Chris Amaris

Chris Amaris is the chief technology office and cofounder of Convergent Computing, a Bay Area consulting firm specializing in security, performance tuning, network/systems management, infrastructure migration, and messaging. He has more than twenty years of experience consulting for Fortune 500 companies, leading companies in the technology selection, design, planning, and implementation of complex Information Technology projects.

Omar Droubi

Omar Droubi has been in the computer and networking industry for more than 9 years and has worked as a consultant assisting small, medium and large organizations introduce and manage Microsoft Technologies ranging from directory services, messaging systems, databases, Virtual Private Networks and Firewalls. Omar's specialties include designing scalable Windows based networks that are focused on meeting clients' computing and networking requirements. Omar is an expert at integrating Windows systems or migrating to Windows 2003 Active Directory from Novell NetWare, Unix, and Banyan Vines. Omar is not only a skilled designer and implementer of the Windows Server 2003 family of products, but he is also a qualified and certified Microsoft trainer (MCT). Omar is an MSCE and has been a contributing writer on a Microsoft Exchange 2000 book and on occasion has written material for Microsoft focused on Windows 2000 server integration and optimization.

Ross Mistry

Ross Mistry is a Principal Consultant with Convergent Comupting (CCO), and has been working with SQL Server 2005 since the first alpha versions.

Rand Morimoto

Rand Morimoto has been in the computer industry for over 25 years and has authored, co-authored, or been a contributing writer for more than a dozen books on Windows 2000, Security, Exchange 2000, BizTalk Server, and Remote and Mobile Computing. Rand is the President of Convergent Computing, an IT-consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay Area that was one of the key early adopter program partners with Microsoft implementing beta versions of Windows Server 2003 in production environments over two years before the product release. Besides speaking at over 50 conferences and conventions around the world in the past year on tips, tricks, and best practices on planning, migrating, and implementing Windows Server 2003, Rand is also a special advisor to the Whitehouse on cyber-security and cyber-terrorism.

Read Rand's blog on the NetworkWorld.com Microsoft Subnet site.

Michael Noel

Michael Noel is an internationally recognized technology expert, bestselling author, and well known public speaker on a broad range of IT topics. He has authored several major best-selling industry books that have been translated into over a dozen languages. Significant titles include SharePoint 2007 Unleashed, Teach Yourself SharePoint 2007 in 10 Minutes, Windows Server 2008 Unleashed, ISA Server 2006 Unleashed, Exchange Server 2007 Unleashed, and many more. Currently a partner at Convergent Computing in the San Francisco Bay Area, Michael's writings and extensive public speaking experience across six continents leverage his real-world expertise helping organizations realize business value from Information Technology infrastructure.