Michael Hicks is an independent consultant who works in the application performance management field. Mike has more than 17 years of industry experience and has been actively involved in the application performance world for more than 5 years, where he is a recognized expert. Mike has provided support for a number of large, complex networks, including networks for Ford Motor Company, Cisco Systems, and the European Space Agency. Additionally, he has worked closely with a number of infrastructure vendors on application profiling and management.