Track Chairs

Mike Fratto | Editor, Network Computing

Mike Fratto is Editor of Network Computing. He has been with UBM for over 11 years and has extensive experience evaluating enterprise remote access, security, and network infrastructure products. He previously was Lead Analyst with InformationWeek Analytics, Senior Technology Editor with Network Computing and Executive Editor for Secure Enterprise. He has spoken at several conferences including Interop, MISTI, the Internet Security Conference, as well as to local groups. He also teaches a network security graduate course at Syracuse University. Prior to Network Computing, Mike was an independent consultant.

Barb Goldworm | President & Chief Analyst, FOCUS

Barb Goldworm is founder, president, and chief analyst of FOCUS, a research, analyst, and consulting firm focused on transformational technologies in virtualization, cloud computing, systems and storage. Barb has spent 30 years in various senior management, engineering, marketing, sales, and industry analyst positions with IBM, StorageTek, Novell, Enterprise Management Associates and multiple successful startups.

A keynote speaker at hundreds of virtualization, cloud, datacenter and storage events, she has also been one of the top three rated speakers at Data Center Decisions and Storage Networking World. She also chaired the original Interop Storage Networking Track, and the Blade Systems Insight and Server Blade Summit events.

Barb has published extensively since the 1990s, writing regular expert columns for Network World, ComputerWorld, Tech Target and others, authoring hundreds of business and technical white papers, market research reports, user surveys, and articles, as well as the Wiley book"Blade Servers and Virtualization: Transforming Enterprise Computing While Cutting Costs" available on Amazon.

Barb started with virtualization on mainframes in the 1970s, delivered the industry’s first PC Electronic Software Distribution (ESD) Solution in the late 1980s, was a SAN thought leader in the 1990s, a blades and virtualization thought leader and book author in the 2000s, and now focuses on cloud, datacenter and desktop transformation.

Jennifer Jessup | General Manager, Interop

Jennifer Jessup (JJ) is the general manager of Interop. As general manager she is responsible for the brand’s overall vision and content at domestic and international trade shows, as well as online events. JJ has worked in live events at UBM since 1998. Her experience includes working on brands including Informex (fine & specialty chemicals), the Game Developer Conference and Software Development in roles ranging from conference emanager to operations to event director.

Eric Krapf | Editor, NoJitter.com & Co-Chair, Enterprise Connect

Eric Krapf is co-chair of the Enterprise Connect events, helping to set program content and direction for the leading conference events in the enterprise IP-telephony/convergence/Communications as a Service marketplace. In addition, Eric serves as editor & lead blogger for the website No Jitter, UBM’s online community for news and analysis of the enterprise convergence/Communications as a Service industry. He is also responsible for electronic content including webcasts and e-newsletters. From 1996 to 2004, Eric was managing editor of Business Communications Review magazine, and from 2004 to 2007, he was the magazine's editor. BCR was a highly respected journal of the business technology and communications industry. Before coming to BCR, he was managing editor and senior editor of America's Network magazine, covering the public telecommunications industry. Prior to working in high-tech journalism, he was a reporter and editor at newspapers in Connecticut and Texas.

Craig J. Mathias | Principal, Farpoint Group

Craig J. Mathias is a Principal with Farpoint Group, a wireless and mobile advisory firm based in Ashland, MA. Founded in 1991, the company works with manufacturers, network operators, enterprises, and the financial community in technology assessment and analysis, strategy development, product specification and design, product marketing, program management, education and training, and the integration of emerging technologies into new and existing business operations, across a broad range of markets and applications. Craig is an internationally-recognized expert on wireless communications and mobile computing technologies, and has published numerous technical and overview articles on a wide variety of topics. He is a well-known and often-quoted industry analyst and frequent speaker at industry conferences and events, as well as Webcasts, Webinars, and podcasts. He serves as a monthly columnist for InformationWeek.com and the Enterprise Mobility Foundation (theemf.org), and ardent blogger (“Nearpoints”) for networkworld.com. Craig holds a Sc.B. degree in Applied Mathematics/Computer Science from Brown University.

Jim Metzler | Vice President, Ashton, Metzler & Associates

Jim Metzler has a wide background in the IT industry. This includes being a software engineer, an engineering manager for high-speed data services for a major telco, a product manager for network hardware, a network manager at two Fortune 500 companies, and the principal of a consulting organization. In addition, Jim has created software tools for designing customer networks for a major IXC, and directed and performed market research at a major industry analyst firm.

John P. Pironti | CGEIT, CISA, CISSP, ISSAP, ISSMP, President, IP Architects, LLC

John P. Pironti is the President of IP Architects, LLC. He has designed and implemented enterprise wide electronic business solutions, information security and risk management strategy and programs, enterprise resiliency capabilities, and threat and vulnerability management solutions for key customers in a range of industries, including financial services, insurance, energy, government, hospitality, aerospace, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, and information technology on a global scale. John has a number of industry certifications including Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified in Risk and Information System Control (CRISC), Information Systems Security Architecture Professional and (ISSAP) and Information Systems Security Management Professional (ISSMP). John frequently provides briefings and acts as a trusted advisor to senior leaders of numerous organizations on information security and risk management and compliance topics and is also a member of a number of technical advisory boards for technology and services firms. He is also a published author and writer, highly quoted and often interviewed by global media, and an award winning frequent speaker on electronic business and information security and risk management topics at domestic and international industry conferences.

Michael Spanbauer | Principal Analyst for Enterprise Networking & Data Center Technology, Current Analysis

As Principal Analyst for Enterprise Networking and Data Center Technology, Mike is responsible for tracking the major technological, strategic and tactical developments of companies that provide networking solutions deployed on premise to support enterprise business operations. Mike brings an experienced and veteran eye to the Business Technology and Software team at Current Analysis, with over 10 years dedicated to Enterprise competitive intelligence. He initially ran the network operations and management domain competitive intelligence practice within HP Software, and the last seven managed the competitive intelligence program within HP’s networking organization. Mike is respected by peers and partners alike for an objective and insightful view of the networking industry, providing technical and business support for sales and strategy teams.