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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 02, 2025
Russell Smith shows you how to configure Operations Management Suite’s Update Compliance to monitor Windows updates.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
Russell Smith outlines two new features of Azure Active Directory Connect, Seamless Single Sign-On and Pass-Through Authentication.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
In today’s Ask the Admin, Russell Smith shows you how to shut down a remote workgroup computer using PowerShell.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
Windows Server 2016 is joining the Insider Program this summer.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
In today’s Ask the Admin, I will show you how to set up Windows 10 to bypass the lock screen.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
Microsoft announces that the Windows Subsystem for Linux is coming to Windows Server 2016 at Build 2017.

Last Update: May 24, 2025
Find out what auditing features are available in Azure Active Directory.

Last Update: Jun 06, 2025
Learn how to customize the taskbar in Windows 10 Anniversary Update using Group Policy.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
Russell Smith shows you how to use Windows Update for Business policy settings to create deployment rings for Windows 10 Feature Updates.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
Russell Smith shows you how to get up and running quickly with Device Guard in Windows 10 Enterprise.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
Find out how Windows Update for Business makes it easier for organizations to keep Windows 10 patched and up-to-date.

Last Update: Sep 04, 2024
Russell Smith discusses the key differences between AppLocker and Device Guard in Windows 10.