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Russell Smith
Editorial DirectorRussell Smith, the Editorial Director at Petri IT Knowledgebase, has over two decades of hands-on experience in IT, in both small business settings and government IT infrastructure projects.
Russell started writing for Windows IT Pro Magazine in the early 2000s. Since then, he has contributed insights to various IT publications, including Petri and CDW. His authoritative voice has resonated across industry blogs, where he dissects complex topics into an ‘easy read’.
Russell has authored over a thousand articles, each a testament to his depth of knowledge. His expertise doesn’t stop there: he wrote a book on Privilege Management and co-authored another for Microsoft’s MOAC series. Moreover, Russell’s commitment to education shines through in the courses he crafted for Pluralsight.
He is also presenter on his own YouTube channel, This Week in IT, and the current presenter of Petri Dish.
LATEST
How to Run PowerShell Scripts with Administrative Privileges
Last Update: Nov 12, 2025
- Apr 15, 2014
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Russell Smith
Here are two ways to launch PowerShell scripts with administrative rights when you are logged in using a standard user account.
How to Use Server Manager in Microsoft Azure to Manage Servers
Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
- Apr 15, 2014
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Russell Smith
In this Ask an Admin, learn to use Server Manager in Microsoft Azure and quickly return the default winrm configuration.
How to Configure DNS on a Domain Controller with Two IP Addresses
Last Update: Jun 05, 2025
- Apr 10, 2014
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Russell Smith
In this Ask an Admin, find out how to configure DNS on a Windows Server 2012 DC using two IPv4 addresses.
How to Upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 8.1
Last Update: Jul 09, 2025
- Apr 03, 2014
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Russell Smith
It’s time to make a move! Learn how to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 in this handy tutorial.
Using NTBACKUP to Back Up Windows XP
Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
- Apr 03, 2014
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Russell Smith
In this quick Ask an Admin, discover how to use backup in Windows XP to create a full backup of your PC.
How to Get User and Computer Objects Information with the Active Directory Administrative Center
Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
- Apr 02, 2014
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Russell Smith
Discover where to find useful user and computer objects information in the ADAC.
How to Use the Azure BGInfo Extension on a Windows Server 2012 Virtual Machine
Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
- Apr 02, 2014
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Russell Smith
In this handy Ask an Admin, find out how to use the BGInfo extension for Azure virtual machines to display useful management information on Windows Server 2012 desktops.
Stop or Start VMs in an Windows Azure Subscription Using PowerShell Loop
Last Update: Sep 24, 2024
- Apr 01, 2014
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Russell Smith
Show that Azure who’s boss! Learn to wield wildcards and loops in PowerShell to power on or shut down Windows Azure VMs.
How to Manage a Windows Server 2008 DC Using the Active Directory Administrative Center (ADAC)
Last Update: Dec 03, 2024
- Apr 01, 2014
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Russell Smith
Install the Active Directory Management Gateway on Windows Server 2008 and 2003 and learn to manage them using ADAC and Windows PowerShell Module for AD!
How to Block Specific File Types in Windows Server 2012?
Last Update: May 21, 2025
- Mar 27, 2014
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Russell Smith
In this Ask an Admin, Learn about file screening and how to block certain file types using the File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) in Windows Server 2012.
Why Learn the Active Directory Administrative Center?
Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
- Mar 25, 2014
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Russell Smith
Are you still using the old Microsoft Management Console? Get on board and find out why the Active Directory Administrative Center is superior in this op-ed!
How to Configure Fine-Grained Password Policy in Windows Server 2012 with PowerShell
Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
- Mar 13, 2014
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Russell Smith
In this easy Ask an Admin, learn to create fine-grained password policies using PowerShell in Windows Server 2012.