Mark is a former electronic design technologist turned Microsoft and IBM SoftLayer cloud geek spending many years designing deploying and supporting software and hardware technology in the corporate and small business world. As course director for Global Knowledge (GK), Mark developed and taught many technical seminars including Configuring Active Directory Services, Configuring Group Policy, and Cloud and Virtualization Essentials. Mark also developed courseware for the Microsoft Official Curriculum 2008 stream; Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2008 Network Services, and Active Directory Services. Mark is a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), and holds certifications in 2008 (MCTS), 2012 (MCSA), and Windows 8.1 and Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center 2012 R2. Mark is also currently a technical evangelist for IBM SoftLayer and teaches both the SoftLayer Fundamentals, and SoftLayer Design classes worldwide. He is also a Technology Associate with the Cloud Credential Council and teaches Cloud Essentials and Virtualization Essentials throughout North America. Mark also develops IBM SoftLayer webinars on all things cloud for IBM SoftLayer Marks’ published books include Windows 2003 Registry for Dummies, and Windows System Policies, Administering SMS 3.0, and Administering Active Directory for McGraw Hill. Current fieldwork includes ongoing training and consulting services at many corporate customers throughout North America including: Ernst and Young, Shell, IBM, Mutual Life Insurance, the US Army, and Bell Canada. When Mark is not involved with technology he is involved with music. He is an avid composer and performs with several eclectic folk bands.