CompTIA Rings In The New Year With New CompTIA A+ Certification Exams

New exams place greater emphasis on security, mobility, operating systems and other cutting-edge fundamental skills required of today’s multi-skilled IT technician

CompTIA, the information technology (IT) industry trade association and the leading provider of vendor-neutral skills certifications for the world’s IT workforce, said recently it has launched new exams for its flagship certification, CompTIA A+.

The new CompTIA A+ 900 series exams, available worldwide, reflect the evolving realities of today’s IT infrastructure and the expanding responsibilities of the IT professionals tasked with managing and maintaining IT applications, devices, networks and systems.

“Today’s IT technicians support a broader variety of computing devices and operating systems than ever before,” says Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA.

“An IT technician has to be knowledgeable working with tablets, smartphones, laptops and desktops running iOS, Android, Windows and OS X connected to secure local networks and the cloud all at the same time,” Thibodeaux says. “The updated CompTIA A+ exams reflect this reality.”

The CompTIA A+ 900 series exams feature new cutting-edge content in areas critical to IT operations, including security, networking, operating systems, IT operations, troubleshooting and technical support.

“The IT support professional is the front line in the fight against security breaches,as they’re likely the first ones who have to identify that something out of the ordinary is going on,” notes Dr. James Stanger, senior director, products, CompTIA.

Eight of the nine exam domains in the CompTIA A+ 900 series exams touch on security topics, requiring candidates to have a deeper mastery of security concepts. Candidates are tested on their ability to apply security concepts, including supporting and securing access to data by properly using authentication, access control and encryption.

Infrastructure and networks are also more complex, with IT professionals supporting on premise equipment, cloud applications and combinations of the two, according to Stanger.

The new exams cover the basics of cloud computing, virtualization, desktop imaging and deployment.

Candidates must demonstrate an ability to apply core concepts and protocols such as IPv4, IPv6, DHCP and subnet mask to set up and support wired and wireless networks. They’re also tested on working with mobile, server and traditional operating systems from Android and iOS to Windows and Linux.

“Troubleshooting also takes a greater role in the new exams,” Stanger says. “The demand on technical support and the expectations of users requires them to have a broader knowledgebase and to solve problems quickly and accurately.”

Certification candidates are tested on their ability to follow and use decision trees for diagnosing, resolving and documenting common hardware and software issues across a variety of devices; and applying principles of customer service to help resolve IT issues.

The previous versions of the CompTIA A+ exams (220-801 and 220-802) are available through the end of June 2016. Individuals currently studying for these exams are encouraged to continue their preparation and test on the 800 series exams.

CompTIA A+ is globally recognized and carries ISO/ANSI accreditation status. More than one million IT professionals in countries around the world have earned the CompTIA A+ credential since it was introduced in 1993.

To learn more about CompTIA A+, check out the video “CompTIA A+: Preparing IT pros for tomorrow’s technology” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fX7-fsRpxY&feature=youtu.be and visit http://certification.comptia.org/certifications/a

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a non-profit trade association serving as the voice of the information technology industry. With approximately 2,000 member companies, 3,000 academic and training partners and more than two million IT certifications issued, CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications and public policy advocacy. For more information, visit CompTIA online.