LESSON 8 – TOP TRENDING TECHNOLOGIES

Top Trending Technologies Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI has already received a lot of buzz in recent years, but it continues to be a

trend to watch because its effects on how we live, work, and play are only
in the early stages. In addition, other branches of AI have developed,
including Machine Learning, which we will go into below. AI refers to
computer systems built to mimic human intelligence and perform tasks such
as recognition of images, speech or patterns, and decision making. AI can
do these tasks faster and more accurately than humans. Five out of six
Americans use AI services in one form or another every day, including navigation apps, streaming services,
smartphone personal assistants, ridesharing apps, home personal assistants, and smart home devices. In addition to
consumer use, AI is used to schedule trains, assess business risk, predict maintenance, and improve energy
efficiency, among many other money-saving tasks. AI is one part of what we refer to broadly as automation, and
automation is a hot topic because of potential job loss. Experts say automation will eliminate 73 million more jobs by
2030. However, automation is creating jobs as well as eliminating them, especially in the field of AI: Pundits predict
that jobs in AI will number 23 million by 2020. Jobs will be created in development, programming, testing, support,
and maintenance, to name a few. Artificial Intelligence architect is one such job. Some say it will soon rival data
scientists in need of skilled professionals. To learn more about potential jobs in AI, read about building a career in AI,
or why you should earn an AI certification.

Machine Learning

Machine learning is a subset of AI. With Machine Learning, computers are

programmed to learn to do something they are not programmed to do:
they learn by discovering patterns and insights from data. In general, we
have two types of learning, supervised and unsupervised. While Machine
Learning is a subset of AI, we also have subsets within the domain of
Machine Learning, including neural networks, natural language
processing (NLP), and deep learning. Each of these subsets offers an opportunity for specializing in a career field that
will only grow. Machine Learning is rapidly being deployed in all kinds of industries, creating a huge demand for
skilled professionals. The Machine Learning market is expected to grow to $8.81 billion by 2022. Machine Learning
applications are used for data analytics, data mining, and pattern recognition. On the consumer end, Machine
Learning powers web search results, real-time ads, and network intrusion detection, to name only a few of the many
tasks it can do. In addition to completing countless tasks on our behalf, it is generating jobs. Machine Learning jobs
rank among the top emerging jobs on LinkedIn, with almost 2,000 job listings posted. And these jobs pay well: In
2017, the median salary for a machine learning engineer was $106,225. Machine Learning jobs include engineers,
developers, researchers, and data scientists.

Robotic Process Automation or RPA

Like AI and Machine Learning, Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is

another technology that is automating jobs. RPA is the use of software to
automate business processes such as interpreting applications, processing
transactions, dealing with data, and even replying to emails. RPA
automates repetitive tasks that people used to do. These are not just the
menial tasks of a low-paid worker: up to 45 percent of the activities we
do can be automated, including the work of financial managers, doctors,
and CEOs. Although Forrester Research estimates RPA automation will threaten the livelihood of 230 million or more
knowledge workersor approximately 9 percent of the global workforce, RPA is also creating new jobs while altering
existing jobs. McKinsey finds that less than 5 percent of occupations can be totally automated, but about 60 percent
can be partially automated. For you as an IT professional looking to the future and trying to understand technology
trends, RPA offers plenty of career opportunities, including developer, project manager, business analyst, solution
architect, and consultant. And these jobs pay well. SimplyHired.com says the average RPA salary is $73,861, but that
is the average compiled from salaries for junior-level developers up to senior solution architects, with the top 10
percent earning over $141,000 annually. So, if you’re keen on learning and pursuing a career in RPA, the
Introduction to Robotic Process Automation (RPA) course should be the next step you take to kick start an RPA
career.

Edge Computing

Formerly a technology trend to watch, cloud computing has

become mainstream, with major players AWS (Amazon Web
Services), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud dominating the
market. The adoption of cloud computing is still growing, as more
and more businesses migrate to a cloud solution. But it’s no longer
the emerging technology. As to quantity of data we’re dealing with
continues to increase, we’ve realized the shortcomings of cloud
computing in some situations. Edge computing is designed to help solve some of those problems as a way to bypass
the latency caused by cloud computing and getting data to a data center for processing. It can exist “on the edge,” if
you will, closer to where computing needs to happen. For this reason, edge computing can be used to process time-
sensitive data in remote locations with limited or no connectivity to a centralized location. In those situations, edge
computing can act like mini data centers. Edge computing will increase as the use of the Internet of Things (IoT)
devices increases. By 2022, the global edge computing market is expected to reach $6.72 billion. As with any
growing market, this will create various jobs, primarily for software engineer s.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) immerses the user in an environment while

Augment Reality (AR) enhances their environment. Although VR has
primarily been used for gaming thus far, it has also been used for
training, as with VirtualShip, a simulation software used to train U.S.
Navy, Army, and Coast Guard ship captains. The popular Pokemon
Go is an example of AR. Both VR and AR have enormous potential
in training, entertainment, education, marketing, and even
rehabilitation after an injury. Either could be used to train doctors to do surgery, offer museum-goers a deeper
experience, enhance theme parks, or even enhance marketing, as with this Pepsi Max bus shelter. There are major
players in the VR market, like Google, Samsung, and Oculus, but plenty of startups are forming and they will be
hiring, and the demand for professionals with VR and AR skills will only increase. Getting started in VR doesn’t
require a lot of specialized knowledge. Basic programming skills and a forward-thinking mindset can land a job,
although other employers will be looking for optics as a skill-set and hardware engineers as well.

Cyber Security

Cyber security might not seem like emerging technology, given that it
has been around for a while, but it is evolving just as other
technologies are. That’s in part because threats are constantly new.
The malevolent hackers who are trying to illegally access data are not
going to give up any time soon, and they will continue to find ways to
get through even the toughest security measures. It’s also in part
because new technology is being adapted to enhance security. As long
as we have hackers, we will have cyber security as an emerging technology because it will constantly evolve to defend against
those hackers. As proof of the strong need for cyber security professionals, the number of cyber security jobs is growing three times
faster than other tech jobs. However, we’re falling short when it comes to filling those jobs. As a result, it’s predicted that we will
have 3.5 million unfilled cyber security

Lesson 9 - NEW CHALLENGES

Managing a remote workforce. Working from home has become a new hurdle for many—one not limited to IT. As
millions of professionals adjust to the new normal of working remotely, staff and supervisors alike have had to
quickly learn how to improve communication and collaboration in a virtual setting. And for those not accustomed to
working from home, it can be a struggle to avoid distractions (e.g., family members, household chores, Netflix, etc.)
that aren’t a factor when you’re working in an office setting. If the transition to remote work has been difficult, we
offer a number of training courses specifically designed to help teams maximize virtual technologies and improve soft
skills that are more critical when co-workers are in separate locations.

1. Workload. Both IT staff and decision makers are overwhelmed with work demands. It’s sort of a chicken and egg
scenario decision-makers are using increasing workloads as an excuse not to authorize training, and staff are
struggling to complete assignments because they lack the proper skills. Either way, time that was previously
designated toward skills development is now being used to catch up on an increasing backlog of work. Workload
concerns are the highest they’ve been in the history of our IT Skills and Salary Report. It’s the number one training
inhibitor, as IT professionals believe mounting workloads limit the amount of time they can spend out of office or in a
training course. Better manager oversight and strategy is required to address this issue. Automation may also be a
solution as a means to reduce time-consuming tasks that are not high priority.

2. Cybersecurity. The cybersecurity challenge is two-fold: Cyberattacks are growing in size and sophistication Millions
of cybersecurity jobs remain unfilled Organizations cannot take IT security lightly. An analysis of worldwide identity
and access management by the International Data Corporation (IDC) revealed that 55% of consumers would switch
platforms or providers due to the threat of a data breach, and 78% would switch if a breach impacted them
directly.1 Customers aren’t willing to put their data at risk. The problem is there aren’t enough IT professionals with
cybersecurity expertise. Forty percent of IT decision-makers say they have cybersecurity skills gaps on their teams.
It’s also identified as the most challenging hiring area in IT. There isn’t an immediate solution to this problem, but a
long-term fix is to build your cyber workforce from the inside. Invest in cybersecurity training and up skill your
current staff. Hiring and outsourcing isn’t always a viable (or cheap) solution. Current IT professionals who know the
industry are more apt to transition into successful cybersecurity professionals.

3. Skills Gaps. Over 80% of North American IT departments have skills gaps. Globally, IT skills gaps have increased
by 155% in three years. They can no longer 11 be ignored, especially as a lack of necessary skills can be credited for
increased employee stress, development and deployment delays, and increased operating costs. According to IT
decision-makers, skills gaps will cost employers up to 416 hours and over $22,000 per employee, per year. You
would think those numbers would motivate organizations to increase skill development opportunities for employees,
but that isn’t always the case. Less than 60% of decision makers say their organizations offer formal training for
technical employees, down one percent from the previous year. This tells us that organizations aren’t serious enough
about skill development. The time to act is now—skills gaps will only grow and further
Debilitate IT departments unless actions are taken. Strategic and continual training is the antidote. That’s the good
news. The uphill battle is conveying the value to management and securing budget to ensure employees receive
continual training. IT professionals need better support. If organizations do not invest in their employees’ skills now,
they will pay for it down the road.

4. Digital Transformation is latest disrupter. It has led to technology no longer providing a sustained competitive
advantage. It now plays a supporting role to people with the right skills. Expertise is needed now more than ever to
manage and implement all of the new technologies. But it’s not that simple. As discussed above, IT departments are
suffering from gaps in critical skills areas such as cybersecurity, cloud computing and DevOps. Even IT professionals
who are offered professional development opportunities are struggling to keep up. The rate of technological change
is outpacing training. IT professionals and departments are falling behind—they are failing to meet business
objectives and seize market opportunities. While continual training is part of the equation, prioritizing skill needs is
even more of a priority. That’s why we created the Skills Development Index™ to help IT professionals rank their
most critical skill needs and determine which type of training to pursue. Informal training has its merits, especially
when on-the-fly knowledge must be acquired, but when a high-value project is on the line, more formal learning is
the better option.

5. Cloud Computing. Cloud is the top investment area worldwide for IT departments. Organizations require an
infusion of cloud skills to match their monetary investment in cloud platforms. Much like cybersecurity, cloud
professionals are in high demand and short supply. According to IT decision-makers, cloud computing is the second
most challenging hiring area in the world. The opportunities of cloud computing are impossible to ignore. Cloud is the
ultimate enabler, opening new channels of revenue by leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and the
Internet of Things (IoT). But professionals are needed to capitalize on this technology, and currently, there aren’t
enough of them. Despite the worker shortage, organizations are all-in on cloud solutions. In fact, more than 50% of
organizations use more than one cloud provider.2 It’s not unique for an organization to require cloud skills in AWS,
Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. And generic cloud computing expertise isn’t enough, especially if you’re an
engineer or architect. It’s imperative that cloud professionals have current skill sets and train on the platforms they
engage with regularly.
6. Hiring. Talent recruitment and retention is a major challenge for IT leaders—50% are currently struggling in the
area. Only seven percent of IT decision-makers say that hiring has been easy. Managers hoping to hire their way out
of a skills gap problem have been dealt a dose of reality, as key positions like cloud computing and cybersecurity are
the most difficult to fill. One potential solution to this quandary is degree deflation, which is a conscientious effort to
focus on skills rather than a college degree during the hiring process. A bachelor’s degree is not necessarily an
indicator of abilities, especially in tech. Recent training and certifications better illustrate what a professional is
capable of right now. Requiring a four-year degree closes off a potential pipeline to qualified candidates. We suggest
removing a degree as a prerequisite and placing a greater emphasis on relevant and actionable skills.

7. Budget. A lack of budget and resources is another major concern for both IT staff and decision-makers. The open-
field sections of our IT Skills and Salary Survey are littered with criticisms about budget constraints. IT professionals
want to train but their requests aren’t always approved by management. Budget is often the major roadblock
impeding professional development and hiring. IT departments need to ensure they are communicating the right
messages to organizational leadership to help them understand the value of ongoing training. Here’s a place to start:
revenue growth, low employee turnover and new product development are signs of a skilled workforce. There are a
number of ways to maximize a constrained budget. Prepayments and special offers are options to save on training.
Lock in a discounted rate for a full year, or save a certain percentage on individual courses. Also, make sure you are
aware of any training credits your company may have. They are typically issued by tech providers as a way to help
drive value for a particular investment.

Lesson 1. THREE BASIC NETWORKING CATEGORIES

1. Local Area Network (LAN)

The smallest of the three network types, consist of PC’s connected together within a limited area, such as within the
same building, floor or department. Local area network is the network which is made within the office, room or
building. The network is made by connecting cables from all computers to a single device which has ports in it.
 Examples of LAN:
Networking in home, office.
Networking between two computers.
Wi-Fi (When we consider wireless LAN)

➢Advantages of LAN

Hardware and software can be shared.

All the users work can be stored in a central place.
Data can be shared because database files stored in the server are
available to users around the network.
A single internet connection can be shared among any users.
Network software is cheaper than buying individual packages.

➢Disadvantage of LAN

Printing can be slow, long queues may develop.

A virus can spread more easily.
As data is shared there is a greater need for security.
Problem of password hacking.
Level of maintenance continues to grow.

2. Metropolitan Area Networking (MAN)

A networking that spans no more than 50 miles. It is design to connect LANs spanning a town or city. This type of
network is not as big as WAN but bigger than LAN. Metropolitan area network is used within college or within city. So
it has high range than LAN. This type of network is also used for communication in military.

➢Examples of MAN

Networking between banks in a city.

Used in air reservation.

➢Advantages of MAN

It provides a good back bone for a larger network and provides greater access to
WANs.
The dual bus used in MAN helps the transmission of data in both direction simultaneously.
A MAN usually encompasses several blocks of a city or an entire city
Provide greater access to WAN
Most common to see on University Campuses.

➢Disadvantages of MAN

More cable required for MAN connection from one place to another
Larger network become difficult to manage
Difficult to make system secure from hackers

3. Wide Area Network (WAN)

Used to distributed information thousands of miles among thousands of users. Wide area network is a network which
is used to connect different local area networks (LAN). Local area networks are connected to one another through a
device called router. There may be used many router to connect large amount of LANs. The big example of wide
area network is internet. On internet we transfer files from one computer to other. There is ftp, http and https
protocols are used to transfer files on the internet. Ftp stands for file transfer protocol.

➢Example of (WAN)

Internet
Network of our Campus
Advantages of WAN
Share information/files over a larger area
WAN has of limit of area, so it is worldwide network.
Messages can be sent very quickly to anyone else on the network
WAN support global markets and global business.
For a network database, WAN allows users all over a network to access and update a single consistent view of data.

➢Disadvantage of WAN

Setting up a network can be expensive and complicated experience. The bigger network the more expensive it is.
Security is a real issue when many different people have the ability to use information from other computers.
WAN is very big and complex network.
It is slow in speed
Very much dependency on the third party because it is public network.
.

Lesson 2. COMPUTER NETWORK

Usually, the connections between computers in a network are made using physical wires or cables. However, some
connections are wireless, using radio waves or infrared signals.
◼The generic term node or host refers to any device on a network

◼Data transfer rate The speed with which data is moved from one place on a network to another

◼Data transfer rate is a key issue in computer networks

◼Computer networks have opened up an entire frontier in the world of computing called the client/server model

Servers
File server. A computer that stores and manages files for multiple users on a network Web server. A computer
dedicated to responding to requests (from the browser client) for web pages Local-area Network (LAN). A network
that connects a relatively small number of machines in a relatively closegeographical area.

Network Topology
Ring topology. A configuration that connects all nodes in a closed loop on which messages travel in one direction
Star topology. A configuration that centers around one node to which all others are connected and through which all
messages are sent Bus topology. All nodes are connected to a single communication line that carries messages in both
directions. A bus technology called Ethernet has become the industry standard for local-area networks

Wide-Area Network (WAN)

A network that connects two or more local-area networks over a potentially large geographic distance. Often one
particular node on a LAN is set up to serve as a gateway to handle all communication going between that LAN and
other networks. Communication between networks is called internetworking.

The Internet, as we know it today, is essentially the ultimate wide-area network, spanning the entire globe

Metropolitan-Area Network (MAN). The communication infrastructures that have been developed in and around large
cities. So, who owns the Internet? Well, nobody does. No single person or company owns the Internet or even
controls it entirely. As a wide-area network, it is made up of many smaller networks. These smaller networks are
often owned and managedby a person or organization. The Internet, then, is really defined by how connections can
be made between these networks.