[Pocket]

I've applied for a career in the above industry, but at the moment I know very little about it. I've been doing my research, but I realise I know very little about the history and direction of the industry. I would naturally want the company I have applied for to get the impression I have an idea about what they are involved in. Could anyone tell me a few things about the recent trends in the industry? Am I right in thinking that 'Cloud technology' is currently the biggest trend going on in it at the moment? If I am right in thinking so, is the technology basically about centralising information into one location, rather than it all being scattered throughout a network and its terminals?
Are there any other trends at the moment, or that have come and gone?

[LJx]

Your definition of cloud is almost opposite to what it is. Cloud basically means internet or in a remote location. Like instead of storing data locally in house you can have it stored somewhere else and pay for someone else to do it over the internet. I don't think cloud is as much of a big deal as people in the industry would have you believe. It is nothing new, physical computers are still needed to store or process any data as has always been the case. Kind of similar to how mainframes were many years ago where many terminals connected and used the power of one big computer, that is kind of like the cloud.
With thecloud you are paying to use someone elses computers, there are obvious benefits like you don't need to buy expensive equipment and can access data anywhere. There are drawbacks too like everything is dependent on the internet connection and you are entrusting data to a third party

[maf1970]

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet).

Cloud computing entrusts services (typically centralized) with a user's data, software and computation on a published application programming interface (API) over a network. It has considerable overlap with software as a service (SaaS).

End users access cloud based applications through a web browser or a light weight desktop or mobile app while the business software and data are stored on servers at a remote location. Cloud application providers strive to give the same or better service and performance than if the software programs were installed locally on end-user computers.

At the foundation of cloud computing is the broader concept of infrastructure convergence (or Converged Infrastructure) and shared services. This type of data centre environment allows enterprises to get their applications up and running faster, with easier manageability and less maintenance, and enables IT to more rapidly adjust IT resources (such as servers, storage, and networking) to meet fluctuating and unpredictable business demand.
Cloud computing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Virtualization (or virtualisation), in computing, is the creation of a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, such as a hardware platform, operating system, storage device, or network resources.[1]

Virtualization can be viewed as part of an overall trend in enterprise IT that includes autonomic computing, a scenario in which the IT environment will be able to manage itself based on perceived activity, and utility computing, in which computer processing power is seen as a utility that clients can pay for only as needed. The usual goal of virtualization is to centralize administrative tasks while improving scalability and overall hardware-resource utilization. With virtualization, several operating systems (OSs) can be run in parallel on a single CPU. This parallelism tends to reduce overhead costs and differs from multitasking, which involves running several programs on the same OS.
Virtualization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Virtualization is new as it makes use of the massive leap in technology to achieve its end. Cloud Computing is not (as LJx says) but infact the application of an old model on global scale. (thin client computing).

[maf1970]

@Pocket - What have you done in relation to computing/IT ? Have you completed any academic qualifications ? What area in IT do you wish to work ?

[Pocket]

Thanks for the information.

Maf, The furthest I have taken my IT/ Computing knowledge is A level, where I studied ICT and Computing. The role I have applied for is as a Graduate Business Consultant. It does not require a computer related degree. I've passed the tests and am now awaiting to be given a date for the Assessment day.

[ncmoody]

Originally Posted by Pocket

Thanks for the information.

Maf, The furthest I have taken my IT/ Computing knowledge is A level, where I studied ICT and Computing. The role I have applied for is as a Graduate Business Consultant. It does not require a computer related degree. I've passed the tests and am now awaiting to be given a date for the Assessment day.

Thats all this world needs is another wet behind the ears 'Consultant'

I had to do 35 years and a barrow load of courses/exams before I could consider calling my self a Consultant

[moonbeam120]

No offence Pocket but I totally agree with what NCMOODY said.

I have spent a significant portion of my working life with - so called consultants in their twenties or early thirties - who have brought little or no value to the projects I've been working on. Unfortunately this industry is rife with bull******** with neither the knowledge, wit or experience to be genuinely considered as "Consultants".

Harsh I know - and I'm not aiming this at you personally Pocket - but ineffective consultancy costs this country hundreds of millions of pounds (or more) every year and not just in ICT.

Succesfully complete a Cisco CCNP course and you will know what I mean.

Sorry rant over.

Dave.

[maf1970]

I'm in agreement with ncmoody and moonbeam120. I have worked in IT for 20 years now and have loads of support experience covering desktops,laptops,servers,comms and phone systems. I believe I have a good grounding in IT since having an interest in computers since school but I don't profess to know it all. Infact anyone that does is a bare-faced liar as the subject is so vast it is impossible to know it all. I have done exams and will have to continue to sit exams just to stay in the game.

Graduate Business Consultant - To me that would suggest that the applicant should have completed a Tertiary qualification(degree,hons degree to be eligible to apply)

Ineffective Consultancy - just look at all the botched government IT projects.

[matthewwhite]

I am an IT consultant in my early thirties (32). I have worked in the industry since I was 18, turning down a place at a reasonable uni having got three good A levels.

I started in a 2nd line support position, working to fix desktop and laptop PC issues. After being promoted to more senior engineering positions, I have been a consultant for 4 years now where I have specialised in the automation/orchestration/management area. I am good at what I do, I work for a large IT solutions and services provider and work on successful projects for large, well known organisations in the UK. However there are people that I meet that aren't so good. This is no different to any trade, what's interesting is that age does not seem to be so much of a factor, I know terrible consultants of all ages - I know brilliant consultants of all ages.

The thing is, if you are keen and want to get on then you can do so. Be ambitious.

Your chosen position sounds like it might be a business analyst type of role - you might be looking at how an organisation works, mapping processes, identifying business requirements, risks and opportunities.

Here are some things that you might want to research:

ITIL - IT Infrastructure Library. Essentially it's the formalisation of IT processes and procedures so that they are repeatable, with less chance of mistakes. Covers the whole IT lifecycle.

Cloud - Where your IT is a consumable service, you can get billed in the same way you use water or electricity. Has elements of virtualisation, self-service, chargeback, elasticity (growing or shrinking to meet demand).

Good luck!

[Operandi]

Companies expect Consultants to be both skilled and experienced so that they can hit the ground running at project start. Consultants are an expensive resource and clients cannot waste money on training them (unless it is project specific training).

Consultants generally deliver expertise in areas that companies cannot resource internally. They do not expect to have to train consultants, as the consultant should be the expert.

So to become a consultant means that you have to overcome the "no experience" barrier, but how can you get experience without having experience?

I did it by blagging my way into my first contract and then worked hard to keep one step ahead of the client until I had built my skills and experience up enough that I actually became a respected consultant through merit.

Another way is to work for an employer who will train you and gradually expand your experience and responsibilities. After a few years you might have the experience to venture into consultancy.

There is another point to consider. You need to have the authority and confidence as well as skills and experience to act in a true consultative role. This is why true consultants are often older, or who have acquired a stunning skillset through sheer aptitude.

[ncmoody]

Originally Posted by operandi

there is another point to consider. You need to have the authority and confidence as well as skills and experience to act in a true consultative role. This is why true consultants are often older, or who have acquired a stunning skillset through sheer aptitude.

+1

[psikey]

Originally Posted by ncmoody

+1

As an old git now (45 ) in engineering and IT I wouldn't take anybody serously under 35 as a real consultant.

Same as with Engineer, the term Consultant has started to be miss-used, no longer reflecting the experiance &/or qualifaction the title should hold.

But, don't let a title get in the way. In my view you need to have a passion for IT. There is so much change and areas to learn that you've got to be reading a lot. Spend enough time on these very forums in the Computers section and its amazing how much you can learn.

You need to decide on which IT area you want to go into, Support; Programming; Web-development; Systems Analyst, Research.

Most without going degree route start in support roles as a junior.

[noiseboy72]

Consultancy:
If you can't find the solution, there is a lot of money to be made out of being part of the problem...

[moonbeam120]

Originally Posted by noiseboy72

Consultancy:
If you can't find the solution, there is a lot of money to be made out of being part of the problem...

Unfortunately so true.