In the 1980s, a 19-year-old pre-med student at the University of Texas just happened to like computers – a lot. Michael Dell never made it to graduation and dropped out at the end of his first year to pursue a different dream, armed only with a $1,000 stake from his family and a love of PCs. No one could have predicted that Dell would turn his dorm room “business” into Dell Inc., a globally recognized leader in computing.

Dell merged with EMC Corporation in late 2016, and the new company was rebranded as Dell Technologies, which includes Dell, Dell EMC, Pivotal, RSA, Secureworks, Virtustream and VMware. According to Forbes, Dell Technologies (before completion of the merger with EMC) was the fourth largest privately held company in the United States and the world’s largest privately held technology company. With offices in more than 180 countries worldwide, Dell boasts more than 145,000 employees, with sales exceeding $74 billion in 2016. According to its investor relations website, a whopping 98% of all Fortune 500 companies use Dell Technologies products and services. Dell is also well represented in Gartner Magic Quadrant leader lists for products and services, including the Data Center Backup and Recovery Software, Managed Security Services, and Integrated Systems lists.

Computing products remain a staple in the Dell product portfolio. Consumers interested in laptops, workstations, tablets and desktops will find a variety of products available (along with peripherals such as monitors, printers and VDI appliances) to meet personal, SMB, enterprise or gaming requirements. Dell also offers solutions for networks, storage, servers, gateways and embedded computing, as well as a broad range of IT and business services.

Dell Technologies’ products and services currently fall under seven technology brands:

Within each brand, there are multiple products, services and solutions that cater to specific areas of interest for Dell customers.

VMware, Secureworks and Pivotal continue to strategically align with Dell Technologies’ core business areas. VMware continues to provide hybrid cloud, mobile computing and software-defined data center solutions. Pivotal offers analytic tools, next-generation software development methodology and modern cloud-native platforms, while Secureworks focuses on incident response and threat intelligence security. RSA helps companies manage and monitor their digital risk profiles and activities.

Dell certification program overview

In response to its merger with EMC, Dell and Dell EMC’s certification programs have merged into the unified Dell EMC Proven Professional certification portfolio. You’ll find that the website and certifications have a brand-new look and feel. Dell Education Services offers two CompTIA certs along with numerous Dell EMC certifications divided up by technology category or track, including Storage, Data Protection, Converged Infrastructure and Data Science. A exact search of the Dell certification website finds that Dell no longer offers Microsoft certification training courses.

If you’re not sure where to start on your certification journey, the new Dell EMC Proven Professional certification framework is a great starting point. Here, you’ll find certifications for four skill levels:

• Dell EMC Certified Associate (DECA): Entry-level or foundational knowledge
• Dell EMC Certified Specialist (DECS): Technology and role-specific skills
• Dell EMC Certified Expert (DECE): Advanced experience and skills in multiple technologies
• Dell EMC Certified Master (DECM): Subject matter expertise in complex scenarios and multiple technologies

The certification framework is hierarchical: The specialist certification takes the lower-level associate credential as a prerequisite, while the expert-level credentials take both the associate and specialist credentials as prerequisites. Associate and specialist certifications do not expire. Master and expert certifications expire after two years.

In Dell’s certification framework, you’ll find Dell EMC credentials across eight different tracks: Technology Architect (TA), Cloud Architect (CA), Enterprise Architect (EA), Implementation Engineer (IE), Systems Administrator (SA), Platform Engineer (PE), Technical Support Engineer (TSE) and Data Scientist (DS). The certification framework also maps credentials back to specific technology areas (cloud, storage, data protection, server, networking, converged infrastructure and data science).

There are also certification maps for role-based credentials:

• Plan and Design Roadmap: This offers four credentials at the associate level, seven at the specialist level, three expert exams and a single master-level (architect) exam.
• Deploy Roadmap: This certification path offers four associate-level credentials, 13 specialist exams and four expert exams. Currently, there are no exams at the master level. The roadmap also mentions CompTIA Server+, two product and technology exams, associate and professional exams in server and networking, VxRail Appliance, and PowerEdge.
• Manage Roadmap: This path offers a single master exam, five expert exams, 15 specialist exams and four associate exams. It also includes CompTIA Server+, VMware VCP credentials, two product technology exams, and associate and professional exams in server and networking.
• Support Roadmap: The Support Roadmap includes one associate exam, seven specialist exams and one expert exam. It mentions CompTIA Server+ along with associate and professional networking and PowerEdge exams.

Certification candidates should register with Dell EMC TechDirect. From the TechDirect portal, candidates can access free exam prep materials, schedule exams, view exam results and print their certification transcripts. Candidates may also view their company’s competency status through the TechDirect portal.

Dell Partners whose employees have earned the Certified Deployment Professional badge may be eligible to earn the Services Competency for Deployment (or simply Deployment Competency) designation. To earn this competency, Partners must be at least at the Gold tier level and have two or more employees who’ve passed the associated exam. A formal application must be submitted to Dell requesting Deployment Competency designation. Deployment Competency designations are available for Server, Storage, Networking and Client Systems.

Dell EMC certifications

Because Dell has updated its certification portfolio, it’s well worth your time to peruse the new Dell EMC Proven Professional Certification Framework to understand the new certification flow. All certification tracks begin with selecting a technology concentration: Cloud, Storage, Data Protection, Server, Networking, Converged Infrastructure or Data Science. Next, candidates earn the DECA (associate) credential recommended for their technology track. From there, candidates select the applicable role-based certification roadmap (Plan and Design, Deploy, Manage, or Support) and follow the certification recommendations to earn the specialist, expert and master credentials available in that certification path.

Below, we’ve listed some examples of the many certifications you’ll find in the new Dell EMC program. We’ve chosen to present these certification examples by the available technology tracks.

Server

The Server technology roadmap is the only certification path where a third-party certification, the CompTIA Server+, serves as the associate-level credential.

• Implementation Engineer, PowerEdge Specialist (DECS-IE): Certification is focused on IT professionals working with Dell EMC PowerEdge Server technology and products. To earn the credential, candidates must first obtain either the CompTIA Server+ or the Dell Certified Associate PowerEdge credential and pass the specialist exam. The exam targets PowerEdge rack and tower servers, installation, configuration (server storage, iDRAC and Lifecycle Controller), and maintenance and troubleshooting.

Storage

• Information Storage and Management Associate (DCA-ISM): This credential validates a candidate’s knowledge of data center infrastructure, storage systems (file-based, object-based, software-defined, block-based and intelligent), security, replication management, backup, archive, replication, and storage networking technologies (Fibre Channel SAN, Internet Protocol SAN and Fibre Channel over Ethernet SAN).
• Implementation Engineer, SC Series Specialist (DCS-IE): This certification targets professionals working with Dell EMC SC Series storage products. Skills covered include Dell Storage Manager installation and configuration, SC Series hardware and cabling (including Fibre Channel and iSCSI), SC Series configuration, administration (Storage Manager and SC Series), and SAN HBA and switch configuration. To earn the certification, candidates must possess the Associate Information Storage and Management Version 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 credential and pass the specialist exam.
• Expert – SC Series (DCE): To obtain this expert-level certification, candidates must possess the Specialist Implementation Engineer, SC Series certification and pass the expert exam. The exam focuses on SC Series Storage product-related technologies, including hardware installation, storage array initialization, array configuration, failover testing, host confirmation and front-end storage networking configuration.

Networking

• Certified Associate – Networking: This credential targets professionals working with Dell EMC networking switches. Candidates should have at least one year of networking experience, with six months focused on installing and managing EMC networking switches, and be able to install, configure, and troubleshoot networking switches.
• Certified Professional – Networking: This credential targets experienced Dell hardware professionals. Candidates should have one to three years of experience, plus at least one year of direct experience managing or deploying Dell hardware solutions. Successful candidates will also understand deployment, cutover and integration planning, Dell tools for deployment, network configuration, and troubleshooting.

Cloud and Infrastructure Services (Cloud Architect)

• Cloud Infrastructure and Services Associate (DCA-CIS): This cert focuses on using cloud computing reference architectures to build cloud infrastructures, cloud technologies and processes, digital transformations, cloud services and applications, cloud security, business continuity, and cloud service management.
• Cloud Infrastructure Specialist (DCS-CA): This credential is the specialist level of the Dell EMC Cloud Architect certification. Candidates must possess either the associate level of the Information Storage Management (version 2.0 or 3.0) or the Cloud Infrastructure and Services (version 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0) credential and pass the specialist exam. The exam focuses on cloud-related topics, including design, management, available resources (such as network, storage and computing), monitoring, hybrid cloud and disaster recovery.
• Cloud Architect, Cloud Services Expert (DCE-CA): This certification is the expert level of the Dell EMC Cloud Architect certification. As with the DCS-CA, candidates need to possess either the associate-level Information Storage and Management (version 2.0 or 3.0) or the Cloud Infrastructure and Services (version 1.0 or 2.0) credential plus the DCS-CA and pass the expert exam. The credential validates a candidate’s skill in planning and designing cloud infrastructures, business transformation, ITaaS environments, cloud services, security, governance, and financial and organizational planning.

Data Protection

• Data Protection and Management – Associate (DCA-DPM): This credential validates a candidate’s understanding of the data protection technologies, components and processes.
• Converged Infrastructure: Converged Infrastructure targets professionals who maintain, back up, configure, upgrade, troubleshoot, monitor and administer VxBlock Systems. Two credentials are available:
  • Converged Systems and Hybrid Cloud Version 1.0 – Associate (DCA-CSHC): This is a foundation-level certification that focuses on a candidate’s understanding of how to effect transformation using Dell EMC Converged Systems and Digital and IT Transformation.
  • Systems Administrator, Converged Infrastructure Version 2.0 – Specialist (DCS-SA): This credential validates a candidate’s knowledge of VxBlock Systems concepts, administration, security, resource management, maintenance and troubleshooting.

Data Science

• Data Science Associate (DECA-DS): A foundation-level credential for those just entering the realm of data science and big data analytics, this certification focuses on the tools and techniques commonly used in data analytics.
• Advanced Analytics Specialist (DECS-DS): This certification focuses on using advanced analytic methods to identify and recommend solutions for business problems. Methods include visualization, Hadoop (including Hive, HBase and Pig), natural language processing and social network analysis.

Dell third-party certifications

On top of its Certified Deployment Professional certifications, Dell Education Services has partnered with several third-party organizations in the past to provide certifications for CompTIA and Microsoft certifications. However, Dell has reduced the number of CompTIA cert courses that it offers and totally eliminated its Microsoft cert courses.

CompTIA certifications

CompTIA is a well-known, vendor-neutral certification provider. Dell has reduced its CompTIA certification training courses to just two online offerings: A+ and Linux+ certs. The cost for CompTIA training courses ranges from $550 to $650 for these topics.

According to Dell, 78% of all companies use IT deployment services. With such a widespread need, IT professionals specializing in deployment find a demand for their skills across multiple industry sectors. Some of the sectors that Dell serves are education, energy, financial services, government (federal, state and local), healthcare, manufacturing, retail, telecommunications, media and entertainment, and web development.

Popular job boards such as TechCareers, SimplyHired and Glassdoor reveal numerous jobs available for Dell-certified deployment professionals. Most of the listed positions focus on engineering roles for server, virtualization, networking, systems, integration, data security and the like. Other available roles include consultants, account executives, system administrators, IT managers and deployment managers.

Dell recommends and offers core training courses for each of its Dell EMC credentials. Interested candidates who register on the DirectTech website can also access free exam study guides. In addition, Dell offers many free e-learning courses at the foundation level on various Dell products and technologies, including networking, storage, data protection, big data and converged infrastructure.

Core recommended training for each solution track includes a basic, intermediate and advanced course. Prices vary, but candidates can expect to pay $2,500 to $5,000. Most training is a combination of e-learning activities that you complete prior to attending instructor-led training.

Dell also provides training for other certifications and training opportunities for end users and IT professionals in various disciplines, including these:

Fundamental or introductory courses typically cost $100 to $200, while advanced training courses may cost thousands of dollars (we found one course with a price tag of $10,000). Dell also offers onsite training courses, with most prices running at least double that of public courses. The most expensive onsite course we found topped $42,000.

Check out everything Dell has to offer on its Education Services webpage.

Ed Tittel

Ed is a 30-year-plus veteran of the computing industry who has worked as a programmer, a technical manager, a classroom instructor, a network consultant, and a technical evangelist for companies that include Burroughs, Schlumberger, Novell, IBM/Tivoli and NetQoS. He has written for numerous publications, including Tom’s IT Pro, and is the author of more than 140 computing books on information security, web markup languages and development tools, and Windows operating systems.

Earl Follis

Earl is also a 30-year veteran of the computer industry who has worked in IT training, marketing, technical evangelism, and market analysis in the areas of networking and systems technology and management. Ed and Earl met in the late 1980s when Ed hired Earl as a trainer at an Austin-area networking company that’s now part of HP. The two of them have written numerous books together on NetWare, Windows Server and other topics. Earl is also a regular writer for the computer trade press, with many e-books, whitepapers and articles to his credit.

No matter the size of your organization, it is crucial to maintain an IT infrastructure that is capable of supporting growth and adapting to the changing needs of your business. The Dell EMC PowerEdge R650xs is a feature-rich 1U rack server that is designed for companies looking to innovate at scale with demanding and emerging workloads.

Equipped with the third-gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, this server promises to be an ideal choice for workloads that require high performance, virtualization, and a scale-out database. Let’s talk about how the Dell PowerEdge R650xs will help you innovate and adapt with confidence, thus facilitating growth. 

Powerful and scalable performance

The Dell EMC PowerEdge R650xs is a powerful 1U server designed for scale-out environments where resources such as processing power and storage capacity can be added to the system as needed. It has dual-socket capabilities, allowing for the addition of up to two 3rd generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors with up to 32 cores per socket. With support for up to 16x DDR4 RDIMMS at 3200 MT/s, the added processing power and cores can help to accelerate in-memory workloads or operations that are performed entirely in the main memory. 

Additionally, the PowerEdge R650xs includes several features that can Boost throughput and reduce latency, such as up to 5 PCIe Gen4 slots, OCP 3.0 support for cost-effective and energy-efficient network cards, and Dell’s SNAP I/O support for efficient use of shared storage resources. 

It is designed for virtualization, medium VM density or VDI, and software-defined storage node (SDS) workloads such as data protection, data migration, or data optimization.

Addresses flexible storage needs

In terms of storage, the PowerEdge R650xs offers a variety of options to fit different needs. It can support up to 12x 3.5” SAS/SATA HDDs or SSDs, up to 16x 2.5” SAS/SATA HDDs or SSDs, and 8 NVMe drives. This provides a lot of flexibility for organisations that may need to scale storage up or down quickly. This also helps with better data protection, disaster recovery and data management. 

Increase Efficiency 

The Dell EMC OpenManage systems management portfolio has all the tools needed to efficiently manage the PowerEdge R650xs. Modern management tools provide better workload tracking and performance analysis, making complex IT enterprise management simple and intuitive. There are tools and automation that help you scale, manage, and protect your technology environment, freeing up resources that can be used for business growth.

Built-in telemetry streaming, thermal management, and RESTful API with Redfish let you monitor and manage the server remotely in an efficient manner. Intelligent automation allows for the integration of human actions and system capabilities to enhance productivity.

Full-stack management integration with Microsoft, VMware, ServiceNow, Ansible, and many other tools offers a number of advantages and makes it easier for different teams to collaborate and work together. It can increase efficiency by automating tasks and streamlining processes and provides a unified view of your entire IT infrastructure, making it easier to identify and troubleshoot issues.

Ironclad Security

Dell EMC and Intel solutions provide a comprehensive approach to ensuring the security and resilience of the PowerEdge R650xs. From the silicon and supply chain to asset retirement, these technologies help avoid vulnerabilities to ensure that your servers are safe and secure against emerging threats. With enterprise-class security, organizations of all sizes can minimize risk and have confidence in their cyber resilience. 

Dell offers continuous innovations that bolster cyber resilience, such as OpenManage Secure Enterprise Key Manager and Automatic Certificate Enrollment. Additionally, intelligence, automation, and recovery tools like iDRAC9 Telemetry, BIOS live scanning, and Rapid OS recovery, allow organizations to stay ahead of potential threats. 

Dell also verifies the authenticity and integrity of the firmware and hardware components in the supply chain using platform security features such as Secured Component Verification and Silicon Root of Trust (RoT). This helps ensure that the server is protected against cyber attacks and runs only authorized and trusted code.

A dependable partner

Dell PowerEdge R650xs is a powerful and versatile option for enterprises that can help accelerate transformation. This dual-socket 1U server is designed for scale-out environments, it easily adapts to changing resource needs, and benefits from Dell’s robust and comprehensive management portfolio, as well as enterprise-class security solutions. This combination of advanced technology and solutions allows for easy scalability and efficient management and security, making it a great option for organizations looking to innovate, adapt, and grow. 

To know more about the Dell PowerEdge R650xs rack server, check here.

[Sponsored]

Once you’ve designed your electronic product, it’s time to release it to market, right? Well, not exactly. As with any product development, you need to first test the device you’re designing to validate that
it behaves as expected. One such important test that all electronic devices must eventually pass
are EMI (electromagnetic interference) compliance tests. Passing EMI tests demonstrate that your device’s electromagnetic emissions are at an acceptable level, as defined by the respective regulatory body’s standard the device is being tested against.

EMI, or electromagnetic interference, falls under the umbrella term ‘EMC’ which stands for electromagnetic compatibility. When performing pre-compliance tests, you are concerned about testing for EMI which is the actual phenomena — or emissions — coming from your device.

However, acquiring certification for EMI compliance testing is rather expensive – and in the off chance that you don’t pass — you not only have to rework your design but this will also throw off your product development schedule and cost you a lot of money.

Click here to read more.

There are billions of hours of video on YouTube, literally. And that's hardly the most astounding statistic about the site, which has been the go-to destination for uploading and watching videos online since 2005. That said, sometimes you really want or need to have one of those videos on your own computer or phone. But when the course of downloading YouTube videos comes up, there's a side subject that must be broached: Is it legal?

On the copyright front, as long as you're downloading a video for your own personal offline use, you're probably okay. It's more black and white when you consider Google's terms of service for YouTube(Opens in a new window), which read: "You are not allowed to...access, reproduce, download, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, alter, modify or otherwise use any part of the Service or any Content except: (a) as expressly authorized by the Service; or (b) with prior written permission from YouTube and, if applicable, the respective rights holders."

Watching YouTube videos offline through unofficial channels takes money from Google and video creators. There's a reason YouTube runs ads: People make a living this way.

Obviously, stealing videos from YouTube is a big no-no. If you want to share a video, YouTube and most other video sites make it easy, from embedding to emailing to sharing via social networks. You simply do not need to obtain a video most of the time.

But you have your reasons. If you must download a YouTube video—absolutely need to, just for yourself, and not for dissemination, and not to be a jerk—here's how.

Note: This story is updated frequently, as the tools involved change regularly. Some of those changes are not always pleasant, such as software so full of "extras," it gets flagged as malware by antivirus tools. The same goes for the helper websites—a change in a site's ad network can also create issues with malware.

To prevent this from becoming a laundry list of programs and sites that can obtain YouTube videos, we came up with a few rules for inclusion. Services must:

• Work with the top three video sites: YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo.

• Download entire playlists or channels in a batch (on YouTube), at least with a paid version.

• Output to MP3 for audio (or offer companion software that does so).

• Have an interface that doesn't suck.

• Not collect your personal data beyond your email address.

• Not contain malware. If there's even a whiff of it, even a PUP, it's out.

The programs, services, and sites in this story are all free of spam and virus problems as of this writing, but caveat emptor—let the buyer beware. (Especially if you're not really buying.)

YouTube Premium Downloads

Now available for subscribers of YouTube Premium—the paid version of YouTube that allows you to watch without ads—are video downloads—kind of. There's one limitation with quality: All the video you obtain is limited to 1080p quality max or lower. No 4K.

(Credit: PCMag/YouTube)

The biggest issue is, this feature doesn't really obtain a video to save on your computer forever. It is more akin to the obtain feature found on mobile apps for Netflix and Hulu, which makes a streaming video available to watch later using your local storage using the app's interface only. This is not a method that allows you to, say, watch a video using different software such as the VLC Media Player or Plex.

You access the obtain by going to the YouTube hamburger menu and selecting Downloads (Opens in a new window)to view the list of what you've grabbed. The page says "Downloads remain available as long as your device has an active internet connection at least once every 30 days." This probably isn't exactly what you are looking for in a download; read on for tools that are a better fit.

Desktop Software

Third-party software is what will deliver you the best control over downloading online videos. Typically, you paste the URL for the YouTube video you want into the program, and it downloads the highest-quality version it can find. For videos in 1080p high definition (HD) format, that's usually an MP4 file. For anything higher in quality—4K or 8K—the file format is typically MKV.

In the past, YouTube videos were Flash-based, so your obtain was an FLV file, but those tend to be harder to play back. MP4 (short for MPEG-4 Part 14 multimedia format(Opens in a new window)) files can play anywhere

Note that the MKV file, also called a Matroska, is a container—the file could contain video utilizing any number of codecs inside. The foolproof way to play them all is to use the VLC Media Player for Windows, which plays everything. (Read more about it below.) As for the downloaders, here are the best options.

VLC Media Player

Free; Windows, macOS, Linux

VLC Media Player(Opens in a new window) is a fantastic tool for Windows, Mac, and Linux users that plays back just about any media ever created. It also has the ability to obtain YouTube videos, albeit in a convoluted way. (If you run into any problems, try a full re-install of VLC and clear your cache to make it work.)

Copy a URL from a YouTube video, then open up VLC. From the Media menu, select Open Network Stream (Ctrl+N) and paste in the URL. Click Play. When the video is playing, go to Tools > Codec Information. There is a box at the bottom called "Source"—copy the URL you find in that box.

(Credit: PCMag)

Go back to your browser and paste that URL—it's a temporary web address and will expire eventually—in the address bar and start playing the video. When you're viewing the video, in the Chrome or Edge browser, click the three-dot menu at the lower right for the obtain option to keep it locally. In other browsers, such as Firefox, right-click the video and select Save Video As.

(Credit: PCMag)

It appears that VLC saves your file as 1080p only and not any higher, even if the original YouTube stream was available in 1440p or 2160p (aka 4K). It also won't convert video to other formats. To get those options, you need the desktop software below.

4K Video Downloader

Free, or $10 for one year of use; $15 for a lifetime license on three computers; Windows, macOS, Ubuntu Linux, Android

(Credit: PCMag)

Multi-lingual 4K Video Downloader(Opens in a new window) (4KVD) is frequently updated and features clear obtain links on the program's website; no ad traps here. The software does what it advertises in a simple interface: It grabs videos up to 8K in quality and downloads to plenty of formats. Simply copy a YouTube URL and click the Paste Link button to get started. 4KVD will even collect subtitles, entire playlists, and all the videos in a channel to which you subscribe. The sites supported are limited to the big names, including YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and a few others, but that should cover most of what you need. It does display a large banner advertisement to keep the lights on with the free version, which is also limited to 30 downloads a day.

When I tried it, I had to make a switch from MP4 to MKV format to get my test video to obtain in 4K. 4KVD snagged a 3-minute, 229.7MB file for a movie trailer in about 1 minute and 20 seconds. I made the same switch when downloading an Ultra High Definition (8K) playlist(Opens in a new window).

When you enable the Smart Mode and its presets, 4KVD can perform one-click downloads to your favorite format. If you want to obtain more than 30 videos per day or subscribe to YouTube channels to instantly download(Opens in a new window) the latest, you'll need the paid version. Playback of the resulting MKV files via VLC Media Player is flawless.

The program has the option to extract audio to MP3 format, so you don't even need the 4K YouTube to MP3(Opens in a new window) companion software. But if that's your thing, it's the same price as 4KVD.

VideoProc Converter

$25.95 for 1 year/3 PCs; $39.95 lifetime for 1 PC; $57.95 family on 3-5 PCs; Windows, macOS

(Credit: PCMag)

The powerful VideoProc from Digiarty comes in an editor edition and this converter(Opens in a new window), which also provides editing and effects and, of course, handles a lot of downloading, supporting 4K from over 1,000 websites, including TikTok. With hardware acceleration(Opens in a new window), it promises some speed. Thankfully, Digiarty frequently offers price discounts: In fact, the price has dropped a lot on the one-year license; it's currently(Opens in a new window) just $25.95.

To use it, let the software detect your hardware to see what will help with acceleration (if anything). Click the Downloader button, click Add video to place as many URLs as you want to batch, and then click on Download Now. Or grab a whole YouTube playlist or live stream.

VideoProc grabbed our 697MB test 4K video(Opens in a new window) to WEBM format in about 2 minutes and 15 seconds, which isn't bad. The trial version of VideoProc Converter, which limits conversions to 5 minutes, doesn't appear to limit downloads.

FlixGrab

Free (donation-ware); Windows

FlixGrab(Opens in a new window) offers several different programs, many with overlapping features. For example, FlixGrabMS is available in the Microsoft Store(Opens in a new window) for Windows 10 and 11 machines, but it wouldn't let me grab video from YouTube. The straight obtain of the FlixGrab program from flixgrabapp.com did work with YouTube and several other sites. It also offers a Free YouTube Downloader(Opens in a new window) that is specific to YouTube yet has the same easy-to-use interface.

The subscription prices for an upgrade have disappeared. The site now has a donation page(Opens in a new window) where it says "for now, our applications are totally free." If you can donate a little via PayPal or credit card, the developers will be thankful.

5KPlayer

Free; Windows and macOS

(Credit: PCMag)

The free 5KPlayer(Opens in a new window) is a lot more than a downloader, but it's got a heck of an integrated downloader. Promising no viruses, ads, or plug-in requirements is a good start. It is, sadly, one of the few that asks for registration of your name and email—you have to do that to get the full obtain function across 300-plus sites(Opens in a new window). You can nab 4K vids from YouTube without registering, though.

When downloading, the program tries to hide some things. Paste in the URL for a YouTube video, and the analysis engine runs and shows only a few obtain options. Click the gear icon, then the Show All button, and scroll to see more—including a 4K 3,840-by-2,160 file in WebM format. The 227MB WebM test obtain took an agonizing 6.5 minutes. Grabbing playlists is possible, but you must adjust obtain settings one video at a time. The confusing interface makes it hard to go back to the other videos in the playlist.

5K Player also features DLNA server playback, so the videos you grab can be watched on any device that supports DLNA. It also supports AirPlay for quick playback to Apple devices. Pick a video in the library for quick conversion to MP4, MP3, or even ACC (the audio format preferred by iOS). The player didn't like playing back the overly large 4K file, though, and experienced buffering issues (VLC didn't have any problem with the same file).

Ultimately, there's a lot to like about 5K Player, including the price and the features—especially if you look at them as extras on a downloader. But the bad interface, slow obtain speeds, and playback issues may cause you to look elsewhere.

Helper Websites (Heed Any 🚩s)

Do you want to avoid installing software? Video-download helper sites are meant to do the obtain work for you. All of them do one basic thing: You deliver them a YouTube URL (or another video site, if supported), and they parse it, deliver you a choice of what size obtain you want, and provide a link to said download. The sites work on any platform, sometimes even on mobile devices. You don't have to install anything on your PC. It can take a lot longer to get a download, depending on the size and quality of the video you want, but you can't beat the convenience.

The problem is that you can't always trust them. Hundreds of these types of sites exist—it seems anyone with a modicum of coding ability has set one up. Such sites can easily go from useful to suspicious, especially when they get popular, and the proprietor sells out to make cash off your visits.

Since this story was first published, all the helper sites we recommended have been removed for reasons such as adding sexually explicit ads, no longer working, and switching to pushing a obtain utility only. One went out of business voluntarily in 2020 to avoid getting sued(Opens in a new window).

For these reasons, we're not recommending any helper sites at the moment. If you decide to try one, and your browser, antivirus, or instincts throws up red-flag warnings, avoid it and move on.

Browser Extensions

A browser extension can save you a step. But you're going to run into some issues with downloading videos from YouTube, especially if you're using Chrome as your primary browser.

The Chrome Web Store(Opens in a new window)—where you get Chrome browser extensions—is controlled by YouTube's owner, Alphabet/Google. Even an extension created ostensibly for this purpose isn't going to allow YouTube direct downloads because of Chrome Store restrictions. In general, with Chrome extensions, the obtain of any RTMP protocol video (protected video) or streaming video isn't possible. You can use them on other sites with video, of course—just not YouTube.

Want to get around this? Get an extension that does not come from the Google Web Store. Some of the programs and helper sites offer an extension component and will spell out how to do the install(Opens in a new window) without the assistance the Chrome Web Store usually provides. Here are a couple.

YouTube Video Downloader

Free; Brave, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Safari, Vivaldi

(Credit: Addoncrop)

YouTube Video Downloader from Addoncrop(Opens in a new window) is available for multiple browsers but with excellent side-load capabilities(Opens in a new window) via user scripts or third-party extensions such as Foxified (Opens in a new window)(which allows Chrome/Edge user access to Firefox extensions). It puts a button below whichever video you're playing on YouTube, even an embedded YouTube video, making the video easy to grab. Up to 8K video is supported. You can also convert audio from the video to an MP3, and it will even help you take video screenshots.

Video DownloadHelper

Free; Firefox, Chrome, Edge

Video DownloadHelper(Opens in a new window) supports a huge number of sites—even those for adults. You'll know a video is downloadable when the icon for the extension animates when you're on the web page. Video DownloadHelper for Chrome has stopped working with YouTube; that way, it got placement in the Chrome Web Store. Get around that by using the Video DownloadHelper extension on Firefox or Edge instead.

Mobile Video Downloader Apps

Downloading from YouTube using an Android app from the Google Play Store is a challenge, given that Google has a grip on the site it owns (even if it seldom seems to check for malware); it offers the paid YouTube Premium service mentioned above to facilitate offline viewing.

(Credit: PCMag)

That said, with Android, it's possible to install apps without going through Google. For example, InsTube – Free Video and Music Downloader(Opens in a new window) for Android can be found only at InsTube's website. obtain the APK (Android application package) file to sideload on an Android device. Find it in your device's downloads and click to install(Opens in a new window). (You may have to go into your security settings and enable "Unknown sources.") 

You'd think there would be no such restriction on iPhones and iPads, since Apple and Google aren't the best of pals (or maybe they are(Opens in a new window)). But with the iOS apps I've tried, not only would they not obtain from YouTube, but they're also typically not available for long. One of those apps said in its description, "Downloading from YouTube is prohibited due to its Terms of Service." Apple is ensuring that app makers play by the rules—even Google's rules.

Chances are, the minute you find an iOS app that can obtain YouTube videos, it will be "fixed" or banned. The only real option is to jailbreak your iPhone and use sideloaded apps that obtain what you want.

There are workarounds. One is to subscribe to YouTube Premium, which lets you obtain videos on your iPhone or iPad to watch later, much as Netflix and Hulu do. But it doesn't allow you the freedom to edit a clip.

Another is using a free iOS file manager app, such as Documents by Readdle(Opens in a new window). Use the Safari browser to visit a YouTube video, and use the Share option to find Copy Link. Then go back to Documents, and use the built-in browser in the app to surf to a video obtain helper site (you know, the kind we don't recommend).

Paste the link into the form (hold your finger down on it until you get the "Paste" menu to pop up). The site will deliver you the links to download, and you can save the file to Documents. Hold and drag the file up until you're back on the main screen, then drag it to the Photos folder. You'll need to deliver Documents permission to access Photos the first time. You can then access the video as you would any video taken on the phone or tablet, in the Photos app.

Another workaround: Go back to the desktop, and try AnyTrans(Opens in a new window) ($39.99 for a single computer for one year, Windows or macOS; $59.99 for a lifetime plan). It's a desktop file manager for iOS devices that has an integrated downloader supporting 900 sites, including YouTube and Facebook. It'll transfer the videos to the iPhone for you over the USB cable. Even if you don't pay for AnyTrans, the obtain option remains and is free forever.

YT Scribe

Want a truly unique way to "download" a video? YT Scribe(Opens in a new window) lets you grab the transcription so you can read it instead: It auto-transcribes, punctuates, and paragraphs the text. The better the subtitles, the better the "article," of course. Best of all, it's totally free.

The MarketWatch News Department was not involved in the creation of this content.

Jan 27, 2023 (AB Digital via COMTEX) -- The global integrated cloud management platform market size is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.2% during the forecast period, to reach USD 5.8 billion by 2027 from USD 2.9 billion in 2022. Key factors that are expected to drive the growth of the market are increased mobility, shifting workload toward cloud environments, and growing trend to bring your own device, facilitating simplified management of complex and heterogenous cloud environments, growing adoption of hybrid cloud and multi-cloud strategies, across enterprises of different industry verticals, rising adoption of cloud-based business utility solutions and services due to COVID-19, increased savings and workforce productivity, and emergence of AI-enabled tools in IT operations.

The MarketWatch News Department was not involved in the creation of this content.

Job board search results (in alphabetical order, by certification)*

*Search results for the generic phrase “VCE data center engineer”

Regardless of which job board you use, you’ll find many employers looking for qualified people to join their data center teams. SimplyHired lists 114,000-plus data center jobs in the U.S., with more than 172,000 on Indeed, 50,000 on LinkedIn Jobs and 20,000 on LinkUp. With the right credential(s) in hand, one of these jobs is sure to be yours.

Data center job roles start at the network technician level and advance through senior architect. Most of the certifications covered would fit well with an associate- or professional-level network engineer position. According to SimplyHired, the average salary for network engineer jobs is about $79,000, and $111,000 for senior network engineers. Glassdoor reports a U.S. national average salary of about $73,000 for network engineers, and their average for senior network engineers climbs to $94,000.

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Data Center

Cisco certifications continue to be some of the most recognizable and respected credentials in the industry. The CCNA Data Center certification is a great introductory certification for networking professionals who want to specialize in data center operations and support and have 1-3 years of experience.

Candidates for the CCNA Data Center certification need to understand basic data center networking concepts. These include addressing schemes, troubleshooting and configuring switches with VLANs and routers using Nexus OS, network and server virtualization, storage, and common network services such as load balancing, device management and network access controls.

The CCNA Data Center is valid for three years, after which credential holders must recertify. Recertification requires passing a current version of one of the following exams:

• Associate-level exam (except for ICND1 exam)
• 642-XXX professional-level or 300-XXX professional-level exam
• 642-XXX Cisco Specialist exam (does not include Sales Specialist exams or MeetingPlace Specialist exams, Implementing Cisco TelePresence Installations (ITI) exams, Cisco Leading Virtual Classroom Instruction exams, or any 650 online exams)
• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) written exam
• Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE) written exam or current CCDE practical exam

Candidates can also sit through the Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) interview and the CCAr board review to achieve recertification for CCNA Data Center.

CCNA Data Center facts and figures

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Data Center

Networking professionals looking to validate their data center skills and achieve a competitive edge in the workplace can’t go wrong with the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Data Center credential.

Geared toward technology architects, along with design and implementation engineers and solutions experts, the CCNP Data Center identifies individuals who can implement Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) rack-mount servers; install, configure and manage Cisco Nexus switches; and implement and deploy automation of Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI). The CCNP Data Center is designed for candidates with 3-5 years of experience working with Cisco technologies.

When pursuing the CCNP Data Center, Cisco lets you choose either a design or troubleshooting track. Related data center certifications include the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA Data Center), for those with 1-3 years of experience, and the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Data Center, aimed at professionals with seven or more years of experience.

The CCNP Data Center is valid for three years, after which credential holders must recertify. The recertification process requires candidates to pass a single exam to maintain the credential, or to sit for the Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) interview and the CCAr board review. Credential holders should check the Cisco website for the current list of qualifying exams before attempting to recertify.

CCNP Data Center facts and figures

JNCIP-DC: Juniper Networks Certified Professional Data Center

Juniper Networks, based in California and incorporated in 1997, develops and sells network infrastructure equipment and software aimed at corporations, network service providers, government agencies and educational institutions. The company has a large certification and training program designed to support its solutions, which includes Data Center, Junos Security, Enterprise Routing and Switching, and Service Provider Routing and Switching tracks.

The Data Center track recognizes networking professionals who deploy, manage and troubleshoot Juniper Networks Junos software and data center equipment. The single exam (JN0-680) covers data center deployment and management, including implementation and maintenance of multi-chassis link aggregation group (LAG), virtual chassis and Internet Protocol (IP) fabric, virtual extensible LANs (VXLANs), and data center interconnections.

The JNCIP-DC certification is good for three years. To renew the certification, candidates must pass the current JNCIP-DC exam.

JNCIP-DC facts and figures

VCE-CIAE: VCE Converged Infrastructure Administration Engineer

VCE, short for Virtual Computing Environment, was part of EMC Corporation, which Dell acquired in 2016. The VCE line of converged infrastructure appliances are still being manufactured and widely sold, and the company has a handful of VCE certifications geared toward designing, maintaining and supporting those solutions.

VCE certifications are now part of the larger Dell EMC Proven Professional certification program but have retained some independence. The program currently offers the VCE Certified Converged Infrastructure Associate (VCE-CIA), VCE Converged Infrastructure Administration Engineer (VCE-CIAE) and VCE Converged Infrastructure Master Administration Engineer (VCE-CIMAE) credentials. We focus on the VCE Administration Engineer in this article because it’s available to the public as well as Dell employees and partners, and it ranks well in job board searches.

The VCE-CIAE is a professional-level credential that recognizes professionals who manage and support Vblock Systems. The single exam includes Topics such as system concepts, administration, security, resource management, maintenance and troubleshooting.

Candidates must recertify every two years to maintain a VCE certification. To renew, credential holders must pass the current VCE-CIA exam (this is the prerequisite for the VCE-CIAE certification), as well as pass the current VCE-CIAE exam or earn a higher-level credential.

VCE-CIAE facts and figures

VCP6-DCV: VMware Certified Professional 6 – Data Center Virtualization

The VCP6-DCV is one of those credentials that sits firmly on the line between traditional data center networking and cloud management. As such, it appeals to a wide networking audience. In fact, the VMware website states that more than 100,000 professionals have earned VMware VCP6-DCV certification, making it one of the company’s most popular certifications.

VMware offers an extensive certification program with a rigorous Data Center virtualization track, which includes the VCP6-DCV. Candidates must thoroughly understand Domain Name System (DNS), routing and database connectivity techniques, and how to deploy, configure, manage and scale VMware vSphere environments and storage. VMware recommends that candidates have a minimum of six months of experience with VMware vSphere 6 before attempting the VCP6-DCV certification.

New candidates must take a VMware training course and pass two exams. Training courses start at $4,125; pricing is based on the specific course, delivery format and learning partner.

VMware requires credential holders to recertify every two years. Recertification is achieved by taking whatever exam is most current for the certification, earning a new VCP certification in a different solution track or advancing to the next-level VMware certification.

Note: VMware certifications are geared toward the VMware vSphere product, the latest incarnation of which is Version 6.5. As of April 2019, VMware is still rolling out various Version 6.5 exams. Currently, Version 6.5 exams are offered for the Professional and Advanced Professional (Design only) levels. We anticipate that Version 6.5 exams and credentials at the Associate, Advanced Professional Deploy and Expert levels will follow soon.

VCP6-DCV facts and figures

Beyond the top 5: More data center certifications

While not featured in the top five this year, the BICSI Data Center Design Consultant (DCDC) is a terrific certification, designed for IT professionals with at least two years of experience in designing, planning and implementing data centers. This vendor-neutral certification is ideal for data center engineers, architects, designers and consultants. Another good vendor-neutral certification is Schneider Electric’s Data Center Certified Associate (DCCA), an entry-level credential for individuals who design, build and manage data centers as part of a data center-centric IT team.

CNet’s Certified Data Centre Management Professional (CDCMP) and Certified Data Centre Technician Professional (CDCTP) are also worthy of honorable mention. Based in the U.K., these certifications don’t appear in a lot of U.S. job board postings but still deliver solid results from a general Google search.

IT professionals who are serious about advancing their data center careers would do well to check out complementary certifications from our featured vendors. For example, Cisco also offers a number of certifications in data center design and support, including application services, networking infrastructure, storage networking and unified computing. VMware also offers additional data center virtualization certifications worth exploring, including the VMware Certified Advanced Professional 6.5 – Data Center Virtualization Design (VCAP6.5-DCV Design) and the VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX6-DCV). Also, the Dell EMC Proven Professional certification program offers a bevy of data center-focused certifications, including the Dell EMC Implementation Engineer (EMCIE) and the Dell EMC Certified Cloud Architect (EMCCA).

Because of the proliferation of data center virtualization and cloud computing, you can expect the data center networking job market to continue to remain strong soon. Achieving a certification can be a real feather in your cap, opening the door to new and better work opportunities.

Shop Refurbished Tech

Browse through refurbished Dell laptops, tablets, and more for high-performing technology at a fraction of the original cost. There’s no need to wait for a sale when you can find a deal anytime by shopping Dell refurbished. 

Applying your Coupon

To redeem your discount, simply follow these steps:

1. Copy the Dell promotion code to your clipboard and go to the site. 
2. Select the product you want and customize or add accessories if needed.
3. Review your order in the cart when you’re ready to checkout.
4. Locate the “Coupons” box at the top right corner of the cart.
5. Paste the Dell promo code here, and click “Apply” to get your discount!

 For more information on saving and redeeming instructions, check out the Dell website or contact customer service via email or live chat.  

Join Dell Rewards

It’s easy and free to join Dell Rewards! When you shop for laptops, like the latest Dell XPS 13, XPS 15, or Inspiron 15, you can earn 3% back in rewards with free expedited delivery! 

Once you rack up those Dell premier Advantage rewards, you can select from a wide range of Dell monitors, PCs, accessories, and more. You’ll also get early access to sales, exclusive Dell coupon codes, and more just by signing up.

Recycle to Save

When shopping for new Dell computers, consider recycling old devices so they can breathe new life as something different. From unwanted computers to game consoles and ink cartridges, it’s free to recycle your unwanted tech with the Dell trade-in program: print a prepaid shipping label, box up your items, and drop them off at your local mailing center.

Excellent Add-Ons

Now that you’ve picked the perfect laptop, desktop, or tablet, you’ll need accessories to elevate your experience. Shop for Dell diagnostics to help clean up your computer, a Dell laptop docking station for easy charging, or Dell Tech Direct for your business. Choose essential accessories to keep your system running smoothly for years to come. You may also request a Dell warranty check or a renewal to ensure that your products will last. 

Price Match Policy

If you're shopping for Dell laptops or accessories and find a lower price advertised elsewhere, they will match it. Call their toll-free phone number, send them an email, or contact them through live chat, and they’ll walk you through the process.

Dell Black Friday

During Black Friday sales, Dell discounts their top-rated products to help you save big on the latest tech. Score the lowest prices of the year on Dell laptops and much more with free shipping on every order and a quality experience from start to finish. From the classic Inspiron laptop to discounted McAfee Antivirus software, it’s easy to see why Dell Black Friday deals are a must!

How to Access Deals at Dell

Dell often runs special promotions and sitewide sales on its website. If you time it right, you’ll never have to pay the total price for a desktop PC or Dell laptop. The best place to start is on the Deals page, highlighting the best offers and discounts currently on the site. 

From the Deals tab on the homepage menu, you can find discount offers by the department. Filter your search to specify the type of computer you want, such as an XPS 13 or XPS 15 laptop. You can also filter by “highest discount” to find the best deals Dell offers. Follow the other shopping tips below to score a good discount on a computer.

Best Dell Promo Codes

The tech giant constantly offers coupons and promo codes on its laptops and computers; we list them here for convenience. Once you’ve found a Dell coupon code on our site that you want to use, applying it to your purchase is easy. 

Dell discount codes can get you $50, $100, and sometimes more off your purchase of a new computer. We’re sure you can find a code that brings you the best deal you are looking for.

Dell Newsletter

Get notified of sale events and featured promotional codes by signing up for the Dell newsletter. You will be privy to Dell’s hottest deals for shopping holidays, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and annual savings for the Back-to-School shopping season. 

Signing up for Dell’s email is the easiest way to not miss out on its biggest promotions. Receiving email offers is also a great way to keep yourself informed about new products, including gaming laptops and computer accessories. 

Everything Ships for Free at Dell

You’ll never have to pay for shipping when you buy anything at Dell. Free shipping with no minimum is standard whether you are purchasing an Inspiron 15 laptop or a simple low-priced accessory, such as a wireless mouse. In some regions, free two-day delivery is available. Plus, Dell will let you know the estimated delivery dates before you complete your purchase.

If you join the free Rewards program, you will qualify for free expedited shipping on eligible products. Members get 3% back in rewards they can use for future purchases. For example, if you spend $1,100 on a new laptop and monitor, you’ll receive $33 in rewards to apply to a later purchase.

Previous Dell Promo Codes