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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.
Last Update: Jul 24, 2025
When newly installed, Active Directory’s (AD) default configuration is designed to be easy to use. As a result, attackers can exploit AD to take over your entire network with relative ease. Here’s what you can do to further protect your organization by reducing your Active Directory attack surface. Securing beyond the default settings to reduce…
In this episode of Petri Dish, I speak to Michael Masciulli, Managing Director of Migration Products and Services at Semperis, and an expert in transformational IT and Active Directory. He tells me why you should consider consolidating your Active Directory domains, the benefits for organizational security, how to mitigate some of the risks, and how…
Last Update: Mar 05, 2024
This Week in IT, I dig deeper into Microsoft’s recent announcement that Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available for small and medium sized businesses, I’ll look at how Copilot for Microsoft 365 differs from the free version of Copilot, and whether you should consider spending $30/user for the additional features Copilot for M365 brings…
This Week in IT, I look at the new features expected to be part of the Windows 11 Moment 5 update due in February. Plus, Microsoft Teams channels are getting a new discover feed, a new secure printing experience is coming to Windows 11, and Windows keyboards are getting a new key for the first…
This Week in IT, our last episode of 2023, I look at three new features and changes in Microsoft Teams that can help you boost productivity. Plus, Microsoft releases a tool to fix a bug that renamed printers, Windows Mixed Reality exits stage left, and Microsoft Authenticator is getting support for passkeys to prevent password…
In the ever-changing world of IT, aligning strategic objectives with evolving user needs and business goals is a formidable challenge, especially in large, multifaceted organizations. In a recent interview on Petri’s UnplugIT podcast, Tim Aberle, a principal IT architect at a Fortune 500 entertainment company, shed light on this intricate process. The insights he provided…
Last Update: Mar 05, 2024
This Week in IT, I look at what’s possibly in store for Windows 12, Bing Chat is now Microsoft Copilot and it’s generally available on a device near you! Plus, we navigate the twists and turns of Windows 10’s end-of-support maze, exploring the alternative options for those not ready to move on. I uncover the…
In this edition of Petri Dish, Petri’s Editorial Director, Russell Smith, talks to Russell Spitler, Co-Founder and CEO of Nudge Security, a leader in cloud and SaaS protection. In this insightful discussion, we explore Nudge Security’s innovative strategies and technologies that are transforming how businesses safeguard their digital assets. Discover how Nudge Security is setting…
This Week in IT, discover how experts from Blackwing HQ uncovered startling Windows Hello fingerprint vulnerabilities on Dell, Lenovo, and Surface laptops. Learn about the flaw and what it means for your device’s security. Plus, Windows 10 is getting a new feature and there are some changes to end of support for Exchange Server 2019….
In this episode of Petri Dish, Petri’s Editorial Director talks to Ram Vaidyanathan, Product Marketer and security expert at ManageEngine, about automation in security operations (SecOps), including machine learning and AI, and how they will affect the security landscape and the products and services companies use to protect data and IT systems. 🔗 Links and…
In this episode of Petri Dish, I speak to Jay Gundotra (CEO and Technical Founder of ENow Software) and Sander Berkouwer (Security Specialist and 15x Microsoft Valuable Professional) about why it is critical to establish an application governance policy for Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). Links and resources 🔗 Check out ENow’s App…
In this episode of Petri Dish, I speak to Jay Gundotra (CEO and Technical Founder of ENow Software) and Sander Berkouwer (Security Specialist and 15x Microsoft Valuable Professional) about what Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is and understanding application consent. Links and resources 🔗 Check out ENow’s App Gov Score for free. 📖…