Contributing Authors

Conrad H. Agramont Jr. is a Partner Technology Specialist with Microsoft, where he focuses on technical readiness for Microsoft Infrastructure Partners focusing on the small to midmarket enterprises. Conrad was previously the Senior Architect for a Microsoft Gold Partner, where he was responsible for product planning, software architecture, and technical evangelism, focusing on service providers worldwide. He was also a Program Manager at Microsoft, driving hosting scenarios and architecting components for the Microsoft Provisioning System, Microsoft Solutions for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration, and Windows-Based Hosting 3.0. Conrad has more than 10 years of experience working in the Microsoft automation and hosting space, speaking at public events, and publishing articles in magazines. He is also an active blogger, focusing on many Microsoft-related topics. His blog can be found at http://agramont.net/

Timothy Blum (MCDBA, MCTS, MCITP) is the senior database administrator at HighPoint Solutions, LLC, which provides business and technology solutions to the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry. He currently provides senior-level strategic and technical consulting to HighPoint Solutions’ clients in the northeast region of the U.S. His specialties include Microsoft SQL Server design and implementation, Integration Services, Data Transformation Services, Analysis Services, business intelligence architecture and design, and database tuning. During his 15 years working in the IT industry, Timothy has held positions as a senior SQL Server database administrator, PICK database administrator, Oracle database developer, and a C++, VB, ASP, and UNIX Business Basic programmer for companies such as CEI Network, DDS Ltd, and ECC Management Services.

Kevvie Fowler is the manager of managed security services at Emergis Inc., where he is responsible for the delivery of specialized security and incident response services. Kevvie has more than 10 years of professional information security and IT experience within development, database, and host/network platforms. In 2007, Kevvie was a featured presenter at the Black Hat USA security conference, where he presented his ground-breaking research on SQL Server database forensics. Kevvie is a GIAC Gold Certified Forensic Analyst, and he holds several other certifications, including CISSP, MCTS, MCSD, MCDBA, and MCSE.

Raymond Arthur Gabriel (MCSD, MCAD, MCSD .Net) formed a consulting practice, Integrated MicroSystems Design Corp. (www.imicrodev.net), in 1989 to provide technical consulting services as an application architect and solution developer. He has 20 years of experience in IT, including full life-cycle experience with multitier Windows and Web application development.

Raymond holds an associate’s degree in electronic engineering from the Cleveland Institute of Electronics and is a member of the IEEE. He currently resides in Chester County, PA, with his wife, Sharon, whose support is an eternal source of great encouragement.

Twan Grotenhuis (MCT, MCSE NT4, 2000 and 2003, MCSE+messaging 2000 and 2003, MCSE+security 2000 and 2003, CCNA) is a consultant with Sylis Netherlands. He currently provides strategic and technical consulting to several customers of Sylis in the Netherlands. His specialties include Microsoft Exchange and ISA architecture, design, implementation, troubleshooting, and optimization. Twan has been involved in several major Exchange implementation and migration projects where designing the new messaging infrastructure was his main focus.

K. Brian Kelley (MCSE, GSEC, Security+) is a systems architect for AgFirst Farm Credit Bank. At AgFirst he provides infrastructure and security guidance with respect to Windows-based technologies, including Active Directory, Internet Information Server, and Microsoft SQL Server. Brian, author of Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring, is a regular columnist and blogger at SQLServerCentral.com, where he focuses primarily on SQL Server security. He is also a frequent contributor to SQL Server Standard Magazine. Brian’s background includes stints with BellSouth as a systems administrator and with the United States Air Force as a communications/computer systems officer in a multitude of IT-related roles.

Brian holds bachelor’s degrees from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, and is a member of the Professional Association of SQL Server (PASS), the SQL Server Worldwide Users Group, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and the Association for Computing Machinery. He is also active in the Midlands PASS chapter, an official PASS chapter for South Carolina. Brian currently resides in Columbia, SC, with his family.

Matt Shepherd (CISSP, MCSE, MCDBA, GCFW, CEH) is a consultant in the Security and Privacy Division at Project Performance Corporation of McLean, VA. Matt uses his experience as a network administrator, IT manager, and security architect to deliver high-quality solutions for Project Performance Corporation’s clients in the public and private sector. Matt holds bachelor’s degrees from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and he is currently working on his master’s of science in information assurance.

Robert McLaws is a technology writer from Mesa, AZ. He currently resides in northern Phoenix, where he works as a contract software consultant. He started a Web site called LonghornBlogs.com in October 2003. The site, now called Windows-Now (www.windows-now.com/default.aspx), has received several awards, including PC Magazine’s Top 100 Sites of 2004 and CMP Media’s Top 10 Tech Blogs of 2005.

Henrik Walther (Exchange MVP, MCSE Messaging/Security) is a senior consultant working for Interprise Consulting A/S (a Microsoft Gold Partner) based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Henrik has more than 14 years of experience in the IT business, where he primarily works with Microsoft Exchange, ISA Server, MOM, IIS, clustering, Active Directory, and virtual server technologies.

In addition to his job as a senior consultant, Henrik runs the Danish Web site Exchange-faq.dk. He is also the primary content creator, forums moderator, and newsletter editor at the leading Microsoft Exchange site, MSExchange.org. Henrik is the author of CYA: Securing Exchange Server 2003 & Outlook Web Access (Syngress Publishing), and he has been a reviewer on several other messaging books (including another Exchange 2007 book).

Gene Whitley (MBA, MCSE, MCSA) is the President of SiGR Solutions (www.sigrsolutions.com), a systems integrator and value-added reseller in Charlotte, NC. He entered into the systems integration and value-added reseller industry in 1995, and in 2005, he started his own company, SiGR Solutions, which provides services and product procurement for businesses of all sizes, including Fortune 1000 companies.

Gene started his IT career in 1992 with Microsoft, earning his MCP in 1993 and MCSE in 1994. He has been the lead consultant and project manager on numerous Active Directory and Exchange migration projects for companies throughout the U.S. When not working, he spends his time with his wife and best friend, Samantha. Gene holds an MBA from Winthrop University and a BSBA in Management Information Systems from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.