Multiprotocol Network Design and Troubleshooting

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 821 pages
• Published by: Sybex
• Edition: 1st Edition January 15, 1997
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0782120822
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0782120820
• Book Dimensions: 9.5 x 8 x 2.2 inches
• Weighs: 3.6 pounds

Reader Reviews
As the network administrator for some large and small companies around Boston, Chris Brenton noticed that networking books almost always focused on only one kind of network. Brenton's experience was that most companies invariably needed to mix Novell Netware networks with, for example, Windows NT, perhaps also supporting some Macintoshs that speak AppleTalk, and, with the increasing importance of the Internet, every administrator also needed to understand TCP/IP. Brenton's book is about how to be calm and organized and master all of it. He starts from the beginning with elementary network concepts and facts: what's actually on the transmission line, the kinds of line and airwave media, and basic network topologies. He describes each of the different kinds of networking hardware, from punch-down panels and PC Cards through hubs and switches (including those that handle VLANs). A chapter that begins with the Open Systems Interconnection OSI) reference model discusses specific network protocols including IP, the various TCP/IP application protocols, Novell's Domain Name Service (DNS), IPX, NetBIOS, and AppleTalk, and relates them all to OSI. After discussing these protocols together in a single chapter, the author provides a chapter on each major network operating system - Novell's IntranetWare, the Windows NT server, and UNIX systems - and adds a chapter about Lotus Notes, a network application likely to be superimposed on any of them. Having discussed servers, Brenton then describes how to configure the client programs at workstations and how to consolidate protocols. The final chapters describe the troubleshooting tools available to an administrator in general and within each operating system and provide approaches to diagnosing real-world problems. Unlike a number of networking books we've seen, this book is a pleasure to read. Brenton's conversational style set into a well-organized framework lets you read, meander, or do a quick look-up. The book design and the book's many illustrations ! aim at clarity. At whatis.com, we haven't had this book long, but we find ourselves making frequent use of it. This book is not just for network administrators. We recommend it without qualification to anyone who wants to know more about how networks work. Comment (1) | | (Report this)