Derek Melber

MCSA/MCSE 70-270 Exam Cram 2: Windows XP ProfessionalAbout the Authors

Dan Balter is the Chief Technology Officer for InfoTechnology Partners, Inc., a Microsoft Certified Partner company. He works as an IT consultant and trainer for both corporate and government clients and has worked with several network operating systems throughout his 22-year career. Dan prides himself on tackling complex, technical topics and making them understandable for people. Dan is a Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST), a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) on Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, and a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003. He specializes in Microsoft networking technologies, firewalls, VPNs, and other security solutions in addition to designing and implementing messaging and business solutions for small- to medium-sized organizations.

Dan is the author of Exam Cram 2: Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment and a coauthor for the best-selling books Exam Cram 2: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Windows XP Operating System and Exam Cram 2: Windows 2000 Professional, all published by Que Certification. A graduate of USC's School of Business in 1983, Dan has authored and been featured in more than 300 video- and CD-ROM-based computer training courses, including instructional titles on installing, configuring, and administering Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. He is also a featured video trainer for courses on Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Outlook, and Intuit's QuickBooks small business accounting software. Dan is also a partner in BlastThroughLearning.com, a self-paced multimedia computer training provider.

Dan and his family live in the Santa Rosa Valley area in Southern California, near the city of Camarillo. Dan lives with his lovely wife, Alison, their 9-year-old daughter, Alexis, their 6-year-old son, Brendan, and their golden retriever, Brandy. When he's not writing, researching, or consulting, Dan enjoys traveling and going on Disney cruises with his family, swimming, playing racquetball and basketball, rooting for the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team and the L.A. Lakers, going for long walks, listening to music, and exploring new age spirituality. Dan can be contacted via email at Dan@InfoTech-Partners.com.

Derek Melber is an independent technical trainer, consultant, and author who specializes in Microsoft products and technologies. Derek has written many books on Windows Active Directory, Group Policy Objects, Active Directory security, Windows security, and other Windows topics.

Derek also runs a website, http://www.auditingwindows.com, which is dedicated to Windows Security and Auditing. There you will find the only books on Auditing Windows Security. The site is full of great information, links, and custom training options.

If Group Policy is your quest, pick up Derek's latest administrators book, which is the Group Policy Guide. This is one of the books in the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit.

You might run into Derek at a conference where he is speaking. Derek speaks at TechMentor, IIA, MISTI, and other specialized conferences throughout the USA and Canada. He focuses on Active Directory, Group Policy Objects, security, and auditing security.

Derek provides custom and off-the-shelf training on all the topics on which he speaks and writes. To get more information, please email him at derekm@braincore.net.