Fortinet Continues Commitment to Cyber Skills Gap Though its NSE Institute Training and Certification Program

With nearly 200,000 certifications awarded globally, Fortinet expands offerings and rolls out additional certifications, education and training initiatives

Taguig City Philippines, 3 May 2019

News Summary:

Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, today announced it continues to lead the way on training and educationin the company’s ongoing efforts to close the cyber security skills gap by rolling out even further expanded training and education initiatives. Recent additions to the company’s education and training programming includes additional Fortinet Network Security Expert (NSE) Institute cloud certifications and the offering of its cyber security awareness training –at no cost – for individuals or organizations seeking to deploy a cyber security awareness training program.

The cyber skills gap

A 2019 Gartner survey shows the global talent shortage is now the top emerging risk facing organizations. The expansion of the digital marketplace has generated more jobs than the current supply of security professionals can meet. A problem of scale; there is currently not an efficient way to create skilled security practitioners at the same rate. Unfortunately, there are not enough skilled humans available to properly plan, manage, integrate, and optimize security devices, strategies, and protocols. For example, according to a recent workforce development survey, 59% of organizations have unfilled cybersecurity positions, with Frost & Sullivan forecasting a shortfall of 1.5 million by 2020. 

Fortinet continues commitment to bridge the cyber skills gap

In today’s global cybersecurity threat landscape, education is crucial to the success of organizations. Creating and executing a strategy with a wide scope can be a daunting task, but this is precisely the mandate and strategy of the Fortinet NSE Institute. The Fortinet NSE Institute was created to provide broad-based training that arms participants with a foundational understanding of the threat landscape, as well as the cyber security fundamentals and skills to implement strategies and technical concepts that are in high demand.While the Institute’s flagship NSE Training and Certification program has issued nearly 200,000 certifications, it is equally focused on education programs such as the Fortinet Network Security Academy program for high schools, colleges and universities, the FortiVets program that facilitates the transition of exceptional military veterans into the cybersecurity industry by providing professional networking, training, and mentoring, as well as free publicly available awareness training that can be accessed by any company wishing to deploy an internal cyber security awareness program for employees.

Cyber security training & education milestones:

·       There are now over 140 academies in more than 50 different countries. 

·       Fortinet has provided nearly 200,000 NSE certifications, building a skilled workforce that will be recognized in the industry as an elite group of security professionals. 

·       The company recently made public cyber security awareness trainings NSE 1 and 2, whereby these free offerings are now available to the public at large. For example, any Security Operations (SecOps) team seeking to deploy a cyber security awareness training program now has an easy and no cost way to get started.

·       Fortinet introduced the NSE 7 Cloud certification, consisting of two training courses, “Public Cloud Security” and “Private Cloud Security,” and are both being offered as part of the training schedule at this year’s Fortinet Accelerate conference, held in Orlando from April 8 – 11, 2019. 

·       During the past year, the number of NSE8 certifications awarded has doubled, a certification designation that identifies a candidate’s comprehensive knowledge of network security design, configuration, and troubleshooting for complex networks.

·       The Fortinet Fast Track Program, launched at the company’s 2018 Accelerate conference, now has over 8,000 participating partners.

·       There has been an average of 300 – 600 student sessions around the world per week, based on recent company data.

“This unprecedented shortage in the cyber security workforce has resulted in security operations teams who are over worked and understaffed and it continues to benefit our cyber adversaries. Fortinet is more than a technology company; we’re also a learning organization. Fortinet is dedicated to closing the cyber skills gap and goes well beyond providing training on products and solutions as part of our commitment to deliver a response to the growing global cybersecurity threat.” - Ken Xie, Founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO at Fortinet.

Addressing the skills gap at scale

In addition to the established company-led training and education programs, a comprehensive training and education strategy must include strategic partnerships within government, academia and NGOs, such as Fortinet’s strategic relationships with organization such as the World Economic Forum (WEF) and its Centre for Cybersecurity, the Global Threat Alliance, CompTIA, and various university research programs. Fortinet will continue its efforts to broadly and globally collaborate, innovate and develop powerful global solutions to reduce global cyberattacks, contain current and future cyberattacks, and deter cybercrime.

Additional Resources

·       Learn more about Fortinet’s education and training initiatives and efforts to close the cyber security skills gap in this blog post and video.

·       Read more about our Network Security Expert program and Network Security Academy program.

·       Find out more information about our FortiVets program.

·       Read more about the Fortinet Security Fabric or the Third Generation of Cybersecurity.

·       Learn more about FortiGuard Labs and the FortiGuard Security Services portfolio. Sign up for the weekly FortiGuard Threat Intelligence Briefs.

·       Follow Fortinet on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. 

About Fortinet

Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) secures the largest enterprise, service provider, and government organizations around the world. Fortinet empowers its customers with intelligent, seamless protection across the expanding attack surface and the power to take on ever-increasing performance requirements of the borderless network - today and into the future. Only the Fortinet Security Fabric architecture can deliver security without compromise to address the most critical security challenges, whether in networked, application, cloud, or mobile environments. Fortinet ranks #1 in the most security appliances shipped worldwide and more than 385,000 customers trust Fortinet to protect their businesses. Learn more at http://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, or FortiGuard Labs.    

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Walnut V2s Digital Audio (FLAC/MP3/etc) Players (DAPs AND DAC) Review

Walnut V2s WAV Player by wt

General InformationReviews

• Pros - Crisp sound - Gobs of power on tap - Can be used as just an amp
• Cons - Low volume channel imbalance - Slightly grainy upper-mids and treble

Today we're going to be taking a look at a basic DAP/AMP, taking form in the Walnut V2s.

Sometimes all you want is a straightforward, simple to use player. One that's low on features and frills, doesn't take a massive chunk out of your wallet, and doesn't skimp on sound quality. The Walnut V2s does all of this quite well.

Let's check out ,

At the time of this review the V2s retailed price range P1, 000 to P1, 080 available at Shopee ships from overseas.
​
Specifications:

1. Supported Formats: FLAC, APE, WAV, MP3
2. Battery: 1,500 mAh lithium
3. Battery Life: 15 h
4. Amp Power Supply: 16v
5. Drive Capacity: 15-300Ω
6. Storage: Sd card 32gb max
7. Can copy files from pc.

More Stuff: Output Uses Elna SILMICII silk capacitor; Input uses EIna Black-neg; Can act as standalone amp if you want

Packaging and Accessories:

A simple device needs a simple package and accessory kit to back it up. In the case of the V2s, you get a plain cardboard box free of any designs or branding and a Micro USB and IC cable. No manual, free black case and pouch. That's it.

Build and Design:

My first thought upon seeing the V2s was that it looked old. Cool, but old. I love the black and while color scheme with cursive writing explaining the function of the five buttons on the face and input/outputs peppered across the unit.

In hand the aluminum shell feels very solid and durable, able to take a kicking from even the most careless of owners. The front and rear plates look to be made of the same PCB material used to make circuit boards. While it doesn't look impressive from a fit and finish perspective, it's a functional and tough as nails material. The only part that feels even remotely fragile is the long, slender power switch out back.

While the V2s is a little thick and weighs about as marlboro lights , it's still small enough to be pocketable. Unless you wear skin tight skinny jeans. That's probably not going to work.

I like it on my pocket because you can press all control inside your pocket without taking out, like skipping songs or folder.

Overall the build and design is more about function over form. The unit feels good in hand with controls that are easy enough to access and understand, so much so it doesn't take long to learn to control it without looking at what you're doing.

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Ease of Use, Controls, and EQ:

Once you figure out the V2s' intricacies, it's a very easy to navigate player. However, figuring out it's functions is learned either through trial and error, or online in the forums. Here is what I can share about the controls based on information found on Head-fi, and my own experiences.

Prev: Press once to return to the start of the track. Press twice to skip to the previous track. Hold to prompt the "Last Folder" queue, and hold again to actually skip to the last folder.

Stop: Press once to stop music from playing. Hold to delete the current track.

Next: Press once to skip to the next track. Press and hold to prompt the "Next Folder" queue, and hold again to actually skip to the next folder.

Mode: Press once to let the player run through a single cycle of everything on the memory card. A second press plays everything on random. A third press turns all that off and just plays your tunes in the order loaded on the memory card. Hold down the button to lower the volume digitally.

EQ: Press once for the "Rock" setting. Press twice for "Pop". Press three times for "Classical". Press a fourth time for "Jazz". Hold down to increase the volume digitally.

I found the EQ settings to make a pretty noticeable difference in the presentation.

Rock - increases treble and mid-presence, thins out the sound and improves separation, reduces overall bass quantity; overall a nicely balanced setting that works well with most music

Pop - significantly reduces treble presence and pulls back the mid-range while boosting mid-bass quantity; not a fan of this with anything but extremely bright earphones or headphones as it makes the V2s sound veiled and muddy

Classical - thins out the sound even more than on the 'Rock' setting, adds even more treble, and reduced bass presence even more; not a fan as it is too clinical, sucking out any emotion and impact a track may have had

Jazz - Much like the 'Rock' setting but with a more forward mid-range, more impactful bass, and further improved clarity nearing what the "Classical" setting outputs; my favorite EQ of the bunch and what I left the player on the majority of the time.

BONUS : by removing sd card and pressing EQ you can. Activate the Bluetooth function super short range, because it has no antenna but can be fix by modding and add antenna.

Can be modded: Yes
You can change the Capacitors ( caps from Gigabyte Mother board are good, if you have scrap mobo tips from Mark Ernan).

New stocks are upgraded to Nik on FW gold capacitor series makes the sound softer or gentle. Luckily i got the upgraded version and English version

Op Amp roll, you can change the stock OP amp 8 pin or Dp8 ( if you don't have idead see pics) you can buy op amp DP8 online (Lazada, Shopee or Ali Express)

I like OPA1622 sounds better SQ than Stock NE5532P.. Still want to upgrade to Burson v5iD 😜. Yeah why not..

Customs case, i got my Team Crystal Ship (Version 3.0) V2s on a fully modular and vented clear acrylic case. Reinforced with brass and stainless hex screws case from CryBaby Customs.

You can connect it too on computer and make it a USB external soundcard, can copy files from computer to ur sd card.. No problem on Windows 7 and Windows 10 for me. If you have low quality or low volume laptop sound card this one is good amp.

I like better than my phone.. Boost volume for me.
Awkward moment when guard maken sita of me. Ano pinipindot pindot mo, and I say mp3 po.
Let them think that way, but never tell a boomb joke in public. Kasi naman nasa pinas tayo baka makulong kapa 😅..

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How Epson printers are powering up local business in the Philippines

So dependent have we become on electricity, imagining a world without it is an almost impossible task.

It gives us light, protects our food, powers our cars, banks and hospitals, and connects us to friends and family. It is nothing less than the beating heart of our civilisation.

As the Citet Department Manager for the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco), an electricity provider based in Negros Occidental, Philippines, Engineer Paulino Almedilla understands this only too well.

“Electricity is an essential element of everyday life here,” he says. “It lightens the burden of household chores and fuels the development of industry, which helps to provide jobs and economic stability. Without it, no progress can be made.”

Unfortunately, a steady supply of electricity is far from guaranteed in the Philippines. Power outages regularly bring cities to a standstill, slamming the brakes on trade and stripping cities of light and movement.

It’s an experience shared across Southeast Asia – one that is indicative of a regional infrastructure shortfall that the Asian Development Bank estimated in 2017 required US$3.5 trillion of investment to bridge[1].

The unreliability of the broader regional power supply throws Noneco’s achievements into sharp relief. The company has provided Northern Negros Occidental with reliable and affordable electricity since 1963.

According to Engr Almedilla, the stable supply is increasingly turning the heads of investors.

“More and more businesses and shopping malls are moving into the area – and many of them have told us that the reliable power supply was a major factor in their decision to do business here,” he says.

Noneco succeeds where others so often fail because its employees are engaged in their work, and provided with the tools they need to deliver electricity as efficiently and affordably as possible.

Epson’s TM-P80 is a case in point.

Noneco recently made the decision to equip its meter readers with the lightweight and durable mobile printer so that it could dramatically improve its customer experience by printing utility bills for customers immediately after reading their electricity meter, an ambition made possible by the machine’s best-in-class 100mm/sec printing speed.

The TM-P80 only weighs 500 grams, which means that Noneco employees can carry it with them at all times, wherever they go. More impressive, though, is the printer’s industry-record 33-hour battery life, says Jonathan B. Garrido, Noneco’s ITDM Senior Supervisor.

“The extended battery life means that our meter readers can go about their work without having to worry about whether the printer might stop working,” he says.

“The units are able to run all day, wherever we take them. They’re also noticeably faster than our previous printers, and offer more consistent, higher quality printing. Additionally, there is less downtime with fewer malfunctions due to the reliability of the printers,”

Easily paired with smart devices via NFC, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, the printers have been a huge shot in the arm for the company’s productivity, says Almedilla.

“Our previous printers were unreliable and slow, but the TM-P80 often finishes printing bills before our customers even realise what the machine is doing,” he says, with a chuckle.

“With the automated meter reading and bill printing process, the printers dramatically reduce the time we spend at our on-site meter readings, which means we can spend more time and resources on maintaining our infrastructure, training our staff and developing new ways to reduce our customers’ energy bills.”

Noneco can also push their printers to their limits as Epson has a service center in Bacolod City, which means problems can be fixed in a timely manner.

“The nearby service center provides us with peace of mind as it means we have access to great after-sales service and ensures any problems are dealt with quickly,” says Almedilla.

“It’s just one more reason why we hope to expand our network’s use of Epson printers – further evidence that Epson can be a reliable partner in helping us power up the development of Northern Negros Occidental.”

The road towards economic prosperity in Negros Occidental certainly won’t be paved overnight. It’s a big task that will require the joint efforts of industry, government and society. But, as Almedilla understands, Epson will be there every step of the way, focusing on the details, safe in the knowledge that they are what make all the difference.

Because, if ever there were a cause worth fighting for, building a bridge to economic prosperity is it. 

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, watches and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 81,000 employees in 85 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

global.epson.com/

About Epson Singapore

Since 1982, Epson has developed a strong presence across major markets in Southeast Asia and South Asia. Led by the regional headquarters Epson Singapore, Epson’s business in Southeast Asia spans an extensive network of 11 countries with a comprehensive infrastructure of close to 500 service outlets, 7 Epson solution centres and 7 manufacturing facilities.

epson.com.sg/

About Epson Philippines

Epson’s corporate presence in the Philippines commenced in 1998. It grew rapidly into a billion-peso company in a span of a few years from its establishment due to its client-oriented approach in its business management style by its dedicated and innovative staff members and officers.  Epson Philippines has an extensive network of 137 Authorized Service Centers nationwide with 465 dealers and 875 shops across the country. For more details, please visit our website (www.epson.com.ph

Epson Philippines | Homepage www.epson.com.ph Epson has an extensive range of Multifunction printers, data and home theatre projectors, as well as POS printers and large format printing solutions.

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