LAN Switching First-Step

Book Description

Your First Step into the World of LAN Switching

Understand switching basics with this reader-friendly guide that assumes no expertise in switching!
Use hands-on activities to reinforce concepts and understand switching basics
Learn from standard features from the First-Step Series like case studies, tips, pre- and post-chapter reviews

LAN Switching First-Step is anyone's introduction to the world of Local Area Network Switching. A title from the new First-Step series from Cisco Press, this book provides the most accessible introduction to this essential part of networks. Assuming no prior experience, and written in an approachable, conversational style, LAN Switching First-Step makes the world of LAN switching one that anyone can understand.

Case Studies, Tips, Notes, Alerts, Chapter Overviews, Chapter Summaries, and the other elements that are used throughout the First-Step series help readers understand and retain basic switching concepts and theories that are presented throughout the book. LAN Switching First-Step provides network novices with a fundamental introduction and guide that will help them quickly and easily understand what LAN switching is, how it works, and where it fits in a network architecture.

1587201003x02172004

Customer Reviews:

Great beginner book!.......2007-09-29

I picked up this book to help with my Routing and Switching class.

It focuses strictly on switch functionality, but is a great help. The book is written in such a manner that anyone should be able to understand the concepts, and there are many helpful diagrams.

If you are having trouble trying to wrap your head around bridge/switch functionality, then you should give this a try. I feel it is much better than some of the more dry, high-concept texts that are out there.

I am the author..........2007-06-07

...and I apologize to those who were not happy with this book. This book had such promise when it started but at some point an author loses control of the final product even though it's their name on the cover. The editing and editorial process of this book was such a horrific experience (keep in mind this was my 3rd book with these publishers) that it has turned me off from doing any future work with this organization. This book was written during a "changing of the guard" at the publisher's and it showed in how the author(s), and their work, is treated. It is sad, if not heartbreaking, but when content is sacrificed because the editorial staff does not listen to the author the result is sadly self-evident.

Possible 2nd Step.......2005-04-04

LAN Switching First-Step
(Your first step into the world of LAN Switching)
Reviewer Name: Steve Owen Scheiderer, Network Administrator
Reviewer Certification: MCSE NT 4.0, CCNA

ISBN: 1-58720-100-3

For the most part LAN Switching First-Step by Matthew J. Castelli is a good review of the basic elements needed for success in setting up a switched LAN. This is increasingly important today due to the phasing out of hubs and the increased security threats facing today's LANS. In this light, I think Chapter 9, Switching Security, is the most useful chapter. I think Chapters 3 and 4 could have been combined for the sake of brevity and some discussions, like the Hierarchical Model on page 236, were redundant.

If there is an ongoing weakness it is the figures throughout the book. For example, in Figure 1-2 Train 2 and Train S do not connect at Times Square. It is hard to follow in 1-8 how the illustration relates to Half Duplex (and the discussion of half-duplex on pp. 40 and 92 is confusing). In 2-2 the combination of Frames & Bits was confusing (which also makes references on pp. 57, 61 and 67 confusing as well). The comparison in 3-15 between the LAN and railroad topology was hard to follow. The figures in Chapter 7 were not very helpful. Figure 8-8 would have been better with IP addresses represented. Figure 10-2 is supposed to represent "one host per port" (p. 221) but the graphic's Ethernet icon shows multiple systems on the segment. In one place in Figure 11-9 there is typo that says "user date" rather than "user data". Where is the router in Figure 12-8?

At times terms were introduced with definitions following later, like "frame" on page 8 and full mesh and star topology on page 57. Some topics were a bit advanced and would have been better found in an appendix, like the presentation of ITU (International Telecommunication Union) on page 37, and Long Reach Ethernet (LRE) [and] wave-division multiplexing (WDM) on page 47, and Layer 3 Switching on page 129.

With these things in mind, I think this book is would serve better as a review for those with some switching experience rather than first-steppers.

Bad book........2005-03-15

It is not worth reading it. Doesn't give you lots of information on the subject. Buy the Switch book. That is the best book about switching.

LAN Switching First-Step.......2005-02-23

I bought Lan Switching first-step and Computer Networking First-Step (by Wendell Odom) at the same time. I found that every single page written by Mr. Odom very refreshing, easy to read and understand. I only have to read what Mr. Odom say once to understand the concept.

On the contrary, I have to read 60 percent to what Mr. Catelli say at least 3 times and still do not feel that I understand what he said. Mr. Catelli teaching style and writting is very confusing to me.

Henry Tran.

Average customer rating:

Not a good textbook
Filled with critical errors
So many mistakes....
Fails to find the "middle ground" between context and detail
Wonderful, easy read for Security Newbie as well as the seasoned pro!

Network Security First-Step
Thomas M. Thomas
Manufacturer: Cisco Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587200996

Book Description

Your first step into the world of network security

No security experience required
Includes clear and easily understood explanations
Makes learning easy

Your first step to network security begins here!

Learn about hackers and their attacks
Understand security tools and technologies
Defend your network with firewalls, routers, and other devices
Explore security for wireless networks
Learn how to prepare for security incidents

Welcome to the world of network security!

Computer networks are indispensable-but they're also not secure. With the proliferation of Internet viruses and worms, many people and companies are considering increasing their network security. But first, you need to make sense of this complex world of hackers, viruses, and the tools to combat them.

No security experience needed!

Network Security First-Step explains the basics of network security in easy-to-grasp language that all of us can understand. This book takes you on a guided tour of the core technologies that make up and control network security. Whether you are looking to take your first step into a career in network security or are interested in simply gaining knowledge of the technology, this book is for you!

Customer Reviews:

Not a good textbook.......2006-11-01

We are currently using this book as a text in school. The book is more like an overview (hence the title) but it's so over the entire view that it's hard to get any real substance out of it. I'd rather have just read a glossary that told me what VPNs, DMZs, firewalls and encryption are. The mispellings and other typos are enough to make me want to throw this book out of the window. Did the editor actually proofread this thing? This is an alright reference as an addition to another book but it fails to stand on it's own as a text. Big disappointment.

Filled with critical errors.......2006-07-18

I have been buying books/other items on Amazon since Amazon's inception and this is the first review I've written. I feel compelled to warn others.

I would have given this book four stars if it weren't for the errors. The intent and content are very good for beginners. Also, good writing style and easy read. However, there are so many critical errors, it drops the value of the book tremendously. As placed in an example by another reviewer, simply leaving out a word like 'not' can have a huge difference in meaning w/in a given context. This book does it over and over again.

Luckily, I have experience and know what is an error, but this is a beginner's guide so it is unacceptable to have so many of these types of errors. Since I don't know everything, there were a few occasions where I had to research what was stated to find correct information (knowing it was wrong, but not knowing the exact answer).

Unfortunately, if you are new to the subject matter this book covers, you will have problems as the book is simply inaccurate in so many vital areas. I would recommend you steer clear of this text.

If you know the material, it is a decent refresher that is a quick read.

So many mistakes...........2006-04-17

This is the first time I've felt the need to review a book. I'm an MCSE, which means nothing other than I've read a bunch of technical books over the years. This is perhaps the worst I've read so far. The typos alone are driving me crazy, but then I also have to sift through and try and figure out what stuff is actually accurate. For example, the author writes on page 149: "A much simpler way of looking at this is that SSH does trust any device other that the one with which it is trying to establish a secure connection." Actually, I think that should be "does not trust." Small stuff like that make me wonder if anyone actually proof-read this book before it was released. This is one I'll be returning.

Fails to find the "middle ground" between context and detail.......2005-12-25

I got this book after reading the superb "Computer Networking First-Step" entry in this series. Alas, this text doesn't begin to approach the easy comprehension and economy of writing that I found so helpful in that first book. Part of my job involves making decisions about network infrastructure and handling network incidents that have significant impact on business operations; I am not, however, deeply knowledgeable about networking (coming from more of a programming/database background). The "Computer Networking" book gave me an excellent grounding in the few days it took to read it. I now know what fundamental questions to ask even though I may never have seen how things were implemented at the nuts-and-bolts level.

This book spends a lot of time telling the reader that network security is important and worth doing. Fine. Except that it does this over and over. Hey, I bought the book, so I'm already halfway convinced of that and by the 100th repetition of the importance and necessity of security, I'm thinking "there's some space taken up by blahblahblah that should have held some content". Mostly, the chapters read like non-alphabetized lists of definitions and bullet points with little flow or tie-in to an overall conceptual model or context. The examples and how-to's of implementing security are explained using commented snippets of code(!). The comments explain what the code does, but I'm being made to read page after page of code when what I really need is a well-thought, consistent, higher-level explanation.

I was hoping to get a good high-level model of all the main security pieces (policy, firewalls, encryption, DMZs..), how they fit together, and some overall models of security set-ups appropriate for home networks, small businesses, enterprises, and super-secure systems. I was also hoping to understand what trade-offs were being made in going from one level to another. I think that information can be had from this book, but only by re-organizing the pieces myself and sifting through a lot of repetitive, vague, and irrelevant filler. And the frequency of typos doesn't help in comprehension either. Disappointing. I'm going to need to carefully preview other books in this series before purchase given the disparity in quality between this book and the Computer Networking volume.

Wonderful, easy read for Security Newbie as well as the seasoned pro!.......2005-11-19

Some recent IT Security headlines include:
"Dutch trio hacked 1.5m personal computers" (October 20, 2005)
"Hacker accesses 5,300 personal student records" (November 16, 2005)
"NMCI gets hacked" (November 11, 2005)
In 2002, CERT reported 82,094 security incidents; the 2003 number jumped to 134,529 reported security incidents (CERT website)

Obviously, threats to network security are growing more pervasive as hackers and crackers become bolder. Any IT professional, whether responsible for network infrastructure, servers, desktops, systems, web design, or database administration needs to be familiar with not only understanding network security, but also the tools and designs to develop a secure IT infrastructure. Network security is everyone's responsibility, from end-users, to IT staff, to CIOs and CTOs. Tom Thomas "Network Security First-Step" (ISBN 1587200996) provides a wonderful, readable introduction to Network Security design and best practices.

"Network Security First-Step" is not only a great primer for those new to network security, but also a great reference for those who already have industry experience. I chose to add this book to my CCIE-Security reading list as my first step toward the written exam and CCIE recert. The book's opening chapters discusses the fundamentals of network security design, why a security policy for an organization underpins these fundamentals, and then describes the core security technologies and protocols. Subsequent chapters cover the basics of router security, firewalls, VPNs, Intrusion Detection, and Wireless Security. My personal favorite chapter was the one that discusses hacker and cracker "Tools of the Trade".

The entire book is written in a style that is very fluid and conversational. Unlike many IT books, this one balances technical jargon with real-world examples and explanations. This volume would be a great addition to the bookshelf of both the IT engineer in the trenches as well as the CIO in his penthouse office. I highly recommend!

Mark Reyero
CCIE 12932

Average customer rating:

Great book for a green newbie that doesn't want the Dummy/Idiot series
Chunking
Great For Newbies
Verbose & Off Purpose
Great introductory book.

Computer Networking First-Step
Wendell Odom
Manufacturer: Cisco Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587201011

Book Description

Your first step into the world of computer networking

No experience required
Includes clear and easily understood explanations
Makes learning easy

Your first step to computer networking begins here!

Learn basic networking terminology
Understand how information is routed from place to place
Explore Internet connectivity secrets
Protect your computer from intrusion
Build local-area networks (LANs)

Welcome to the world of networking!

Networking and the Internet touch our lives in untold ways every day. From connecting our computers together at home and surfing the net at high speeds to editing and sharing digital music and video, computer networking has become both ubiquitous and indispensable.

No experience needed!

Computer Networking First-Step explains the basics of computer networking in easy-to-grasp language that all of us can understand. This book takes you on a guided tour of the core technologies that make up network and Internet traffic. Whether you are looking to take your first step into a career in networking or are interested in just gaining a conversational knowledge of the technology, this book is for you!

Customer Reviews:

Great book for a green newbie that doesn't want the Dummy/Idiot series.......2007-04-24

"This book is intended for anyone who needs to know a 'little' about networking, but it also requires almost 'no' prerequisite knowledge." It is an "easy first step toward learning about networking." If you are intimidated about "taking a doozy of a step off the networking ledge" or about getting a book "geared toward people who want to be networking geeks", then this book is just about perfect. I've read other books that don't flow well, or are too "chatty," but this book strikes a good balance. They were a few parts that were a bit redundant, and dragged on a bit long, but it was done in a clear fashion, and re-enforced the ideas just to make sure you got it. It covers quite a bit of material for it's style compared to most other of the newbie books that I've read. If you are a newbie who catches on fast to technical books, then you will not like it (better to get Sams Teach yourself TCP/IP in 24 hours). This book will give you the information and then explain it pretty thoroughly, and show examples.

True it does have some pretty basic coverage of what a Network really is, and terms like URL, ISP, NICs, but it did a good job talking about Ethernet frames, and subnetting. It may not be a five, but some of the reviews were too harsh for a "first step" book that tells you what to expect in the introduction. If you read this book, "you will understand the basic concepts behind a wide variety of technologies used in a typical network today."

Chunking.......2007-03-17

I've built a computer from scratch, self taught myself to troubleshoot computer problems. I rate my computer skills at intermediate. New to networking. Most of the networking books that I've looked at are over my head. Mr Odom dose a really good job of breaking the topic into easy to grasp pieces. Very good starter book. Will probably buy other books by Wendell Odom

Great For Newbies.......2005-07-21

Simple, easy to read, and many times entertaining. This book lays out a great foundation to begin your network learning experience. Concepts are explained to the depth needed to have a conversation and have a fair knowledge of what you are talking about. This should not be the only book you read, but is great for newbies.

Verbose & Off Purpose.......2005-04-18

In my opinion, there are way too many non-computer analogies. Odom seems to be writing for readers who are either young children or have never used a computer.

One Example from page 146: "Tale of Two Trunking Protocols: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... whoops, wrong tale! Once upon a time, no VLAN trunking existed. So, Cisco created..." This should have been written: "Brief Trunking Protocol History: In the mid 1980s there was no VLAN trunking. So, Cisco created..."

Another typical example from page 38: "Now imagine that you brought a new lamp. You plug it in, and the light bulb instantly 'pops,' indicating that the light bulb is broken. You put in a new bulb and it doesn't light up. You decide that the lamp must be broken, so you bring it back to the store and replace it with an identical lamp. When you get it home, the same things happens to this lamp. Finally, you call customer service and explain your problem. Now imagine this response: `Oh, you bought our special `We light up your life' model of lamp. It uses the same kind of power cord you are used to using, but it requires less electrical voltage, saving you money. If you read your instructions for the lamp, you will see that it directs you to get an electrician out to your house to rewire and change the voltage coming out of the sockets you want to use for the lamp. Also, note the disclaimer in the instructions: `If you plug this lamp into a normal wall socket, the extra voltage will fry the lamp, and it will no longer light up your life.' So, go get a new lamp at the store and get your wall socket changed!' If you're like me, you would return to the store to get your money back and buy a lamp made by some other company." Odom actually spent the two prior paragraphs, this one, and the following paragraph to make a simple point, which is simply `There are networking standards'. A full page & a half to say absolutely nothing more than `There are networking standards'.

Odem uses roads, the post office, flintstones characters, etc. analogies at the start of each subject, and co-mingled within the important material. This finally got to me on page 146. Unfortunately I still have another 300+ pages of these distractions left to the end of the book. I will skim the rest of this book because I really want & need a good basic understanding of networking. I just don't need Odom's attempted humor and entertainment. It is distracting and a waste of my limited time.

Odom could seriously cut out half or three fourths of this book and still cover the subject just as well. Or he could put these non-computer analogies it in sidebar boxes (so everyone over the age of 10 can skip it). He should rewrite the whole book. This is exactly the material I wanted to read about, but Odom has made it twice as hard to get at it.

The perspective of this review is: I am an intermediate to advance computer user with a little programming background, but almost no network experience or knowledge. If I was a complete newbie to computers, then I might have given a slightly higher rating. So my main point is that if the material is easy enough for a prior reviewer's (Rich Hill) 2nd grade son (probably age 7 or 8) to understand, then it is probably too easy to be time efficient for an adult with any computer background at all. Therefore the same material could have been covered with a lot fewer pages, in less time, and be more efficient for an intelligent adult.

To be fair, the drawings are well done & mostly helpful, and there is a lot of good material here, so I gave it 2 stars. I honestly believe anyone who has managed to graduate from highschool and ever used a computer is too advanced for this book. If you want to know about computer networking and value your time at all, then Don't Buy This Book. This book will waste your valuable time.

Great introductory book........2005-03-15

This is the place to start. When you have time for more reading you can go deeper and read the Switch Book or TCP/IP Illustrated.

Average customer rating:

easy to follow
An overview of wireless networking, along with details of applicable standards and technologies
It's a Start...
A Good First Step to Wireless Networks
it's at most a baby step.

Wireless Networks First-Step
Jim Geier
Manufacturer: Cisco Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587201119

Book Description

Your First-Step into the World of Wireless Networks

No experience required!
Gain an understanding of wireless networking basics with this reader friendly guide
The first book anyone should read about wireless networks with step-by-step instruction
Learn from an author experienced in and known for writing to a generalist wireless audience with a clear, simple-to-understand style

As a basic introduction to wireless networking, Wireless Networks First-Step assumes that readers have no previous wireless experience. The book provides an overview of wireless networking, along with details of applicable standards and technologies. Newcomers to wireless technologies will find practical information along with an abundance of examples. Case studies throughout the chapters provide real-world implementation examples, presented in a non-technical fashion. Implementation details are discussed only to the extent that readers can identify what type of wireless network may be appropriate for their needs.

Wireless Networks First-Step, written by Jim Geier, begins with a basic introduction to wireless networks and an explanation of radio wave communications. It then reviews different types of wireless networks including WPANs (wireless personal area networks), WLANs (wireless local area networks), wireless MANs (metropolitan area networks), and WWANs (wireless wide area networks). The final section covers security threats to wireless networks, and solutions to combat these threats.

158720111903232004

Customer Reviews:

easy to follow.......2005-12-01

From Cisco comes a very easy to read explanation of what is a wireless network and how to set one up. Clearly addressed to the technology neophyte.

Geier shows the basic ideas behind multipath propagation, and attenuation of a signal due to air, water and obstacles. He also outlines the qualitative features of various communication encodings, like Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, Phase Shift Keying and spread spectrum. The amount of maths behind these, in technical texts, is immense. But he gives you the gist.

There is also a good discussion of security in a wireless net, and what you can do to protect yourself.

An overview of wireless networking, along with details of applicable standards and technologies.......2005-07-05

As a basic introduction to wireless networking, Wireless Networks First-Step assumes that readers have no previous wireless experience. Wireless network expert Jim Geier provides an overview of wireless networking, along with details of applicable standards and technologies. Newcomers to wireless technologies will find practical information along with an abundance of examples. Case studies throughout the chapters provide *real world* implementation examples, presented in a nontechnical fashion. Implementation details are discussed only to the extent that readers can identify what type of wireless network may be appropriate for their needs. An *especially* *recommended* instructional "how to" manual for the novice, Wireless Networks First-Step would make a welcome and appreciated addition to *high school* computer class reference collections and community library resources for non-specialist general readers wanting to understand the new wireless technologies.

It's a Start..........2004-12-22

I was recently tasked with creating a wireless network in our test lab. I managed to stumble through and ended up creating a very secure wireless network. However, throughout the process, I kept finding myself wishing I had more information on the technology. Not knowing the vocabulary made the process harder than necessary and I ended up with a lot of "what" and "why" questions that needed to be answered. Wireless networking is a growing market, and Cisco even recently added Enterprise Wireless Mobility to their new CCIE blueprint, so I figured I had better get it into my repertoire pronto. To begin filling in those gaps, I picked up Wireless Networks First-Step (ISBN 1-58720-111-9) from Cisco Press.

The book itself is a bit light, at only 200 pages, and is divided into 8 short chapters. The author, Jim Geier, attempts to introduce the material without getting overly technical. He doesn't make this a riveting read, by any stretch, and will probably lose most CIO types by the middle of the second chapter. The book claims to be for everyone interested in wireless networking, but I don't see it working for anyone above the "manager of engineers" level. This is primarily due to the presence of the unavoidable chapter on radio frequencies and modulation. I found it very interesting, but I know that the average non-technical manager is going to glaze right over and shut down. The chapters on the individual technologies (PAN, LAN, MAN, WAN) are interesting. I'd like to have seen a lot more material on Wireless LANs, since that is the area most engineers are going to actually deal with in their own networks. The final chapter, covering wireless security, is probably the best in the entire book. It answered many of the questions I had about the various security protocols I was implementing. For instance, I knew WEP was weak, but didn't know why precisely. The security chapter really brought the reasoning home.

My overall feeling on this book is that it is a little light to be list priced at $29.95. The sister books in the series are all around 400 pages for this price. Maybe the newness of the technology makes this book so light, or perhaps the mission can be accomplished in 200 pages, but you shouldn't charge the same for half the material. I felt that the author offered all the necessary information about wireless technologies, but virtually none about the actual implementation of those technologies. Perhaps that is where the other 200 pages went. I also would have like to have seen more references to other sources of information on these wireless technologies. The aim of these first-step books should be to whet your appetite for more, and this book doesn't really do that.

I give this book a score of 3 pings on my 5 ping rating scale. I'd give it 4 if it was $19.95.
!.!.!

A Good First Step to Wireless Networks.......2004-12-21

Wireless Networks First-Step
(Your first step into the world of wireless networks)
Reviewer Name: Steve Owen Scheiderer, Network Administrator
Reviewer Certification: MCSE NT 4.0, CCNA

ISBN: 1-58720-111-9

Even though this book is smaller than other First-Step books I've reviewed, it is "big" in the insights it provides the reader. As the saying goes: "Dynamite comes in small packages." This book by Jim Geier will assist the reader in understanding the underlying technology, compatibility and security issues associated with wireless networks.

While it may be tempting to view wireless networks as a simple solution to pulling cable, Geier takes the reader through the somewhat complex considerations for a successful wireless implementation. Whether wireless PANs, LANs, MANs or WANs (Chapters Four through Seven) are needed for a productive business each category has unique variables to consider and this book treats each in turn. An overarching theme in most chapters is security and the book ends with a strong chapter (Eight) on this crucial subject. (Couple this with Network Security First-Step by Tom Thomas and one has an even bigger charge of dynamite.)

The intermediate or advanced reader may find the "Wireless Network Applications" and "Benefits" sections of Chapter One to be too long, detailed and somewhat redundant. What would have been helpful to the beginning reader is more emphasis on network security up front. Chapter Two not only explains "How Wireless Works" but also gives good practical advice on various levels - especially compatibility issues. (See ISA, p. 35, Mini-PCI, p. 36, 10Base-T, p. 47, and Optical Fiber, p. 48 to mention a few examples.)

After the quick-read of Chapter One, the reader will have to slow down the pace to absorb technical details of Chapters Two and Three. I found myself sketching out some of the discussion to better visualize how everything fits together. As with most technical books the "alphabet soup" of terms can get a bit overwhelming. A couple of terms I could not find definitions for in the text, glossary or index. (It would have been nice to know where a strange term like "bluetooth" comes from as this information would make one seem really smart at parties.)

Because Geier's years of experience and practical suggestions shine throught the book, I would definitely read other titles by this author and his team of technical editors. I give Wireless Networks First-Step a 4.5 rating on a scale of 1 to 5. An on-line errata page would greatly assist the reader in filling in some of gaps, typos, etc. missed by the author and editors.

it's at most a baby step........2004-11-19

This book is SO basic that I found it useless. I was hoping for a book with a little depth and some really practical information, but this has neither. I suppose if you want to learn the buzzwords but will never need to actually do anything with a wireless network it's okay, but if you need to actually set one up you should look elsewhere.

Average customer rating:

Leaves a bit to be desired
Routing First-Step may be Second-Step
More than expected.
Start with a Horse carried letter, get to the Internet

Routing First-Step
William R. Parkhurst
Manufacturer: Cisco Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587201224

Book Description

Your first step into the world of routing

No routing experience required
Includes clear and easily understood explanations
Makes learning easy

Your first step to understanding routing begins here!

Learn routing basics simply and easily
Explore how network traffic gets from here to there
Understand routing tools and technologies
Reinforce your understanding with chapter review questions

Welcome to the world of routing!

Routing is the technology that enables worldwide Internet communication. Many people involved with networking technologies or companies need to know how routing works. But learning about routing tends to involve a complex web of terms and acronyms-a language that can be difficult and unfamiliar.

No routing experience needed!

Routing First-Step explains the basics of Internet routing in language all of us can understand. This book takes you on a guided tour of routing, starting with systems you are familiar with: the postal system, the telephone system, and the interstate highway system. From there, you'll learn routing simply and easily. Whether you are looking to take your first step into a career in networking or are interested only in gaining knowledge of the technology, this book is for you!

Customer Reviews:

Leaves a bit to be desired.......2005-06-29

This is one of three routing intro books in the Cisco Press line. It appears to be positioned at the very entry level, ostensibly because of its inclusion of a chapter explaining routing with a post office metaphor, and a chapter on decimal and binary numbers.

Although the book is well organized, and covers the major routing protocols, it is surprising that, as an entry level book, there is no review of networking equipment, let alone an explanation of what a router is and how it functions. Many other basic routing concepts such as default routing and redistribution are not covered, but they may simple be beyond the scope of the book.

However, explanations of various topics included in the book leave a bit to be desired. For example, the chapter on EIGRP mentions early on that EIGRP can support discontiguous networks. An example is provided with no immediate explanation. The student would be unable to apply the knowledge to a different scenario. Later in the chapter, route summarization is explained. It is the way route summarization is configured that makes discontiguous networks possible, but that fact is not mentioned. Since the two sections are never tied together, the student will end up having to refer to a different routing primer in order to develop an understanding of the topic.

Routing First-Step may be Second-Step.......2005-02-05

Routing First-Step
(Your first step into the world of routing)
Reviewer Name: Steve Owen Scheiderer, Network Administrator
Reviewer Certification: MCSE NT 4.0, CCNA

ISBN: 1-58720-122-4

To earn my CCNA it took a year's worth of time in Cisco Academy modules, numerous labs,
two 990+ page books, a test study guide, and the Cisco Simulator (which I also reviewed).
Bill Parkhurst did an excellant job of summarizing basic concepts in under 400 pages. I
would recommend Chapters 1 - 6 and 9 for those pursuing CCNA certification.

What is difficult to understand, from the perspective of Cisco Academy material, is why
topics like IS-IS and GP are included in this book. Even some of the OSPF discussion
seems advanced (pp. 217-227). As a mere, humble CCNA, these sections were somewhat hard
to follow and at times produced more questions than answers. On the other hand, the
introduction to these topics was appreciated and could be helpful to some who want a quick
overview of how more advanced protocols work.

Those just starting out in routing may wish to skip some of Bill's discussion. For example,
a lot of space is devoted to the "Octal Numbering System" which Bill explains "is not used
much" (p. 45). Some of the discussion was tedious and more advanced topics seemed out of
place in a book for beginners. The time spent in the practice Bill recommends would have
been better spent with the numbering systems more widely used.

While I follwed his analogy of post offices and phone systems as they parallel ip addressing,
a novice might actually find the parallels hard to follow. This is particularly true where
there are points when the analogy breaks down. At times I wished summary statements at the
end of a discussion had been put up front to help with focus (p. 90, ip headers; p. 103,
subnets and masks take time to master). At other times, concepts were mentioned prior to
their main treatment (TCP/IP Layered Model on p. 83, then explained on p. 90; VLSM on p.
142 under Rip 1, then explained as working only under Rip 2 on p. 150).

While there are many things which commend this book as a "first step into the world of
routing," I believe it is more of a mid level book. The information above is offered to
the beginner as a way to start using this as a "first step" book.

More than expected........2004-10-27

The First-Step series are introductory books intended for those new to the topic and assumes no previous experience. Routing First-Step, by Bill Parkhurst guides the reader through the intricacies of routing by building upon situations experienced in everyday life. Throughout the book are useful illustrations, tables and configuration examples making it easier for the reader to understand the concepts presented. Each chapter ends with a series of review questions that reinforce the material read and gauge the readers understanding of the chapter. There is also a glossary provided to help the reader understand and become more familiar with industry terms.

The first chapter begins with comparing routing to events that occur in everyday. How the delivery of mail, driving from point A to point B and establishing a telephone call are synonymous with routing. In addition, the author has the foresight to begin laying the foundation for route summarization. Throughout the book, these everyday events are referenced to reinforce the concepts conveyed, making them easier to understand.

The next two chapters move into numbering systems and IP Addressing, discussing topics from converting between numbering systems to hierarchal IP Addressing schemes. For an entry level book the author went a bit overboard on the different numbering system conversions but it makes a good reference for those of us who do not remember the steps. The IP Addressing chapter is very useful, taking the binary numbering system already learned in the previous chapter and applying the concepts to hierarchical addressing, subnetting and summarization. Having a solid understanding of these concepts is necessary for anyone involved in designing an organizations IP Addressing scheme.

The book continues with the introduction of routing protocols, starting with the distance-vector routing protocols RIP v1/v2 and the Cisco proprietary IGRP/EIGRP. The next two chapters move on to the link-state protocols OSPF/IS-IS and then onto a chapter on BGP. The final chapter details the various protocols used with Multicast. The content of the chapters are much more in depth than I would have expected for this level of book (I would go so far as to say that the content rivals some of the CCNP Routing books I have read in the past). The examples and illustrations provided for each protocol will assist in building readers understanding of the information.

The author has done a wonderful job at taking a very complex subject, reducing it to its core components and presenting the material in an understandable format. When the reader completes this book, they will have a good understanding of the concepts of routing and routing protocols. I would recommend this book for those looking for an introduction to routing and IP addressing and although I would not recommend this book as the sole resource in preparing for Cisco Certification, it definitely would assist in one's efforts.

Start with a Horse carried letter, get to the Internet.......2004-10-22

Cisco First-Step books are exactly as the name implies. This book assumes that you have zero experience with what routing is, how it works, what's the addressing structure or anything else. It starts off with a discussion on how to set up a snail mail system using horses, kind of like the Post Office had to use in its early days. How would you address an envelope? There is a convention that says the return address goes in the top left hand corner. But it doesn't have to be there, if we all agreed, it could be where ever we liked. But it has to be somewhere.

This is the level of detail of where the book begins. After that, it goes on to a highway system. You want to mail a letter from San Jose to Chicago, what kind of addressing do you need, where does the letter stop on its way. Finally, these conventions become standardized, and we give them names. The names just happen to be those of the computer protocols - surprise, surprise.

By the end of the book he is discussing Border Gateway Protocols, Multicast and things like that. By then you understand that the Post Office where you started doesn't do multicast -- they don't have copiers. By then you understand how the internet addressing scheme works. You clearly understand routing and what a router does. You're ready to move on to the next step.

Average customer rating:

Voice over IP First- Step
An excellent introduction to Voice Network
Excellent quick-read book to introduce yourself to VoIP the Cisco Way
Learn the basics without being a computer whiz!
Like the Title Says, a Good 'First-Step.'

Voice over IP First-Step
Kevin Wallace
Manufacturer: Cisco Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587201569

Book Description

Your first step into the world of IP telephony

No IP telephony experience required
Includes clear and easily understood explanations
Makes learning easy

Your first step to the world of IP telephony begins here!

Learn how voice and data communications merge in voice-over-IP technology
Use this reader-friendly guide to understand the benefits of this technology
Explore real-life applications and theories through case studies in every chapter

Welcome to the world of voice over IP

We use either a telephone or e-mail for much of our day-to-day communication. Today, these two worlds are merging, and companies can place phone calls over their existing data network infrastructures using a technology called voice over IP (VoIP).

No prior experience with VoIP technology is required

Voice over IP First-Step is anyone’s introduction to the world of VoIP networks. The concepts in this book are presented in plain language, so you don’t need in-depth background knowledge to comprehend the technologies covered. If you work with data networks, if you work with telephony networks, if you’re a home user interested in how VoIP can reduce your monthly phone bill, or if the concept of VoIP simply intrigues you, this book is for you.

Customer Reviews:

Voice over IP First- Step.......2007-08-10

Very Good! Easy reading for anyone. If you have no experience with VoIP this is the book for you. I found it also helped with my CCNA study. Anybody who wants to learn VoIP should begin by reading this book first.

An excellent introduction to Voice Network.......2007-05-02

For those who are intending to go for Cisco Certified Voice Professional but don't have much knowledge about Voice, this book would be an excellent introduction to general Cisco Voice Networking.

It introduces you to many expects of voice from ground up without giving too many technical details to the point you can get bored. For voice newbies, this book would be a great companion.

Excellent quick-read book to introduce yourself to VoIP the Cisco Way.......2006-06-20

The title of this review pretty much summarizes my thoughts about the book. This is an excellent, quick-to-read book that provides all the basic info about VoIP, focusing on Cisco's offerings.

Although I read the book over a couple of days, I believe I put in less than 3 hours to read the entire book cover to cover (over all those days).

The book is very simple to read. The book is ideal for network administrators as well as system/equipment design engineers to quickly introduce themselves to VoIP. The book is also good to understand all the varied VoIP offerings from Cisco and how stuff plugs together to provide an integrated service.

The last chapter of the book goes beyond vanilla-VoIP, by discussing (in brief) Cisco's IPCC and other interesting offerings.

Great book! Read it to quickly and easily understand the fundamentals of VoIP as well Cisco's VoIP equipment.

Learn the basics without being a computer whiz!.......2006-03-17

Kevin Wallace's VOICE OVER IP FIRST-STEP joins others in the 'first step' series in providing a basic introduction to IP telephony services. You don't need to be a programmer or even a computer whiz to understand the basics as presented here: whether you're a home user interested in lowering a monthly phone bill or a business person using data networks, chapters provide real-world applications using case studies throughout, no prior IP telephony experience is required to learn the basics here. And networking instructor Kevin Wallace knows how to cover them easily.

Like the Title Says, a Good 'First-Step.'.......2006-01-14

With companies like Vonage beginning to advertise for broad based end user sales on television, VoIP must have become of age. I do notice, however, that Vonage still charges by the minute. I guess they think that this is what customers are used to paying so why not.

This book is aimed not at the Vonage type end user, but at the building of a comprehensive understanding of VoIP and would appeal to the sophisticated home user and to the corporate network engineer charged with moving his company to VoIP. It starts with how the traditional phone system worked and then moves to explain the difference between the old circuit switched system that Ma-Bell developed to the newer packet switched systems of today.

Most of the equipment being discussed is Cisco, as is fitting because it seems that they have just about the most complete line, and because this book is put out by Cisco Press. It is, as the title says, a 'first-step' book. It's enough to get a system operating. But if you really have to get down and dirty into the operation at a teckie level, you'll need more books. It is an excellent 'first-step.'

Average customer rating:

Good First-Step & Possibly 1.5th Step
Excellent book for beginners
Far too chatty!

TCP/IP First-Step
Mark Sportack
Manufacturer: Cisco Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587201089

Book Description

Your first step into the world of TCP/IP

No TCP/IP experience required
Includes clear and easily understood explanations
Makes learning easy

Your first step to understanding TCP/IP begins here!

Learn TCP/IP basics
Discover the power of TCP/IP components and subcomponents
Use hands-on activities to understand TCP/IP
Benefit from examples that illustrate the power of TCP/IP

Welcome to the world of TCP/IP!

TCP/IP is the world’s de facto communications protocol. It is the official protocol of the Internet and, consequently, has become the predominant communications protocol suite in many private networks and internetworks.

No TCP/IP experience needed!

TCP/IP First-Step explores TCP/IP concepts in a reader-friendly manner that assumes no previous experience. Learn about packetized data transfer, open networking, reference models, and standards bodies. Understand the architecture of the TCP/IP protocol suite and learn about its components, functions, and respective uses. TCP/IP First-Step helps you understand TCP/IP’s role in the network.

Learn more about the First-Step Series at www.ciscopress.com/firststep.

Customer Reviews:

Good First-Step & Possibly 1.5th Step.......2005-05-22

TCP/IP First-Step
(Your first step into the world of TCP/IP)
Reviewer Name: Steve Owen Scheiderer, Network Administrator
Reviewer Certification: MCSE NT 4.0, CCNA

ISBN: 1-58720-108-9

Mark A. Sportack has done a pretty good job presenting the world of TCP/IP to the beginner. Although the first part of Chapter 2 seems to rehash too much of Chapter 1, after that, the flow of most of the book more than makes up for it. He lays a good foundation from the perspective of whether timely or reliable communications is needed and what aspects of TCP/IP may be applied to the same. Good historical and practical insights are found throughout the text.

Unfortunately some of the figures in the book do not do the discussion justice. For example, Figure 3-6 and 3-8. The reader may have to slow down the pace to understand the point that is being made. His "Making Sense of the Chaos" (p. 57) discussion was well taken, but it took too long to get to the point. Figure 4-1 would have made more sense if it had been paralleled with the OSI model. While Figure 7.1 was supposed to have the network address portion of each IP address underlined, it did not. Figure 7-3 would have made more sense if each interface on the Internet Router had an IP address assigned. Figures 8-2 and 8-3 are confusing because the numbers 916 and 619 look like one might be a typo when discussing sequence of numbers.

Some of the discussion may be a bit advanced for the beginner but may be a bonus review for the intermediate. Sportack's Chapter 5 discussion and "This isn't stuff you'll need every day," may tip off the reader to the more advanced topics that may be helpful but not readily absorbed by the beginner. While his treatment of binary numbers, IP addressing and related topics is well done, again, at times it seems some of the subnetting discussion is too advanced. Chapter 9 seems to be redundant. Chapter 12's discussion of coaxial cable failed to point out that cable TV and network coaxial are not interchangeable (different ohm ratings).

The closing chapters would probably be the most helpful to the beginner and perhaps should have been placed at the beginning of the book. But sometimes the best is saved for last. Despite some of the challenges sited above, I'd recommend this book to the beginning TCP/IP student.

Excellent book for beginners.......2005-04-29

ENGLISH:

This is my first experience with one of the books of the "First-Step" series and resulted in something that I will recommend to my students and to anybody who would like to begin to study networking technology.

The style of the book is almost narrative, therefore the complicated concepts about TCP/IP are explained in an easy way and using analogies whenever is possible. The main objective of the book is to present the TCP/IP protocol stack, the layers that form it, to describe the functions that are carried out by each layer, and to explain why they are necessary for the communication process, but the author doesn't stop there, and the book also includes something about the origin and history of TCP/IP, the organizations that regulate and administer the development of networking technologies, routing and routing protocols, Ethernet and the Physical Layer; and tools for network troubleshooting.

Obviously the most extensive treatment is given to the most important protocols: TCP (Transport Control Protocol), UDP (User Datagram Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol) and I consider this the most valuable section of the book, because the function of each protocol, the way it does that function and the description of the information contain by the headers added to the messages, all are explained using a language that facilitates understanding; and while talking about how the TCP/IP protocol stack works, at the same time the author is talking about how the whole network communication is achieved, therefore, by reading the book, the reader is simultaneously learning about TCP/IP and also about how computer networks work and the physical devices that conform them.

There are 2 chapters dedicated to the Windows XP configuration to connect a computer to a wired network, a wireless network, and through a modem using a dial-up connection. I consider these chapters out of place in this book, because if someone wants to know about this subject, I think she or he will go first to a book with the words "Windows XP" in its title, than to a book with the words "TCP/IP"; I think books on Windows XP do a good job regarding this subject, and for me it should have been enough to have said that it is necessary to configure the TCP/IP protocol on the operating system, but not to dedicate 2 chapters to show how to do it. Instead I would have preferred some mentioning about IPv6 (the new version of the IP protocol) or at least some warning about the future of IP and the implications of moving to the new version.

Anyway and without any doubt, this is a great book that fulfills its goal. Based on my experience as a Cisco Netacad Instructor, this is a book that I recommend very much to anybody that has just started to study about networking technology or those who are studying for the CCNA certification. I enjoyed the reading and only took me about 8 hours to read the entire book. I think that you will also enjoy it.

SPANISH:

Esta es mi primera experiencia con uno de los libros de la serie "First-Step" y resultó en algo que recomendaré a mis estudiantes y a cualquiera que se inicie en el estudio de la tecnología de redes.

El estilo en que está escrito el libro es casi narrativo, así que los conceptos complicados acerca de TCP/IP son explicados de modo muy sencillo y haciendo uso de analogías cada vez que es posible. El objetivo principal del libro es presentar el stack de protocolos TCP/IP, las capas que lo componen, describir las funciones que se realizan en cada capa, y explicar porqué son necesarias al proceso de comunicación, pero el autor no se detiene ahí, y el libro también incluye algo sobre el origen e historia de TCP/IP, las organizaciones que regulan y administran el desarrollo de las tecnologías de redes, ruteo y protocolos de ruteo; Ethernet y la capa física; y herramientas para hacer pruebas a la red.

Obviamente el tratamiento más extenso se dedica a los protocolos más importantes: TCP (Transport Control Protocol), UDP (User Datagram Protocol) e IP (Internet Protocol) y considero que esta es la sección más valiosa del libro, pues tanto la función de cada protocolo, como la manera en que realiza la función, y la descripción de la información contenida en los encabezados que agregan a los mensajes, están explicados en un lenguaje muy sencillo, fácil de entender; y al hablar de como funciona el stack de protocolos TCP/IP, al mismo tiempo se está hablando de como se logra la comunicación en la red, así que al leer el libro, simultáneamente el lector aprende, no solo sobre TCP/IP, sino también acerca de como funcionan las redes y los dispositivos físicos que la componen.

Hay 2 capítulos dedicados a la configuración de Windows XP para conectar una computadora a una red alambrada, a una inalámbrica, y a través de un modem haciendo uso de una conexión dial-up. Considero que estos capítulos están fuera de lugar en este libro, porque si alguien quiere saber sobre este tema, irá primero a un libro con las palabras "Windows XP" en el título antes que a uno que diga "TCP/IP"; pienso que los libros sobre Windows XP hacen un buen trabajo en este sentido, y para mí hubiera sido suficiente haber dicho que es necesario configurar el protocolo TCP/IP en el sistema operativo, pero no dedicar 2 capítulos para mostrar como se hace. En cambio hubiera preferido alguna mención sobre IPv6 (la nueva versión del protocolo IP) o por lo menos una alerta acerca del futuro de IP y de las implicaciones del cambio a la nueva versión.

De todas maneras y sin duda alguna, este es un magnífico libro que logra su propósito. Basado en mi experiencia como Cisco Netacad Instructor, este es un libro que recomiendo ampliamente a quienes empiezan el estudio de las tecnologías de redes o están estudiando para obtener la certificación CCNA. Disfruté mucho la lectura y solo me tomó alrededor de 8 horas leer el libro en su totalidad, pienso que ustedes también lo disfrutarán.

Far too chatty!.......2005-04-09

I'm currently reading this book and find it more than tedious to read through the author's chatty filler. If I wanted to read a cute "Dummy" book, I would have bought it instead.

It's a major deficiency, as the comments are not funny and add both noise and unwanted content to an otherwise important book.

Robert Kennedy

Average customer rating:

Computer Networking First-step
Wendell Odom
Manufacturer: CISCO (PEARSON EDUCA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K85NFY

Average customer rating:

Netscape Communicator First Steps
Ziff-Davis Press
Manufacturer: Ziff-Davis Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1562764977

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