Global Knowledge keeps up to date with trends in IT careers, certifications, and compensation. In this, our inaugural quarterly report, we offer a look at salaries for the top 25 IT jobs, organized by region. We also offer a look at the top certifications and in-depth analysis from our resident market research analyst. 

Although pay levels are unlikely ever again torise as fast as they did at the end of the 1990s when fears about the “millennium bug” stoked thefires of an already over-heated job market – or to fall as fast as they did when the bug failed to bite– employers are acutely aware of the need to keep a close eye on short- and long-term pay trends. 

When it comes to IT certifications, not all certifications are equally valued by companies. Find out the top 15 certifications most in demand for 2012 and what their corresponding salaries are on average. Discover which certifications will net you a 6-figure salary. 

Bonus payments have long been a feature of the reward package for most IT professionals, but when the UKeconomy went into freefall during late 2008, many employers either reduced such payments or did away withthem altogether. 

Hypothetically, SQL Server virtualization will save you money and manpower. However, there are some risky components involved, and a few major scenarios in which SQL Server virtualization won't benefit you. Read this expert e-guide to learn if virtualizing SQL Server is a good idea for your organization and find tips on avoiding potential pitfalls. 

SQL Server 2008 R2 has been labeled a BI release because of its new features for business intelligence. In this interactive classroom, industry expert Don Jones explains the improvements made to existing SQL Server BI features like SSRS. Learn about the benefits of self-service BI and Master Data Services. Then take a quiz to test your knowledge. 

It isn't always easy to know when to upgrade to the latest hardware or software release. In the case of Microsoft SQL Server 2008, there are many compelling reasons to make the move, including: Enhanced business intelligence; improved business continuity features; better performance and better management capabilities. 

Some consider SQL Server 2008 R2 a "business intelligence release" because the largest, most publicized changes cater to the BI functionality of the product. There are, however, many other new features and functionalities within SQL Server 2008 R2. In this expert e-guide, readers will learn more about these new features. 

With Microsoft SQL Server 2008, small and mid-sized businesses have a variety of options for creating state-ofthe art strategies for ensuring high availability and disaster recovery for their databases. This article explains why upgrading to SQL Server 2008 may help IT sleep better at night. 

SQL Server database consolidation provides decreased costs and lessens the amount of hardware you need to store data. But those aren’t the only benefits. Read this brief white paper to learn about a consolidation strategy that is easy to deploy and use and provides a highly-available and dynamic environment for  data storage. 

This week's Computer Weekly examines how the Football Association's IT director is using technology to help improve the prospects for the England national team. Our Buyer's Guide to government IT looks at the future of open source in the public sector and we report from Infosec 2012 on the rising number of cyber attacks. Read the issue now. 

Are you still unsure if SQL Server virtualization is the best move for your organization? Or have you already decided to move forward with a virtualization initiative and don't know where to start? Read this expert e-guide to discover when virtualization is not a good idea, must-do checklist items for getting started, pitfalls to avoid, and more! 

This SearchSQLServer.com E-Guide examines several options for moving data and discusses complex scenarios in which ongoing data synchronization is needed. You'll learn some of the basic steps to ensure a successful SQL Server migration.