If you're using your network to support multiple clients, you may want multiple VLANs that can't talk to each other, but can both access some shared resources. Layer 3 switches give you the basic infrastructure to do so.

Other potential benefits of using layer 3 switching include greater performance, security, and quality of service. In a sense, switches with layer 3 capability are like a partial hybrid between switches and routers. They're designed for speed and also make decisions on how to route traffic at the network layer.

On November 18, 2010, jump-start, re-start, or catalyze your IT career at the Microsoft Certified Career Conference. The Microsoft Certified Career Conference is a 24-hour virtual event where you can:

• meet potential employers
• hone your technical skills
• acquire job-seeking skills
• network with fellow professionals
• glean career advice from real-life experts in the field

Register at www.msregistration.com/msl.

Use the New Horizons discount code: NewHorizons10 to get a 10% discount on your registration.

Spoofing is a term used to describe methods of faking various parts of the browser user interface. This may include the address or location bar, the status bar, the padlock, or other user interface elements. Phishing attacks often utilize some form of spoofing to help convince the user to provide personal information. If a user's browser is vulnerable to spoofing, they are more likely to fall victim to a phishing attack. You can search the US-CERT and CERT/CC web sites for malicious scripting and content vulnerabilities at the following URL: http://search.us-cert.gov (use the search term browser+spoof). The US-CERT document "Technical Trends in Phishing Attacks" (available at http://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/phishing_trends0511.pdf) has more information about spoofing and phishing techniques.

We've added more courses to our Remote Classroom Schedule! To learn more about our courses and how New Horizons Remote Classroom works, just visit the portal @ http://www.LearnAtNewHorizons.com/RemoteClassroom.

We are happy to answer any questions you have, and as always, if you do not see a course listed on the schedule, just let us know! You can contact us directly or just fill out the form here. We look forward to hearing from you.

Here is the update for July, August, September, October & November 2009.

Start	End	Course Title
7/23	7/24	2276C - Implementing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure Network Hosts
7/23	7/24	Excel VBA
7/23	7/24	Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 - Level 1
7/24	7/24	Excel 2007 - Level 3
7/24	7/24	Project 2007 - Advanced
7/24	7/24	Project Management Fundamentals (Second Edition)
7/27	7/29	2261C - Supporting Users Running the Microsoft Windows XP Operating System
7/27	7/28	2795A - Designing an ETL Solution Architecture Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services
7/27	7/31	4994A - VB - Introduction to Programming Microsoft .NET Applications with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
7/27	7/27	5049A - Managing Messaging Security Using Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
7/27	7/29	6158A - Updating Your SQL Server 2005 Skills to SQL Server 2008
7/27	7/29	6214A - Effective Team Development Using Microsoft Visual Studio Team System
7/27	7/29	6417B - Updating your Applications Infrastructure Technology Skills to Windows Server 2008
7/27	7/28	Access 2007 - Level 1
7/27	7/31	Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
7/27	7/31	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND1
7/27	7/31	CISSP
7/27	7/31	Network+ Certification
7/27	7/27	SQL - Level 1
7/27	8/1	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND2
7/29	7/31	6236A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
7/29	7/31	6417B - Updating your Applications Infrastructure Technology Skills to Windows Server 2008
7/30	7/31	2262B - Supporting Users Running Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System
7/30	7/31	6215A - Implementing and Administering Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Team Foundation Server
8/3	8/7	2277C - Implementing Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure:
8/3	8/7	2277C - Implementing Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure:
8/3	8/5	2791A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services
8/3	8/5	2792A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services
8/3	8/5	5047B - Introduction to Installing and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
8/3	8/5	5115A - Installing and Configuring the Windows Vista Operating System
8/3	8/7	6421A - Configuring and Troubleshooting a Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure
8/3	8/7	6425A - Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Domain Services
8/3	8/5	6460A - C# - Visual Studio 2008: Windows Presentation Foundation
8/3	8/7	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND1
8/3	8/7	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND1
8/3	8/4	Illustrator CS4 Level 1
8/3	8/3	Project Management Fundamentals (Second Edition)
8/5	8/7	5928A - Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Managing Projects
8/6	8/7	5116A - Configuring Windows Vista Mobile Computing and Applications
8/6	8/7	50027 - Querying and Processing SQL Server Data Using Microsoft SQL Server
8/6	8/7	5051A - Monitoring and Troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
8/6	8/6	Adobe Captivate 3.0
8/6	8/7	Indesign CS4 - Level 1
8/10	8/15	AXZO Press CompTIA Security+ Certificiation 2008 Edition + CertBlaster
8/10	8/14	2278 - Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
8/10	8/12	2543B - Core Web Application Development with Visual Studio 2005
8/10	8/14	2780B - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database
8/10	8/12	2792A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services
8/10	8/11	5060A - Implementing Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
8/10	8/14	6419A - Configuring Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2008 Servers
8/10	8/12	6422A - Implementing and Managing Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V
8/10	8/14	6425A - Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Domain Services
8/10	8/14	Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
8/10	8/14	CISSP
8/12	8/14	5061A - Implementing Microsoft Office 2007 SharePoint Server
8/12	8/14	6418A - Deploying Windows Server 2008 (Beta 3)
8/12	8/14	6460A - C# - Visual Studio 2008: Windows Presentation Foundation
8/13	8/14	2544A - Advanced Web Application Development with Visual Studio 2005
8/13	8/14	6438A Implementing and Administering Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 in Windows Server 2008
8/13	8/13	Cold Fusion 8 - Level 1
8/13	8/14	Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 - Level 1
8/14	8/14	Cold Fusion 8 - Level 2
8/17	8/21	2279B - Planning Implementing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure
8/17	8/18	2547A - Advanced Windows Application Development with Visual Studio 2005
8/17	8/19	2778A - Writing Queries Using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Transact - SQL
8/17	8/17	5050A - Recovering Messaging Servers and Databases Using Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
8/17	8/19	5118A - Maintaining and Troubleshooting Windows Vista Computers
8/17	8/21	6232A - Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
8/17	8/19	6236A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
8/17	8/21	6416B - Updating your Network Infrastructure and Active Directory Technology Skills to Windows Server 2008
8/17	8/21	6420A - Fundamentals of Windows Server 2008 Network and Applications Infrastructure
8/17	8/21	6436A - Designing a Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Infrastructure and Services
8/17	8/19	6461A - C# - Windows Communication Foundation
8/17	8/21	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND2
8/17	8/18	Crystal Reports XI Advanced
8/17	8/21	Network+ Certification
8/17	8/17	SQL - Level 1
8/18	8/19	5051A - Monitoring and Troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
8/18	8/18	SQL - Level 2
8/19	8/20	2544A - Advanced Web Application Development with Visual Studio 2005
8/20	8/21	5119A - Supporting Windows Vista Computers with Desktop Images and Application Packages
8/20	8/21	6462A - C# - Windows Workflow Foundation
8/24	8/26	2830B - Designing Security for Microsoft Networks
8/24	8/28	4995A - C# - Programming with the Microsoft .NET Framework using Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
8/24	8/28	50028A - Managing System Center Operations Manager 2007
8/24	8/28	6421A - Configuring and Troubleshooting a Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure
8/24	8/25	6431A - Managing and Maintaing Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Servers
8/24	8/28	Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
8/24	8/28	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND2
8/24	8/26	Microsoft ASP.NET AJAX Using Visual Studio 2005
8/26	8/26	JavaScript Programming
8/27	8/28	50051A - Architecting Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Portals and Collaboration Solutions
8/27	8/28	6432A - Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Servers
8/27	8/27	Excel 2007 - Level 2
8/31	9/4	2278 - Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
8/31	9/4	2779B - Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database
8/31	9/4	5929A - Managing Projects and Programs
8/31	9/2	6317A - Your SQL Server 2000 Skills to SQL Server 2008
8/31	9/2	6422A - Implementing and Managing Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V
8/31	9/4	6451A - Planning Deploying and Managing Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007
8/31	9/2	6461A - C# - Windows Communication Foundation
8/31	9/4	Cisco - Implementing Cisco Unified Wireless Networking Essentials - IUWNE
8/31	9/4	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND1
8/31	9/4	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND2
9/1	9/2	Flash CS3 - Level 1
9/1	9/1	Project 2007 - Basic
9/2	9/4	6234A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server2008 Analysis Services
9/3	9/4	6462A - C# - Windows Workflow Foundation
9/3	9/4	Dreamweaver CS4 - Level 1
9/8	9/10	2793B - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services
9/8	9/10	6424A - Fundamentals of Microsoft Server 2008 Active Directory
9/8	9/9	6463A - ASP.NET 3.5
9/8	9/9	6463A - ASP.NET 3.5
9/8	9/8	Project 2007 - Advanced
9/9	9/10	2439 - Scripting Using Microsoft Windows Management Instrumentation
9/9	9/11	6423A - Implementing and Managing Windows Server 2008 Clustering
9/9	9/9	Acrobat 9.0 - Level 1
9/10	9/11	6464A - Visual Studio 2008: ADO.NET 3.5
9/10	9/11	6464A - Visual Studio 2008: ADO.NET 3.5
9/11	9/11	Project Management Fundamentals (Second Edition)
9/14	9/19	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND1
9/14	9/18	2272B - Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Windows XP Professional
9/14	9/18	2779B - Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database
9/14	9/18	6231A - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
9/14	9/18	6232A - Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
9/14	9/16	6235A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Integration Services
9/14	9/18	6425A - Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Domain Services
9/14	9/16	6434A - Automating Windows Server 2008 Administration with Windows PowerShell
9/14	9/16	Access Programming with VBA
9/14	9/15	Crystal Reports XI Basic
9/14	9/18	Network+ Certification
9/16	9/18	6424A - Fundamentals of Microsoft Server 2008 Active Directory
9/21	9/25	2274C - Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
9/21	9/25	50031A - Complete .NET 2.0 Security
9/21	9/24	5047B - Introduction to Installing and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
9/21	9/25	6231A - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
9/21	9/23	6235A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Integration Services
9/21	9/25	6419A - Configuring Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2008 Servers
9/21	9/25	6425A - Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Domain Services
9/21	9/25	6430A - Planning and Administering Windows Server 2008 Servers
9/21	9/25	Cisco - Implementing Cisco IOS Network Security - IINS
9/21	9/25	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND2
9/21	9/25	Computer Hacking Forensic Investigation
9/21	9/21	Illustrator CS3 - Level 2
9/23	9/23	Excellence in Servie: Basic
9/25	9/25	5049A - Managing Messaging Security Using Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
9/28	10/2	2779B - Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database
9/28	10/2	2780B - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database
9/28	10/2	2933A - Developing Business Process and Integration Solutions Using Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006
9/28	9/29	50027 - Querying and Processing SQL Server Data Using Microsoft SQL Server
9/28	10/2	6231A - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
9/28	10/2	Linux+
9/30	10/1	2276C - Implementing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure Network Hosts
9/30	10/1	Photoshop CS4 - Level 2
10/1	10/2	6431A - Managing and Maintaing Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Servers
10/1	10/1	Cold Fusion 8 - Level 1
10/2	10/2	Cold Fusion 8 - Level 2
10/5	10/7	2275C - Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
10/5	10/9	2310C - Developing Microsoft ASP.NET Web Applications using Visual Studio.NET
10/5	10/7	2792A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services
10/5	10/6	5060A - Implementing Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
10/5	10/7	6426A - Configuring Identity and Access Solutions with Windows Server 2008 Active Directory
10/5	10/9	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND1
10/5	10/9	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND1
10/5	10/9	CISSP
10/7	10/9	5061A - Implementing Microsoft Office 2007 SharePoint Server
10/7	10/9	6158A - Updating Your SQL Server 2005 Skills to SQL Server 2008
10/8	10/9	2276C - Implementing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure Network Hosts
10/8	10/9	6428A - Configuring and Troubleshooting Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services
10/8	10/9	Organizational Behavior
10/12	10/12	Excellence in Service: Advanced
10/12	10/16	2277C - Implementing Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure:
10/12	10/16	2780B - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database
10/12	10/14	2791A - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services
10/12	10/16	6425A - Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Domain Services
10/12	10/14	6427A - Configuring and Troubleshooting Internet Information Services in Windows Server 2008
10/12	10/16	Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN)
10/12	10/16	Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
10/14	10/16	6436A - Designing a Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Infrastructure and Services
10/15	10/16	2934A - Deploying and Managing Business Process and Integration Solutions Using Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006
10/19	10/23	2272B - Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Windows XP Professional
10/19	10/21	2793B - Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services
10/19	10/23	4994A - VB - Introduction to Programming Microsoft .NET Applications with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
10/19	10/23	6232A - Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
10/19	10/21	6426A - Configuring Identity and Access Solutions with Windows Server 2008 Active Directory
10/19	10/23	6430A - Planning and Administering Windows Server 2008 Servers
10/19	10/23	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND2
10/21	10/23	2278 - Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
10/26	10/30	2279B - Planning Implementing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure
10/26	10/30	2310C - Developing Microsoft ASP.NET Web Applications using Visual Studio.NET
10/26	10/30	2780B - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database
10/26	10/30	50028B - Managing System Center Operations Manager 2007
10/26	10/30	6231A - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database
10/26	10/30	6417B - Updating your Applications Infrastructure Technology Skills to Windows Server 2008
10/26	10/30	6451A - Planning Deploying and Managing Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007
10/26	10/30	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND1
10/26	10/30	CISSP
10/26	10/30	Project Management Professional Certification
11/2	11/6	Cisco - Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices - ICND2

JULY

Tips & Tricks for Microsoft Office 2007, PowerPoint and Excel
Explore how Excel 2007 takes advantage of a new, results-oriented user interface that provides easy access to powerful productivity tools, offers a larger workspace, and delivers faster performance. See how to quickly create pivot Tables and Charts to better analyze you information, while still creating easy to read & use spreadsheets. Additionally, discover the synergy of working with Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 to present and deliver your information to your audience with presentation tools that allow you to paint a picture of what you need to convey.

• Presenter: Andy Reed, Senior Training Specialist, Microsoft Corporation
• Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2009
• Time: 10 am Pacific; 12 pm Central; 1 pm Eastern
• Register: http://bit.ly/Ur1Z

Creating Complex Documents with Microsoft Word 2007
Creating Complex document with Microsoft Word 2007 Get informative tips to help you create better Microsoft Word 2007 documents more easily than ever before, and learn why the less work you do, the better your Microsoft Office Word documents will be. Witness how Microsoft SharePoint Services enhances the collaborative process. See the options available to streamline the creation of your documents and learn how to share this with other Word users, 2007 & previous.

• Presenter: Andy Reed, Senior Training Specialist, Microsoft Corporation
• Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2009
• Time: 10 am Pacific; 12 pm Central; 1 pm Eastern
• Register: http://bit.ly/Ur1Z

AUGUST

Collaborating with Microsoft Office 2007 using Microsoft SharePoint Services
See how enhancements in Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and Microsoft Office 2007 make it easier than ever to share documents, track tasks, use e-mail efficiently and effectively, and share ideas and information. Discover the tools to create Team Sites, Document libraries, and meeting sites with Microsoft SharePoint Services.

• Presenter: Andy Reed, Senior Training Specialist, Microsoft Corporation
• Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
• Time: 10 am Pacific; 12 pm Central; 1 pm Eastern
• Register: http://bit.ly/Ur1Z

ENROLL in all New Horizons Webinars at: http://bit.ly/Ur1Z

Our Excel article shows you which functions to use when you want to count data that you’ve already filtered. To view the graphics to the table references in this article, please view the pdf document located here.

If you’ve ever tried to count the number of rows in your data table, you might have felt frustrated when you filter the data and realize your row count remains the same. Even when you filter the data, your count might still include the entire data table — especially if you use the COUNT function. Instead, we’ll show you how the SUBTOTAL function can give you the accurate total you need. Your SUBTOTAL formula will update with your filtered data — whether you’re working with text or numeric data.

Cast out the COUNT function

The COUNT function comes in handy when you’re dealing with numeric data, but it doesn’t play well with filtered data. First, the COUNT function only recognizes numeric data. If you include text data in the COUNT function’s range, the formula won’t recognize the text data. If your data range only includes numeric data, the COUNT function includes every row — even rows hidden when you filter the data.

Even the COUNTA function, which recognizes both text and numeric data, still includes hidden filtered rows in its final tally.

To illustrate these functions’ failings, take a look at our comparison table in Figure A. Our data includes 12 months of expense and revenue data. We’ve filtered the data to show the five months with the highest expenses. So, logically, our row count should equal five. But even when we include different ranges — the entire data table, a column of text data only, and a column of numeric data only — none of the COUNT or COUNTA functions give us the correct result.

Adapt for Excel 2007

The SUBTOTAL function works the same way in Excel 2007 as it does in earlier versions. The only difference is that Excel 2007 allows up to 254 ref arguments (ranges to include in the SUBTOTAL formula) whereas earlier versions allow only 29 arguments.

Important:
Note that when you include the entire data table in your COUNT or COUNTA function’s range, the formula counts every cell. If you want to count the number of rows in your filtered data table, you should only include one column of the data range in your formula.

Get the right results with the SUBTOTAL function

Don’t despair! The SUBTOTAL function can give you the accurate row count you need for a filtered data table. The SUBTOTAL function follows this syntax: =SUBTOTAL(function_num, ref1, ref2, . . .) The ref1 and ref2 arguments represent any ranges or references you want to include in the subtotal. You can add up to 29 ref arguments, and they should include columns — not rows. The SUBTOTAL function is designed for columns, according to Microsoft.

The function_num argument represents the function you want Excel to use when it subtotals the data in your ref ranges. We’ve listed all of the available functions and their function_num equivalents in Table A.

Learn how hidden data factors into the equation

Table A includes function_num values that both include and exclude hidden values. You might assume that filtered data includes hidden data — after all, the AutoFilter does its job by hiding rows that don’t fit your chosen criteria. But Excel doesn’t consider filtered data “hidden” in this case. When it comes to the SUBTOTAL function, hidden data refers only to rows that you hide by choosing Format Row Hide from the menu bar (or right-clicking on a row number and choosing Hide from the shortcut menu).

So in most cases, it won’t matter which set of function_num values you use for filtered data. But if your data table does include rows you’ve hidden manually, pay attention to whether you want to include those hidden rows in your SUBTOTAL results.

Choose the right function_num value

For our purposes, we’ll need to use either the COUNT or the COUNTA function to count the number of rows in our filtered data. We’ve updated our comparison table to include SUBTOTAL formulas that use COUNT and SUBTOTAL formulas that use COUNTA.

When you use a range that includes column B, which contains numeric data, you can use COUNT with SUBTOTAL for an accurate row count. You can also use COUNTA in this case because COUNTA recognizes both numeric and text data. But when you use a range that includes column A, which contains text data, the COUNTA function_num argument gives you an accurate count. For text data, you can’t use the COUNT function.

For this reason, if you’re counting data that doesn’t contain consistent formatting (such as dates), the COUNTA function_num is your safest bet.

Watch your data flex

When you change the filter on your data range, watch your SUBTOTAL formula’s results update to match the new row count. While using the COUNT or COUNTA functions alone give you the wrong results, the SUBTOTAL function works.

To view the graphics to the table references in this article, please view the pdf document located here.

Business skills for the new world of work

In business today, productivity is key to your success. Whether that means setting up projects for success, forecasting and analyzing trends, or managing critical business information, it is vital that you have the skills to work at peak performance. You already know how to use Microsoft® Office System applications. New Horizons offers Microsoft Business Skills Series Courses to teach you how to use those applications to more efficiently manage, work with, and prioritize information to make better decisions.

Go to www.NewHorizons.com/ for information on courses that cover topics such as:

• 4002 Forecasting and Trend Analysis Using Microsoft Office Excel 2003
• 4004 Managing Critical Business Information Using Microsoft Office Access 2003
• 4008 Building Better Microsoft Office Word 2003 Documents In Less Time
  

Related Course

• Excel 2007 - Level 3

Conshohocken, PA U.S.A. – June 8, 2009 – New Horizons Computer Learning Centers announced today that it is the recipient of a Cisco Partner Summit theatre award for Learning Partner of the Year. Cisco unveiled the winner on June 2nd at its annual partner conference in Boston.

“I have the honor and privilege of recognizing New Horizons Computer Learning Centers as a Cisco Partner Summit regional award winner," said Wendy Bahr, senior vice president, U.S. and Canada channels at Cisco. “The Learning Partner of the Year recognizes New Horizons’ performance and accomplishments as a Cisco channel partner in US and Canada in 2008.”

“We believe Cisco to be a very important partner for New Horizons around the world. Throughout the year, our primary goal has been to deliver the highest quality Cisco training to our students. We look forward to growing and expanding our partnership with Cisco and it is an honor to be recognized for this esteemed award on behalf of all New Horizons Centers,” commented Mark A. Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer of New Horizons Worldwide.

Cisco Partner Summit awards are presented at three levels: regional, theater and global. Cisco Partner Summit U.S. and Canada theater awards reflect a partner’s performance across the United States and Canada.

About New Horizons Computer Learning Centers
With over 300 centers in 60 countries, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based New Horizons Worldwide, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NEWH) is the world’s largest IT training company. Through an integrated learning approach that ensures that new knowledge can be applied to real life situations, New Horizons delivers a full range of technology and business skills training from basic application and desktop productivity tools to complex and integrated business systems. New Horizons continues to expand its offerings, locations, and solutions to meet the growing demands placed on organizations and their employees. For more information, or to find a local New Horizons Computer Learning Center, visit www.newhorizons.com.

Cisco, the Cisco logo, and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems Inc. in the United States and certain other countries.

Smart companies will take advantage of this training and software offer!

Expert IT training and certification are more important than ever in a tough economy, because they can help companies boost productivity and get the most from their technology investments.

A recent IDC Performance Impact Study* found that teams that met most or all of their objectives typically had twice the amount of training as teams that achieved only partial success.

Take advantage of this great offer to get up to speed and certified on Microsoft SQL Server technology, plus get a free copy of the software so you can gain hands-on experience.

Click here to download the SQL Server 2008 certification path flyer and Promotion Details >>>

How to get this offer: Enroll in and attend any one of the following eight Microsoft SQL Server 2008 courses before SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 (while supplies last), and you get a fully licensed copy of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition with one client access license (CAL).

Get best-in-class training and build outstanding skills when you train with Microsoft Certified Partners for Learning Solutions.

Act now! This free software offer is available for a limited time, and only while supplies last, so enroll today in New Horizons SQL Server 2008 Training near you!

More from Microsoft >>>

The many benefits of Microsoft Certification, as articulated by real Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs), who share their own certification experience, and the positive impact that it has had on their careers.

Press play to view the video below, or click here to open the video in a new window.

New Horizons Computer Learning Centers conducts more Microsoft technical training and Microsoft Certification than any other company.

According to a study conducted by Applied Research Consultants, 90% of Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCP's) said certification was extremely useful in their work. In another study, managers and supervisors felt their MCP’s were significantly more competent than non-certified employees. This is valuable proof certification means increased knowledge and enhanced credibility.

New Horizons is among the largest networks of Microsoft Gold Certified Partners for Learning Solutions and Microsoft Certified Partners for Learning Solutions (CPLS) in the world. We provide courses to thousands of students each year - more than any other company. Every course follows the Microsoft Official Curriculum and is taught by a Microsoft Certified Trainer.

• View New Horizons Remote Classroom Courses
• Search New Horizons Courses
• Learn more about Microsoft Certification

We often hear that network security is a multi-layered or multi-level concept, but exactly what are the specific layers? Moving from the most abstract to the most specific, we define the major levels of network security as:

• Policy level.
  This is all about planning, strategy, and decision-making. At this level, you define the organization’s security needs and make rules designed to meet those needs.
  
• Physical level.
  This pertains to the physical security of your network’s components. It includes the obvious—physically controlling access to workstations, servers, and network devices such as firewalls, routers, and switches. It also includes preventing unauthorized persons from obtaining physical possession of or access to the network cable (or, in the case of wireless networking, airwaves). Finally, it involves protecting network information that’s in hard copy form, such as written password lists and network diagrams, as well as smart cards, tokens, keys to removable hard disks, backup tapes, CDs, and anything else that pertains to your network.
  
• Perimeter level.
  This involves stopping unauthorized persons or data from entering your local network from across the internet, through the phone lines, or other outside locations. The most obvious manifestation of perimeter security is the firewall, but it also includes network access controls in the form of logon authentication, intrusion detection systems, network-based anti-virus systems, network-based spam filtering, remote access quarantine controls and similar methods of keeping undesirable packets out of the network.
  
• Host level.
  This includes security mechanisms designed to protect individual systems, such as host-based firewalls like the Windows firewall, host-based IDS and anti-virus programs, client-side spam filtering programs, operating system hardening and security patches, and securing individual applications.
  
• Data level.
  This pertains to security of the data stored on your computer or sent across the network, and includes encryption technologies such as NTFS file level encryption, third-party disk/partition encryption, and IPsec encryption to protect data in transit. It also includes folder and file level access controls such as Windows share and file permissions.

By implementing security at multiple levels (preferably at all of the levels listed), you avoid the dangers of a single point of failure when it comes to protecting your network.

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The new generation of Microsoft certifications was created to be more cost effective and more targeted to enable IT professionals to work toward certification that truly meets their needs. Microsoft's new certifications are more specific in order to directly relate to the latest technology and your specific job role. These new certifications, starting with Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 and Microsoft Visual Studio™ 2005, help confirm your skills as an IT Professional or Professional Developer.

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Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)

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The new Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) credentials provide IT professionals with a simpler and more targeted framework to display their technical and professional skills. Now you can distinguish yourself as an IT professional with the current skills and proven job-role capabilities to work effectively with a comprehensive set of Microsoft technologies. The Microsoft Certified IT Professional paths include: Business Intelligence Developer, Customer Support Technician, Database Developer, Database Administrator, Enterprise Messaging Administrator, Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, Enterprise Support Technician, Enterprise Administrator and Server Administrator. more >

Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)

The Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) credential demonstrates your ability to use Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET Framework to excel in a specific, real-world job role. There are three MCPD certification paths: Windows Developer, Web Developer, and Enterprise Applications Developer. more >

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The Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist credential enables professionals to target specific technologies and distinguish themselves by demonstrating in-depth knowledge and expertise within their area of specialization. Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists are consistently capable of implementing, building, troubleshooting, and debugging a particular Microsoft technology. more >

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Candidates for the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator on Windows Server 2003 (MCSA: Windows Server 2003) verify their knowledge as system administrators of Microsoft Windows operating systems. MCSA certification can help advance your career by confirming that you have the skills necessary to successfully manage and troubleshoot system environments. The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) certification helps you advance your career by ensuring that you have the skills you need to manage and troubleshoot network environments running on the Windows operating system. more >

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The Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) credential provides industry recognition for professional developers who build powerful applications using Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET and Web services. Responsibilities include implementing requirements, developing, testing, deploying and maintaining department-level applications components, Web or desktop clients, or back-end data services by using Microsoft tools and technologies. more >

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The Microsoft® Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) credential is the premier certification for professionals who design, implement, and administer Microsoft SQL Server™ databases. more >

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The Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) credential proves that you have the skills to successfully support end users and to troubleshoot desktop environments running the Microsoft Windows operating system. more >

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Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)

Candidates for the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Windows Server 2003 (MCSE: Windows Server 2003) verify their ability to analyze the business requirements for information systems solutions, and to design and implement infrastructures based on Windows Server 2003. more >

Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

The Microsoft Office Specialist program is globally recognized as the standard for demonstrating desktop skills with the Microsoft Office suite of business productivity applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook) and the Microsoft Project applications. With an Office Specialist certification, thousands of people have demonstrated increased productivity and have proved their ability to utilize the advanced functionality of these Microsoft applications. more >

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Introduction to Tips & Tricks for Microsoft Office 2007 (Level 100)
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• Presenter: Andy Reed, Senior Training Specialist, Microsoft Corporation
• Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009
• Time: 10 am Pacific; 12 pm Central; 1 pm Eastern

Intermediate Tips & Tricks for Microsoft Office 2007 (Level 200)
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As someone who has worked with the Microsoft Office system for some time, you will discover efficient ways to configure, customize and utilize Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook to get the most out of Microsoft Office. The presentation will demonstrate useful tips and tricks for Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. In addition, you will see useful ways to interact between these Microsoft applications.

• Presenter: Andy Reed, Senior Training Specialist, Microsoft Corporation
• Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009
• Time: 10 am Pacific; 12 pm Central; 1 pm Eastern

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• Time: 10 am Pacific; 12 pm Central; 1 pm Eastern

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With any OS upgrade, one of your primary concerns is making sure your users can get down to business with their new OS/computer. To migrate hundreds or thousands of users, you’ll use the User State Migration Tool to do the job. However, at this point your Vista plan may be limited to piecemeal upgrades as your company buys new computers to replace existing ones. Since the new computer users will have enough trouble adjusting to the new OS, make sure you transfer their files and settings with Windows Easy Transfer. Bonus: With your guidance, savvy users can save you time by doing it themselves.

Windows Easy Transfer in a nutshell
Windows Easy Transfer is the Vista version of Windows XP’s Files And Settings Transfer Wizard. With this new wizard you can transfer files from Windows 2000 and XP systems. If transferring files from an XP computer, you can also transfer a user’s system and program settings.

What’s an Easy Transfer cable?
Many users and IT pros alike have tried to use a USB Bridge cable to migrate settings from one XP computer to another, without success. Windows just didn’t have the capability built-in. To answer customer demand for the feature, Microsoft added USB functionality to Windows Easy Transfer, so long as you buy the specially designed cable. The Easy Transfer Cable for Windows Vista made by Belkin costs around $40.

Start at the new computer
Begin on the new Vista (target) computer by launching the Windows Easy Transfer wizard from the Welcome Center (click the Transfer Files And Settings button and click the Start Windows Easy Transfer link) or select Start All Programs Accessories System Tools Windows Easy Transfer. The Windows Easy Transfer window appears. Let’s take a look at how to transfer files from a Windows XP computer to a Vista computer using a USB flash drive.

Note: The transfer file can be large depending on the number of users you plan to migrate. For a single user who saves his personal files on the network, a 512 MB USB card will do.

To start a new transfer:

1. Click Next on the Windows Easy Transfer welcome page.
2. If you left any programs running that can’t run during the transfer, the Close Programs page appears. Click Close.
3. Click the Start A New Transfer link.
4. On the Which Computer Are You Using Now page, click on the My New Computer link.
5. On the Do You Have An Easy Transfer Cable page, click on the Yes link if you do, or click on the No link to designate a different transfer method. We clicked on the No link.
6. On the following page, designate whether you need to install Windows Easy Transfer on the old computer. Click on the No, I Need To Install It Now link.
7. As shown in Figure A, the following page asks you to designate the media you’ll use to install Windows Easy Transfer on the old computer. Click on the link for the method you want to use. We clicked on the USB Flash Drive link.
8. On the following page, specifically designate the path to the chosen media type. We selected the G: drive. Click Next.

Note: If you selected USB Flash Drive in step 7 but didn’t connect it to the computer, Windows Easy Transfer will prompt you to insert it before listing the drive letter in the dropdown list.

Windows Easy Transfer copies the wizard to the media. When complete, it instructs you to remove the media and insert it into the old computer.


Jump over to the old computer
Now remove your USB flash drive and insert it into the old (source) computer. The computer should automatically offer to run Windows Easy Transfer on the old computer. If it doesn’t, browse to the MigWiz folder on the USB drive using Windows Explorer and double-click on the file migwiz.exe. The Starting Windows Easy Transfer dialog box appears while it loads.

To collect data from the old computer:

1. Select the media type to which you want to transfer the data. We clicked on the USB Flash Drive link.
2. On the next page, select the drive letter for the USB device you want to use.
3. To password protect the data enter a password in the Create Password (Recommended) and Confirm Password text boxes. Click Next.
4. On the following page, choose which files you want to transfer: All User Accounts, My User Account, or Advanced Options. We clicked on the Advanced link.
5. In the Advanced Options, select the check boxes for each folder you want to transfer.
6. Note the Transfer Size, which we’ve highlighted in Figure B, and make adjustments according to your media’s capability. Click Next.
   Windows Easy Transfer creates a Migration Store (.MIG) file and copies it and other files and folders to your media.

Bring it full circle — transfer to the target PC
When Windows Easy Transfer indicates the transfer is complete, return to the target Vista computer and insert the media. To complete the transfer process:

1. Launch Windows Easy Transfer and click Next.
2. Click on the Continue A Transfer In Progress link.
3. On the following page, select a username for the new user from the User Account On The New Computer dropdown list or type a new username in the text box.
4. On the Review Select Files And Settings page, review the files and click Next to proceed with the transfer.

When complete, Windows Easy Transfer lists the number and type of files it transferred. For a complete list, click on the Show Me Everything That Was Transferred link. Figure C shows a sample of the resulting report which you can print or save as an HTML file.

Support tip: If you ask your user to complete these steps, instruct him to save the report for you to review. Use it to ensure that he transferred all the necessary files before you take his old computer out of production.

Log in for final results
Once the transfer is complete, have your user log in to his user account on the new Vista computer and use the computer for several days. When he initially logs in, Windows prompts him to change the password from the one he used on his Windows 2000 or XP machine to a new one for Vista. Remind him to choose a strong password, and to report any problems he encounters with his new machine.

Related Courses

• 5115 Installing and Configuring the Windows Vista™ Operating System
• 5117 Installing, Configuring, Troubleshooting, and Maintaining Windows Vista®
• Windows Vista - Level 1
• Windows Vista - Level 2

Planning a project is often easier said than done. If your staff is only in the office on weekdays, you’ll need to omit weekends when building your project schedule. There are many complex project management programs on the market that can make this task less daunting, but they don’t come cheap. Fortunately, Excel offers the only tools you’ll need — the WORKDAY and NETWORKDAYS functions.

Automate your project planning with a few simple functions

Install the necessary ToolPak
These functions are included in Excel’s Analysis ToolPak add-in. If the Analysis ToolPak isn’t enabled, the functions will return a #NAME? error.

To install the Analysis ToolPak:

1. Launch Excel and open a new workbook.
2. Choose Tools Add-Ins from the menu bar.
3. In the Add-Ins dialog box, select the Analysis ToolPak check box in the Add-Ins Available list box, and then click OK.

WORKDAY function syntax

The WORKDAY function uses the following syntax:

WORKDAY(start_date,days,holidays)

The start_date argument is the date to which you want to add workdays, and the days argument is the number of workdays you want to add. The holidays argument is optional; if there are any holidays you want to exclude from your workday calculation, just specify their dates as the holidays argument.

Create the sample worksheet
Let’s see how these functions can simplify your project management.

To set up the worksheet:

1. Enter the necessary text and formatting.
2. Apply Date number formatting to cells D3:E11 with the Format Cells dialog box, but leave those cells empty for now.

Calculate the due date
The value in the Due Date column should calculate the due date by adding the number of workdays specified in the Allotted Days column to the date specified in the Start Date column. With the WORKDAY function, this task will be easy.

To calculate the due date based on allotted days:

1. Enter 9/15/08 in cell D3 and press the [Tab] key to activate cell E3.
2. Type =WORKDAY(D3,C3) in cell E3 and press [Enter].

Analyze the formula’s results
The due date in cell E3 displays as 10/03/08. If you check your calendar, you’ll find that there are 14 workdays between 09/15/08 and 10/03/08. Notice that the start date, 09/15/08, is included as one of the 14 workdays; however, the due date, 10/03/08, is not. The WORKDAY function begins counting each day at 12:00 a.m. So, the six workdays our sample formula calculates fall between 12:00 a.m. 09/15/08 and 12:00 a.m. 10/03/08. Simply put, if you start the First Draft stage first thing in the morning on 09/15/08 and have 14 days to work on it, it will be due first thing in the morning on 10/03/08.

Fill in the remaining start dates
Let’s set up each remaining stage’s start date to match the preceding stage’s due date. By using a cell reference, the start dates update automatically if there are any changes to the preceding due dates.

To synchronize your start dates and due dates:

1. Select cell D4 and type =E3, or type an equals sign (=) and select cell E3.
2. Press [Ctrl][Enter] to save the formula without changing the active cell.
3. Double-click on the cell’s Fill handle to copy the formula down to the remaining Start Date cells.

To copy your WORKDAY formula to other cells:

1. Select cell E3.
2. Double-click on the cell’s Fill handle down to copy down the formula.

Since your WORKDAY formula contains relative references, the copied formulas update when you paste them in a new location.

Tip: In our example, you can not only plan each stage of a project before you’ve started it, but you can also revise your project schedule along the way. For instance, imagine that the Production Schedule stage took only four days as opposed to the five days you originally assigned. If you change the value from 4 to 5, all of the dates affected update automatically.

Exclude holidays from your calculation
At this point,our sample worksheet plots start dates and due dates that begin on 09/15/08 and end on 02/13/09. However, there are a lot of holidays that take place during that time period, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. Let’s account for the 11/20/08 and 12/25/08 holidays in each relevant project stage.

To add company holidays to your worksheet:

1. Select cell A13 and type Company Holidays.
2. Press [Enter], type Thanksgiving, and then press the [Tab] key.
3. Enter 11/20/08, press [Enter], and then type Christmas in cell A15.
4. Press [Tab] again and enter 12/25/08.
5. Select cells A13:B15, click on the Borders button’s dropdown list borders in the Formatting toolbar, and then choose Thick Box Border from the resulting palette.
6. Select cells B14:B15 and apply the same Date number format you applied to cells D3:E11.

Note: If you don’t want to put your holidays or other exceptions right in your worksheet, you can input the holiday argument as a date within quotes. For example, instead of =WORKDAY(D3,C3,B14), you can enter =WORKDAY(D3,C3,"11/20/08"

To exclude holidays from a time span:

1. Select cell E7 and click in the formula bar to place your insertion point directly before the closing parenthesis.
2. Type ,B14 in the formula bar and press [Enter] to accept the change.
3. Select cell E8 and click in the formula bar to place your insertion point directly before the closing parenthesis.
4. Enter a comma and select cell B15.
5. Press [Enter] to accept the holiday.

Note: If Excel tags a cell in which you’ve added a holiday to the WORKDAY
function with a green triangle in the upper-left corner, don’t be alarmed. Excel is letting you know that the formulas you AutoFilled in the Due Dates column are now inconsistent. If you click on the smart tag and choose Ignore Error from the
resulting shortcut menu, the tag disappears.

You can include as many holidays as you like, as long as you also include them in your holidays argument. In our example, we included two vacation days in cells A18:A19 in addition to the company holidays.

Notice that each time you add a holiday as a date for Excel to exclude from the workday count, the other dates in the worksheet update accordingly.

Note: If you’re entering your holiday argument with text (e.g., "10/12/08"), you can include more than one by putting the dates in curly braces ({}) and separating them with a comma. For instance, you can enter the formula =WORKDAY(D11,C11,{"8/22/08","8/23/08"}).

Count the workdays that fall between two dates
What if you know which dates you want to start and end your project, and you’d like to find out how many workdays you have to accomplish it? This is where the WORKDAY function’s relative, the NETWORKDAYS function, can work its magic.

Change the scenario
With the end and start dates already decided, you just determine the values in the Allotted Days column. The only difference in syntax between the WORKDAY function and the NETWORKDAYS function is that the NETWORKDAYS function’s second argument is end_date instead of days.

To find the number of allotted days:

1. Select cells D3:E11 and press [Ctrl]C to copy the values.
2. With these cells still selected, choose Edit Paste Special from the menu bar to open the Paste Special dialog box.
3. Select the Values option button in the Paste panel and click OK. Excel converts the date values from formula results to static values.
4. Select cells C3:C11 and press [Delete] to clear the values.
5. Select cell C3 and enter =NETWORKDAYS(D3,E3).
6. Press [Ctrl][Enter] to accept the formula without changing the selected cell.
7. Double-click on the cell’s Fill handle to copy down the formula.

You can use the same procedures for excluding holidays and vacation days from the allotted days in the NETWORKDAYS function as you did with the WORKDAY function.

Related Courses

• Project Management Fundamentals
• Excel 2003 - Level 2
• Excel 2003 - Level 3
• Excel 2007 - Level 2
• Excel 2007 - Level 3

Adapt for Excel 2007
To install the Analysis ToolPak in Excel 2007, you need to click the Office button and then click the Excel Options button. Select Add-Ins in the left panel. Choose Excel Add-ins from the Manage dropdown list and click Go. Then, you’ll see the familiar Add-Ins dialog box where you can install the add-in as you would in earlier versions.

The WORKDAY and NETWORKDAYS functions operate the same in Excel 2007 as they do in earlier versions. And in 2007, a helpful ToolTip including the function’s arguments pops up as you type your formula in the Formula bar.

Business skills for the new world of work
In business today, productivity is key to your success. Whether that means setting up projects for success, forecasting and analyzing trends, or managing critical business information, it is vital that you have the skills to work at peak performance. You already know how to use Microsoft® Office System applications. New Horizons offers Microsoft Business Skills Series Courses to teach you how to use those applications to more efficiently manage, work with, and prioritize information to make better decisions. Go to www.NewHorizons.com for information on courses that cover topics such as:

• 4004 Managing Critical Business Information Using Microsoft Office Access 2003
• 4007 Creating Effective Presentations Using Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003
• 4008 Building Better Microsoft Office Word 2003 Documents In Less Time

Computer security is one of the hottest topics on the certification front — and rightly so. However, many IT professionals are unaware of a security subspecialty that’s becoming increasingly popular, namely computer forensics. The exact job duties of a computer forensics examiner may vary, but often include:

• Collecting and packaging computer hardware and digital evidence in a way that preserves its integrity and the chain of custody.
• Creating an inventory and storing computer-related evidence in a secure manner.
• Examining the contents of digital media, including memory, hard disks, and removable media to view and analyze the data recorded there.
• Using data recovery techniques and software to uncover hidden or deleted data.
• Cracking passwords to obtain access to data.
• Decrypting data that has been protected with encryption.
• Presenting detailed reports and charts to document the results of the examination and analysis.
• Assisting law enforcement agents in preparing search warrants, assisting prosecutors in preparing cases for court, assisting civil litigants in preparing cases, assisting defense attorneys in preparing cases, and/or assisting corporate IT departments in responding to and analyzing security breaches and other incidents.
• Testifying in court in computer crime cases and civil lawsuits involving digital evidence.

Related Courses from New Horizons:

• Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator
• Forensics Bootcamp

As a database professional, you aren’t necessarily a legal expert. Yet, you may find yourself in a situation where you need to respond to a computer crime incident, assist with an investigation, or pass information to either an internal investigative committee or a judicial proceeding. If you don’t handle evidence properly, chances are you won’t be very successful in prosecuting the perpetrator. We’ll provide some guidelines to help manage evidence related to a computer crime.

Computer forensics defined

According to Wikipedia, computer forensics is "application of the scientific method to digital media in order to establish factual information for judicial review." This process often involves investigating computer systems to determine whether they are or have been used for illegal or unauthorized activities.

If a data-related crime is committed, you may work with a computer forensics expert, who will:

1. Identify sources of evidence.
2. Preserve the evidence.
3. Analyze the evidence.
4. Present the findings.

Computer forensics must adhere to the standards of evidence that are admissible in a court of law. As such, computer forensics must be techno-legal in nature rather than purely technical or purely legal.

As a DBA, you may also want to apply the principles of computer forensics to help force your organization’s established policies.

Types of evidence

Evidence is anything that proves or disproves an assertion or fact. With respect to a legal proceeding, evidence must meet these criteria:

• Sufficiency. The evidence must be convincing and unquestionable.
• Competency. The evidence must be legally qualified and reliable.
• Relevancy. The evidence must be material to the case or have a bearing on the matter at hand.

As you may suspect, not all evidence is created equal. The most convincing evidence is that which can be proven directly through the five senses: hearing, smelling, seeing, touching, and tasting. This type of evidence is described below along with other (less convincing) types of evidence:

• Direct evidence. Knowledge of the facts surrounding an incident, e.g. an eye witness’s oral testimony. The witness must have obtained the knowledge through his five senses rather than through inferences or presumptions.
• Physical evidence. Real, tangible objects that prove or disprove a fact, e.g. an intruder’s possession of stolen data. This type of evidence links the suspect to the crime.
• Documentary evidence. Evidence in the form of printed documentation — e.g. audit logs or video surveillance tapes. This is the most common type of evidence associated with computer crime.
• Demonstrative evidence. Aids that prove that an incident occurred — e.g., models, exhibits, and charts. This type of evidence is typically presented to a jury to help them understand the facts.

Guidelines for handling evidence

You may be called upon to present evidence to an internal investigative team or to a court of law. In the former case, you need to be able to answer many questions regarding the evidence; in the latter case, you need to demonstrate credibility. To prepare for either situation, you should be familiar with established guidelines for handling evidence.

Collecting evidence

If you’re involved in the investigating an incident, you’ll need to gather as much evidence as you can. It’s critical that you start the process early because, in all likelihood, the individual who committed the crime will try to conceal their involvement. As time passes, the evidence is susceptible to tampering or even destruction. Here are some actions you can take immediately upon discovering an incident:

• Print copies of audit logs, as they may be subpoenaed. A backup of the database or transaction logs may also be helpful.
• Secure all types of removable media (CDs, USB flash drives, floppy disks, etc.).
• Look for relevant physical evidence on the desk and surrounding areas. It can be helpful to take photos of the target system from several different angles both inside and outside the machine. If possible, use a Polaroid camera; otherwise, the defense team can claim the photos were altered during film development.

Identifying evidence

While you’re collecting evidence, it’s critical that you identify each item and its relation to the crime scene. You should be as methodical as possible and elicit the help of another individual who can serve as a witness to your actions. As you collect each piece of evidence, label it and record information about it in a log book. The information you log should minimally include the following entries:

• Item name and description.
• Name of individual who discovered it.
• Date, time, and location of discovery.
• Make, model, and serial number if available.
• Identifying marks on the item.
• Any perceivable physical damage to the item.

Tip:
Besides being a backup for missing labels, the log book can help you review information about the evidence prior to a formal hearing.

Protecting evidence

After you’ve collected and identified the evidence, you need to protect it from damage. Damage may result from environmental factors, such as extreme temperatures or variations in humidity, or from physical factors, such as vibration or electromagnetic fields. The best way to protect evidence is to handle it with anti-static gloves (as opposed to latex gloves).

Transporting evidence

If you need to transport the evidence, make sure that you use proper packing techniques. Even if the evidence is in a sealed bag or other type of container, avoid using foam peanuts, as doing so increases the chances that the evidence becomes tainted. Use solid foam padding to wrap the evidence container, and then store the container in a sturdy cardboard box. Label the box contents, using the log book entries you created earlier in the process.

Storing evidence

In addition to storing evidence in sealable anti-static bags and packaging it appropriately, you should keep it in a secure room. The evidence room should have minimal traffic, restricted access, camera monitoring, and entry logging capabilities.

Chain of custody

Another component of managing evidence is the concept of chain of custody. Chain of custody refers to an accounting of all persons and events related to the handling of the evidence from the time it is first collected to the time it’s submitted to the court. Here’s a list of critical steps in the chain of custody process:

1. Record each item collected as evidence.
2. Record who collected the evidence along with the date and time of collection.
3. Write a description of the evidence in your log book.
4. Put the evidence in containers; tag the containers with the name of the person who collected the evidence as well as the date and time.
5. Record all hash values in the documentation.
6. Securely transport the evidence to a protected storage facility.
7. Obtain a signature from the person who accepts the evidence at the storage facility.
8. Provide controls to prevent access to the evidence while it’s in storage.
9. Securely transport the evidence to the court for legal proceedings.

Special considerations for digital media

In crimes involving stolen data, magnetic and optical discs become key pieces of evidence. Here are some practical guidelines for protecting evidence related to digital media:

• Don’t power down a system before you perform a RAM memory dump.
• Never use diagnostic tools or utilities to analyze a system; doing so can compromise the true state of the data at the time the crime was discovered.
• Use a bit-level, sector-based imaging utility to capture the state of the data; make several copies of the drive and analyze only the copies.
• Don’t restart the machine and boot back into the operating system, as this can also change the true state of the media.

Related Courses

• Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator
• Forensics Bootcamp