Acknowledgments

I didn't write this book alone, although I claim all responsibility for any inaccuracies or outright mistakes. It started as an idea that I discussed with John Osborn, an executive acquisitions editor at O'Reilly, at TechEd 2004 in San Diego. John was immediately receptive, and his encouragement and involvement throughout the process is greatly appreciated. My thanks to Robbie Allen for taking the book proposal, getting it approved, providing guidance, and being the technical editor for this book.

Brian MacDonald, what can I say? You naturally speak the way I wish I could write. I can't thank you enough for helping me to gain a small amount of skill in translating disjointed thoughts into coherent sentences, then into paragraphs and eventually into chapters. You showed me the path.

The idea for this book started at a Microsoft Management Summit (2003, I think) where I was able to meet and talk to some incredibly talented people from the MOM product team at Microsoft. Thanks to Ashvin Sanghvi, Shawn Bice, Vlad Joanovic, and Brian Wren. A little later on, I ran into Baelson Duque, MOM Program Manager, who has to be the hardest-working guy at Microsoft. Baelson volunteered to be the sole technical contact on the MOM team. Why he signed on for battle in the trenches, I'll never know, but he was available for endless questions via all modes of communication that have been created, and the book is immeasurably better for his involvement. Thank you, Baelson!

Thanks to the technical reviewers, Stuart Renes, John Hann, James Hedrick, and Doug Bradley, for their contributions, comments, and corrections. Special thanks to Jamie Peebles at Microsoft, who took on the technical reviewing tasks and went through the whole book in about two weeks. I still think my wizard would own your dwarf in Dungeon Siege. You have been a constant source of support and trusted advice.

My deepest gratitude to the many other truly wonderful people at Microsoft, including Randy Young of Microsoft Consulting Services, who guided me in my earliest use of MOM; Don Bryner and Scott Brown, for ongoing moral support; Mike Kellogg, for answering questions and trying (many times) to get permission; and Suzanne Sylliaasen, Paul Cholak, and Chris Furlin, for discussions. Special appreciation to Bill Anderson, who helped set me on this road years ago when he guided me into Rainier Technology and who always gives trusted advice.

Thank you to my parents, Brian and Marjorie, for their support and encouragement and for making sure I was well educated. Thank you to Jesse Liberty, who doesn't know how much he helped me when I needed inspiration on how to turn a phrase.

My gratitude to Jim Minatel, who gave me my first entry into the world of published writing and Elise Peterson, who made introductions. Thanks to Jon Shrier, who taught me the ropes of operations management, and to all of my friends and colleagues who have offered best wishes, encouragement, and advice along the way.

Thank you to my family for putting up with my spending so much time in the basement while working on this project. Mariana, you read the proposal and the earliest chapters when I needed an English major's eye. Ana, you were my early-morning companion. Cate, you would always let me know when it was time for bed (and when you needed help putting the lid on your cup). Gabby, I would have been late for many dinners and events if you had not invented the Vent-O-Phone. The vacation is coming. Thank you to Max, Sammy, and Molly, companions and guardians through endless hours.

Mi esposa, te amo para siempre. The only reason that I was able to do this is because of you. I thank God for you and the girls and all the blessings that He has given me. I thank Him for putting me here, now with all the support in the world.

Now, it is time to fix those light fixtures and that darn Leaky Faucet.