About

Hi! Welcome to my blog, providing you the finest mostly-accurate technical information, with a heaping side of opinion, since 2000!

A small bit about me: I’m a product and technology expert specializing in the Microsoft ecosystem. I’m an instrument-rated multi-engine private pilot and keep myself busy by learning to cook, flying whenever I can, and indulging my triathlon hobby. I’ve been a Mac user since 1984, a triathlete since 2014, Microsoft MVP for Exchange since 2002, and a father since 1995. I have three sons, three jobs (my real job: senior director of product management for Keepit; moonlighting: writer for Practical 365 and other fine web outlets), two beagles, one bike, and one cat.

The below list contains almost all of my print publication work; I may have left a couple of things out, but it should capture the majority of interesting stuff.

• Author, Office 365 for IT Pros. Part of the writing team for the best-selling guide to managing Office 365 and its ecosystem.
• Author, Exam Ref 70-341 Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 (MCSE) (March 2015, Microsoft Press.) Cowritten with Bhargav Shukla, this book is a complete guide to the material on the 70-341 MCSE exam. If you know what that means, you know why you need this.
• Author, Exchange 2013 Inside Out: Clients, Connectivity, and UM (October 2013, Microsoft Press.) The title tells you exactly what’s in it: transport, CAS, unified messaging, and lots more to do with those three topics.
• Technical reviewer, Exchange 2013 Inside Out: Mailbox and High Availability (September 2013, Microsoft Press). Based on Tony Redmond’s award-winning Exchange 2010 Inside Out, this book covers the fundamental components of Exchange 2013, including the mailbox role, the Exchange Admin Center, and the Exchange Management Shell.
• Senior Contributing Editor, Windows IT Pro magazine from 1998-present.Wrote a ton of feature articles, stories, and columns on Windows, Exchange, security, mobile devices, and even a review of the TiVo (sadly now lost to history) back before anyone had heard of it.
• Technical reviewer, The iOS 5 Developer’s Cookbook(Addison-Wesley; ISBN 0321832078; January 2012). This was a fun book to work on because it had actual code. I learned quite a bit about iOS development from it.
• Technical editor, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Inside Out (Microsoft Press; ISBN 0735640610; December 2010). This book has won multiple awards from the Society for Technical Communications, no thanks to my editing… but it is an excellent book.
• Technical editor, Data Protection for Virtual Datacenters(Wiley; ISBN 9780470572146; August 2010).
• Co-author (with Missy Koslosky and Devin Ganger), Exchange Server Cookbook (O’Reilly & Associates; ISBN 0596007175; August 2004.) Hands-on, prescriptive guide to administering and managing Exchange 2000/2003 servers. Heavy emphasis on scripting and automation. First, and last, time I’ve written a book with coworkers.
• Author, Secure Messaging with Microsoft Exchange 2003(Microsoft Press; ISBN 0735618763; April 2004). Updated and expanded edition covering new communication, server, and network security features in Exchange 2003. (Note to publishers: it’s probably about time for another Exchange-centric security book, hint hint.)
• Author, Secure Messaging with Microsoft Exchange(Microsoft Press; ISBN 0735618763; February 2003). Comprehensive guide to server, communications, and network security for Microsoft Exchange 2000.
• Author, Managing The Windows 2000 Registry(O’Reilly & Associates; ISBN 1565929438; August 2000.) Administrator-level guide to understanding, using, maintaining, and fixing the Windows 2000 registry.
• Author, MCSE: Windows 2000 Network Administration Study Guide(Sybex; ISBN 078212755X; August 2000.) Administrator-level guide to understanding, using, maintaining, and fixing the Windows 2000 registry. This content morphed into a whole series of spinoffs as it was broken apart, rearranged, and included in other books.
• Author, Remote Access 24Seven(Sybex; ISBN 078212531X; August 1999.) Detailed technical reference for administrators who need to add or maintain remote access capability to their LANs and WANs. Part of the “24Seven” series.
• Author, Managing Exchange Server(O’Reilly & Associates; ISBN 1565925459.) Administrator-level guide to understanding, planning, deploying, maintaining, and troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5. Of all my books, this is my favorite: it was the most profitable and the one for which I got the most positive feedback.
• Coauthor (with Walter Glenn), Exchange Server 5.5 MCSE Study Guide(IDG Books Worldwide; ISBN 0764531115). Study guide for Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 MCSE exam (70-081). Favorite thing about this book: the marketing blurb that asks “Do you fantasize about leading a life of glamour and riches as a certified systems engineer?” Well, of course– I mean, who doesn’t?
• Author, Managing The Windows NT Registry (O’Reilly & Associates; ISBN 1565923782.) Administrator-level guide to understanding, using, maintaining, and fixing the NT registry. This was my first project with O’Reilly, so I will always have a soft spot for it… except for the cover animal.
• Author, Jazz Up Your Web Site In A Weekend (ISBN 0761511377; Prima Publishing; June 1997) Friendly beginner-level guide to spicing up Web pages with graphics, animation, sound, Java, and ActiveX. No idea why David Karlins, whom I’ve never met, is listed as a coauthor.
• Author, Windows NT Server 4.0 Administrator’s Guide (ISBN 0761507515; Prima Publishing, November 1996.) In-depth technical reference covering planning, installing, and managing small and large-scale networks of Windows NT Server computers. My first real solo project. Thanks to Jenny Watson for giving me the chance! (This was also the first of my books to have a hardcover edition.)
• Contributing or co-author for more than a dozen Macmillan Computer Publishing titles, including Special Edition Using Netscape 4, Special Edition Using Windows 95, Special Edition Using Microsoft Foundation Classes & Active Template Library, and Building Internet Applications With Visual C++.