CompTIA to launch global storage certification scheme in Q3

IT body teams up with Storage Networking Industry Association to develop a certification programme for storage professionals

IT body CompTIA is developing an international certificate for data storage in conjuntion with the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA).

The certificate, called CompTIA Storage+ Powered by SNIA will be launched later this year.

The move aims to respond to industry demand for certified storage professionals and will be awarded to those who can demonstrate they have the requisite knowledge and skills to support the major solutions in data storage, storage networking, data protection, as well as the underlying technologies.

The two associations will release a beta version of the examination in the first quarter of 2011 and it will be available globally in the second half of 2011.

According to the SNIA, many organisations are moving to an "information-centric IT service model", built on a flexible and dynamic physical IT infrastructure supported by a robust data storage solution. This storage solution should support the uniform moving, sharing, and processing of data and information.

For IT organisations to enable this, they must have staff who are skilled in manipulating data storage and can demonstrate they have the skills to do this. The Storage+ credential aims to show just that.

"Combining the thought and technical leadership of SNIA with the global certification development and management experience of CompTIA will result in a globally recognised credential," said Terry Erdle, executive vice president, skills certification, CompTIA.