Chris Amaris

Chris Amaris, MCSE, CISSP/ISSAP, CHS III, is the chief technology officer and cofounder of Convergent Computing. He has more than 20 years experience consulting for Fortune 500 companies, leading companies in the technology selection, design, planning, and implementation of complex information technology projects. Chris has worked with Microsoft System Center products such as Operations Manager and Configuration Manager since their original releases in 2000 and 1994. He specializes in messaging, security, performance tuning, systems management, and migration. A Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) with an Information System Security Architecture Professional (ISSAP) concentration, Certified Homeland Security (CHS III), Windows 2003 MCSE, Novell CNE, Banyan CBE, and a Certified Project Manager, Chris is also an author and technical editor for a number of IT books, including Network Security for Government and Corporate Executives, Exchange 2010 Unleashed, and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Unleashed. Chris presents on messaging, systems management, security, and information technology topics worldwide.

Chris Amaris

Rand Morimoto, Ph.D., MVP, MCITP, CISSP, has been in the computer industry for more than 30 years and has authored, coauthored, or been a contributing writer for dozens of books on Windows, Security, Exchange, BizTalk, and Remote and Mobile Computing. Rand is the president of Convergent Computing, an IT-consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay area that has been one of the key early adopter program partners with Microsoft, implementing the latest Microsoft technologies, including Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, System Center 2012, Windows 7, Exchange Server 2013, Windows Server 2012, and SharePoint 2010 in production environments more than 18 months before the initial product releases.

Michael Noel, MCITP, MVP, is an internationally recognized technology expert, bestselling author, and well-known public speaker on a broad range of IT topics. He authored multiple major industry books that have been translated into more than a dozen languages worldwide. Michael has presented at over one hundred technical and business conferences in more than fifty countries around the world and on all seven continents, including the first ever IT conference in Antarctica. Currently a partner at Convergent Computing (www.cco.com) in the San Francisco Bay area, Michael’s writing and extensive public-speaking experience across all seven continents leverage his real-world expertise in helping organizations realize business value from Information Technology infrastructure.

Guy Yardeni, MCITP, CISSP, MVP, is an accomplished infrastructure architect, author, and overall geek-for-hire. Guy has been working in the IT industry for more than 15 years and has extensive experience designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise technology solutions. Guy is an expert at connecting business requirements to technology solutions and driving to successful completion the technical details of the effort while maintaining overall goals and vision. Guy maintains a widely read technical blog at www.rdpfiles.com and is a Windows MVP.

Omar Droubi, MCSE, MCTS, has maintained a successful career and delivered quality work as a senior Information Technology professional for more than 20 years by keeping current with the latest technological developments and trends. As a writer, he has coauthored several Sams Publishing best-selling books, including Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed, Windows Server 2008 Unleashed, and Windows Server 2008 R2 Unleashed. Omar has also been a contributing writer and technical reviewer on several Microsoft Exchange Server books and publications. He has been deeply involved in testing, designing, and prototyping Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 for the past several years and plans to assist organizations in getting the most out of the latest features included in the products.

Andrew Abbate enjoys the position of principal consultant and partner at Convergent Computing. With nearly 20 years of experience in IT, Andrew’s area of expertise is understanding a business’s needs and translating that to process and technologies to solve real problems. Having worked with companies from the Fortune Ten to companies of 10, Andrew has a unique perspective on IT and a grasp on “big picture” consulting. Andrew has also written eight industry books on varying technologies ranging from Windows to Security to Unified Communications.

Chris Amaris, MCITP, MCTS, CISSP/ISSAP, CHS III, is the chief technology officer and cofounder of Convergent Computing. He has more than 20 years experience consulting for Fortune 500 companies, leading companies in the technology selection, design, planning, and implementation of complex information technology projects. Chris has worked with Microsoft System Center products such as Operations Manager and Configuration Manager since their original releases in 2000 and 1994. He specializes in messaging, security, performance tuning, systems management, and migration. Receiving his first Microsoft technologies certification in 1993, Chris is a current Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) with multiple Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certifications in System Center technologies, a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) with an Information System Security Architecture Professional (ISSAP) concentration, Certified Homeland Security (CHS III), a Novell CNE, a Banyan CBE, and a Certified Project Manager. Chris is also an author, writer, and technical editor for a number of IT books, including System Center 2012 Unleashed, Network Security for Government and Corporate Executives, Exchange 2010 Unleashed , and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Unleashed.

Cameron Fuller

Cameron Fuller, BS, MCSE, OpsMgr MVP, is a Principal consultant for Catapult Systems, an IT consulting company and MIcrosoft Gold Certified Partner in Advanced Infrastructure Solutions. He focuses on management solutions, and serves as the Microsoft Operations Management Champion for Catapult. His fifteen years of infrastructure experience include working with medium to large companies in the retail, education, healthcare, distributing, transportation, and energy industries. Cameron continually focuses on improving his existing business and technical skill sets through hands-on experience and leveraging certifications including an MCSE since NT 3.51, MCSA, A+, Linux+, Server+, and CCSA. Cameron has presented on Operations Manager at events including Microsoft TechEd and the MOM 2005 product launches in Dallas and Tulsa. He is co-author of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 Unleashed.

Cameron Fuller

Kerrie Meyler, MA, BA, MCSE, CNA, is an independent consultant and former trainer with more than 15 years’ experience in IT. While at Microsoft in Field Technical Sales for four years she focused on infrastructure and management, presenting at numerous product launches. She also presented at internal Microsoft conferences and received company recognition and awards including a SPAR MGS award. An MCT for six years, Kerrie worked with Microsoft Learning to develop functional specifications for the 2550: Implementing Microsoft Operations Manager 2000 Microsoft Official Curriculum course and did the beta teach for that course. She also participated in the alpha walkthrough for the 2274: Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment course. As an author, she coauthored an IIS 6.0 Administration book.

Cameron Fuller, BS, MCSE, is a Senior Lead consultant for Catapult Systems, an IT consulting company and Microsoft Gold Certified Partner in Advanced Infrastructure Solutions. He focuses on management solutions, and serves as the Microsoft Operations Management Champion for Catapult. Cameron’s 15 years of infrastructure experience include working with medium to large companies in the retail, education, healthcare, distribution, transportation, and energy industries. Cameron continually focuses on improving his existing business and technical skill sets through hands-on experience and leveraging certifications including an MCSE since NT 3.51, MCSA, A+, Linux+, Server+, and CCSA. Cameron is also a public speaker, co-presenting with Microsoft on MOM 2005 at TechEd and the MOM 2005 product launches in Dallas and Tulsa.

Contributors:

Chris Amaris is chief technology officer and cofounder of Convergent Computing. He has more than 20 years of consulting experience and specializes in security, performance tuning, systems management, migration, and messaging. A prolific book-publishing veteran, Chris has written on Network Security, Windows 2000 Performance Tuning, Windows 2000 Security, Windows Server 2003, and Exchange Server 2003. His certifications include Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Homeland Security (CHS III), MCSE, Novell CNE, Banyan CBE, and Certified Project Manager.

John Joyner, LCDR USN-R, BS, MCSE, is a highly decorated U.S. Navy computer scientist, designing and operating the U.S. Navy’s first Internet-connected aircraft carrier network. Today he is a chief architect at ClearPointe, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Advanced Infrastructure and Security Solutions and a pioneer in the managed service provider industry. John has designed MOM deployments for some of the world’s largest companies, and also is the creator of ClearPointe’s hosted NOC solution, awarded the Central Region Partner of the Year Competency award at the Microsoft 2006 Worldwide Partner Conference.

Alec Minty is a Senior Consultant with Convergent Computing. Alec is a longtime advocate of operations management, systems management, and security technologies. He specializes in designing, implementing, and supporting MOM and SMS infrastructures for a variety of large utility, telecommunications, and engineering organizations. Alec also has experience in the deployment, migration, and integration of other technologies such as Windows, Exchange, Active Directory, ISA, identity management, and SQL Server. He is a contributing author on ISA 2004 Unleashed.

Kerrie Meyler

Garth Jones, System Center Enterprise Client Manager MVP, is chief architect at Enhansoft, an Ottawa-based company that develops products and services to extend the value of System Center Configuration Manager. Garth started working with the product in 1996, when it was known as SMS. He is the founder of the Ottawa Windows Server User Group and its associated study group. In addition to being an active participant in Microsoft’s forums, Garth also participates on OWSUG.ca, SMSug.ca, FAQshop.com, and myITForum.com. He has presented at OWSUG, MMS, EnergizeIT, ITProTeach, and Techdays. Garth also creates webcasts for SMSUG.ca and myITForum.com.

Dan Toll, a System Center Configuration Manager administrator, has worked with different versions of the product starting with SMS 2003. Dan specializes in OS deployment for workstations and servers using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) with ConfigMgr, as well as Configuration Manager reporting. In his current job, Dan is the SME for Configuration Manager as well as the client computing environment, which includes deployment, functionality, and maintenance of systems; their operating systems; applications; patching compliancy; and reporting.

Kerrie Meyler, System Center Cloud and Datacenter Management MVP, is the lead author of numerous System Center books in the Unleashed series, including System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Unleashed (2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Unleashed Supplement (2014), System Center 2012 Service Manager Unleashed (2014), System Center 2012 Operations Manager Unleashed (2013), and System Center 2012 Orchestrator Unleashed (2013). She is an independent consultant with more than 17 years of information technology experience. Kerrie was responsible for evangelizing SMS while a senior technology specialist at Microsoft and has presented on System Center technologies at TechEd and MMS.

Kerrie Meyler

Kerrie Meyler, MVP, is the lead author of numerous System Center books in the Unleashed series, including System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed (2008), System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Unleashed (2009), System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Unleashed (2010), and System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed (2011). She is an independent consultant and trainer with more than 15 years of Information Technology experience. Kerrie was responsible for evangelizing SMS while a Sr. Technology Specialist at Microsoft, and has presented on System Center technologies at TechEd and MMS.