How Reader Feedback Improves the Petri IT Knowledgebase

Not long ago we asked Petri IT Knowledgebase readers to provide us feedback on what you liked (and didn’t like) about the content we offer. Nearly 700 readers responded, and all of that excellent feedback helped give us insight into what type of content you’d like to see us publish. Here are some of the more noteworthy bits of feedback that we received:

• 48% of respondents visit our site for the articles, while 49% of you drop by for the articles and our forums
• More than 88% are using Microsoft products and services, while 46% are using VMware offerings* (*Noteworthy because VMware primarily makes only virtualization products and services)
• A whopping 87% of respondents voted our how-to articles as the most popular content type
• Coverage of Windows Server products was voted the favorite topic area (70%) by readers, followed closely by Active Directory (65%), virtualization (62%), and networking (58%) topics

The Petri IT Knowledgebase is known for our robust assortment of Windows Server-related content, and our survey results clearly indicate that readers feel the same way. Here’s some of the data from that last bullet-point in visual form:

So based on the results of our reader survey, as well as all of the feedback we’ve received over the months via email, Facebook, Twitter, and our other social media channels, I’m pleased to announce some exciting new changes and additions we’ll be making to the site.

Introducing Aidan Finn, Russell Smith, and Niklas Akerlund
We heard readers loud and clear when it came to the type of content you wanted, and Windows Server coverage and how-to articles topped the list. That’s why we’re doubling down on our Windows Server coverage by hiring more bloggers and dramatically increasing our content budget. I’m happy to introduce Windows Server experts Aidan Finn and Russell Smith as regular bloggers for the Petri IT Knowledgebase, and the addition of Niklas Akerlund as a regular writer.

Aidan Finn (@joe_elway) is a Microsoft MVP with virtual machine (Hyper-V) expertise who has worked in IT since 1996. He posts regularly at his AidanFinn.com blog, and has authored (or co-authored) several books on Windows Server 2012, Hyper-V, and private cloud deployment. Aidan will be focusing primarily on Windows Server virtualization and private cloud topics.

Russell Smith (@smithrussell) has more than a dozen years of experience in IT , and has written regularly for a number of other IT publications, including Windows IT Pro and CDW’s Biztech Magazine. Russell has authored a book on Windows IT security and co-authored another for Microsoft’s Official Academic Course products. Russell will write about Active Directory, security, and other general Windows Server administration topics.

Last and certainly not least, Niklas Akerlund (@vNiklas) is an MCSE for private cloud, was awarded the VMware vExpert title in 2012, and is a regular speaker at European tech conferences. Niklas joins us to write about VMware and Microsoft virtualization and private cloud topics.

So I hope you’ll join me in welcoming Aidan, Russell, and Niklas to the Petri IT Knowledgebase family, and stay tuned for more updates. We’ll be adding more content, more authors, and more content areas in the near future. So keep that reader feedback coming!

Have any other feedback on our site, or would like to say hello to our new authors? Drop me an email with your thoughts.

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