Total Seminars E-books now Available
Total Seminars E-books now available in one secure online space—the Total Seminars Training Hub.
Total Seminars is excited to announce the availability of CompTIA and AWS E-books via the Total Seminars Training Hub. This online E-book experience is the result of a cooperative agreement between Total Seminars and McGraw Hill. E-books may be purchased on the Total Seminars website. Content is immediately available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Users can now reinforce learning as they read the E-books side-by-side with other electronic study materials on the Total Seminars training hub.
Dudley Lehmer, Total Seminars’ CEO, explains that the “E-book addition is part of our overall plan to expand the ways our products meet our customer needs. In a world of digital delivery the ability to safely and conveniently access E-book content is important to publishers and users. By offering online E-books on our Total Seminars training hub, we ensure that content is secure and easily accessible for on-demand use.”
With plans to continually add IT titles to the Total Seminars catalog of E-books, current offerings include:
- CompTIA IT Fundamentals (ITF+) All-in-One Exam Guide
- CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide
- Mike Meyers’ CompTIA A+ Certification Passport
- CompTIA Network+ All-in-One Certification Exam Guide
- Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Certification Passport
- Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Security+ Certification Guide
- Mike Meyers Passport Series: CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA CySA+ Cybersecurity Analyst Certification All-in-One Exam Guide
- CompTIA Cloud+ Certification Study Guide
- CompTIA PenTest+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate All-in-One Exam Guide
Standalone E-book and E-book/hard copy combination product availability varies by title.
Total Seminars E-books are now available
Check out all of our E-Book titles. Available 24/7 for immediate access on the Total Seminars Training Hub.
Discount Exam Vouchers
Save on your CompTIA exams by purchasing vouchers from Total Seminars web site.
Try our TotalSims
Prepare for performance-based questions and do hands-on exercises to reinforce concepts while studying for the exams.
Try our TotalTester
Hundreds of questions with customizable exams. Each new exam is pulled from a pool of questions, so each exam is different. Create exams by objectives or by chapter. Take your custom test in Exam mode or in Practice mode with hints, explanations and study references. Get results graded by exam objective so you know where to focus your review. The best way to prepare for the exam questions is to practice as many questions as you can.
The CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway
IT Fundamentals > A+ > Network+ > Security+ > CySA+ or PenTest+ > CASP
With cybercrime on the rise and vulnerabilities constantly being exposed, it is imperative that organizations take a proactive stance to protecting assets and employing skilled cybersecurity professionals. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of information security jobs will increase 28 percent from 2016 to 2026, making it one of the fastest-growing fields. Jobs requiring cybersecurity skills continue to grow rapidly, with more than 313,000 cybersecurity job openings, according to Cyberseek. Employers, from government to Fortune 500 companies, value CompTIA as an authority in cybersecurity certifications.
How to Get into Cybersecurity
The CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway helps IT pros achieve cybersecurity mastery, from beginning to end. The centerpiece is the CompTIA Security+ certification. It establishes the foundational knowledge required of any cybersecurity role and provides a springboard to intermediate-level cybersecurity jobs. With performance-based questions, it emphasizes the hands-on practical skills used by junior IT auditors, systems administrators, network administrators and security administrators.
After earning CompTIA Security+, cybersecurity professionals can take the next step by pursuing an intermediate skills-level cybersecurity certification, such as CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) or CompTIA PenTest+.
The CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst certification assesses the skills needed to apply behavioral analytics to networks to improve the overall state of IT security. The certification covers tools such as packet sniffers, intrusion detection systems (IDS) and security information and event management (SIEM) systems. After the seminal Target attack of 2014, the security analyst job role has gained more importance, making these skills essential for most organizations.
While CySA+ focuses on defense through incident detection and response, CompTIA PenTest+ focuses on offense through penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. It involves launching attacks on systems, discovering the vulnerabilities and managing them and is intended for cybersecurity professionals tasked with identifying, exploiting, reporting and managing vulnerabilities on a network.
Penetration testers’ average salary is $71,929?* And this career is in one of the fastest-growing job markets**.
The progression from CompTIA Security+ to CompTIA CySA+ and/or CompTIA PenTest+ is logical because Security+ assesses the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) an IT professional demonstrates after two years of cybersecurity field work, and CySA+ and PenTest+ assess three to four years of cybersecurity field work.
IT pros can pursue CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) to prove their mastery of cybersecurity skills required at the 5- to 10-year experience level. CASP+ is the pinnacle of cybersecurity certifications and includes performance-based questions. It is intended for those who wish to remain immersed in hands-on enterprise security, incident response and architecture, for example, as opposed to strictly managing cybersecurity policy and frameworks.
Total Seminars has resources to help you study for your CompTIA Certifications
Total Seminars E-books are now available: Check out all of our E-Book titles. Available 24/7 for immediate access on the Total Seminars Training Hub.
Practice Tests: TotalTester has hundreds of questions in a pool that allows you to create custom exams by exam domain or by chapter. Take exams in Practice mode with assistance (hints and explanations) or in Final mode to see if you are ready for the real exams. Complete explanations for each question.
Lab Simulations: TotalSims for A+ and Network+ have hundreds of online labs. Prepare for CompTIA’s performance-based questions and learn more about technical concepts covered on the exams.
Discount Exam Vouchers: Purchase a CompTIA voucher and save on the cost of your exams.
The Building Blocks of Cybersecurity
But how do you get into cybersecurity with no experience? If you have limited experience in IT and aren’t quite ready to start with CompTIA Security+, then you’ll want to start earlier on the pathway.
CompTIA A+ validates the skills employers look for in new and aspiring IT support professionals. In addition to covering today’s core technologies in operating systems, cloud, data management and more, the new CompTIA A+ Core Series covers baseline security skills at the end point device level, including malware detection and removal, privacy concerns, physical security and device hardening.
Where CompTIA A+ considers connectivity from the perspective of the user and their device, CompTIA Network+ focuses on the connections from (and between) the core systems to the endpoint devices. It validates the essential knowledge and skills needed to design, configure, manage and troubleshoot wired and wireless networks. To best support and ultimately secure the systems that exchange information on your network, you must first understand how the network functions.
CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ follow a progression consistent with the KSAs an IT professional exhibits as they move from an early career technical support role with 9 to 12 months of general IT experience to one with 1 to 2 years of general IT experience, and with a significant part of that specific to network support and administration.
CompTIA Network+ is also an important and strongly recommended prerequisite to CompTIA Security+. Before you can secure a network, you must understand how it functions. In other words, you shouldn’t skip algebra to start with calculus. Otherwise, you are learning security skills and applying them to a network you don’t understand.
Now that we’ve covered the certifications in the cybersecurity pathway, let’s explore some of the common questions surrounding it.
Questions About the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway
Where should I start on the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway?
The pathway is intended to help people get into the field of cybersecurity. IT pros can enter at any point, depending on their IT experience, existing certifications or course of study. There are no required prerequisites for these CompTIA certifications. For example, if you have two years of IT security experience or equivalent knowledge, you can jump into the pathway at CompTIA Security+ to prove your knowledge. If you already have CompTIA Security+, you can jump in at CompTIA CSA+, etc. See the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway graphic to find your place on the pathway.
Do I need to take these certifications in order? Do I need to take all of them?
No. This is a recommended pathway, but it’s not a requirement. It depends on your job needs or interests. In general, the pathway follows a hierarchy of skills needed for IT security; each certification builds upon the skills from the previous one. You can find the recommended level of experience for each certification on the page, Which Certification Is Right for Me?
Can I take these exams with no IT or cybersecurity experience?
es, you can, however we recommend a minimum amount of hands-on experience before taking any of our certifications. (Each one has different recommendations, found in the Exam Details section of the certification webpage.) But hands-on experience doesn’t have to be on-the-job experience. It could mean any hands-on work, including practical experience gained while taking a class or through self-study or by helping friends, family or local nonprofits with their IT and cybersecurity issues. CompTIA certifications mirror the current job roles of IT professionals, so it makes sense to earn these certifications to validate the knowledge and hands-on skills currently being used in the workforce, whether you have job experience or not.
Do these certifications replace on-the-job experience?
If you are an IT professional or an employer, you understand the value of on-the-job experience. IT certifications are a great place to start, but they do not replace hands-on experience. If you have CompTIA certifications and on-the-job experience, you have the best of both worlds. In summary, the recommended CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway offers guidance for IT pros, employers, instructors and students. You can start wherever it makes sense, depending on your personal background, job requirements or course of study. The pathway is unique because it offers vendor-neutral skills for IT professionals to achieve cybersecurity mastery, from beginning to end.
*www.cyberdegrees. org
**US Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls. gov
Never Pay Full Price for CompTIA Exams
CompTIA is About to Raise their Exam Prices.
The first of each year CompTIA raises their exam prices. You can purchase Discount Vouchers and save before they raise their prices this year. Discount Vouchers are good for up to 11 months. You can schedule your exams any time during that period and use the Discount Vouchers to pay for the exams.
This year CompTIA will be raising all exam prices by 3%, except for Security+ exams which will be going up 6%. Get your Discount Vouchers before prices go up.
Save with CompTIA Discount Exam Vouchers.
You don’t have to pay full price for CompTIA Exams. You can purchase Discount Exam Vouchers and save on the cost of the exams. CompTIA partners can provide discount prices on exam vouchers and pass the savings along to their students.
Here’s how it works: CompTIA member companies like Total Seminars are able to purchase vouchers for the CompTIA exams and resell them to our students at a discount to the full price you would pay when you register with VUE or buy at the CompTIA web store.
Before you register for your CompTIA exam, go to Total Seminars web site and purchase a Discount Voucher. Your order will be processed, and you will receive an email with your voucher number.
When you register for your CompTIA exam online at the VUE web site, you have an option to pay by credit card or by voucher. Select “voucher” and type in the voucher number you received by email when you purchased the Discount Vouchers from Total Seminars.
Total Seminars’ vouchers are only good in the US and Canada. If you live outside of the US or Canada search the web for CompTIA discount vouchers in the country where you live.
When you purchase a discount voucher it is good for up to 11 months (the exact date the voucher expires is included in your email). You must register for your exam online with VUE before the date the discount voucher expires.
Online Testing is now available. Take you CompTIA exam online at home. Here’s a link to our blog with all the details.
Total Seminars E-books are now available
Check out all of our E-Book titles. Available 24/7 for immediate access on the Total Seminars Training Hub.
Discount Exam Vouchers
Save on your CompTIA exams by purchasing vouchers from Total Seminars web site.
Try our TotalSims
Prepare for performance-based questions and do hands-on exercises to reinforce concepts while studying for the exams.
Try our TotalTester
Hundreds of questions with customizable exams. Each new exam is pulled from a pool of questions, so each exam is different. Create exams by objectives or by chapter. Take your custom test in Exam mode or in Practice mode with hints, explanations and study references. Get results graded by exam objective so you know where to focus your review. The best way to prepare for the exam questions is to practice as many questions as you can.
More Certifications = More $$
IT Certifications have value both in the knowledge you learn and the credential you can show employers. Studying for a certification alone adds a whole new skill set to your tool box. Learning these new skills keeps you sharp and drives interest in “what’s next”. This attitude is necessary in a field that requires lifelong learning. The IT field is rapidly changing and you must keep up by continuing to study and learn. Certifications are the way you show others that you are leaning.
Turning that learning into Certifications is how you show employers that you are constantly growing and gives a method to verify your current level of knowledge. The proof is in the paycheck and the opportunities those additional skills provide.
The data from the Certification Magazine Salary Survey for 2015 shows the value of IT Certification. More importantly it shows the value of continuing to learn and add additional certifications to your resume.
The most common foundational certification is CompTIA’s A+ Certification. Most techs begin with A+ then advance to Network+ and Security+ certification. The salary survey shows how quickly the addition of more certifications leads to rapid jumps in salary. More Certifications = More $$:
- A+ Certification with no other certifications = $47,500 / year
- A+ Certification with 1 or 2 other active certs. = $84,250 / year
- A+ Certification with 3 or 4 other active certs. = $92,080 / year
- A+ Certification with 5 or 6 other active certs. = $97,310 / year
- A+ Certification with 7 or 8 other active certs. = $105,150 / year
The knowledge you gain builds one certification upon another. More importantly your income potential grows right along with it. If you stop at A+ your earning potential is likely to be somewhat limited. Adding even 1 or 2 additional certifications (such as Network+ and Security+) rapidly opens a whole new world of opportunity to grow your career and your earnings.
Total Seminars has resources to help you study for your CompTIA Certifications
Total Seminars E-books are now available: Check out all of our E-Book titles. Available 24/7 for immediate access on the Total Seminars Training Hub.
Practice Tests: TotalTester has hundreds of questions in a pool that allows you to create custom exams by exam domain or by chapter. Take exams in Practice mode with assistance (hints and explanations) or in Final mode to see if you are ready for the real exams. Complete explanations for each question.
Lab Simulations: TotalSims for A+ and Network+ have hundreds of online labs. Prepare for CompTIA’s performance-based questions and learn more about technical concepts covered on the exams.
Discount Exam Vouchers: Purchase a CompTIA voucher and save on the cost of your exams.
CompTIA Exams Now Available Online with OnVUE
CompTIA is now offering their exams delivered online 24/7. Beginning April 15, 2020 CompTIA is delivering their exams using VUE’s online testing platform, called OnVUE.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic CompTIA is allowing students to take their exams 24/7 from the security and privacy of their own homes.
All existing vouchers are good either at a VUE testing center or online through OnVUE. The OnVUE platform uses live proctors and AI to monitor your test. There are only three simple requirements:
- Quiet, private location
- Reliable device with a webcam
- Strong reliable internet connection.
Not all candidates will be able to test online 4/15. US only at first with the rest of the word rolling out later. Note: Server+ available 5/1 and CIT+ and site licenses available in the fall.
Exams will be available in various languages, but proctors speak English only.
NOTE: OnVUE requires your system to install their software. Be sure you have permission to install software on your system.
To get started purchase a Discount Voucher to save on the cost of the exam. Then go to the OnVUE web site to schedule your exam. There are three steps:
- Run a system test. Make sure you do this well ahead of scheduling or taking the exam. This will confirm that your system will work properly during the online exam. Be sure to run your test on the same network and computer you will use on exam day.
- Schedule your exam. Create or Login to your account to schedule an OnVUE exam. After you’ve selected the exam you want to take, choose the “home or office” option. Follow the remaining prompts to complete the scheduling process. Once you have successfully scheduled your exam appointment, you will be sent a confirmation email that will provide you with your appointment details and important things to know for your exam.
- Take your online exam. When it is time to take your exam, login to your account to begin the exam.
Discount CompTIA Exam Vouchers
Save on your CompTIA exams by purchasing vouchers from Total Seminars web site.
Try our TotalSims
Prepare for performance-based questions and do hands-on exercises to reinforce concepts while studying for the exams.
Try our TotalTester
Hundreds of questions with customizable exams. Each new exam is pulled from a pool of questions, so each exam is different. Create exams by objectives or by chapter. Take your custom test in Exam mode or in Practice mode with hints, explanations and study references. Get results graded by exam objective so you know where to focus your review. The best way to prepare for the exam questions is to practice as many questions as you can.
FAQ
System requirements:
| Operating System | Windows 10 Windows 8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit) Mac OS 10.13 and above (excluding beta versions) |
Note: Windows Operating Systems must pass Genuine Windows Validation.
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| Firewall | Do not take your exam in a setting with a corporate firewall (including VPN), or, alert your Network Administrator to the network configuration requirements. We recommend testing on a personal computer. Work computers generally have more restrictions that may prevent successful delivery. |
| RAM | OS specified minimum RAM
4 GB RAM or more |
| Display | Minimum Resolution: 1024 x 768 in 16-bit color.
Additional monitors are forbidden. |
| Internet Browser | The newest versions of Microsoft Edge, Safari, Chrome, and Firefox or Internet Explorer 11. |
| Internet Connection | A consistent connection speed of 1 Mbps down/up is required.
We recommend testing on a wired network as opposed to a wireless network. Tethering to a mobile hotspot is explicitly prohibited. |
| Webcam | Webcam must have a minimum resolution of 640×480 @ 10 fps. Webcam may be internal or may be external and connected to the computer.Mac users may need to allow OnVUE within their ‘System Preferences: Security & Privacy: Privacy’ settings for Microphone, Camera, Automation and Input Monitoring. |
| Sound & Microphone | Verify the audio and microphone are not set on mute in Windows.
Mac users may need to allow OnVUE within their ‘System Preferences: Security & Privacy: Privacy’ settings for Microphone, Camera, Automation and Input Monitoring. |
| Browser Settings | Internet Cookies must be enabled. Any Pop-Up blocking setting(s) must be disabled. |
| Device | All tablets are strictly forbidden, unless it has a physical keyboard and also meets the operating system requirements mentioned earlier. |
| Power | Ensure you are connected to a power source before starting your exam to avoid draining your battery during the exam |
Policies and Procedures:
Q. Where can I test?
A. You can test at home or in your office. Wherever you test, you should be in a walled room, with a closed door and without distractions. No one else is permitted in the room with you while you are testing.
Q. How do I know my computer will work with the online proctored software?
A. Perform a system test to download the OnVUE online proctoring software in advance to ensure that your system will work with our software. Please check our list of minimum system requirements and shut down all non-essential applications before launching the software.
Q. Can I receive any exam assistance during the exam?
A.
- You may not receive any assistance from other individuals while taking the exam, and you may not allow other individuals to see the computer screen that presents the exam questions.
- If another person enters the room while you are testing, your exam will be terminated.
- The proctor cannot answer questions related to exam content.
Q. Is technical software assistance available during the exam?
A. Most technical issues can be avoided by completing a system test in advance. Common technical issues are lack of a stable internet connection and running illegal applications during the exam, both of which the system test can indicate. Either way, staff is on hand to support the issue. Please see the customer service information on this page if you require assistance.
Q. What other important information do I need to know?
A.
- By taking this exam, you acknowledge that the proctor will continuously monitor you by video and audio while you take your exam, and you acknowledge and consent to audio and video recording of your face, voice, the physical room where you are seated, and the location during exam delivery. You recognize that you have no right to privacy at your current location during exam delivery and that you waive any and all claims asserting a right to privacy. If you do not wish to be recorded (either by video or audio), please notify the proctor immediately of your intent not to proceed with the exam.
- If you do not follow the online proctored policies or are suspected of cheating or tampering with Pearson VUE’s or its subcontractor’s software, or if a third party is detected in the physical room where you are seated during the exam, the exam will be immediately terminated. This will be reported to Pearson VUE and the testing sponsor/program, along with audio and/or video evidence of the infraction. Your exam may be invalidated, and the testing sponsor/program may take other action, such as decertifying you and precluding all future participation in the testing program.
Q. Where do I go to schedule my exam?
A. Sign in to your web account to schedule your exam. After you’ve selected the exam you want to take, choose the “home or office” option. Follow the remaining prompts to complete the scheduling process. Once you have successfully scheduled your exam appointment, you will be sent a confirmation email that will provide you with your appointment details and important things to know for your exam.
- Is my workspace okay for testing?
- During the check-in process, you will be asked to take photos of your work area, which will be checked by a proctor prior to exam launch. Please ensure that your desktop is clean and that you are not within arm’s reach of books, notepads, sticky notes, papers, pens, pencils, and other writing instruments/objects. Additional monitors and computers must be unplugged and turned off. Items on the wall with writing on them, such as whiteboards, will be inspected. If your workspace does not pass a room scan, you are not permitted to proceed with taking the exam.
Q. What type of identification will I be required to present?
A. You are required to present a current government-issued ID. The name on your ID must match the name in your web account profile and in your appointment confirmation email.
Acceptable forms of identification include: driver’s license, military ID, identification card (national/state/province identity card), alien registration card (green card, permanent resident, visa), and government-issued local language ID (not in roman characters and accepted only if issued by the country in which you are testing).
Minors who are under the age of 18 are permitted to present a valid student ID as a form of identification. A minor’s guardian must also present a valid ID and provide verbal consent during the check-in process.
Q. How do I check in for my test on exam day?
A. You will be able to start checking in for your exam 30 minutes ahead of your scheduled appointment time. To start, click the “Sign in” button on this page to sign in to your web account.
- The exam you are scheduled to take will appear once you log in to your account under “Open Online Exams.” Select the exam link and then select “Begin exam.”
Important: if the “Begin exam” button is not visible, you are either too early or too late for your exam. Please check your appointment details to make sure you’re trying to start at the proper time. - You will be asked to download OnVUE, the online proctoring software, if you haven’t before. Follow the prompts in the application to complete the required check-in steps.
- Have your acceptable identification available so that the proctor can verify your identity.
- Shut down any non‐essential applications such as email, chat, Facebook, and Skype.
- You will be placed in a queue and connected with the next available proctor to begin your exam.
- The check-in process takes approximately 15 minutes for candidates who have previously completed a system test.
- Being late is not an option. To allow time for the check-in procedure, please be ready when the check-in window opens 30 minutes before the exam start time.
Q. What are the exam rules on personal belongings?
A.
- During the exam, you may not access the following types of personal items: mobile phones, headphones or headsets (wired or bluetooth), handheld computers or other electronic devices, pagers, watches, wallets, purses, hats (or other head coverings), bags, coats, books, notes, or any other materials not specifically approved.
- During the exam session, you are not allowed to use exam-specific materials or scratch paper, erasable whiteboards, or any other physical writing object, such as a pen, marker, or pencil.
- Watches must be removed and placed out of sight/reach during the exam.
- You may have the option to use the whiteboard feature in the OnVUE software while taking the exam online. Read more about this feature.
Q. Can I eat, drink or take a break during the exam?
A. CompTIA does not allow breaks for any reason during delivery of any CompTIA exam. If you leave your computer during your exam the proctor will end your session, you will be unable to continue testing and you may forfeit your exam fee. We recommend you use the restroom prior to checking in with the online proctor to initiate your CompTIA exam. Water in a glass is allowed during testing; however, eating, smoking, and chewing gum are prohibited.
Q. Are accommodations available for online proctored exams?
A. ADA accommodations continue to be available through Pearson VUE Testing Centers. Other accommodations may be available on a case by case basis for online proctored exams. To request other accommodations for online proctored exams, candidates should follow the process to request an accommodation with Pearson VUE.
Get Your Discount CompTIA Exam Vouchers
Save on your CompTIA exams by purchasing vouchers from Total Seminars web site.
Try our TotalSims
Prepare for performance-based questions and do hands-on exercises to reinforce concepts while studying for the exams.
Try our TotalTester
Hundreds of questions with customizable exams.
