Cisco Training will help you get a passing score on Cisco exam #640-802, or combined passing scores on both the ICND1 #640-822 and ICND2 #640-816 exams. Passing the ICND1 get you the Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT). Passing scores are set by using statistical analysis and are subject to change. At the completion of the exam, you get a score report along with a breakout by exam section and the passing score for the exam. Cisco does not publish exam passing scores because exam questions and passing scores are subject to change without notice.

The use of IP, EIGRP, Frame Relay, RIPv2, VLANs, Ethernet, and access control lists are all included within the curriculum. CISCO produces a breakdown of the CCNA topics on their website. The exams themselves include a mixture of question types including Multiple choice, drag and drop, Testlets and simulations.

For those of you like me who do not know what hosted exchange or private clouds are then this article might help. When I think of clouds I am reminded to look up and see white cotton ball like clouds hung so delicately and yet floating so effortlessly through the sky. If you move to the Midwest and hit Oklahoma the clouds become a bit more treacherous, less appealing and in some cases produce unwanted byproducts such as hail, sleet, lightening and tornedos. I know the actual clouds do not produce these weather phenomena, but bear with me because this article to the chagrin of my friend Paul is not about the weather. I am actually writing about something that I have even less knowledge on, private clouds.

This is not a conspiracy by the United States as a whole or any of those that comprise this great democratic union to raise funds by selling clouds to help in this down economy. I am actually referring to private clouds that Cloud Hosting companies such as PayPerCloud are offering as an IT solution to help free up resources as well as minimizing your IT infrastructure costs. Still not convinced? Well how about I tell you that everybody is doing it? Not giving into to peer pressure? I guess I will have to use straight logic then.

Cloud hosting infrastructure and Cloud Enabled Software Applications allows for enterprise level infrastructure and stability without the enterprise level costs. Solutions are delivered and backed up with expert level technical support. Cloud hosting companies, such as PayPerCloud offer: Dedicated Private Clouds, Dedicated and Managed Infrastructure Services, Hosted Exchange, PayPerApps, and Consulting and Migration services.

If you are interested in not just saving money on your IT costs, but also moving into the more efficient and friendly IT environment the check on of the best exchange hosting companies around and switch over to your own private cloud today.

Just out of college and in my first job I read a book. Reading the book is not the big news, however, the focus of the book is, “Keep the main thing, the main thing”. For some it is hard to focus on one area of their business—the parts they are really good at and let others step up and fill in the gaps. A really good leader will allow for those who have the skill set to step up and take over those areas that are lacking the proper attention. In particular, recruiting the sales team is a make or break part of any business and also is an area I think always has room for improvement. One really effective thing management can do here is convey the mission of the company and the goals at that given time. Taking the time to analyze each applicant and profiling them would take away from other duties they could be focusing on.

One might think the HR department should be able to accomplish the task of sales recruiting, but in all fairness why not let a firm specializing in hiring sales personnel, as well as employee retention, deal with all of that? Investing in the right candidate is no different than choosing the right stock or commodity to build up your retirement fund. You are looking for the best return on your investment (ROI) and you want to make sure you do not make a rash, quick decision. It is these quick decisions that can lead to a sales representative that does not work out. I am not saying they will all work out, but the probability is definitely higher with those who do not fit the mold, which in turn will affect your ROI.

Let those with experience weed out those applicants who are fishing for a job and not necessarily looking to help your company succeed. I highly recommend for all those looking to recruit sales talent to check out www.keenhire.com because they bring science and precision to your sales recruiting, sales hiring, people management, organizational development, and employee retention process.

If your vehicle is low profile, or does not have much ground clearance, choose low profile car ramps. These types of ramps are designed with longer, more gradual inclines that allow a low profile sports car or vehicle to be driven on to the ramps without touching or damaging the undercarriage of the vehicle.

Make sure you know what the curb weight of your vehicle (the weight of the vehicle without any passengers or cargo) is, and buy car ramps that are rated for weights much higher. In fact, buy car ramps that support as much as weight as possible while remaining in your price range. For most cars and trucks, a maximum load rating of between 6500 – 10,000 pounds is appropriate and car ramps with these ratings can be purchased for between $90 and $180.

2.       Join their world. Technology is its own world so if you are interested in getting with the time and saving some resources on the IT side of things think about hosted exchange. It could be the answer to a lot of your questions relating to cutting expenses, but not productivity, while at the same time increasing your margins.

3.       Friendly Advice. If your are interested in a hosted exchange solution then I suggest you read over some hosted exchange archiving so you can filter out those companies that do not meet your needs and or expectations. It is a competitive field, but the top ten hosting providers far surpass those who are not in the top ten. I know that is redundant, but number 11 does not come close to competing with number 10. You best bet is to read the reviews and go with someone in the top ten that is within your budget.

4.       Temperature Controlled Storage. “What happens in Vegas no longer stays in Vegas – that is unless your use temperature controlled storage. A cold storage door is definitely the way to go if you are transporting sensitive material or just storing it in a facility. Another component that could prove vital are automatic door operators, which will keep your inventory and sensitive materials at the right temperature.

5.       Teach them to never friend strangers. This sounds obvious, but you’d be happy to know how many friendly people there are in Boise Idaho. Many teens accept random friend requests from people they don’t know. They think they met them at some party, or they’re a friend of a friend, and they don’t want to appear rude. But letting a stranger into your social network gives these people access to personal information and open a direct line of communication.

CONDOLENCE: FINE GAEL headquarters used modern social networking techniques to allow members of the public to pay their respects to former taoiseach Dr Garret FitzGerald.

A traditional book of condolence was opened yesterday morning at the home health care agency Collegeville, the party’s office on Upper Mount Street outside of Philadelphia, PA.

Those who could not get to headquarters to sign the book were invited to tweet the party or leave a message on the official Fine Gael Facebook page, following a suggestion from one of the party’s Facebook followers. The messages were then transcribed into the condolence book. Many messages arrived from Irish people living in Australia, the United States and Britain.

“Sincere thanks to everyone who has sent messages for the book of condolence. It is clear that Garret was loved and respected by so many people, all over the world,” the Facebook page said last night.

Among those who signed the condolence book in the traditional manner yesterday were Fine Gael TDs Alan Farrell and Peter Matthews.

Both RTÉ and TV3 will carry live coverage of Dr FitzGerald’s State funeral. From 2pm tomorrow, RTÉ 1 television’s Bryan Dobson will host a live broadcast of the funeral Mass, which will take place at the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook, Dublin. TV3 will broadcast a programme hosted by Vincent Browne.

But it isn’t only people who are benefiting from the inter-connectivity the sites afford — man’s best friend also is enjoying the fruits of social networking.

While for years rescue groups have used websites like Petfinder.com to list pets in need of new homes, Facebook has added another layer of networking that has resulted in thousands of canine and feline lives saved, rescuers say.

“Facebook and Petfinder have proven to be very useful tools in helping us find forever homes for our dogs and cats,” said Lauren Dobkowski, administrator of the Meriden Humane Society’s Facebook page.  “They allow us to reach people who may never have walked through our doors if they hadn’t seen an animal that interested them online.

Hamden resident Megan Shea started the City of Hartford Animal Shelter Facebook page last year after getting involved with the shelter that has one of the highest euthanasia rates in the state.

“Before I got into volunteering with rescue groups, I wasn’t aware of dogs being euthanized in shelters, I wasn’t aware of puppy mills or bait dogs,” she said. “Because of volunteering with different rescue groups, I started to hear about all of these things which were very upsetting to me. If I didn’t know about any of these things, I realized other animal lovers didn’t know what was going on either.

“I thought by creating a Facebook page for the shelter, people will become more aware of what shelter dog’s past was,” she said, “and realize not all dogs who are brought to shelters get forever homes or second chances.

“I wanted to help in some way, even if it only saved one dog’s life,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t expect the page to become publicly viewed everyday and become a huge hit.”

But it is a hit, with more than 2,200 fans and hundreds of dogs saved because of it.

“This page has helped hundreds of dogs get a second chance at life who wouldn’t have had the chance to know what love was,” she said. “Seeing the before and after transformation of a shelter dog is amazing,” she said, stories she posts on the Facebook page under “Success Stories.”

Facebook also has facilitated spreading awareness of animal abuse, as in the case of Patrick, the New Jersey pit bull found thrown down the garbage chute of an apartment complex. Only hours away from death from starvation, Patrick now has almost fully recovered and is on his way to being adopted.

Several Facebook pages publicized his plight and contributed to the charges against his former owner being upgraded from misdemeanors to more serious felony animal cruelty charges. And now the mayor of New Jersey has vowed to build a new animal control facility in Patrick’s honor.

And more recently in Missouri, a beagle puppy was removed from a man’s home after he posted video of him “playing” with the dog. In the video, the dog was seen cowering in a corner trying to avoid the man’s advances.

Outrage over the video, including the creation of a Facebook page, “Save Daisy,” led to local authorities there removing the dog from the home. The puppy is in a new home now.

The convenience of the Internet lends itself to animal rescue, several involved said.

“People are so busy these days and the number of people who participate and use social networking is on the rise,” Dombrowski said. “By allowing people to view our animals online at their convenience, its almost like they are virtually visiting our shelter from the comforts of home or anywhere they might be.

“Facebook allows us to showcase our animals and also keep our fans connected to whats going on as far as fundraisers, events, and general pet care info,” she said.

Dogs and cats posted on pages often end up being shared over and over, getting wide exposure previously impossible before the Internet. Rescue groups organize transports that will bring animals across the state or even the country to the perfect new home.

“I consider it a very important piece of our public awareness campaign,” said Melissa Izzo, Facebook administrator for the Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter page. “It’s a way to consistently be in someone’s mind for a few seconds every day, at their leisure.

“It’s also great because we are friends with other rescues and area shelters so if we post about an urgent dog and they have room for him, they can respond instantly,” she said. “Likewise, if we post about a particular animal who really needs a home asap, if a member of the general public has a question about him, they can ask it right on the page and then that answer is there for everyone to see.

“It is also a very useful tool for us for our adoption events- someone checking Facebook before they go out on a Saturday morning might decide to stop by or tell a friend and maybe find the pet of their dreams,” she said.

“The Internet has been an invaluable tool for Animal Control Facilities,” said Stratford Animal ControlOfficer Rachel Solveria.

Petfinder.com is the free website commonly used by animal welfare organizations, she said, and it allows them to post animal pictures and their descriptions.

“Potential adopters can search the site by location or specific breeds they are looking for, and we can also immediately link all the Petfinder animals to Facebook,” she said, “where Stratford Animal Control fans can share it on their walls and it spreads like wildfire.”

“Social networking has allowed organizations to reduce our euthanization rates and promote fundraising events,” she said. “Adoptions have gone up and the amount of money we have raised to help spay or neuter and care for these animals has increased significantly,” she said.

“With the ever-increasing impoundments due to the downturn in the economy, Stratford Animal Control has managed to not euthanize any animals unless they were aggressive or severely sick or injured,” she said, “and I don’t know how we could do this and place all of the animals into qualified homes without utilizing the Internet.”

SOURCE:  NewCanaanPatch

Lior Adler and wife Vardit are such big fans of the social networking site they wanted to give their baby a related name.

They took their inspiration from a Facebook feature which allows users to “like” friends’ messages, pictures and statuses.

Lior said they wanted their daughter to have an original name that was “modern and innovative”.

But his family and friends reacted “incredulously” when they found out.

He said: “They didn’t believe it. I believe there will be people who will lift an eyebrow but it is my girl and that’s what is fun about it.”

However, he insisted he has since received “congratulations from all over the world”.

Like will not be the only member of her family with a strange name.

In honour of their fondness for cooking, the Adlers – who live near Tel Aviv – called a daughter Pie and another Dvash, Hebrew for honey.

LinkedIn and its investors, including Goldman Sachs, are selling $352.8 million worth of stock in its IPO that will be launched on Thursday and will be trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LNKD. The underwriters also have the option to sell an additional 1.1 million shares, which would bump up the total amount raised to $405 million. The $45 a share price values the networking website at slightly over $4 billion.

The IPO has whipped up a frenzy in Wall Street, especially as LinkedIn is the first social media company to go public in the United States. The IPO also values the 9-year old company at $4.3 billion, more than any U.S. Internet company at its IPO date since Google in 2004.

The confidence level of LinkedIn is also high as it was only earlier this month that the company had set its IPO range at $32 to $35 a share, which valued the company roughly at $3 billion.

Moreover, Several other social Internet companies, ranging from Facebook Inc. to Groupon Inc. have generated strong interest in private equity financings, driving up their valuations

However, the excitement surrounding the IPO may be overblown as at $352.8 million, Linkedin’s I.P.O. will be the fifth-largest offering for the Internet software and services sector in the United States, according to data from Capital I.Q. and Standard & Poor’s. Ahead of LinkedIn are Google, which raised $1.67 billion in August 2004, Navteq ($880 million in August 2004), Savvis ($408 million in February 2000) and Northpoint Communications ($360 million in May 1999)