu-sake.html http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/your-pmp-recertification-for-pdu-sake.html Join us on June 11th for up Agile Industry Watch free web seminar. With over 50,000 people holding the Certified Scrum Master designation and with PMI making overtures to the Agile industry, 2009 is turning out to be a critical year for Agile deployment. In this 45-minute web seminar, get an update on the industry trends regarding Agile and how Agile methods are impacting SDLC management practices. We'll address Scrum's position as an Agile methodology, PMI and Agile, IIBA and Agile, and critical skills for Agile success. You'll earn 1 PDU for attendance. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/webseminars/ Our 2009 Interactive Electronic Training Catalog is now available. With 68 pages of page flipping content, it's worth your time just to see how this top of the line Nxtbook visually and functionally takes electronic catalogs to the next level. Our interactive catalog allows you to flip pages with just one click, bookmark specific content, even take your own notes. You can also choose to save or print the entire catalog or just the pages of interest to you. Our 2009 Interactive Electronic Training Catalog will be your top resource for training in 2009. http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aspe/trainingcatalog_200905/ http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aspe/trainingcatalog_200905/ SharePoint has fast become the most effective and useful collaborative tool that the business world has experienced in a very long time. But with this increased reliance on a growing platform, there comes a certain amount of risk. If mismanaged or not managed at all, there goes the effort, cost savings and benefit…right out the window. To meet this need, we have developed our new Mastering Effective SharePoint Governance course. In two days, the SharePoint Administrator and Manager will develop a clear-cut road map for controlled management and a game plan for future growth, future deployments and expansion of SharePoint tools. Both technical needs and management needs, seamlessly and effortlessly blended into a strategic, well thought out program that will have staying power that can help perpetually drive your SharePoint decisions in the future. http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9505/ http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9505/ Our latest blog post debates the current and future state of the PM and BA roles. We look at the IIBA and PMI, their influence, and how these organizations and things like Agile can shape project management and business analysis over the next year. http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/7-trends-in-project-management-and.html http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/7-trends-in-project-management-and.html Pre-Sale has started for The Complete CBAP v2.0 Study Guide. Reserve your copy today! With over 500 test questions and tips on studying and sitting for the exam, it will prove to be an invaluable resource in helping you focus and maximize your study time. To learn more about CBAP certification, and the benefits of using this incredibly valuable... http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/cbap_guide.html http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/cbap_guide.html Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007 can be a very useful tool for many organizations wanting to do their part in helping the environment. In our latest blog post we look at how Microsoft SharePoint can be used for document imaging and management, using InfoPath and Workflows to automate forms, telecommuting, and server virtualization. http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/ http://theaspeblog.blogspot.com/ Courses now available include Business Analyst Fundamentals, Agile Project Management, Agile Requirements, ScrumMaster Workshop, Jumpstart in Project Management, and Financial Modeling in Excel Boot Camp. These classes have a limited number of seats, so reserve yours today. Early Bird pricing available for some courses. Save up to $200. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/vcl.html http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/vcl.html Coming Up: Expand your command of SharePoint as a project management tool - if you're running SharePoint, you shouldn't miss this one. Just added: Implementing a Hyper-V Virtualization Infrastructure. Virtualization is a hot topic for good reason. Hyper-V is a readily available tool for anyone utilizing Microsoft assets. Get an expert's overview during this presentation. And in the first week of May: Creating Secure Code and Cultivating a Defensive Mindset. This free presentation will help you look for common coding errors, implement easy defensive tools, and increase the security of your application development environment. For more information visit http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/ http://www.aspe-it.com/webseminars/ One of the benefits of implementing Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 is the flexibility it offers to create custom solutions...but there's a lot to know. ASPE just finalized our latest addition to the ASPE SharePoint curriculum. Our new Hands-On Mastering SharePoint Customization course is complete and open for registration. This lab-intensive three day program will help you zero in on customizing SharePoint's look and feel, creating custom workflows, designing InfoPath forms, and accessing external data through the Business Data Catalog. With our new SharePoint Course, you will create real-word workflow templates for SharePoint-based business solutions, and learn how to program against the SharePoint Workflow API. For more information visit http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9655/ http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9655/ http://www.aspe-it.com/courses/9655/ ASPE has grown by leaps and bounds since its creation in 2004. To better serve our customers we are creating separate brands for our SDLC and IT divisions. As our second step, we have launched a new IT site that focuses solely on our Information Technology training curriculums. Take a look around and let us know what you think. To show our appreciation we will give you a coupon for $300 Off. For details visit www.aspetech.com/IT/promo.html http://www.aspetech.com/IT/promo3.html http://www.aspetech.com/IT/promo3.html ASPE, one of the foremost providers of technical and professional training in North America, has launched its highly acclaimed IT Training division into the marketplace under its own independent banner. Formerly offered and managed under the software development umbrella, ASPE's IT catalog has grown such that it is now offering training customers more "hard IT" topics driven by an impressive faculty of IT experts. Specializing in SharePoint, Client/Server, and other Microsoft topics, ASPE-IT.com is also a source of training in Java, Networking and Cisco, Virtualization, Red Hat, and Enterprise Architecture courses. ASPE's classes are offered in a lab-driven, strictly "real-world" format, and are always powered by independent experts, rather than the often strict parameters of "official" vendor training. http://www.aspe-it.com/ http://www.aspe-it.com/ ASPE releases all its free webseminars to the public! IT and Project Management training, as well as Microsoft web seminars are now available for free downloads, no strings attached! ASPE is a nationwide provider of IT and SDLC training- we recognize the need for quality training, and we also understand that budgets are always a major factor. What better way is there to deliver that understanding than by giving away our expertise? Complete a short form, and the written materials for our past webseminars will be sent to you to read at your leisure. Check out our free technical offers, whitepapers, and webseminars today! http://www.aspetech.com/webseminars/archives.html http://www.aspetech.com/webseminars/archives.html Due to extraordinary demand for more classes, more sessions, more experts, and more training options, ASPE announces the unveiling of www.aspe-sdlc.com ! With new staff on hand, ASPE SDLC division will bring unparralleled training to the growing number of Project Managers, Business Analysts, Agile Practicioners, and Software Testers in the market today. Their new website has been created by the web design team at Knotts and Associates. http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/ http://www.aspe-sdlc.com/ Information released from the American Society of Professional Education lists the top 10 training topics of 2006 & 2007. Learn which topics in the fields of IT and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) have literally exploded on to the scene in the last 18 months! http://www.aspetech.com/news/topten.html http://www.aspetech.com/news/topten.html Projects are a huge cost to every organization and research reveals 51% of projects will fail. After resources, the largest cost in all projects are risks. The inability to identify, categorize, accurately assess impact, prevent, and control risks cost businesses billions per year. This course first identifies project risks, risk categories, and criteria, then presents and explains key definitions. Next, in an interactive "hands on" environment, participants learn tools and techniques for: 1) Qualitative and Quantitative Risk Analysis. 2) Risk Criteria. 3) Risk Response Planning. 4) Risk Monitoring and Controls. 5) how to prepare and test a comprehensive risk management plan to materially reduce and contain risks, thereby reducing costs and program delays. http://www.aspetech.com/courses/4870_details.html http://www.aspetech.com/courses/4870_details.html Every quarter, ASPE will present a gift of $5,000 in mutual funds to an individual. Anyone is eligible to receive it — use it for your child’s education, as a contribution to your retirement fund, or for whatever need is most appropriate for you. You have four chances per year to receive the gift. Sign up through the link below and contact our staff for any questions not outlined in our terms and conditions. http://www.aspetech.com/mutualfunds/ http://www.aspetech.com/mutualfunds/ For a limited time, attendees of select IT courses will receive a FREE iPod Shuffle. For a list of eligible courses... http://www.aspetech.com/shuffle/ http://www.aspetech.com/shuffle/