A Short Introduction

My name is Alex Smith and this is my blog on TechNet. I am part of Microsoft's Global Business Support (GBS) delivery organization, where I am a Senior Premier Field Engineer on a team dedicated to Enterprise Search support. This means I support enterprise customers directly through engagements that range from a few hours to multiple years. My technical focus is on enterprise search applications, primarily using Microsoft SharePoint 2010, SharePoint 2013, FAST Search for SharePoint and FAST ESP. I am also interested in online advertising and cloud-hosted applications.

I have a degree in Information Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology. My career in IT has spanned a variety of software and service organizations in the fields of e-Commerce, healthcare IT, digital TV streaming, and enterprise search. I joined Microsoft as part of the 2008 acquisition of FAST Search and Transfer, where I had worked since 2006. In my five years at Microsoft, I have worked on many fun and exciting projects. I hope that this blog will allow me to share useful information with customers, colleagues, and anyone interested in search.    

The best way to contact me regarding specific blog posts will be in the comments, where I plan to monitor and reply. If you are a Microsoft Premier Support customer and need assistance with your search application, you can work with your account team to find the right resource in your region.