Podcasts about CompTIA

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we dive deep into the concept of cybersecurity risk and why it's a critical factor in your IT skills development. Forget common myths and technical jargon — this episode breaks down risk into understandable elements: threat, vulnerability, likelihood, and impact. Perfect for CompTIA exam candidates, we provide practical IT certification tips that turn abstract fears into concrete strategies to protect your digital assets. Whether you're prepping for your CompTIA exam or interested in technology education, this discussion equips you with essential knowledge for effective tech exam prep.We walk through inherited risk (your baseline exposure) and residual risk (what remains after controls), and explain why zero risk is a dangerous fantasy. From there, we unpack the four response strategies—avoidance, mitigation, transfer, and acceptance—using clear examples you can bring to your Sec+, Net+, or A+ studies and your day job. You'll learn when quantitative numbers help, when qualitative scales are more honest, and how heat maps can mislead when assumptions go unchallenged.Because modern exposure doesn't end at your perimeter, we dive into vendor risk management: evaluating partners before you sign, setting expectations with NDAs, MSAs, SLAs, SOWs, and rules of engagement, and keeping continuous oversight to match changing realities. We also connect the dots to business impact analysis, translating risk into recovery targets with MTD, RTO, RPO, and WRT so you prioritize mission essential functions instead of treating every system the same. Finally, we clarify the role of internal and external assessments and demystify penetration testing as a snapshot that challenges assumptions rather than a guarantee of safety.If you want security that aligns with real-world priorities, this conversation gives you the mental model and vocabulary to make better decisions under uncertainty. Subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review with one insight you're taking back to your org. What risk will you accept—and why?Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

HAPPY MLK DAY 2026! Beginner CompTIA A+ Lab (see description for FREE full video)My first lab video post: https://youtu.be/qCS-QFgkZxY?si=I7yOQuEksOp6KnoR

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we delve into the critical role of security governance in building secure organizations. Learn how governance frameworks—comprising policies, standards, procedures, and playbooks—transform strategic intent into consistent, auditable actions that both teams and auditors rely on. Whether you're preparing for your CompTIA exam or aiming to develop essential IT skills, understanding these governance principles is key to effective tech exam prep and technology education. Join us as we break down complex concepts in an easy-to-understand way, helping you succeed in your IT certification journey and beyond.We start with clear definitions that make exam questions and real-world decisions easier. Policies set high-level rules and expectations. Standards add measurable technical requirements like encryption strength and logging baselines. Procedures translate both into step-by-step action, and playbooks coordinate who does what, in what order, using which tools. Along the way, we compare external frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST 800, PCI DSS, and FIPS with internal standards that tailor controls to your environment.Privacy law isn't a side quest; it shapes everything. We demystify GDPR, CCPA, FERPA, HIPAA, and COPPA, and clarify roles that exams love to test: the data owner who sets classification and usage, the data controller who defines purpose and lawful basis, the data processor who acts for the controller, and the data custodian who protects and maintains data without deciding how it's used. You'll learn practical cues to spot each role fast and avoid common pitfalls.Finally, we dig into change management as a risk control function. Its goal is to minimize risk while implementing changes, with impact analysis, approvals, testing, and rollback plans. Automation and orchestration can speed response and reduce error, but only when guided by policy and enforced by standards. Expect memorable exam tips, grounded examples, and a framework you can use right away on the job.If this helped sharpen your Security+ prep or your day-to-day practice, subscribe, share the show with a colleague, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps more learners tap into technology with confidence.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we explore how proactive detection surpasses reactive troubleshooting in cybersecurity. For those preparing for their CompTIA exam, understanding the subtle clues and quiet anomalies attackers leave behind is essential for developing strong IT skills and excelling in tech exam prep. We dive deep into the critical indicators that help you detect security compromises early, providing practical knowledge essential for your technology education and IT certification journey. Join us as we equip you with expert insights to sharpen your detection abilities and enhance your competence in protecting systems effectively.We walk through the behaviors that matter: viruses that hitch a ride on clicks, worms that paint the network with unexplained traffic, and fileless attacks that live in memory and borrow admin tools like PowerShell and scheduled tasks. You'll learn how to spot spyware by the aftermath of credential misuse, recognize RATs and backdoors by their steady beaconing to unknown IPs, and use contradictions—like tools disagreeing about running processes—as a signal for rootkits. We also draw a sharp line between ransomware's loud chaos and cryptojacking's quiet drain on your CPU and fan.Zooming out, we map network and application signals: certificate warnings and duplicate MACs that hint at man-in-the-middle, DNS mismatches that suggest cache poisoning, and log patterns that betray SQL injection, replay abuse, or directory traversal. Along the way, we talk about building Security+ instincts through scaffolding—A+ for OS and hardware intuition, Network+ for protocol fluency, and Security+ for attacker behavior—so indicators make sense the moment you see them.If you want a sharper eye for subtle threats and a stronger shot at your Security+ exam, this guide will train your attention on the tells adversaries can't fully hide. Subscribe, share with a teammate who handles triage, and leave a review with your favorite indicator to watch—we'll feature the best ones in a future show.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

Slowing U.S. job growth alongside rising labor productivity highlights how organizations are replacing hiring with automation and AI-driven systems. Government labor data shows job growth in 2025 fell to roughly 584,000 positions, while productivity rose nearly five percent in the third quarter, allowing output to increase without additional staff. According to CompTIA, demand for AI-related skills rose more than 100 percent year over year, even as overall tech employment declined. For MSPs, this signals a shift where customers rely less on internal teams and more on external providers to absorb operational responsibility when automated systems fail.Survey data from TechAisle indicates that small and midmarket businesses are redirecting technology spending away from basic digitization toward autonomous, outcome-driven systems. The research, based on responses from 5,500 firms, shows profitable growth and cost control as top priorities for 2026, with increased adoption of generative AI, agentic automation, and managed security services. At the same time, rising RAM and storage prices—driven by AI data center demand, according to TrendForce—are delaying PC refresh cycles and pushing workloads into cloud environments, changing where performance, security, and cost risks surface.Vendor signals remain mixed. Kaseya reported layoffs affecting five percent of its workforce, following earlier reductions, while TD Synnex and Samsung reported strong revenue growth tied to AI infrastructure, memory, and server demand. Distributors cite continued hardware refresh activity, yet repeated workforce cuts at vendors suggest internal cost corrections rather than demand collapse. For MSPs, this combination increases environmental complexity, with longer device lifecycles, higher component costs, and more heterogeneous platforms to support.Operational AI announcements further extend decision-making authority into automated systems. New healthcare, printing, and service desk tools embed AI into intake, routing, authorization, and workflow execution, often acting before human review. For MSPs and IT service providers, the central issue is not efficiency gains but accountability: when AI-driven processes misroute work, generate compliance errors, or escalate incidents incorrectly, responsibility frequently defaults to the operator. The episode underscores the need for clearer governance, pricing, and contractual boundaries as AI assumes functional authority inside managed environments. Four things to know today 00:00 Slowing Job Growth, Rising Productivity, and AI Adoption Shift Operational Responsibility to Providers05:26 TechAisle Data Shows SMB Focus Moving From Digitization to Autonomous, Outcome-Driven Systems09:19 Kaseya Cuts Staff as Distributors and Chipmakers Report Strong AI-Driven Demand14:27 Operational AI Advances as Vendors Embed Automation Into Intake, Routing, and Authorization This is the Business of Tech.    Supported by:  https://cometbackup.com/?utm_source=mspradio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sponsorship

professorjrod@gmail.comWindows troubleshooting can feel like guesswork, especially when preparing for your CompTIA exam. In this episode, we delve into the inner workings of the Windows OS and introduce a practical decision flow that reduces guesswork and strengthens your tech exam prep. Learn how to transform vague issues into precise, testable hypotheses, leading to fewer reinstalls and more reliable fixes. This approach not only builds your IT skills development but also prepares you for real-world challenges in technology education. Perfect for anyone studying for IT certifications or looking to sharpen their troubleshooting techniques, join us as we uncover strategies to succeed in your CompTIA study guide journey.We dig into Device Manager as a live negotiation table between hardware and the OS, showing why disabling a suspect device is a powerful experiment that reduces variables and confirms root cause. Storage gets the same rigor: Disk Management looks simple but enforces geometry, not wishes, and we explain why GPT vs MBR matters less than understanding adjacent unallocated space and the risks of rushing. When precision matters most, DiskPart demands intent and verification at every step—list, select, confirm, proceed—because there's no undo.Permissions emerge as the hidden culprit behind many “bugs.” With Whoami, group membership, and elevation in focus, identity becomes observable and solvable. On the network side, we replace “is it down?” with “how far does connectivity go?”—a layered method that isolates DNS failures when local resources work but websites won't resolve. We make the case for DHCP to reduce human error, and for treating the firewall as evidence, not an obstacle, by aligning apps, ports, and profiles instead of flipping switches.Throughout, the command line earns trust not for nostalgia, but for honesty. SFC validates OS integrity so you can stop blaming the kernel, while CHKDSK corrects map-to-disk mismatches before you condemn hardware. We close with a repeatable walkthrough: observe first, read Task Manager patterns, validate hardware and identity, test network boundaries, then change one variable at a time. If this approach helps you think clearer and fix faster, subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review to help others troubleshoot with confidence.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode, we explore the Palm Pilot not just as a retro gadget but as a pioneering example of human-centered technology that aligns closely with modern IT skills development. Discover how Palm's approach to trust, speed, and minimal distraction offers valuable lessons for technology education and tech exam prep. Whether you're preparing for your CompTIA exam or seeking effective study group strategies, this episode highlights how a device that respects user attention can inspire innovative thinking relevant to today's IT certification tips and study guides.We unpack Jeff Hawkins's cognitive approach to design, the lessons of Apple Newton's public failure, and why Graffiti's learnable alphabet beat early handwriting AI. HotSync emerges as more than a cable and a cradle; it became a daily ritual that made backup visible and certainty tangible. Doctors, pilots, executives, and students adopted Palm not because it dazzled, but because it disappeared into their work—an invisible companion that remembered everything and never argued.Then the ground shifted. Connectivity turned from a feature into infrastructure, BlackBerry redefined urgency with always-on email, and the iPhone reframed the phone as a platform for presence and identity. We trace Palm's move from elegant minimalism to spec chasing, the philosophical split with Handspring over openness, and the beautiful ambition of WebOS that arrived after momentum had already moved. Along the way, personal stories of SD-card movies, subway reading, and email sync show how reliability felt in the hand—and where it started to fray.The takeaway is pointed: being right isn't enough. Reliability, restraint, and love can't outrun a behavior shift. If you design products or care about humane tech, this story is a compass—build for trust, but watch where everyday life is heading. If this resonated, follow the show, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find it. What part of Palm's DNA do you wish today's devices would bring back?Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

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Are you ready to get A+ certified? Watch our free training course:In this month's CompTIA A+ Core 2 Study Group, you'll learn: Using the best Windows utility when troubleshootingFinding the source of a browser redirectionScripting in Windows, Linux and macOSWorking with the dnf utilityAnd moreKeep the study process going! Watch additional A+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

Send us a textA tiny AI hologram that sits on your desk and smiles back at you sounds futuristic… until you realize how fast novelty slides into cringe. We kick things off by roasting the CES gadget everyone will meme, then pivot to the ideas underneath: why ambient AI is sneaking into our workspaces, how customization keeps us hooked, and where the line sits between companion and coach. From there, we dig into LEGO's new interactive bricks, the promise of light and sound in creative builds, and the practical headaches around price, collectibility, and what happens when electronics age inside once-timeless sets.The conversation shifts gears into the car world, where Sony teases an EV and manufacturers keep pushing paid features. We talk about the trade-offs between convenience and control, why cars now feel like subscription platforms, and how that changes what “ownership” means. That spirals into a passionate riff on real-life utility: sedans vs SUVs vs minivans, hauling space for gear and pets, and choosing vehicles that match how we actually live—not just how they're marketed.Then we get personal. We lay out goals we'll track this year: getting back to lifting with a home rack, rebuilding a 1992 Volvo wagon, and opening our anime queue to genres we usually skip for fresh creative fuel. On the career side, we map a clean path to the CompTIA trifecta with Network+, and we get candid about money literacy—HYSA vs savings, CDs, brokerage accounts, T-bills, and starting the investing journey without the fluff. We also confront a tough truth: turning a hobby into a business can kill the joy. Photography paid, but it drained us. Barbecue tastes amazing, but meat prices crush margins. Gourmet mushrooms, though, thread the needle—science, repeatability, and steady demand with a lean setup and real market interest.If you've been waiting for the right moment to set goals you'll actually keep, consider this your cue. Write one down, make it smaller, and start today. If you enjoyed the show, follow the podcast, share it with a friend who loves tech and real talk, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find us. https://www.carolinaotakus.com/

Your questions and more!

Are you ready to get A+ certified? Watch our free training course:In this month's A+ Core 1 Study Group, you'll learn about: Troubleshooting DNS recordsCloud deployment modelsPrinter tray issuesLightning cable connectionsAnd moreKeep the study process going! Watch additional A+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

professorjrod@gmail.comPreparing for the CompTIA A+ Core 2 exam requires more than just chasing icons—it demands a deep understanding of how Windows truly works. In this episode, we explore the technician mindset that transforms scattered Windows settings into a navigable system you can confidently manage under exam pressure. Whether you're part of a study group or preparing solo, this guide offers essential tech exam prep strategies and IT skills development tips to help you tackle the root causes of issues, not just the symptoms. Get ready to elevate your technology education and pass your CompTIA exam with confidence.We start with user-controlled fundamentals: accounts and permissions, privacy toggles for microphones and cameras, and the hidden power of time and region settings that keep authentication, certificates, and cloud sync from falling apart. Accessibility gets a full treatment as a must-have in schools, healthcare, and government, and we show how File Explorer—extensions and hidden items enabled—becomes your lens for real troubleshooting. From there we shift into system behavior: Advanced System Settings for performance and recovery, why Windows Update is a security boundary, and how Plug and Play, Device Manager, and driver hygiene keep hardware predictable.Then we connect local Windows to the cloud. You'll get a practical map for choosing between local installs and SaaS, verifying digital signatures and hashes, honoring licensing and compliance, and diagnosing sync problems through identity, permissions, and bandwidth. We explain how single sign-on and identity synchronization cut help desk load while raising the bar for accurate time and policy alignment. Along the way, we use clear A+ exam strategies—watch for words like first and most likely—to select the smallest, safest change that explains the symptoms.If you're preparing for CompTIA A+ Core 2 or sharpening your day-to-day support skills, this walkthrough helps you think like a technician: start simple, map issues to the right layer, verify the fix, and document. Subscribe, share with a fellow test taker, and leave a review telling us your favorite Windows fix that saves the day.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we explore a groundbreaking shift in cybersecurity threats focused on operational availability instead of data theft. Using five headline patterns from 2025, including a case where hospital scheduling systems were compromised, we highlight critical lessons for IT skills development and tech exam prep. Learn how these attacks challenge traditional security thinking and why ensuring system availability is vital for technology education and anyone preparing for CompTIA exams.From there, we dig into poisoned updates and the uneasy truth that digital signatures prove origin, not intent. By compromising a vendor's build pipeline, adversaries delivered “trusted” software that waited, watched, and embedded itself as infrastructure. Antivirus didn't catch it; analysts comparing subtle anomalies did. We unpack practical defenses: behavior monitoring for signed code, attestation, SBOM use, and staged rollouts that verify after trust, not just before.Next, the social engineering target shifts to the help desk at 24/7 casinos, where urgency is the culture. With real names, roles, and believable pressure, attackers turned resets into keys. The logs showed everything as legitimate because the system allowed it. We share fixes that work under fire: just-in-time privilege, second-operator verification for high-risk requests, audited callback flows, and playbooks that slow down when stakes go up.Then the cloud nightmare: a leaked admin token, logging disabled, and entire environments—plus backups—deleted. No exotic exploit, just excessive privilege and shared control planes. We break down guardrails that change outcomes: least privilege everywhere, break-glass elevation with time limits, immutable backups in isolated accounts, and monitoring that attackers can't silence.All roads lead to the same insight: humans aren't the weakest link; they're the most overused control. Real resilience comes from systems that assume trust will be abused and still contain damage—observed trust, independent logging, and workflows that don't require perfection from people under pressure. If you're building or defending, this is your blueprint for 2026: reduce blast radius, verify behavior, and never make a human your final barrier.If this hit a nerve or sparked an idea, follow, share with a teammate, and leave a quick review. Tell us: where does your organization rely on trust without verification?Pure Tested PeptidesPremium Peptides for Longevity, muscle growth , weight lossSupport the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comWhat if the scariest hacks of 2025 never looked like hacks at all? We break down five real-world scenarios where attackers didn't smash locks—they used the keys we handed them. From an AI-cloned voice that sailed through a wire transfer to a building's HVAC console that quietly held elevators and doors hostage, the common thread is hard to ignore: trust. Trusted voices, trusted vendors, trusted “boring” systems, trusted sessions, and trusted APIs became the most valuable attack surface of the year.We start with a “boring” phone call that proves how caller ID and confidence can defeat policy when culture doesn't empower people to challenge authority. Then we step into the mechanical room: cloud dashboards for HVAC and badge readers, vendor-shared credentials, and thin network segmentation made physical denial of service as simple as logging in. The pivot continues somewhere few teams watch—libraries—where an unpatched management system bridged city HR, school portals, and public access with zero alarms, because nothing looked broken.Authentication takes a hit next. MFA worked, yet attackers won by stealing active LMS session tokens from a neglected component and riding valid access for weeks. No failed logins, no brute force—just continuation that our tools rarely question. Finally, we open the mobile app and watch the traffic. Clean, well-formed API calls mapped pricing rules, loyalty balances, and inventory signals at scale. Not a single malformed request, but plenty of business logic abuse that finance noticed before security did.If you care about cybersecurity, IT operations, or the CompTIA mindset, the takeaways are clear: shorten trust windows, verify context continuously, rotate and scope vendor access, segment OT from IT, treat libraries and civic tech as real attack surface, bind tokens to devices, and put rate limits and behavior analytics at the heart of your API strategy. Ready to rethink where your defenses are blind? Listen now, share with your team, and tell us which assumption you'll challenge first. And if this helped, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it on to someone who needs a wake-up call.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comExplore how Napster revolutionized technology education by changing the way we interact with digital files and access information. This episode delves into the transformation from physical media to digital packets, illustrating key moments that reshaped internet culture and technology. Whether you're preparing for your CompTIA exam or interested in IT skills development, understanding these technological shifts provides valuable context for tech exam prep and study group discussions. Join us as we unpack the history behind Napster and its lasting influence on technology education and digital innovation.We walk through Metallica's landmark lawsuit and the legal logic that treated visibility as control, then trace the diaspora that followed: LimeWire's messy resilience, Kazaa's global sprawl, and BitTorrent's protocol-level genius that made sharing intrinsic. Along the way, we examine what labels missed, what users learned, and why lawsuits against platforms morphed into letters to dorm rooms. Hardware and storefronts offered a ceasefire—hello iPod and ninety-nine-cent downloads—but ownership still clashed with a new habit shaped by search, speed, and scale.Streaming became the only model that matched the lesson users had already internalized: music should be searchable, immediate, and everywhere. That shift didn't stop at songs. Photos, documents, movies, and apps followed, because remote access began to feel natural. We talk candidly about artist trade-offs—reach versus leverage, algorithms versus programmers—and the way architecture keeps deciding outcomes. If you care about the history of technology, platform liability, or the future of creative work, this story connects the dots from a dorm room index to the blue play button on your phone.If this deep dive gave you a new lens on music and tech, follow the show, share it with a friend who remembers the dial-up hiss, and leave a quick review so others can find us. What part of the Napster era still echoes for you?Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, my students dive into the notorious Cambridge Analytica scandal and its profound impact on data privacy and technology ethics. Our students break down how seemingly harmless personality quizzes exploited Facebook data, creating psychological profiles that influenced elections worldwide. This discussion not only explores real-world technology applications but also enhances your understanding of data security—an essential topic for IT skills development and CompTIA exam prep. Tune in to expand your knowledge of technology education and the critical role of informed consent in today's digital landscape.We walk through the mechanics: the Open Graph loophole, the “This Is Your Digital Life” app, and the shift from demographic targeting to OCEAN-based psychographics that amplified fear, duty, or curiosity depending on your traits. The conversation connects the dots from early experiments with Ted Cruz to huge ad impression volumes tied to the 2016 cycle, explores coordination concerns with super PACs, and examines why these tactics made public debate harder and disinformation easier to spread. Along the way, our students highlight the whistleblowers who surfaced the practice and the global footprint that reached Brexit, the Caribbean, and beyond.The fallout mattered. Facebook faced FTC, SEC, and UK ICO actions; Cambridge Analytica went bankrupt; and Meta tightened API access to cut off friend data collection. We also dig into the privacy wave that followed—GDPR in Europe, CCPA in California—and what those laws do and don't fix. The core takeaway is clear: ethical data practices and transparent advertising aren't nice-to-haves; they're the guardrails for a healthy digital public square. If personal data can be turned into political power, then consent, purpose limits, and accountability must be visible and enforceable.Listen for a clear, step-by-step breakdown, plain-language answers to tough questions, and practical context you can use to evaluate political ads and platform policies. If this conversation sharpened your thinking, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review telling us how you protect your data online.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

Tate Talks: Navigating the New Wave of Managed Services with Dan WensleyIn the final episode of 2025, Chris Tate sits down with a titan of the MSP channel, Dan Wensley, the CEO of GTIA (Global Technology Industry Association). With a career spanning nearly 30 years, Dan shares his unique perspective on the evolution of the industry—from the early days of internet adoption and value-added reselling to the birth of the modern Managed Service Provider.The conversation dives deep into the power of collaboration and community. Dan reflects on how even the fiercest competitors in the early RMM and PSA space worked together to "carry the torch" for the managed services business model. They also discuss the transition of CompTIA into GTIA, emphasizing its role as the industry's only fully agnostic, non-profit trade association dedicated to unbiased research and peer-to-peer education.As we look toward 2026, Dan warns that the pace of change—driven largely by AI and cybersecurity—is accelerating faster than anything we've seen before. His primary advice for MSPs? Don't go it alone. Stay close to your community to avoid "missing the turn," and never lose sight of the customer relationship, which remains the ultimate differentiator.Connect with Dan on LinkedIn here or check out the GTIA website here Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

professorjrod@gmail.comExplore the pivotal moment in technology education as we trace the origins of the internet browser from Mosaic's innovation at NCSA to Netscape Navigator's rise as the gateway to the web. This episode dives deep into internet history, highlighting the major players like Jim Clark and Marc Andreessen who shaped the early web experience. We also analyze the browser wars triggered by Microsoft's Internet Explorer, illustrating challenges in technology development and competition. Whether you're preparing for your CompTIA exam or passionate about tech exam prep, understanding this history enriches your IT skills development and offers valuable context for technology education.I walk through the tactics that made Navigator beloved—progressive rendering, rapid updates, and the birth of JavaScript—and the strategic choices that slowed it down, like the all-in-one Communicator suite. We unpack the bundling play that tilted distribution, the developer headaches of competing nonstandard features, and the DOJ antitrust case that redefined how we think about platform power. The twists don't end there: AOL buys Netscape, adoption fades, and then a bold move changes the web again—open sourcing the code to create Mozilla.From Gecko to Phoenix to Firefox, we trace how community-driven software brought speed, security, and standards back to center stage. That lineage lives in every tab you open today, from Firefox to Chrome to Safari, and in the modern idea of the browser as a platform for apps, SaaS, and daily life. Along the way, I share classroom plans, student podcast previews, and a practical way educators can keep learners engaged over winter break.If you love origin stories, tech strategy, or just remember the thrill of that big N on a beige PC, this one's for you. Listen, subscribe, and share your first browser memory with us—was it Navigator, IE, or something else? And if this journey brought back the dial-up feels, leave a review and pass it on.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we dive deep into incident response, forensics, and monitoring essentials crucial for your tech exam prep. Learn the full incident response lifecycle—preparation, detection, analysis, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned—to develop your IT skills and master concepts important for the CompTIA exam. We discuss how having a solid plan, defined roles, and effective communication helps IT teams maintain clarity when systems fail. Tune in for real-world examples showing how SOC analysts escalate brute force attacks, how teams preserve evidence for forensics, and how incident debriefs lead to stronger security measures like multi-factor authentication. This episode is an essential part of your CompTIA study guide and technology education journey.We then turn to digital forensics and make it concrete. Legal hold, due process, and chain of custody aren't buzzwords—they're the difference between actionable findings and inadmissible claims. We break down the order of volatility, memory and disk acquisition, hashing, and write blockers, plus the reporting and e‑discovery steps that transform artifacts into a defensible narrative. If you've ever wondered when to pull the plug or why RAM matters, this segment gives you the why and the how.Finally, we zoom out to monitoring and the tools that power modern security operations. From Windows logs and Syslog to IDS, IPS, NetFlow, and packet capture with Wireshark, we show how each source fits the puzzle. We unpack SIEM fundamentals—log aggregation, normalization, correlation, alert tuning—and share strategies to beat alert fatigue without missing true positives. To round it out, we offer certification guidance across A+, Network+, Security+, and Tech+, helping you choose the right path whether you're SOC-bound or supporting compliance from another business unit.Subscribe for more practical cybersecurity breakdowns, share this with a teammate who needs a stronger IR playbook, and leave a review with your biggest monitoring or forensics question—we may feature it next time.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

The unemployment rate for tech jobs in the United States rose to four percent in November, according to CompTIA analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics and Lightcast data. Between October and November, the number of technology workers across industries declined by 134,000, with the tech industry itself losing more than 6,800 jobs. Tech job postings dropped by over 31,800 during the same period. Factors contributing to these trends include ongoing layoffs, reduced demand for new technology projects, and economic uncertainty. Business owners and leaders are advised to reassess talent strategies, invest in employee upskilling, and monitor labor market trends to inform workforce planning.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

professorjrod@gmail.comWhat if your help desk could solve recurring IT problems in minutes, not hours? In this episode, we explore the backbone of reliable IT support, focusing on clear SOPs that remove guesswork, SLAs that align technical work with business risk, and an effective ticketing flow that transforms scattered fixes into measurable outcomes. Whether you're preparing for a CompTIA exam or seeking practical IT skills development, you'll find valuable insights here. We share real-world examples—from login failures to VPN drops—that demonstrate how documentation, escalation tiers, and knowledge bases reduce time-to-resolution and prevent repeat incidents, making technology education and effective IT support attainable goals.We also get candid about the human side of support. Professionalism is not a soft skill; it is operational. We talk punctuality, clean language, and the kind of active listening that clarifies issues without talking down to users. De-escalation matters, but so do boundaries; you can stay calm without tolerating abuse. And yes, social media can cost you your job—one vague post is all it takes. These habits shape trust with customers and credibility inside the org.To round it out, we map the OS landscape you actually support: Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS on the desktop, plus iOS and Android in the field. We cover MDM realities with JAMF and Google Workspace, why file systems like NTFS and ReFS or APFS and ext4 affect security and performance, and how hardware requirements such as TPM 2.0 should drive upgrade planning. You will leave with a sharper playbook and four cert-style practice questions to test your knowledge.If you found this useful, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Got a help desk win or a hard lesson learned? Send it our way and join the conversation.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we explore the fascinating evolution of technology from the launch of Sputnik in 1957 to the ubiquitous smartphones of today. Discover how early innovations like ARPANET laid the groundwork for the internet, shaping the landscape of technology education and IT skills development. Whether you're part of a study group preparing for your CompTIA exam or seeking expert IT certification tips, this episode provides valuable insights into the origins of the digital world and how it influences modern tech exam prep. Join us as we connect the dots between history and today's technology challenges to help you succeed in your IT certification journey.We start with Licklider's prophetic vision and the leap from circuit switching to packet switching that made failure-tolerant networks possible. Email gives the net its first social heartbeat. TCP/IP stitches islands into one internet. Tim Berners-Lee's simple stack—HTML, HTTP, URLs—opens the door for everyone. The home dial-up era arrives, and the browser becomes the interface of daily curiosity. Mosaic and Netscape ignite innovation; Microsoft's bundling forces a reckoning; Mozilla and later Chrome reshape standards and speed for the modern era.The dot‑com bubble teaches hard lessons, but Google's PageRank reframes the problem: organize the world's information with relevance, not clutter. Broadband and Wi‑Fi make the net always on, enabling streaming, online gaming, and richer apps. Napster breaks open music, litigation clamps down, and then paid streaming wins on convenience. Social networks shift the center of gravity from pages to people; YouTube turns everyone into a publisher and archivist. E‑commerce perfects logistics, and smartphones put it all in your hand. The cloud becomes the engine behind Netflix, Uber, TikTok, and the systems that silently scale our daily tools.We confront the dark side, too: ransomware, botnets, data breaches, and insecure IoT devices that expand the attack surface. Algorithms now shape what we see and believe, while fiber backbones and 5G push speed and density to new highs. AI becomes the thinking layer of the internet, interpreting, recommending, and generating content at scale. A rising push for decentralization—blockchains, IPFS, self-sovereign identity—seeks to return control to users and reduce dependence on gatekeepers. Where does it all go from here? From ambient computing to satellite constellations and new interfaces, the net may soon fade into the background—omnipresent and invisible.If you enjoyed this deep dive, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves tech history, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find us. Your support helps us keep exploring the stories that built our digital world.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

Are you ready to get A+ certified? Watch our free training course:In this month's CompTIA A+ Core 2 Study Group, you'll learn about: Understanding command line outputWorking with an SLAChecking a file systemTOTP implementationsAnd moreKeep the study process going! Watch additional A+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

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professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we dive deep into cloud security fundamentals, perfect for those preparing for the CompTIA Security+ exam. Join our study group as we explore the shifting security landscape from locked server rooms to identity-based perimeters and data distributed across regions. This practical, Security+-ready guide connects architecture choices to real risks and concrete defenses, offering valuable IT certification tips and tech exam prep strategies. Whether you're focused on your CompTIA exam or looking to enhance your IT skills development, this episode provides essential insights to help you succeed in technology education and advance your career.We start by grounding the why: elasticity, pay-per-use costs, and resilience pushed organizations toward public, private, community, and hybrid clouds. From there, we map service models—SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, and XaaS—and the responsibilities each one assigns. You'll hear how thin clients reduce device risk, why a transit gateway can become a blast radius, and where serverless trims surface area while complicating visibility. Misunderstanding the shared responsibility model remains the leading cause of breaches, so we spell out exactly what providers secure and what you must own.Identity becomes the new perimeter, so we detail IAM guardrails: least privilege, no shared admins, MFA on every privileged account, short-lived credentials, and continuous auditing. We cover encryption in all three states with AES-256, TLS 1.3, HSMs, and customer-managed keys, then add CASB for SaaS control and SASE to bring ZTNA, FWaaS, and DLP to the edge where users actually work. Virtualization and containers deliver speed and density but expand the attack surface: VM escapes, snapshot theft, and poisoned images require hardened hypervisors, signed artifacts, private registries, secret management, and runtime policy. Hybrid and multi-cloud introduce inconsistent IAM and fragmented logging—centralized identity, unified SIEM, CSPM, and infrastructure-as-code guardrails bring discipline back.We wrap with the patterns attackers exploit—public storage exposure, stolen API keys, unencrypted backups, and supply chain compromises—and the operating principles that stop them: zero trust, verification over assumption, and automation that responds at machine speed. Stick around for four rapid Security+ practice questions to test your skills and cement the concepts.If this helped you study or sharpen your cloud strategy, follow and subscribe, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review telling us which control you'll deploy first.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

Send us a textIn this insightful conversation, Carolyn April, Senior Researcher at GTIA and longtime CompTIA veteran, shares how her journalism roots shaped her passion for unbiased channel research. From designing surveys that reveal real market truth to helping MSPs adapt to AI disruption and cybersecurity complexity, Carolyn explains how data can empower strategic decisions. She also opens up about her personal discipline through running, her journey from CompTIA to GTIA, and her belief that curiosity and credibility are the lifeblood of the tech industry. 

Send us a textRecorded live at IT Nation, MJ Shoer (Chief Community Officer, GTIA) breaks down how the newly branded Global Technology Industry Association is delivering practical wins for MSPs. We cover the GTIA ISAO (built with ConnectWise) for actionable threat intelligence, the cybersecurity Trust Mark that validates your internal controls against your chosen framework, and how GTIA's unbiased research can be co-branded for QBRs to boost credibility and close rates. MJ also unpacks workforce strategy with “NowGen”—supporting both youth and mid-career changers—plus global mentorship, learning libraries, and why ConnectWise-sponsored memberships are a fast on-ramp. We close with GTIA's growing foundation work and MJ's personal take on discipline, recovery, and building routines after injury. If you run an MSP and want immediate ROI from a trade association, this one's loaded with specifics you can apply this quarter.Top 3 highlightsClear, fast ROI: GTIA ISAO access, co-brandable research, and ConnectWise-sponsored memberships for partners.Security you can show: the GTIA Cybersecurity Trust Mark validates your practices against your chosen framework.Talent + growth: NowGen pathways, global mentorship, and a learning library spanning soft skills to leadership.  #JoeyPinz #MSPInfluencer #ForzaDash #ITNation #ITN25 #MSP #GTIA #Cybersecurity #ThreatIntelligence #CompTIA #Mentorship #QBR --- Join us for enlightening discussions that spark growth and exploration. Hosted by Joey Pinz, this Discipline Conversations Podcast offers insights and inspiration. 

Today, our guest on The PARTNERNOMICS® Show is Jay McBain, Chief Analyst at Omdia. Jay McBain is an accomplished speaker, author and innovator in the IT industry. Named Channel Influencer of the Year by Channel Partners Magazine, Top 40 Under Forty by the Business Review, Channel A-List by CRN, Top 8 Thought Leader by Channel Marketing Journal, Top 20 Visionary by ChannelPro, Top 25 Newsmaker by CDN Magazine, Top 50 Channel Influencer by Penton, Top 100 Most Respected Thought Leader by VSR Magazine, Global Power 150 by SMB Magazine, and Top 250 Managed Services Executives by MSPmentor. Jay is often sought out for keynotes, thought leadership and future industry guidance. He has spent his 30-year career in various executive channel sales, marketing, strategy roles within IBM, Lenovo, Autotask, ChannelEyes, Forrester, and now Canalys. Jay is the chief analyst for global channels at Canalys - the world's leading analyst firm with a distinct focus on channels, partnerships, alliances, and ecosystems. Jay has led several communities at CompTIA including Vendor Advisory Council, Managed Services Community, Advancing Women in Tech and Emerging Tech. He is also a board member of Channel Partners, Channel Vanguard Council, Ziff Davis Leadership Council, and CRN Channel Intelligence Council. As a futurist, and long standing member of the World Future Society, Jay is a recognized expert in the future of channels, alliances, partnering ecosystems and the study of emerging go-to-market models. An avid blogger, community, and social media expert, he has developed an innovative channel tech stack highlighting the importance of channel data and automation. Jay has lived in Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Raleigh, Albany & Boynton Beach. He actively gives back to the community and been on the board of the United Way, National Cristina Foundation, and Junior Achievement. Key Insights: Services Now Outpace Products In Growth, Making Partner Ecosystems Essential For Scale Millennial Buyers Prefer Integrated Best Of Breed Stacks And Avoid Traditional Sales Motions Ecosystems Determine Winners, As No Company Succeeds Without Alliances, Integrations, and Services Partners Deals Are Shaped By Twenty-eight Buying Moments and An Average Of Seven Influencing Partners LAUNCH Provides Leaders A Clear System For Building Profit-Focused Partnership Programs Around These Moments A Small Percentage Of Partners Produce Most Results, So Leaders Must Recruit Broadly And Invest In Proven Performers   ********* Are you a partnering professional wanting to earn industry certifications and badges to showcase on LinkedIn? We will give you the first course and certification for FREE ($595 value)!

Are you ready to get A+ certified? Watch our free training course:In this month's A+ Core 1 Study Group, you'll learn about: Identifying motherboard componentsTroubleshooting Internet accessConnecting 802.11 networksVideo connectionsAnd moreKeep the study process going! Watch additional A+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

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professorjrod@gmail.comPrinters and multifunction devices are more than just simple office tools—they're intricate systems combining optical, thermal, mechanical, and networked computing components. In this episode, we decode printer technology and its critical role in business operations, highlighting how these devices impact IT skills development and technology education. From unboxing to output, we explore the key decisions that keep your pages moving smoothly while safeguarding your data. Whether you're preparing for CompTIA exams or seeking practical IT certification tips, this episode offers valuable insights into managing printer technology within your IT infrastructure.Instructional Downloadable Resource Guidehttps://www.professorjrod.com/downloadsWe start with fit-for-purpose buying—matching speed, DPI, trays, duplexing, and duty cycle to real workloads—then move to placement and environment, where airflow, humidity, and power quality determine whether a fleet runs smoothly or jams at 4:58 p.m. Firmware strategy matters more than most shops admit: back up configs, schedule updates, and never interrupt a flash. On connectivity, we compare USB simplicity against Ethernet and Wi‑Fi flexibility, then layer in drivers and PDLs—PCL for speed, PostScript for precision, XPS for Windows pipelines—plus the color logic of CMYK. You'll hear clean exam clues for the A+ and practical tells for real-world triage, like when a single user's issue is just a preference and not a driver.Inside the box, we translate the seven-step laser process into actionable troubleshooting: charging, exposing, developing, transferring, fusing, and cleaning each leave fingerprints—smears, ghosting, or blank pages—that point straight to the failing part. We round out the print tech tour with inkjet (thermal vs piezo), thermal printers (direct vs transfer), and impact units for multipart forms. Then we head to the network, where DHCP reassignments, wrong ports, and spooler crashes derail entire floors. Print servers centralize power and risk, and mobile/cloud printing adds discovery quirks and new attack surfaces.Security is the blind spot: printers hold disks, address books, and cached jobs. We lay out the must-haves—PIN or badge release, secure erase, firmware signing, role-based access, and segmentation—so confidential pages don't land in the wrong tray and default passwords don't become open doors. We finish with ethics, because technicians handle sensitive data and trust is the real SLA. If you want sharper troubleshooting, stronger security, and higher A+ exam confidence, this one's a field guide you'll use tomorrow.Enjoyed the deep dive? Follow @ProfessorJRod, share this episode with your IT team, and leave a review so more techs can find it.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we delve into endpoint security—a crucial topic for anyone preparing for IT certification exams, especially CompTIA. Traditional firewalls no longer fully protect your network; attackers now exploit endpoints like laptops, phones, printers, and smart devices to breach security. We explore how threats bypass perimeter defenses by targeting users and devices directly, and explain essential controls such as hardening, segmentation, encryption, patching, behavior analytics, and access management. Whether you're studying for your CompTIA exam or seeking practical IT skills development, this episode offers critical insights and IT certification tips to strengthen your understanding of cybersecurity fundamentals. Tune in to enhance your tech exam prep and advance your technology education journey.We start with foundations that actually move risk: baseline configurations, aggressive patch management, and closing unnecessary ports and services. From there we layer modern defenses—EDR and XDR for continuous telemetry and automated containment, UEBA to surface the 3 a.m. login or odd data pulls, and the underrated duo of least privilege and application allow listing to deny unknown code a chance to run. You'll hear why full disk encryption is non‑negotiable and how policy, not heroics, sustains security over time.Mobile endpoints take center stage with clear tactics for safer travel and remote work: stronger screen locks and biometrics, MDM policies that enforce remote wipe and jailbreak detection, and connection hygiene that favors VPN and cellular over public Wi‑Fi. We break down evil twin traps, side loading risks, and permission sprawl, then pivot to IoT realities—default passwords, stale firmware, exposed admin panels—and how VLAN isolation and firmware schedules defang them. A real case of a chatty lobby printer becoming an attack pivot drives home the need for logging and outbound controls through SIEM.The takeaway is simple and urgent: if it connects, it can be attacked, and if it's hardened, segmented, encrypted, and monitored, it can be defended. Subscribe for more practical security deep dives, share this with a teammate who owns devices or networks, and leave a review to tell us which control you'll deploy first.Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

professorjrod@gmail.comLearn essential IT skills development for passing your CompTIA exams in mobile tech support. A detailed guide to the mobile era for tech exam prep.Phones aren't just gadgets anymore—they're identity, payments, photos, and the keys to work. We take you on a clear, practical tour of the mobile landscape that A+ technicians need to master, from touch layers and camera flex cables to SoCs, batteries, and the accessories that turn a slab of glass into a full workstation. Along the way, we connect the dots between hardware and human stakes: why a loose port mimics a dead battery, how a single certificate blocks corporate Wi‑Fi, and what swollen cells tell you about urgency and safety.We walk through laptop displays and storage—LCD vs OLED, CCFL vs LED backlights, SATA vs NVMe—and explain how soldered RAM and SSDs affect upgrade paths and purchasing advice. Then we map the wireless terrain: Wi‑Fi 5, Wi‑Fi 6, and Wi‑Fi 7 tradeoffs; Bluetooth profiles like A2DP and HID; NFC's tiny range with outsized impact; and mobile broadband with APN, hotspot, and plan pitfalls. On the software side, we compare iOS and Android security models, sandboxing, permissions, and backup strategies; we also show how iCloud, Google, and Exchange sync turn a reset from disaster into a routine fix.Security gets the spotlight: strong lock combos, malware symptoms that masquerade as battery or data issues, malicious QR codes, and why remote wipe is the right call for lost corporate devices. We share a tested troubleshooting playbook—start with simple checks like rotation lock, clean charging ports before replacing batteries, reseat camera cables before swapping modules, and confirm enterprise certs before blaming antennas. Finally, we double down on ethics and workflow: back up first, label everything, respect privacy, and return devices better than they arrived.If you care about faster fixes, safer data, and smarter mobile support, you'll find ready-to-use steps and exam-ready insights here. Subscribe, share with a friend who's studying for A+, and leave a review telling us the toughest mobile issue you want solved next.Psst! The Folium Diary has something it wants to tell you - please come a little closer...YOU can change the world - you do it every day. Let's change it for the better, together.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

Are you ready to get A+ certified? Watch our free training course:In this month's CompTIA A+ Core 2 Study Group, you'll learn about: Troubleshooting networks at the Windows command promptMonitoring storage drivesInteractive attack methodsDealing with low memory error messagesAnd moreKeep the study process going! Watch additional A+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

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IT JOURNEY CompTIA A+ (Intro episode to new tech series). CompTIA A+! Here we go! I'll be uploading along my journey. I won't specifically mention my schooling site. And I don't plan to mention specific identifying information. I plan to just talk about my own opinions and experiences from someone coming from the Social Sciences into Tech.Also see the later episode posted 11/18/25 to see how the second week is comparing to the very initial part of the earliest phases.

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Are you ready to get A+ certified? Watch our free training course:In this month's A+ Core 1 Study Group, you'll learn about: Understanding the ipconfig command resultsWorking with location servicesPrivate IP addressingUsing an ADFCloud computing characteristicsAnd moreKeep the study process going! Watch additional A+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

In this episode, Benny and Dennis sits down with Marc Wolfe to explore why doing the same old things often won't move you forward. Marc explains how easy it is to get stuck in a rut—personally or professionally—and why asking “Why am I doing it this way?” is the first step to breaking free. The conversation dives into rethinking habits, challenging assumptions, and finding the courage to pivot when what worked before just isn't enough. If you've been spinning your wheels or wondering how to reach that next level, this episode will help you reset your mindset and move with purpose.Marc A. Wolfe's curiosity was evident early on when the eager fourth grader was kicked out of his New Jersey public school — for being too helpful in explaining lessons. Though confused by their decision, Marc discovered his calling: empowering people to unlock their boundless potential.This passion lit an unexpected career fuse, beginning as a 16-year-old freelance photographer capturing Presidents, pro athletes, and celebrities. Pivoting his creative eye, Marc became a pioneering Apple computer dealer, reinforcing the magic of Macs in companies like CNBC, The Bermuda Yellow Pages, GAF, and Tiffany & Co. years before the iPod existed.But hardware was the means, not the endgame. Marc yearned to directly uplift leaders intransformational growth. So adding to his work as an innovation and strategy consultant, he also became an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified executive coach, blending insights across healthcare, entertainment, finance, and more. Offering empathy, humor, and wisdom, Marc facilitates getting leaders unstuck at organizations such as Bridgestone, Tufts Health Plan, Ramsey Solutions, CompTIA, Synnex, Thread Bank, and Choice Hotels Owners Council.Expanding his reach, Marc contributed leadership articles to Forbes.com while also serving as an INC5000 Executive Coach. Understanding great collaborations fuse heart and mind, Marc served as a Facilitator for Marshall Goldsmith's MG100—fostering human-centered breakthroughs.With his bestselling book “Yeah, But...Cut Through the Noise to Live, Learn and Lead Better,”Marc combines a career of unexpected pivots into practical leadership perspectives. Audiences relate to this witty Jersey guy living his best life outside of Nashville, TN, with his forever bride while his two adult daughters are nearby. Marc guides his clients to action by connecting authentically and meeting people where they are at. He mixes humor, vulnerability, and wisdom distilled from unplanned detours into surprisingly impactful destinations. He always turns “Conversations into Outcomes”Connect with Marcwww.linkedin.com/in/marcwolfeOrder Marc's latest bookwww.amazon.com/stores/Marc-A.-Wolfe/author/B0DTKV1T5Q?Get a free chapter of Yeah, But and leadership resourceshttps://beacons.ai/yeah_butListen to The Yeah, But Podcast https://pod.link/1779330379Benny Carreon- Velocity Technology Group- benny@velocitytechnology.groupDennis Jackson-WorX Solution- dennisj@worxsolution.com

Jay McBain is the Chief Analyst for Global Channels at Canalys, recognized worldwide as a leading voice on partnerships, ecosystems, and the future of go-to-market models. With 30 years of experience at IBM, Lenovo, Autotask, ChannelEyes, and Forrester, he's been named Channel Influencer of the Year and featured on dozens of top industry lists. A futurist and community leader, Jay has served on multiple CompTIA councils and advisory boards for CRN, Channel Partners, and Ziff Davis. He's a sought-after keynote speaker and blogger whose insights shape how technology companies build and scale their partner ecosystems. Resources:  Website: https://www.jaymcbain.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/omdia/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaymcbain/

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Colleen Gallagher continues the Member Value Reimagined series with a conversation that's both timely and inspiring. Her guest, MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer at the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA), shares how his organization—formerly the CompTIA Community—is redefining member engagement and impact across the global IT channel.

professorjrod@gmail.comWhat if your “all-in-one” router is doing too much—and your Wi‑Fi “speed” isn't the real bottleneck? We pull back the rack door and trace the digital bloodstream from SOHO setups to enterprise backbones, translating jargon into choices you can actually make. Starting with LANs, WANs, WLANs, and SANs, we map how scope changes design, cost, and risk, then contrast the convenience of a home gateway with the clarity of dedicated roles—routers, switches, firewalls, and load balancers—working like a well-tuned orchestra.We get tactile with the gear: NICs and their 48‑bit MAC addresses, patch panels that keep closets sane, and switches that forward with CAM tables instead of shouting like hubs. You'll hear where managed switches earn their IP address (management only), why VLANs and QoS matter, and how Power over Ethernet (802.3af/at/bt) cuts clutter while powering VoIP phones, APs, and cameras with fewer failure points. From copper categories (Cat6/6A) and clean terminations to testers, toners, and taps, we highlight the unglamorous steps that prevent the worst outages.Then we cut the cord. We chart Wi‑Fi's arc—802.11a/b/g to n, ac, and 6/6E—clarifying bands, channels, MIMO, and OFDMA so your network stops fighting itself. We talk survey tools, interference traps, and when to steer clients to the right lanes. Fiber gets its due as the distance champion—single‑mode for long haul, multi‑mode for shorter runs—with connector gotchas that can burn hours. And because connectivity is more than Wi‑Fi, we touch Bluetooth peripherals, RFID access, NFC payments, and long‑range links that fill gaps where cables can't go.To anchor the learning, we run quick cert‑style questions—switches and MACs, routers and IPs, PoE's true advantage, and Wi‑Fi 5's 5 GHz focus—so you can test yourself in real time. Whether you're building a home lab, prepping for CompTIA, or planning an upgrade at work, you'll leave with practical mental models and checklists you can use today. If this helped you think a layer deeper, follow, share with a friend who's studying, and drop a review with your biggest networking win or question—what should we unpack next?Support the showIf you want to help me with my research please e-mail me.Professorjrod@gmail.comIf you want to join my question/answer zoom class e-mail me at Professorjrod@gmail.comArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

The GTIA (Global Technology Industry Association) ChannelCon EMEA 2025 is taking place at the moment in London, and to find out more about it and some of the keynote speakers I spoke to Dan Wensley the CEO of GTIA.Dan talks about his background, GTIA ChannelCon EMEA 2025, Sir Stephen Fry one of the keynote speakers, Sir Bob Geldof another of the keynote speakers, AI, cybersecurity and more.More about GTIA:The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) is the only vendor-neutral, non-profit membership association for solution providers/MSPs, vendors, distributors and companies working within the IT channel ecosystem. Membership offers networking, exclusive tools and resources to grow your business and strengthen the industry, and more. Formerly known as the CompTIA Community (the membership arm of CompTIA).  The association was renamed as GTIA in 2025, but that's not where our story begins. Our association has a long history of serving businesses in the IT channel and technology professionals.   

Are you ready to get A+ certified? Watch our free training course:In this month's CompTIA A+ Core 2 Study Group, you'll learn about: Choosing the best Linux utility for troubleshootingData categories and securityWorking with macOSUsing Windows Hello on a laptopBackup and restore with a single restore setAnd moreKeep the study process going! Watch additional A+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

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Are you ready to get A+ certified? Watch our free training course:In this month's A+ Core 1 Study Group, you'll learn about: Visually recognizing cables and interfacesUsing a loopback plugAuthentication protocols on a wireless networkA more efficient RAM upgradeOperating systems on cloud serversAnd moreKeep the study process going! Watch additional A+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

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Join me for CompTIA 220-1202 A+ Q&A, your questions, and more!

Your questions and more!