The World According to Mitch

The day to day ramblings of an IT Professional (and so much more…)

About

I suppose it is that time again…

I started blogging over fifteen years ago, and it has been nearly twenty years since I started writing articles for mass-consumption. When I started, I was living in Montreal. Since then, I have moved to Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Ottawa, and then south of the border to a number of areas around Los Angeles (most recently Westlake Village, California), and finally (for now) back to Burlington, Ontario. It has been an amazing journey that has not been boring. Since launching The World According to Mitch, I have had the honour of consulting and delivering training and seminars in 38 states, 8 provinces, and over 35 countries on five continents. What a long, strange trip it’s been!

What started as a simple blog on the Montreal IT Professionals Community site has evolved into a repository of over a thousand articles, videos, and more relating to IT, community, travel, martial arts, and more. If you are among the thousands of readers then you will know that my blog is a good way to get to know me… and through your comments I hope to get to know you too!

A bit about myself… well, let me start by saying that I am an IT Professional who has been doing this a long time. I got into training and then into evangelism for Microsoft over the course of several years, and have been loving every minute of it! Okay, maybe not EVERY minute, but most of them. I consider myself one of the lucky ones because I love what I do, and I am passionate about my profession.

In November, 2010 I re-launched this site, rebranded and re-homed. In that month I welcomed 1,500 visitors to the site. We started gaining traction in 2011 (26,000 hits) and thought we had outdone ourselves in 2012 (101,000 hits). Now with several awards to our name The World According to Mitch is on target to hit nearly 200,000 hits in 2013… all thanks to you, my visitors.

Another passion of mine has always been cigars; I decided, rather than meshing the two together, to build a second, separate blog site called Passion For Cigars.

My mother once commented that the title of this blog is an ego-boost. Not so. In fact, the truth is the name was a play on the movie title ‘The World According to Garp‘ which was playing in the background as I migrated the site off the original www.mitpro.ca blog back in 2007. I thought it was a temporary name, but it seems to have stuck.

And me? I am not stuck anywhere. My blogging focus will often shift according to the types of projects I am working on at any given point. My current focus is Microsoft 365 and the cloud. Stay tuned for changes coming up!

Thanks for coming along for the ride… it wouldn’t be the same without you!

-Mitch

Even when rising from humble beginnings it is best to remain humble… (garvis.ca)

29 responses to “About”

Steve

November 16, 2011 at 3:08 pm

Hi Mitch,

I just completed the course you taught today regarding WIndows 7 and Office 2010 deployment. My name is Steve . I forgot the reference material (6 Modules and lab book) at TekSource. Would you happen to know if I can get those mailed to me? I can be contacted at

Thanks,

Steve

Reply
1. Mitch Garvis
  
  November 16, 2011 at 3:10 pm
  
  Steve I will be handing the material to Audrey at the front desk. You can get in touch with her to arrange shipping. Thanks for coming! -M
  
  Reply
Karina

July 13, 2012 at 4:27 am

Hi Mitch!
I’m representing Veeam Software Company (www.veeam.com) and first of all I’d like to thank you for paying attention in your article to our company and its products.
Could you link this article https://garvis.ca/2012/06/18/free-backup-utility-for-virtualization-environments/ company and products are mentioned with official Veeam’s site? The most appropriate page is http://www.veeam.com/virtual-machine-backup-solution-free.html – it is a description of the product “Veeam Backup Free Edition for VMware and Hyper-V”.

If it is possible, please, change phrase and set the link in your article http://bquot.com/dem from words: “free software backup” to http://www.veeam.com/virtual-machine-backup-solution-free.html like that:

“This exciting new free software backup includes the functionality from FastSCP—the essential tool for managing VM and host files, plus:”

I will be grateful, if it is possible to make such changes.

Kind regards,
Karina Yusupova

Internet Marketing Specialist | Veeam Software | http://www.veeam.com | Karina.Yusupova@veeam.com

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Pete Held

November 1, 2012 at 2:32 pm

Hi Mitch
I was at your Windows 2012 Introduction in Calgary Yesterday. (Oct 31 2012). I very much enjoyed the course and when I got home I spent the evening destroying my VMware test lab and rebuilding everything in Hyper-V. Thanks for the information.

… since I know you couldn’t have memorized everyone’s name… you might remember me as “tall guy with a cane.” Lol…

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Alwin

November 22, 2012 at 8:05 pm

Hi Mitch,

Thanks for the awesome presentation at the Windows 8 Launch party at Yorkdale, although our feet hurt after standing for 2 hours, we still made it to the end! Hu..Ha!

I have tried to register for the Office 365 contest here but have failed – what’s up with the “Cell” number during registration (after loging into windows live) and the code that we are to enter – I don’t have a cell number, well isn’t that wierd/funny – well it’s NOT (i tell you the whole story if you wish, not here though…)

Can you let me know an alternative way, if possible – I would like “in” on some of the fune here…

Thanks.

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1. Mitch Garvis
  
  December 14, 2012 at 4:51 pm
  
  Sorry Alwin… I understand that is a requirement, and MOST people do have cell phones these days. You could use a friend’s phone to get around it… -M
  
  Reply
Nkwocha Uzochi Christina

January 16, 2013 at 6:09 am

can i know the equivalent of MCTS in degree level

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Brian Jensen

February 20, 2013 at 1:27 pm

Hi Mitch,

My name is Brian Jensen and I work with Dell. I stumbled onto your site recently and have enjoyed the content and great information! It looks like you know your stuff and get around.

I was actually curious about a couple of things – first, I was hoping to see if you ever except guest posts on your site. I’m always looking to build relationships with other well rated sites and their communities.

Also, I’m not sure if you have a resource page or list of links (I haven’t found one) that you provide to your readers for broad range IT questions (this also might interest you if you are not already involved in the community) ITNinja – http://www.itninja.com/ – is a great resource site that’s basically a free community driven database where IT professionals come to share tips, tricks and processes.

I would love to know your thoughts on this and what you think of the site. Please feel free to email me at anytime.

Thanks for your time,

Brian Jensen
Dell LEP

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Paul

April 5, 2013 at 1:03 pm

Hi Mitch

I see that you’re going to be in Hartford on April 10 to teach Auditing Virtualization. Is there a website with your schedule? I wanted to see where this class was going to be taught in the future. I just need to make arrangements with my company.

Thanks.

Reply
1. Mitch Garvis
  
  April 5, 2013 at 2:43 pm
  
  Hi Paul,
  Thanks for your interest! I do not publish my schedule but if you let me know where you are I will let you know when I will be close! -M
  
  Reply
Bruce Fraser

May 14, 2013 at 7:41 pm

Hi Mitch,

We met on the airplane going from Toronto to Vancouver back at the end of April. When I saw you using your Nokia Windows 8 Phone, I commented about it not being able to sync with Outlook. You were shocked and said, “Of course it can.”
I replied, saying I would look up my source for that, and report back to you. Well, I’ve looked, and I admit defeat. I was sure it was even on Microsoft help site, but I can’t find anything at all like that. Indeed, I find the very opposite: instructions on how to do the sync.
Too bad for me: I’m pulling my hair out trying to do it on Android, without having to buy some expensive add-on software. How I miss Palm’s built-in compatibility!
Anyway, good for Microsoft hitting a winner on this one.

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Shahin

June 21, 2013 at 7:42 am

Hello
I searched all Internet for my problem with windows 8 Hyper-v !
I found you and your professional .
I have two questions please answer me .
1- I want connecting 2 virtual machines using hyper-v how can i do it ?!
2- I want connecting 1 virtual machines run it by hyper- v by my host PC.
please step by step say to me.

Thanks Mr.

Reply
1. Mitch Garvis
  
  August 6, 2013 at 5:30 pm
  
  Hi Shahin,
  To connect virtual machines all you have to do is connect them both to a Virtual Network, and then make sure they are on the same IP segment.
  To connect your VM to the host you have to do the same thing, but make sure the network type is either External or Internal.
  Good luck!
  
  Reply
Anthony Hunt

September 18, 2013 at 8:28 pm

Hi Mitch!

I never thought I’d actually be able to find the man behind the training videos!

Anyway, I’m currently going through the virtualization courses on Microsoft IT Academy. Unfortunately, I’m having a little bit of a hard time understanding some of the concepts as they are presented. Are there any supplemental materials aside from this course that you would recommend? This is an entirely new topic to me, so I’m pretty green on a lot of the lingo.

Thanks!

Reply
1. Mitch Garvis
  
  September 19, 2013 at 4:25 am
  
  Hi Anthony. I’d love to help, but I need a way to contact you. Send me an e-mail, or at least give me your e-mail address. -MDG
  
  Reply
Susan Varano

September 23, 2013 at 8:45 am

Hello,

My name is Susan. I am a content writer & webmaster. Today, I have visited your site (https://garvis.ca/) and must say that it is awesome in terms of information provided in the content. Your site is exactly the sort that I’d love to write for.

I would like to contribute one guest post to your site. I wonder if you would permit me to write for you?

My post will be written on your site niche and I assure you that the post will be unique and informative for your readers. Let me know if this is something to your liking and I’ll get started on it right away.

I am also more than happy to send you some examples of recent work if you would like to see some examples.

With Warm Regards,

Susan Varano

Reply
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September 29, 2013 at 10:05 am

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Reply
KAi Nielsen

August 15, 2014 at 12:01 pm

Dear Mitch,

We, the team at officekey GmbH, are avid readers of The World According To Mitch. Far of superficial mainstream coverage, your differentiated approach is important. Moreover, your blog shows an in-depth grasp of market insights.

Think back a few years and someone had asked: What if you would have a product which makes your life easier, which lets you communicate wherever you are and whatever you want? Welcome to the iPhone.

We would have asked: What if your emails, your passwords, your business documents, your privacy are open to “evil eyes” from government, competitors and attackers? And what if you would have a product which shuts down this “evil eyes” in one easy step? Welcome to iMUNIQE.

iMUNIQE is encryption for everyone; developed to
a) communicate 100% offline encrypted and 100% authenticated to with others – whether via email, cloud services such as Dropbox or SharePoint or messenger like Skype.
b) “store” documents foreclosed and thus free of access on the computer or e. g. in the cloud.

With the iMUNIQE-Key the German IT security specialists from the officeKey GmbH have developed a micro shrunken, dynamic stealth system. The killer feature: The iMUNIQE key enables the user extremely easy to encrypt any document in a few steps the first time: Plug it in, select recipient, encrypt file and the documents can be transmitted on any communication channels such as email, Facebook, Skype, Cloud or USB stick to known, trusted recipients. This encryption easily and independently works as never before: free in the choice of device and detached from any operating system.

In contrast to previous methods, all the necessary information to receivers, key secrets or algorithms are stored on the Key. Thus, the user remains the elaborate juggling with complicated software, certificates and installations completely spared.

The insecure web is no problem for iMUNIQE users, because only a receiver with matching key can decrypt. The German startup completely waived to the key exchange on the web for good reason: To guarantee this safe procedure, the tricky developers come up with something special to create an optimal symbiosis of unique hardware and novel authentication in a small space.

After 2 years hard development work – far before the era Snowden – officeKey iMUNIQE eliminates the weaknesses of current encryption methods and makes modern communication finally safe again.

So to equip many with iMUNIQE, we still need some assistance in advance. A few days ago we have launched a crowdfunding project to a) perform a first test of market acceptance and b) to gain the necessary capital for the further development. The minimum threshold is used to escort iMUNIQE in the beta phase and produce the first edition.

Have a look at this project: http://bit.ly/iMUNIQE. There you will find all information about the product, the level of development, our plans and us.

Meanwhile – beside the first backers – some investors wish to participate with a seven-digit sum. This enthusiasm is very pleased. In addition, the press reports extensively on us. You can find some links in the press section of our website http://imuniqe.com/press-room and a small selection of the media.

To push such a product into the market successfully, it requires a lot of passion, a lot of time, the correct appreciation of market movements and high investments. As we have just left the beaten track during the development, we walk on new ground in other areas: The iMUNIQE technology was subjected to a first penetration test. 8,000 hackers from 130 countries were unable to decrypt a test file.

We know that self-determination in the web is never made by government organizations and only leads to individual initiative. We have precisely positioned the iMUNIQE Key so that even technology novices get a chance to finally produce “equality of arms” in the net. Sustainable IT-security solutions must be necessarily useable and affordable at the same time by anyone – without the waiver or limitation of protection.

We are not alone with this attitude, but in our way special. Otherwise there would be no patenting possible. iMUNIQE combines hardware and software based components to a unique product form worldwide.

Please refer to our website or submit directly a look at our Kickstarter project. We’re happy to help with further information and open to suggestions.

PS: Due to our Kickstarter project and our offline encryption product, Facebook does everything to block any communication about it via its platform. Meanwhile all employees´ Facebook Accounts are blocked or restricted. This is not a fairytale – it´s reality. A rogue who thinks evil ;-)!

Kai

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Jeff

January 8, 2015 at 8:52 am

need password

Reply
Norm

January 8, 2015 at 4:33 pm

Hey Mitch. Just got an updated “World According to Mitch” blog notice. Tried to get into it but it was password protected. Why is this and can I get the password please?

Reply
danofacebook

January 8, 2015 at 4:35 pm

Hey Mitch. Why is your latest blogg password protected? Curious to find and read it. What is the password?

Reply
alexsiborn

March 26, 2015 at 5:54 am

Hello,

My name is Alex. I am doing online marketing for different brands.

I was wondering if you might be interested in publishing a guest/sponsored article on your website (garvis.ca) or writing a product review. Do you allow such options?
Please let me know your thoughts!

Thank you for your time.

Reply
1. Mitch Garvis
  
  March 26, 2015 at 11:04 am
  
  Hi Alex. Please e-mail me at mitch at garvis dot ca and we can discuss.
  
  Reply
Ken S.

June 17, 2015 at 1:33 pm

Hi Mitch. Great Blog. In a past life, over 10 years ago, I was an MCSE managing the Windows Server environment for a mid-size company. Since then I’ve been more involved in SMB Business Analysis and Web App Developement & Consulting. A friend of mine who runs a small business (40 employees) asked me to help him ‘clean up’ his Windows environment. It’s been built and managed over the past few years in an ad-hoc way with contractors going in and out through a revolving door and it hasn’t been a smooth road. He wants me to help him determine if his setup is using best practices and more importantly is in line with his current and future business needs as he is currently growing at a rapid pace and as we all know, mistakes made when the company was smaller will only rear their ugly heads in a much bigger way as the company grows.

I’m wondering if you can recommend any “go to” resources for a former MCSE who just needs a refresher on current enterprise best practices in setting up and managing a Windows environment with Redmond’s current set of products. I anticipate I’ll need to vet a local contractor to do a lot of the nitty gritty but I want to make sure I have a good grasp of the current best practices in a Windows 7 / Server 2012 environment.

P.S. Love your city. I was just there for the first time for the Canadian Grand Prix. I love how you can rent those bikes for $1 a day (much better than walking or cabbing it everywhere when the weather is nice.)

Reply
1. Mitch Garvis
  
  June 18, 2015 at 1:15 pm
  
  Hi Ken,
  
  I would check out http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com... best free resource. For paid resources… http://www.pluralsight.com 🙂 Good luck!
  
  Reply
Celeste

August 1, 2015 at 10:30 am

Hi Mitch-
Just wanted to say “thank you” to you and all the Pan Am volunteers. We were there for the first five days and it was wonderfully executed – and great to see so many helpful volunteers around the city to help us find our way!

On a related note, I loved the one shoulder bag. Do you happen to know who manufactured it? I’d love to get my hands on something similar. 🙂

Congratulations on a job well done!
Celeste

Reply
1. Mitch Garvis
  
  August 1, 2015 at 8:20 pm
  
  Hi Celeste. I am thrilled you had a good time! It was our pleasure to help. I looked and the backpack doesn’t say who makes it, but if you are local you are welcome to mine! Email me and we can arrange it.
  
  Reply
  1. Celeste
    
    August 6, 2015 at 2:20 pm
    
    Sent you an email – truly appreciate the offer! 🙂
Matt Smith

March 5, 2018 at 8:45 am

Hi
My name is Matt Smith and I’m with Outreach Xpert, a PR firm in UK/USA.
have a client who is interested in doing a blog post on your site.

https://garvis.ca/

We’re happy to write the post on any topic you suggest, or have you write the post that we’ll sponsor (please just let us approve the topic prior to writing).
One important note is we’ll need a text link back to my client’s website within the article.
Could you please give me blog post price. I look forward to hearing from you!

Best Regards
Matt Smith
Director of Public Relations
Outreach Xpert
matt@outreachxpert.com

Reply