Certification - June 2008 - (Page 39)

INSIDE CERTIFICATION continued from page 25 • Software security: Programmers and code auditors certify here. This important domain is growing quickly because it represents the best chance to correct vulnerabilities before they appear in production code that is subject to attack. If you are already a subject matter expert seeking certification, you can register directly for a GIAC certification exam. For those needing to learn more or brush up on their skills before they attempt GIAC certification, the SANS Institute offers training courses that correspond to most GIAC Silver certifications. There are different levels of GIAC certification; each level more rigorously validates a candidate’s skill than the previous. All candidates start out with GIAC Silver Certification examinations that are comprised of a multiple-choice exam of approximately 150 to 200 questions. Questions are written to best assess hands-on skills using complex scenarios and targeting pragmatics. Multiple-choice exams enable remote administration for large numbers of candidates; however, there are limits to multiple-choice exams. For those who demand a more in-depth credential, GIAC offers the Gold program. An applicant chooses a research topic and works with a GIAC adviser to create an original research document in an effort to prove that his or her skills translate to the real-world in a tangible way and give back to the community. The most prestigious GIAC credential is the GSE (GIAC Security Expert). This is an elite certification geared for the “top guns” in information security and validates hands-on skills directly. The GSE (Security Expert), GSE-Malware and GSE-Compliance are the only certifications in the IT security industry that require candidates to perform the task before they can achieve the certification. Each consists of several days of rigorous hands-on testing. The Global Information Assurance Certification program serves the IT security industry by offering a large group of specialized certifications that correspond directly to specific hands-on skill sets required for critical ITSEC job roles. 8 Jeff Pike serves as technical director of GIAC. He can be reached at editor@certmag.com. INTERFACE continued from page 33 Phase III – One day of quality training, including information security Phase IV – Two weeks of coaching and mentoring For experienced professionals, the training is somewhat different. The company conducts specialized project-specific development based on the requirements and needs identified during appraisal of candidates. However, they still receive training on Hexaware domain and practice. Hexaware also has defined career paths for its employees. The company is segmented into five verticals that offer growth opportunities to individuals in multiple career streams. Cross-functional movement across streams is encouraged per predefined criteria. The career streams include: • Project management: This caters to delivery of client projects. It covers the entire life cycle of software projects such as development, application servicing and maintenance, testing, package configuration and analytics. • Technology: This deals with developing competencies in technologies such as ERP solutions from providers such as SAP and Oracle, mainframes, business intelligence and business analytics, Java, .Net and software testing. • Domain: This refers to developing competencies in industry verticals such as travel, transport, hospitality and logistics, asset management and domains such as finance, human resources, supply-chain management and CRM. • Business development and account management: This covers creation and growth of lines of business through marketing, sales and account management efforts. • Enabler: This function enables the other streams to effectively execute their functions. This is further classified into six sub-streams that include finance, human resources, administration and training. As Hexaware expands and takes on new projects and clients, the specific competencies it looks for may change. However, it likely will continue to assess candidates on the basis of their experience, skills (technical and nontechnical) and certification. 8 – Brian Summerfield, bsummerfield@certmag.com June 2008 CERTIFICATION MAGAZINE 39

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Certification - June 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Data Stream Tech Careers Academic Connection Dear Techie Virtual Village Online Degrees: Are They Right for You? Inside Certification New Opportunities and Challenges: Are Application Developers Ready? Interface Where Have All the Help Desks Gone? Ad Index Endtag

Certification - June 2008

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