Yay!

Hi Dan! I'm alive and would love to compare notes

Gregory Childers said:

AI , the cloud, and datacenters are not going away, regardless of their opinions. They can either embrace the technology or be left behind in the workplace.

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I hear you, and for the most part, I agree (though I teach one class that has students from a wide variety of industries, and some of them genuinely do have a choice in the matter--for now). As @jason_wood pointed out, students also have some valid concerns that deserve to be addressed. I'm a research geek and can throw all kinds of authoritative sources at the conversation if needed. I guess I'm more curious how other instructors are handling these conversations with students and what points they've been able to make that help to settle their concerns... if that's even possible. When there are data centers being built within my students' own communities, they can bring some pretty strong emotions--and also well-thought-out arguments--to the conversation.

Hod Berman said:

Hi, I think I remember you writing on here that you really enjoyed studying for v1. Any major changes that you can discuss?

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One thing I was pleasantly surprised about is how the exam has candidates apply broader concepts (like networking or security) specifically to databases. So for example, do you understand how databases rely on DNS to function? Do you understand how to configure a firewall for database protection?

I was also impressed with how well it tested an understanding of SQL without necessarily requiring that I be able to write SQL code. Same for the scripting methods, too. For example, do you know when you would use Perl script vs. using Python, if given a scenario?

Personally, having taken CompTIA exams for many years, it feels like they have more skilled question writers for this exam than what I've seen in some other exams. Some of the questions were very low level, of course, but many of them required sophisticated thought and knowledge even within the constraints of a MC question. The exam also felt like a fun and intriguing challenge to bridge my knowledge from networking and security into supporting databases. Not to mix metaphors, but I felt they did an excellent job walking that line. DataSys+ is a natural extension from the CompTIA Trifecta into database admin.

Stephen Schneiter said:

Be on the lookout! I heard that the Data+ vouchers will be sent out via email tomorrow, Wednesday, February 18th.

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Hello Stephen, Happy Monday
I can say Spring did come to the frozen North in Prince George, BC
I do not think I received my DATA+ voucher from Oct TTT in February.
I did change my CINS account email from when I did the TTT, but I did complete all the lessons.
The email address I used for the training was [email protected].
I am on summer break, so I am looking at writing this and the Linux+ this round.
Thank you so much for your time.
Positive Thoughts
~Ben

Stephen Schneiter said:

Join us for the CIN TTT series covering the next release of the CompTIA CySA+ certification. Our guest instructor, @Nick Pierce , will lead us through the eight-session series covering the exam objectives and provide hands on examples as you strengthen your cybersecurity analysis skills. We will discuss how to cover the content with students and suggest various labs to let students gain hands-on experience as they prepare for certification.

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) is the premier certification for cyber professionals tasked with incident detection, prevention, and response through continuous security monitoring. It validates a tech professional's expertise in incident response and vulnerability management processes, emphasizing the critical communication skills necessary for effective security analysis and compliance.

Skills covered in this series:

• Enhance security operations processes, differentiate threat intelligence and threat hunting, and identify malicious activity using appropriate tools.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments, prioritize vulnerabilities, and recommend effective mitigation strategies for vulnerability management.
• Apply attack methodology frameworks, perform incident response, and understand the incident management lifecycle to handle security incidents effectively.
• Utilize communication best practices to report on vulnerability management and incident response, providing stakeholders with actionable plans and meaningful metrics.

What: CIN TTT Series CySA+ V4
When: June 8 through July 1, 2026, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm CT
Who: Nick Pierce
Where: ON24
Register Here
(Please note, registering will automatically register you for all 8 sessions. You will be able to add each session to your calendar on from the confirmation email.)

View attachment 2627

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I am really looking forward to this. I've tried to do this using Udemy so it will be interesting to see how those two match out.

I'm in thanks @Stephen Schneiter.

Congratulations!

Let's go!

Congratulations
Welcome to club

Stephen Schneiter said:

Join us for the CIN TTT series covering the next release of the CompTIA CySA+ certification. Our guest instructor, @Nick Pierce , will lead us through the eight-session series covering the exam objectives and provide hands on examples as you strengthen your cybersecurity analysis skills. We will discuss how to cover the content with students and suggest various labs to let students gain hands-on experience as they prepare for certification.

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) is the premier certification for cyber professionals tasked with incident detection, prevention, and response through continuous security monitoring. It validates a tech professional's expertise in incident response and vulnerability management processes, emphasizing the critical communication skills necessary for effective security analysis and compliance.

Skills covered in this series:

• Enhance security operations processes, differentiate threat intelligence and threat hunting, and identify malicious activity using appropriate tools.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments, prioritize vulnerabilities, and recommend effective mitigation strategies for vulnerability management.
• Apply attack methodology frameworks, perform incident response, and understand the incident management lifecycle to handle security incidents effectively.
• Utilize communication best practices to report on vulnerability management and incident response, providing stakeholders with actionable plans and meaningful metrics.

What: CIN TTT Series CySA+ V4
When: June 8 through July 1, 2026, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm CT
Who: Nick Pierce
Where: ON24
Register Here
(Please note, registering will automatically register you for all 8 sessions. You will be able to add each session to your calendar on from the confirmation email.)

View attachment 2627

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Registered and looking forward to it! Thanks Stephen!!

jasoneckert said:

AutoOps+ looks intriguing!

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Is AutoOps+ a euphemism for hacking automobiles.

Wow! Time flies. It doesn't seem that long since the last iteration of CySA+. Will be sure to register. Thanks, Stephen.

Registered

Actually for some reasons, I got the SecurityX cert kit I did last 2 months and just yesterday the A+ kit came in just few days ago. Kits are not a big deal. Always something you can print and have on the wall if its a thing for you. A point always comes when these things don't matter again if you ask me

MyThoughts!

Funny enough I see prices are going up for certs and everything this May 29th thereabout. Got the newsletter. - This is what happens when CompTIA isnt Non-For Profit or will I say partial profit. So you pay for whatever you need.

Congratulation

Stephen Schneiter said:

Join us for the CIN TTT series covering the next release of the CompTIA CySA+ certification. Our guest instructor, @Nick Pierce , will lead us through the eight-session series covering the exam objectives and provide hands on examples as you strengthen your cybersecurity analysis skills. We will discuss how to cover the content with students and suggest various labs to let students gain hands-on experience as they prepare for certification.

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) is the premier certification for cyber professionals tasked with incident detection, prevention, and response through continuous security monitoring. It validates a tech professional's expertise in incident response and vulnerability management processes, emphasizing the critical communication skills necessary for effective security analysis and compliance.

Skills covered in this series:

• Enhance security operations processes, differentiate threat intelligence and threat hunting, and identify malicious activity using appropriate tools.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments, prioritize vulnerabilities, and recommend effective mitigation strategies for vulnerability management.
• Apply attack methodology frameworks, perform incident response, and understand the incident management lifecycle to handle security incidents effectively.
• Utilize communication best practices to report on vulnerability management and incident response, providing stakeholders with actionable plans and meaningful metrics.

What: CIN TTT Series CySA+ V4
When: June 8 through July 1, 2026, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm CT
Who: Nick Pierce
Where: ON24
Register Here
(Please note, registering will automatically register you for all 8 sessions. You will be able to add each session to your calendar on from the confirmation email.)

View attachment 2627

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Registered! Thanks, Stephen!

Jill West said:

How many of you are getting a lot of pushback from students on being required or advised to work with and learn AI in your courses?

I expected and received some pushback from other faculty, and my school is actually doing a pretty good job (I think) of working with those issues. What I didn't expect is for so many students to be resistant to AI, not because they're afraid of new technology, but because they're concerned about the impact of data centers on the environment and local communities. (And I understand the argument that many of these data centers aren't being built primarily for AI, but there's so much media coverage of AI that the general public is making this association regardless.)

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I'm just starting my initial CySA+ program now, so I don't have student experience on this topic yet.

However, I have observed college aged students taking a harder stance against AI. My oldest was interested in web development until they realized they would be required to use AI. At which point they changed their course of study. University students in my state have mounted campaigns against even smaller things like having AI read names at graduation ceremonies. It's a very unpopular technology in my state where we have water restrictions being enacted and a huge data center being proposed. As always, water is a scarce resource in the west and these data centers are known to be thirsty.

I wonder how people further into their careers are feeling about it? Are they pushing back against being encouraged to learn AI?

I tend to agree with Greg's point of view about the reality of AI, but we'll see where we land between the desires for "no AI" and "AI all the things".

Registered and looking forward

Looking forward to this one registered

Congratulations

Congratulations!

Congratulations!