Author: Jeffrey S. Beasley
Pages: 693
Publisher: New Riders
ISBN: 0131358383



Introduction

Computer networking is one of those subjects that is essential to computer professionals working in various fields. While there's a great deal of titles covering networking available on the market, there's always place for a polished piece of work that expands on new technologies and offers a solid overview of the basics. Networking (2nd Edition) is such a book.

About the author

Jeff Beasley is a professor with the Department of Engineering Technology at New Mexico State University. He has been teaching with the department since 1988 and is the co-author of Modern Electronic Communication and Electronic Devices and Circuits.

Inside the book

As one would expect from a book like this, it starts off with the basics and directs the reader toward advanced networking concepts. The author covers a variety of topics, such as network configuration, security, VoIP, wireless networking, the network server, and a great deal more. As regards operating systems, Beasley includes a myriad of examples related to both Windows and Linux.

One of the most interesting chapters in "Networking (2nd Edition)" is certainly the one dedicated to configuring and managing the campus network. The text is dedicated to any network that has multiple interconnected LANs and studies the networking problems related to planning, configuring and managing such a network.

It's only natural to have a chapter devoted to network security which covers topics such as password cracking, intrusion detection, DDoS attacks, firewalls, packet sniffing and even social engineering.

The accompanying CD includes the Finisar Surveyor Demo software and captured data traffic included in the text. This allows the reader to capture data traffic on their own networks.

Although it comes with some very detailed technical material, this book is painless to browse and a pleasure to read. The layout differs from what I usually see in titles like this one as it uses space on the margins and different fonts to provide explanations to the reader. Certainly a welcome addition when dealing with a technical subject. Furthermore, at the beginning of each chapter you're greeted by an outline of what lies ahead, the objectives of the chapter as well as a list of key terms that are included.

Final thoughts

"Networking (2nd Edition)" is a large, hardcover piece of reading material that contains a wealth of knowledge essential for anyone serious about learning networking. There are several important books on the subject in print but you should definitely consider it.