Michael Hardwick received his Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Enterprise Administrator certification and Zach Diver attained the CompTIA Network+ certification for network professionals.

The enterprise administrator certification confirms the ability to translate business goals into technology decisions, to design mid-range to long-term strategies, and competency in the operations, engineering and support tasks of an enterprise network, including infrastructure design and global configuration changes.

CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association) is internationally recognized as the leading provider of IT certifications that identify IT professionals who demonstrate aptitude in various fields such as security, network administration, computer repair, and server administration.

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In a recent survey commissioned by Microsoft, 14% of adult respondents reported negative consequences due to online activities, yet a whopping 56% don’t actively think about the consequences of their activities. That’s a startling figure when you consider that the same survey found that 70% of US hiring managers rejected job candidates based on information they found on the Internet. People tend to underestimate how their online activities can contribute to their reputations, but there are measure you can take to manage your digital footprint.

Start with the basics
The first step in protecting yourself is knowing what’s out there. Begin with a basic search of your full name, and any variations, nicknames, etc., using the top search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Be sure your search includes images as well as web content. Also search any sites you frequent, social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and file sharing sites like Flickr, Photobucket, and Snapfish.

Evaluate and take action
If you find information that isn’t representative of the reputation you wish to reflect, you need to take action to have it removed. If possible, try contacting the person who posted the information and respectfully ask for it to be withdrawn. If this approach fails, you may have to contact the site administrator.

Be proactive
Online content is searchable by anyone and everyone, and likely permanent, so you need to think about what you’re sharing, whom you’re sharing it with, and how it may adversely affect you. Take advantage of account privacy settings or options that allow you to control who has access to your information. But even then, keep in mind that there’s always the possibility that someone may share something that you intended to be private, even unintentionally.

Keep on the alert
A one-time search with no negative results is no guarantee that information about you isn’t out there somewhere. One day your name may not show up in a search, then a few weeks down the road–there it is! Search engine algorithms change all the time, so it’s best to perform a search from time to time. Most major search engines also offer alerting services that will notify ou of any new mention of your name. If you’re not sure how to access the alerting capabilities, just type the search engine name plus “alert” (e.g., Yahoo alert, Google alert) to find links on how to generate an alert.

If you’d like more exstensive information, the Microsoft Safety & Security Center  is filled with great articles and tips on protecting your privacy and online information.

To learn more about Data Privacy Day, visit the NCSA website. It’s chock-full of tips and resources for consumers and businesses alike.

Attending these events assures our technical staff keeps current with the latest technology and products  from Intel and other technology leaders so that we may provide the very best service and solutions to our customers.

Hosted by the Register-Herald, the annual event benefits the Preble County Toys for Kids program of the United Way and Graceworks Lutheran Social Services. Last year over 900 items were donated during the program’s eighth year.

Families attending can enjoy refreshments, goody bags, and a variety of activities. Children can have their pictures taken with Santa (for free!) and sign up to win door prizes. One lucky child will win a new netbook computer donated by Opti-Vise. The Register-Herald will draw for the winner of the computer on Monday, December 5th.  

We encourage you to stop in and make a donation at the Kids for Kids holiday open house to support the Preble County Toys for Kids program!

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Zach is a graduate of Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Information Systems. In addition to his educational creditials, he gained experience as an IT technican working for Fort Financial Credit Union and office supply retailer, Staples, both located in Fort Wayne.

Aside from his interest in technology, Zach’s hobbies include working on cars, sports, riding motorcyles, camping and fishing.

Please join us in welcoming Zach to the Opti-Vise support team!