Petri Dish
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- Petri Dish
Russell Smith hosts Petri Dish, a podcast for Microsoft system engineers and administrators looking to keep up to date with the latest trends in IT.
Latest Episode: From NASA to the White House: How WordPress VIP Protects High-Risk, High-Traffic Websites
Petri Dish Episodes
Zulip – The Open-Source Team Chat That Puts You in Control
In this episode, I sit down with Alya Abbott, Chief Operating Officer of Zulip, the open-source team chat platform that’s changing the way organizations communicate. Alya shares how Zulip stands apart from competitors like Slack and Teams, offering organizations true data ownership, flexible self-hosting, and powerful topic-based threading for organized, efficient collaboration. The conversation is...
Cayosoft Guardian Protector Is Changing IAM Security for Everyone. And It’s Free!
What if you could protect your organization from the latest AD and Entra ID threats without expensive tools or complicated setups? In this interview, I talk to Dmitry Sotnikov and Craig Birch, about how Cayosoft’s free, agentless Guardian Protector tool is changing the game for organizations on a budget. Discover how Guardian Protector provides instant threat and change alerts,...
Data-Centric Security: The Mindset Shift Every CIO Needs
How is AI reshaping the world of data security and compliance? In this episode of Petri Dish, industry experts break down the latest trends from the Kiteworks 2025 Data Security and Compliance Risk Report, revealing why visibility, data sovereignty, and the human factor are now at the heart of enterprise risk. Discover how organizations are...
How 75,000+ Orgs Secure the Cloud: Inside Maester & Other Free Tools
In this episode of Petri Dish, I talk to Merill Fernando, Principal Product Manager for Entra at Microsoft, and we discover how his free community tools, like Maester, are helping over 75,000 organizations automate security checks, prevent misconfigurations, and visualize complex policies. Learn insider tips on Zero Trust Security, open source collaboration, and the future...
Unraveling the Salesloft Drift Breach: Insights from Nudge Security’s CTO
In this episode of Petri Dish, CTO and Co-Founder of Nudge Security Jaime Blasco, provides an in-depth analysis of the recent Salesloft Drift breach, highlighting vulnerabilities in SaaS OAuth integrations and the sophisticated tactics used by threat actors. This discussion is a must-watch for IT professionals looking to understand the evolving landscape of cyberthreats and...
Become an Integration Hero in Less Than 3 Hours with Connecting Software
In today’s episode of Petri Dish, we sit down with Thomas Berndorfer, CEO of Connecting Software, to discuss the innovative solutions his company offers for seamless data integration and synchronization. Thomas shares the journey of Connecting Software, the development of their flagship product Connect Bridge, and how it empowers developers and IT professionals to become...
Meet Reclaim AI: The Intelligent Calendar Assistant
In this episode of Petri Dish, Russell interviews Henry Shapiro, co-founder of Reclaim AI. Reclaim AI helps users manage their schedules in Google Calendar and Outlook by synchronizing multiple calendars and automating tasks like scheduling, rescheduling, and prioritizing events to improve productivity and work-life balance. Henry also discusses the challenges faced developing features for Outlook...
Windows 11 Reimagined: Stardock’s Secret to Supercharging User Productivity
In this episode of Petri Dish, Russell talks to Brad Sams, General Manager at Stardock, about Windows 11, its initial challenges, and the solutions offered by Stardock’s software products to enhance user experience. The conversation touches on the evolution of Windows 11 and the role of Stardock in addressing user needs. Episode overview
Transforming Work with AI: Stephen Rose on Microsoft Copilot’s Latest Updates
In this episode of Petri Dish, Russell welcomes Stephen Rose, a modern work and AI consultant formerly with Microsoft. They discuss Microsoft’s recent announcement regarding Copilot and the Spring Wave 2 features. Episode overview Microsoft Copilot overview Copilot aims to integrate AI tools into everyday work processes, allowing users to search using natural language. The...
The Future of Identity and Access Management with Bob Bobel (Cayosoft)
In this episode of Petri Dish, Petri’s Editorial Director, Russell Smith, talks to Cayosoft CEO and founder Bob Bobel about managing complexity in Identity and Access Management (IAM) and the future of the IAM space.
Simplifying IT: How Action1 Is Changing Patch Management Forever
In this episode of Petri Dish, Mike Walters, President and co-founder of patch management solution Action1, shares his journey from co-founding Netwrix to reinventing patch management with Action1. Mike explains why he and his partner decided to create Action1 and how it is growing to become a game-changer in the patch-management space. Mike discusses the...
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...