Most technologists hate stagnation. One of our defining qualities is the constant thirst for new knowledge. This trait is even moreso apparent in the consulting world; it's the reason that a lot of us go into this profession...the ability to work with and learn new technologies on an ongoing basis.
Some of this education can be done on the job or from fellow colleagues, but there are plenty of resources on the internet that we can all utilize to further our knowledge of both new technologies or new/better ways to do things. Here are a few of my* favorite places to self educate..after the jump.
Microsoft:
The Exchange Team Blog - What better source to learn about new developments in Exchange and Lync than from the team that had a hand in their creation. The latest updates, release notes, tips and tricks, as well as troubleshooting hints can be found here.
The New Old Thing - This is a blog that is tailored more toward developers. Funny yet poignant adventures into the code that makes Windows possible.
Tips and Tricks from a Developer Support Perspective - This used to be called the SQL Common Tips, but now lends itself to a more general web developer.
Mark Russinovich MSDN Blog - A great resource on various methods to utilize sysinternals as well as other Windows security and troubleshooting tips. Not updated nearly as often as I'd like, but I guess Mark's a busy man nowadays.
Microsoft Evaluations - Download free ISOs of various Microsoft products. Do you need to build a VM with Windows Server 2012 and SQL Server or Exchange to test something out? Sure...grab some evaluation versions for yourself here. Be warned...this link changes pretty frequently, it used to be just http://technet.microsoft.com/eval, but that doens't work anymore; so worst case, just google "microsoft eval".
Networking:
Brent Salisbury's Blog - If you've ever wanted to know anything about SDN or Openflow...this is the place to go.
Firewall.cx - One of the most comprehensive and useful Cisco blogs I've ever seen.
The Packet University - Another great general networking blog and resource.
Packet Pushers - A very Cisco centric weekly podcast about the latest trends and products in the Cisco world.
Hacking Cisco - Ever want any CCNA and CCNP resources, exams, and labs? Here you go!
Packet Life - I can't say enough good things about Jeremy's blog. Between his free Cisco lab and his helpful posters, from his in depth articles to his forums, this is a great general networking resource.
Education:
OpenRHCE - Ever want a resource for some RedHat Certified Engineer Training? This is it.
Office and Exchange Ignite Guides - Some intro and beginner videos and labs for Office and Exchange.
edX - A bunch of free university courses from some of the top educational institutions in the world. Also see MIT's Courseware
Microsoft Virtual Academy - Live events, jump starts to the latest Microsoft technologies...can't go wrong.
And some Fun:
DevOps Reactions GIFS - This should be required viewing to break up the stress of the day.
Ars Technica - Daily reading for me...just a great resource on anything technology related, whether it be computers, physics, tech laws.
* The views here are the sole opinion of the author. There is no affiliation either between the authors or organizations linked here and myself or Anexinet.Labels: blogs, education, training