In DevOps, those who can’t keep pace are often left behind. For many people leading DevOps initiatives over the past few years, this led to a painful choice of leaving security by the wayside. Many Waterfall-native approaches to security could not keep pace with their new DevOps-native requirements and they were shunned. Gene Kim and Josh Corman first sounded the death knell for security as we knew it during their 2012 RSA presentation, Security Is Dead. Long Live DevOps: IT at Ludicrous Speed. However, as with so many things in our world, necessity is the mother of invention. Leaving security out of the DevOps toolchain was not an option for some and unimaginable for others.
Fast forward four years and things have changed dramatically. We are on the cusp of a new era of security that lives at ludicrous speed. Software-defined security is crossing the chasm into the mainstream.

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Poorly managed development projects are bound to crash eventually. It’s likely happened to you a dozen of times already. While writing code can be a lot of fun, managing code and dependencies can quickly become a maze of its own when you’re dealing with the continuous growth of your codebase and feature branches. At Stackify, we aim to make the lives of developers easier (and less frazzling). One way to de-stress your work is with the aid of continuous integration tools.

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We talked a bit about the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) in a recent post, but today, we’re going to dig a little deeper into one specific and crucial element in the testing phase, particularly for Agile development: regression testing. Regression testing refers to the process of testing a changed or updated computer program to make sure the older software features – which were previously developed and tested – still performs exactly as they did before. One way to think about software regression is to think about somebody who implements a new air conditioning system in their home only to find that while their new air conditioning system works as expected, the lights no longer work.

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In his keynote at 19th Cloud Expo, Sheng Liang, co-founder and CEO of Rancher Labs, discussed the technological advances and new business opportunities created by the rapid adoption of containers. With the success of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and various open source technologies used to build private clouds, cloud computing has become an essential component of IT strategy. However, users continue to face challenges in implementing clouds, as older technologies evolve and newer ones like Docker containers gain prominence. He explored these challenges and how to address them, while considering how containers will influence the direction of cloud computing.

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Whether you are an owner of a thriving small business or a decision maker at an established enterprise, you cannot ignore digital technology. Businesses worldwide are going digital to deliver compelling experiences to customers, which is becoming a key differentiating factor. The rise of social and mobile have increased the discoverability of businesses. Consumers are

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When it comes to wide area networking, large global enterprises have some unique challenges to ensure that networking capabilities keep up with their complex business requirements.
The most obvious challenge is the sheer scale of WAN operations. A very large enterprise could have hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of locations around the world—and this makes the cost multipliers huge. Changing the cost equation for branch access can mean a difference in saving versus spending millions of dollars per month.

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SYS-CON Events announced today that Twistlock, the leading provider of cloud container security solutions, will exhibit at SYS-CON’s 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Twistlock is the industry’s first enterprise security suite for container security. Twistlock’s technology addresses risks on the host and within the application of the container, enabling enterprises to consistently enforce security policies, monitor and audit activity and identify and isolate threats in a container or cluster of containers.

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The age of Digital Disruption is evolving into the next era – Digital Cohesion, an age in which applications securely self-assemble and deliver predictive services that continuously adapt to user behavior. Information from devices, sensors and applications around us will drive services seamlessly across mobile and fixed devices/infrastructure. This evolution is happening now in software defined services and secure networking. Four key drivers – Performance, Economics, Interoperability and Trust – will shape the way users, service providers and the industry creates the foundation for the next networking era.

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Cloud is a lot more pervasive than one may have imagined and in this article, we will focus on the various ways in which cloud technology is making home security systems robust and impenetrable. The term ‘Internet of Things’ gets thrown around quite a lot when we talk about cloud technology in domains outside of computer systems. But cloud technology in areas like home security is not merely about IoT. Cloud is a lot more pervasive than one may have imagined and in this article, we will focus on the various ways in which cloud technology is making home security systems robust and impenetrable.

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The cloud skills gap is widening and almost 40% of businesses are now struggling to find the qualified employees they need, according to Microsoft’s recent Cloud Skills Report. This is an incredible opportunity for professionals who can prove their cloud knowledge.

Determined professionals validate their knowledge and set themselves apart from the competition with training and certifications. The same report from Microsoft also found that tech leaders believe professionals with formal qualifications in cloud technologies are vital for success.

But as new certifications are introduced from every major cloud provider, where should you invest your time? These are the six cloud certifications to boost your career in 2017.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is established as the market leader in cloud, bringing in a titanic $12 billion for the Amazon subsidiary in 2016 –  a 55% increase over the same period last year. AWS continues to expand with plans to open a fifth European region in Sweden.

Launched in May 2013, AWS offer three certification tracks – Architecting, Developing and Operations – designed to teach professionals the skills they need to use AWS. Each certification track is composed of two levels: Associate and Professional.

The first level of the Architecting track, the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification, is built for professionals who want to design and deploy applications and systems on AWS.

Professionals that achieve this certification will learn how to build and deploy applications on AWS, that make use of key cloud features, like scalability and high availability. 

Despite being the first certification in the Architecting track, this is not entry-level. You must have in-depth programming experience and good prior knowledge of AWS before attempting the certification exam. To help professionals get to grips with the cloud provider, AWS recommend this online exam workshop.

The Certified Solutions Architect – Associate proves to employers, partners and clients that you’re a skilled AWS pro. Because of this, it consistently ranks as one of the highest paying certifications; AWS Architects earn a median salary of £75,000 (ITJobsWatch, 2017).

Microsoft MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure

Despite Amazon’s massive global cloud market share, Microsoft’s cloud offering, Azure, is catching up. Azure’s popularity is increasing in Europe and recent reports rank Azure above AWS as the dominant provider of IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service).

The MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure was introduced late in 2016 as part of a major restructure of Microsoft certifications. The overhaul saw Microsoft retire the MCSE: Private Cloud certification, alongside 24 other certifications.

This is Microsoft’s most advanced cloud certification and should be considered the crowning achievement of a cloud professional’s career. It recognises your ability to run efficient, modern data centres and qualifies you for high-responsibility jobs like cloud architect.

To achieve it, you’ll need to first obtain one of four Microsoft MCSA certifications:

• MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA: Windows Server 2016
• MCSA: Cloud Platform
• MCSA: Linux on Azure

As each MCSA requires 2-3 exams, this is a long-term investment. Once you’re MCSA is attained, you’ll then need to pass one additional elective exam to obtain your MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure certification. There a wide range of potential choices, including these relevant exams:

• 70-473 – Designing and Implementing Cloud Data Platform Solutions
• 70-532 – Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions
• 70-533 – Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions
• 70-534 – Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions

(ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

Because migrating to the cloud can often result in unforeseen security vulnerabilities businesses are increasingly investing in better cloud security. As a result, the cloud security market is expected to reach £7 billion by 2019 and there is a massive demand for professionals with these skills.

(ISC)2’s Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) validates cloud security skills at the highest level. Backed by two leading non-profits – the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and (ISC)2 – this certification proves expert knowledge of cloud cyber security and information management.

The CCSP builds on existing high-level (ISC)2 certifications and holders of the renowned CISSP are prequalified to take the CCSP exam. Otherwise, you’ll need to meet a lengthy set of prerequisites, including professional experience across multiple CCSP domains, like cloud data security, operations and legal/compliance.

However, it’s well worth it. The CCSP is a reflection of industry best-practices for cloud security and demonstrates your expert knowledge of cloud application, platform and data infrastructure security.

You’ll also get to grips with a focus on compliance, legality, audit processes and privacy – particularly important when GDPR is introduced in May 2018.

If your role involves managing and securing cloud environments, (ISC)2’s CCSP is one of the best certifications you can get.

CompTIA Cloud+

CompTIA is the leading provider of vendor neutral certifications and has issued over two million certifications since its formation in 1993. Alongside industry stalwarts, like the immensely popular CompTIA A+, CompTIA also provides two cloud certifications.

The CompTIA Cloud+ is a robust certification aimed at IT professionals with 1-2 years’ experience working in networking, storage or data centre administration. Don’t confuse it with CompTIA’s Cloud Essentials Certification, aimed at non-IT professionals.

Passing the Cloud+ will prove your knowledge of cloud models, virtualisation, infrastructure, security, resources management and business continuity.

For professionals who already hold CompTIA certifications, like Server+, Network+ or Security+, the Cloud+ is the next logical step.

Whilst this is a great certification path, you won’t need to study any other CompTIA certifications to sit the CompTIA Cloud+. And with a wide variety of topics, you’ll get a solid base of cloud knowledge, making this certification a great way to kick off any career in cloud technology in 2017.

Cisco CCNA Cloud

Cisco’s CCNA Cloud is regarded as a challenging certification to achieve, but it’s well worth the investment. Cisco sets the industry standard for network equipment; wherever you work, there’s a good chance you’ll be working with Cisco equipment.

The CCNA Cloud focuses on preparing professionals for on-the-job situations, including how to perform crucial administration and maintenance tasks. You’ll study the basics of Cisco cloud infrastructure and administration, including services like: Cisco UCS and server virtualisation, United Fabric and Unified Storage.

Despite a lack of any official prerequisites, professionals must still be realistic about their own experience before attempting the two certification exams: CLDFND & CLDADM. Even with a solid networking background and certifications like CCENT or Network+, professionals may still struggle to master this challenging certification.

Microsoft MCSA: Linux on Azure

The MCSA: Linux on Azure certification arrived at the end of 2015, providing Linux specialists with a path to transfer their Linux skills directly into the Azure cloud.

Achieve this certification and you’ll learn to deploy, configure, host and manage Linux websites on Azure. You’ll also learn how to take advantage of Azure’s key features like Windows PowerShell and Xplat-CLI and study Azure Active Directory implementation, virtual machines and virtual networks – all incorporating Linux.

And with more than one million Azure servers running on Linux, this certification will be highly sought after in 2017.