Product Description
KEY BENEFIT: An emphasis on application-layer paradigms and application programming interfaces, encourages a lively, hands-on experience with protocols and networking concepts. KEY TOPICS: Computer Networks and the Internet; Application Layer; Transport Layer; Network Layer; Link Layer and LANs; Wireless and Mobile Networks; Multimedia Networking; Security in Computer Networks; Network Management; New discussions of VPN, IPsec, VLAN and updated technology treatment. MARKET: A useful reference for computer networking professionals.Amazon.com Review
Certain data-communication protocols hog the spotlight, but all of them have a lot in common. Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet explains the engineering problems that are inherent in communicating digital information from point to point. The top-down approach mentioned in the subtitle means that the book starts at the top of the protocol stack–at the application layer–and works its way down through the other layers, until it reaches bare wire.
The authors, for the most part, shun the well-known seven-layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol stack in favor of their own five-layer (application, transport, network, link, and physical) model. It’s an effective approach that helps clear away some of the hand waving traditionally associated with the more obtuse layers in the OSI model. The approach is definitely theoretical–don’t look here for instructions on configuring Windows 2000 or a Cisco router–but it’s relevant to reality, and should help anyone who needs to understand networking as a programmer, system architect, or even administration guru.
The treatment of the network layer, at which routing takes place, is typical of the overall style. In discussing routing, authors James Kurose and Keith Ross explain (by way of lots of clear, definition-packed text) what routing protocols need to do: find the best route to a destination. Then they present the mathematics that determine the best path, show some code that implements those algorithms, and illustrate the logic by using excellent conceptual diagrams. Real-life implementations of the algorithms–including Internet Protocol (both IPv4 and IPv6) and several popular IP routing protocols–help you to make the transition from pure theory to networking technologies. –David Wall
Topics covered: The theory behind data networks, with thorough discussion of the problems that are posed at each level (the application layer gets plenty of attention). For each layer, there’s academic coverage of networking problems and solutions, followed by discussion of real technologies. Special sections deal with network security and transmission of digital multimedia.
Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach
Art & Entertainment
Automotive
Theater
Why would any one write a book like this when there are such great books on networking like the ones by Bruce S. Davie or Andrew S. Tanenbaum?
Why would any one want to read this book, for that matter?
Rating: 1 / 5
with a textbook, I bought it. not good, but not bad
Rating: 3 / 5
The book was in good condition and arrived in a timely manner.
Rating: 4 / 5
Probably my biggest problem with this book is in the fact that it doesn’t accurately describe the OSI Model. There are 7 layers to the OSI. The fundamentals of networking have not changed in nearly thrity years. This book totally ignores the Session and Presentation layers of the OSI. For a student that read this textbook with no previous knowledge of networks, then they are led to the conclusion that there are only 5 layrers in networking. I do not agree with this book trying to simplify the OSI model.
Also this is a textbook, the author and publisher need to understand that textbooks get resold. As a student I don’t always have lots of extra money to spend, and therefore I buy used as much as possible. This book provides a code to access a website. The problem is that it’s only good for the first student that uses it. After that, they expect you to fork over more money to get access to the content on the website. ridiculous.
Furthermore, like I said earlier, the fundamentals of networking have not changed in 30 years. Although there are advances being made in gigabit ethernet and wireless networking, the fundamentals remain the same. Releasing new editions every few years is a gimmick intended to plunder students and rob us of what little money we have. I’ve just finished a BS degree in Computer Science, over 90% of what I learned was theoretical. Very little of what I learned is current, cutting edge technology. I seriously doubt the “new” third edition will have any additional information that would justify a new edition.
Rating: 1 / 5
I bought this book for my son in college…if anything…thank you for the great service and fast shipment..it made it prior to the start of his class..
Rating: 5 / 5