Russell Smith profile picture

Follow Russell

Russell Smith

Editorial Director

Russell 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

Windows 11 PC with Copilot for Windows

Windows 11 Checkpoint Updates: Faster, Smaller, and Smarter!

This Week in IT, Windows 11 is getting more efficient updates, the new Outlook client is due to hit GA August 1st for commercial customers, and Config Refresh is now available for Windows 11. Links and resources Episode Overview In this week’s episode:

View Podcast Episode
PowerShell in Windows Terminal

Unlock the Power: New Microsoft Entra PowerShell Module for Legacy Azure AD

This Week in IT, Microsoft announces the public preview of Microsoft Entra PowerShell module, helping organizations who are still running the old AzureAD cmdlets. Windows 11 versions 21H2 and 22H2 are being retired October 8, 2024. And M365 apps are getting support for the OpenDocument Format version 1.4. Links and resources Episode Overview Microsoft Unveils…

View Podcast Episode
mesh avatars microsoft teams hero

Microsoft Teams Gets Optimized SlimCore Architecture for VDI

This Week in IT, rumors about a new edition of Windows 11 spread on the Internet, no more driver synchronization for WSUS, and Microsoft previews a new optimization architecture for Teams running on VDI. Links and resources Episode Overview In this episode, Russell delves into the fake Windows 11 Government Edition. This rogue software masquerades…

View Podcast Episode
Copilot+ and Windows Recall

Microsoft and Apple’s AI Privacy & Performance Showdown

This Week in IT, I look at some of the differences between Microsoft Copilot+ and Apple Intelligence, focusing on performance and privacy. Plus, DirectAccess is being deprecated and Teams Rooms gets a set of new features. Links and resources Episode Overview Apple Intelligence claims to keep most of the user data on the device, and…

View Podcast Episode
Windows Recall at Build 2024

Unmasking Windows Recall: Microsoft’s Security Overhaul

This Week in IT, I look at changes Microsoft is promising to bring to its controversial AI feature, Windows Recall, that should help calm concerns that the data it collects might be used for nefarious purposes. Links and resources Episode Overview This episode of This Week in IT is about Windows Recall, a new AI…

View Podcast Episode
Datacenter networking servers

Unlocking New Possibilities: Microsoft’s VCF License Mobility Unveiled!

This Week in IT, Microsoft announces license portability for VCF customers, stepping up to an agreement announced between Broadcom and GCP earlier this year. I look at what the new deal involves and how it might help VMware customers. Links and resources In this week’s episode:

View Podcast Episode
Microsoft Team Copilot participating in a meeting

Unlock Productivity: Team Copilot New Features for Microsoft 365

Last Update: Jun 03, 2024

This Week in IT, imagine having a personal assistant for your entire team, automating tasks, managing meetings, and enhancing collaboration effortlessly. Microsoft’s announced a big update to Copilot, which is based on OpenAI’s ChatGPT, that is set to supercharge team productivity. Thank you to Semperis for sponsoring this episode of This Week in IT. Download…

View Podcast Episode
Surface device performance compared to Apple M3 MacAir

Unleash the Power of AI with NEW ‘Apple-Beating’ PC Hardware

This Week in IT, Microsoft announces new Surface PCs with Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips that are set to rival and even beat Apple’s M3 SoC. Plus, there are 20 new Windows on Arm devices being launched this summer by partners and a new Windows AI feature that is already causing controversy. Thank…

View Podcast Episode
Image of a calendar and information from Microsoft Places

Revolutionize Teamwork: Discover Microsoft’s Places App for Hybrid Teams!

This Week in IT, I look at a new Microsoft Places app that it promises will help solve flexible work challenges for hybrid teams. The app lets you build connections and improve workplace experiences with intelligent technology, creating a hybrid work environment that’s responsive, cheaper to manage, and that gets results for your team. Thank…

View Podcast Episode
A computer screen with email messages

Microsoft Announces Big Changes for On-Premises Exchange Server

This Week in IT, I cover everything you need to know about Microsoft’s new edition of Exchange Server, which is due to launch in 2025. Exchange Server will follow a similar path to on-premises SharePoint and the new edition will also bring with it some new features. Thank you to Semperis for sponsoring this episode…

View Podcast Episode
Security hero image

Unlocking MSP Security Secrets: Shifting Customer Conversations for Maximum Impact!

Discover the secrets of transforming security from a cost center to a value driver with Harpreet Duggal, the Global Head of Product & Enterprise Marketing at SkyKick. We learn how SkyKick is helping its 30,000 M365 cloud partners to navigate the security space. Gain exclusive insights on how MSPs can shift customer conversations to highlight…

View Podcast Episode
Microsoft OneDrive

OneDrive and Dropbox Leave Google Behind with New Offline and Collaboration Features

This Week in IT, there’s an announcement about Dropbox integration with Microsoft 365 that leaves Google Drive without a major feature that’s in demand among Microsoft 365 users. Plus, Microsoft delivers on promises they made last year, bringing OneDrive web integration with the offline sync client for Chrome-based browsers. Thank you to Semperis for sponsoring…

View Podcast Episode
Go to page