Softpanorama
(slightly skeptical) Open Source Software Educational Society

May the source be with you, but remember the KISS principle ;-)

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Softpanorama
Old TCP/IP Books Reviews

News See Also Open Introductory Network Administration Advanced Reference
IBM Redbooks Routing Network
security		 DNS SMTP Microsoft
 TCP/IP		 Troubleshooting
IDS (Snort) DHCP OSPF IP6 BGP4 CCNA Certification Etc

TCP/IP is an old protocol invented in the previous century :-). And that means that older books are often cheaper and better then "paper pulp" that publishing houses  dump on the unsuspecting masses ;-). So, say, an introductory book published in 1998-2002 is often as good or better then books that are published in 2004-2005.   That way you can save some money without sacrificing quality of education. As one Amazon reader aptly said in his review of "IP Routing Protocols: RIP, OSPF, BGP, PNNI and Cisco Routing Protocols "

Save your money. Buy Radia Perlman's book "Interconnections, 2ed", John Stewart's book "BGPv4", and Ivan Pepelnjak's "EIGRP Network Design Solutions." Or simply buy Jeff Doyle's "Routing TCP/IP." Sure, the last couple are Cisco-centric, but they cover the protocol operations in detail. Doyle's, in particular, covers several protocols and is probably the best overall reference on all rouTING protocols only because he also covers EIGRP. My second choice would be Radia Perlman's, even though she does not cover the popular but proprietary EIGRP. The Mother of Spanning Tree Protocol has done a remarkable job not only on routing protocols, but also on the layer two operations of bridges and switches.

There are two major types of introductory books: TCP networking oriented and TCP/IP networks administration oriented (often Unix oriented, but several solid Windows books appeared recently). Several important noted to readers: 

No single TCP/IP related book that can satisfy all needs of Unix/Linux administrator or a serious student. You need at least three different books. So the most economical way is probably to get a the best introductory book in the area that is most important for you and a CD (Networking CD bookshelf is available from O'Reilly) for the other two.  For example if you buy O'Reilly CD at least you will have a useful reference on DNS and Sendmail. This CD is  overpriced and outdated so shop for a reasonable price. There are lot of online stores and auctions to shop around.

DNS now is covered in a separate page. Beware that O'Reilly DNS/Bind books are not for novices and generally are badly written and badly edited,  although each new edition is better that previous.

For the in-depth treatment  of the TCP/IP Protocol I think that a routing book might be a better deal. At least the authors really know TCP/IP level, even if they are weak on routing. May be IP Routing Primer  would be a better deal. For Cisco routers Cisco Routers for IP Routing Little Black Book is an excellent introduction.

Troubleshooting of TCP/IP is covered in several books. Some useful information can be found in TCP/IP : Network Administration (3-d edition) which is an open book (available from above mentioned  O'Reilly Networking CD 2.0). 

Good luck !

Dr. Nikolai Bezroukov

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Old News ;-)

Internet Core Protocols The Definitive Guide

Eric A. Hall

good book but too much repeated stuff, May 8, 2002
Reviewer: A reader
Very good presentation and description of core protocols (ip, icmp, igmp udp/tcp, arp) and at the right in-depth level I believe (if you want to get more in-depth, the rfc are there for that).

Anyway the book could be made much better just removing stuff since it contains way too much duplicated info. First there are whole paragraphs repeated exactly the same just a few pages away. I think this can get quite offensive (do you think I'm so dumb that I don't remember?).

And then there are the screenshots which are not very appropriate here since this is not an application review. A well formatted packet decode a'la tcpdump/snoop would be much better since screenshots display lots of useless stuff (menus, toolbars, etc) and for big packets a single screenshot can't fit the whole thing so you have to include two or more of them introducing discontinuities.

Furthermore screenshots are uselessly duplicated throughout the book. For example a simple ip header contains jsut 12 fields so a single screenshot can fit them all, anyway to describe these fields, the same screenshot is duplicated 14 times, from page 59 to page 77, and then a few more times. This happens for all the protocols and each screenshot takes about 66% of a page, so this is a real waste of paper! Often it gets really ridiculous when you have the same screenshot on 2 facing pages so you don't even have to slightly rotate your eyes to find them ;-)

**** Networking Linux A Practical Guide to TCP-IP

by Pat Eyler

ISBN: 0735710317; Published: Mar 21, 2001; Copyright 2001;
Dimensions 7 X 9 ; Pages: 448; Edition: 1st.

Sample chapter: before things break build a baseline

That is actually "an introduction to net tools" not the introduction to TCP/IP.

Not JUST networking linux but fixing it when it goes wrong, March 28, 2001
Reviewer: >Doug (Milford, MA) - See all my reviews

This is how-to actually implement TCP/IP and services - and calm, step-by-step instructions on debug and troubleshooting specific network problems, which in themselves are invaluable. Especially when you are tearing your hair out and really should be stepping back, taking a calm deep breath and taking it one step at a time... Covers tcp/ip basic protocol and packet information, then specific steps and uses for ping, traceroute, arp, ngrep, ethereal, nessus, mon, iptables (the replacement for ipchains), OPIE, tcpwrappers, more. Very clear, very useful.
 

Network Security with OpenSSL

by John Viega, Matt Messier, Pravir Chandra

RADIUS

by Jonathan Hassell

$34.95

*** TCP-IP for Dummies, Fifth Edition

by Candace Leiden (Author), Marshall Wilensky (Author), Scott Bradner (Author)

$20.99

This is now John Wiley & Sons for Dummies book.  And the price is higher that in old days ;-)

This book should never be used alone (and I suspect the new incarnation of the Dummies series is not intended to be used this way), but can be a good second "review" book if used with a solid introductory book (for example  Using TCP-IP  by John Ray  or TCP/IP Unleashed (3rd Edition) by Tim Parker). 

Flashcards are also nice and can really help if you need to prepare for certification...  Actually this book makes sense as a second book if you are preparing to the certification. It helps to see "bigger picture" that other books bury in 1000 pages of semi-understandable text ;-)

The best chapters seems to be on IP addressing, and on routing. The book does give very useful URLs for learning more. Can not replace Softpanorama,  but still good :-)

1 out of 5 stars a book for EXTREME dummies, December 21, 1999

  Reviewer: Andrei A. Istratov (see more about me) from Berkeley, CA

The idea of the series "for dummies" is to present complicated concepts in a simple way, so that people without any background in that particular area of knowledge could easily follow and understand.

This is not an easy task, and many authors use analogies from the everyday life to explain complicated technical issues. In this book, the usage of analogies exceeds all reasonable and necessary proportions, and some of these analogies are tasteless and excessive, from my point of view. I really wonder what level of "dumminess" did the authors anticipated in their readers to choose such a level of explanations.

Furthermore, the subdivision of the text into 2-3 subsection per page with weird titles like "Let network be Santa, and it just might work", along with the above mentioned examples (which are pretty much in the style of the subtutle, quoted above) distract from the topic of the book rather than help.

To be fair, I should admit that the book does contain all the basics of the TCP/IP networking, and could be a good starting book, if it were better written.

However, if it is NOT your first book on networking, it will not teach you a lot, and it is certainly not deep enough to be used as a reference

2 out of 5 stars Helps to demystify the topic, but falls short, October 28, 2000

  Reviewer: gwennie-michele (see more about me) from Atlanta, Ga USA

Background: I am a software tester who has worked on several projects using network technologies to implement the software solutions. In each case, I had no training or understanding of the underlying techologies used (a situation that creates tons of stress and frustration). I have been a purchaser of many of the "For Dummies" books because they do often succeed in providing an introduction to, and conceptual framework for understanding the subjects they discuss.

My Review: This book has been a mixed bag. Before reading TCP/IP for Dummies, I did in fact feel "like a dummy". Reading it has helped to allay that feeling. The authors do succeed in explaining many TCP/IP technologies and networking issues. I now have an awareness of what was going on under the hood of those software implementations I worked on and why they were implemented as they were. However, I must agree fully with the reviewers who found the food analogies used by the authors excessive and unuseful. For the most part, the analogies did nothing to illustrate the concepts. At several points I just stopped reading altogether because I knew the author(s) were off on their food tangent again, had forgotten their subject matter, and more importantly their audience. At other times, I crossed out entire paragraphs because they contained nothing but the continued bad use of these annoying analogies and explained nothing. (However, I blame these lapses on the editors as much as on the authors.)

Beyond these frustrations, I also took the following exceptions with the book:

(1) the authors fail to explain key concepts such as ports and subnetting in an understandable fashion. I found no reference to or discussion of TCP/IP sockets. (I have subsequently learned that understanding these concepts are key to understanding the communication process between two networked computers).

(2) the internet protocols are poorly explained and in some cases not explained at all. This lapse occurs in Chapter 6. The entire chapter needs to be re-written.

(3) terms are introduced before they are explained (for example ports), or are not explained at all. The authors have one subsection in Chater 6 called "Protocol, application or service", the idea being that some TCP/IP functions are one, the other or sometimes all of these. Still, the authors do not provide any distinguishing explanation between these three things or provide a meaningful explanation of them. By the end of the book you know (sorta) but where is the simple explanation that could have given clear and immediate understanding to the reader?

(4) the index is poor -- on a couple of occasions I could not find reference to the topics that I was looking for (memory escapes me now as to what they were).

(5) the compact disc [is useless]  that comes with the book includes files containing the RFCs, which are technical specifications and explanations of the protocols, but there isn't any reference on the CD of the topic of the RFCs (just their number). You have to open up each file and browse them to see what the RFC is about. Who's got time to do this?

In summary, the book has merit for the truly uninitiated, which is what I was at the time that I read it. I am no longer ignorant (which is in and of itself a reward). Of the several books that I browsed at the time I bought TCP/IP for Dummies, and those I've browsed since reading it, I still conclude that this was the right book to start with (even if it does leave you with that feeling you get after an unsatsfying meal: You're no longer hungry, but you do want and need more.) Sorry, I just couldn't resist the food analogy.

3 out of 5 stars Another angle for TCP/IP study, November 29, 2000
 

  Reviewer: systems_engineer (see more about me)

TCP/IP for Dummies is pretty slim on content - but due to the fact that most TCP/IP books on the market seem to be missing something I picked it up and was nicely suprised.

If you are totally confused with TCP/IP this book may help loosen you up. Don't expect it to help you manage an enterprise network or pass your MCSE exam.

The Dummies TCP/IP Flashcards work well in conjuction with Transcenders - but those are additional products, not included with this particular title.

??? Network Troubleshooting Tools (O'Reilly System Administration)

by Joseph D. Sloan
 

3 out of 5 stars Not worth the O'reilly name, March 19, 2002
 

  Reviewer: ruvreve from West Lafayette, IN United States

This might be a decent reference book if it contained more detailed information. I am a junior in college and was required to read this book from cover to cover and it was extremely boring. Anything the author discussed could easily be learned from help files or a quick glance at the website the product came from. THe author uses the phrase 'this is beyond the scope of this book' just when he begins to talk about something you may not have already known.

In conclusion, this would probably be an excellent book for somebody just starting out using troubleshooting tools, but if you have had more then 6 months experience in the field you already know most of the topics he covers.

***+  TCP/IP Network Administration, 3rd Edition

by Craig Hunt

Not bad, but far from being perfect. Much depends on your previous experience. The author does not possess the gift of explaining complex things so that they look simpler. This  book can be recommended for Unix administrators only. Does not make much sense for others. General level is close to introductory. Not recommended for serious network administration.

Amazon contains a lot of "lemmings" reviews in this particular case. Read them with the grain of salt.

Hardening Cisco Routers focuses exclusively on ways to secure Cisco routers, emphasizing practicality and a hands-on approach.

Concise and to the point, Hardening Cisco Routers supplies you with all the tools necessary to turn a potential vulnerability into a strength. In an area that is otherwise poorly documented, this is the one book that will help you make your Cisco routers rock solid. Sample Chapter 10, NTP, is available online.

IP Routing offers a concise guide to basic IP routing concepts so you can start configuring protocols for Cisco routers.

The book begins with the simplest routing protocol, RIP, then progresses successively to IGRP, EIGRP, RIP2, OSPF, and finally to the most complex, BGP. The book also describes the administrative tools available to all these routing protocols. IP Routing gives you the tools to master not only the fundamentals of all the major routing protocols, but also the underlying principles on which they are based. Sample Chapter 4, Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), is available online.
 
Tcp/Ip Networking Protocol (Operating System Source Code Secrets, Vol 4)
by Lynne G. Jolitz. Hardcover
Amazon Price:$49.95
Lynne Jolitz is a legend of the Unix world (and with her husband the co-author of 386 Bsd )
 
????? Microsoft TCP-IP for Windows 2000
by Keith A. Powell
Our Price: $34.99
Paperback - 600 pages Bk&Cd-Rom edition (October 5, 2000)
Prima Publishing; ISBN: 0761529373 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.16 x 9.13 x 7.42
table of contents
Very well designed table of contents. suitable for one semester course.  I like the fact that he present HTTP in details. This is probably most important application level protocol now and it deserves a special treatment.
 
??? Windows 2000 TCP-IP Black Book An Essential Guide To Enhanced TCP-IP in Microsoft Windows 2000
by Ian McLean
Our Price: $49.99
Paperback - 936 pages Bk&Cd-Rom edition (September 21, 2000)
The Coriolis Group; ISBN: 157610687X ; Dimensions (in inches): 2.34 x 9.23 x 7.42
table of contents

Amazon.com Sales Rank: 293,708
Average Customer Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars Based on 3 reviews.

Networking With Microsoft Tcp-Ip
by Drew Heywood
Our Price: $27.99
Paperback - 890 pages 3rd edition (October 1998)
New Riders Publishing; ISBN: 0735700141 ; Dimensions (in inches): 2.14 x 9.08 x 7.39
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 43,686
Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars Based on 6 reviews.
 
Windows 2000 TCP-IP Networks
by Ed Wilson
Our Price: $34.99
Paperback - 524 pages Bk&Cd-Rom edition (March 15, 2001)
Prentice Hall PTR; ISBN: 0130914002 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.04 x 9.24 x 7.03
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 651,013

 
LINUX TCP-IP Network Administration
by Scott Mann
Our Price: $34.99
Hardcover - 1200 pages 1 edition (July 16, 2001)
Prentice Hall PTR; ISBN: 0130322202 ; Dimensions (in inches): 2.28 x 9.26 x 7.04

Nice size (1200 pages ;-).
 
DNS and BIND (4th Edition)  -- see DNS section for details
by Paul Albitz, Cricket Liu
Our Price: $35.96 
Paperback - 601 pages 4th edition (April 2001)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 0596001584 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.15 x 9.13 x 7.04
Average Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Based on 1 review.
4 out of 5 stars Great book for the more DNS savvy geeks, May 7, 2001
Reviewer: Bryan W Bailey (see more about me) from San Antonio, Texas United States
I would say this is one of the very best DNS and BIND books out there although it is by no means for a DNS beginner. It covers alot of the general aspects of BIND but you definitely need a pretty good understanding of how the domain name system works. It is straight and to the point but does lack in some areas as far as errors that you run across and practical solutions that you often run into running a dns server.
???+ Linux Socket Programming by Example (By Example)
 4 out of 5 stars A fair beginner's book to socket programming, January 13, 2001
Reviewer: BK Lau (see more about me) from Arlington, MA USA
This is very readable and usable as a beginner's guide to socket programming. One particular aspect I liked is that the author took the pain to illustrate the socket structure well which many book glossed over. Also, the sample codes are short and illustrate the use of the socket calls well. The book could have been expanded to cover HTTP,SOAP,XML, etc to give it a 5 star. Also think that the publisher could have used better quality print material.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3 of 5 stars Good Explanations, Sad examples, August 18, 2000
Reviewer: Jeremy from Syracuse, NY United States
The code examples and editing mistakes almost force you to have a secondary book just to validate what the author is doing. 3 stars were given for the completenes and solid explanation of concepts. I should've just picked up the out of print version of Richard Stevens "UNIX Network Programming", classic.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5 of 5 stars Finally!, May 29, 2000
Reviewer: modular33 (see more about me)
Ah, Warren Gay is the man. I was very pleased with his Sams' Linux Programming book and decided to pick up this book hoping it would be just as straight forward and clear as the Sams' book. He delivered again. I've gone through many socket tutorials on the web and always felt like something was lacking. I still had many questions, but this book cleared them up. You can use this knowledge immediately to write your own apps. Though, I wish there was more on ioctl(), but maybe that goes too far beyond basic socket programming. Oh, Warren Gay is a supporter/programmer for GNU/Open Source. That's a big plus!

5 of 5 stars Real examples, not just code listings, May 21, 2000
Reviewer: Eduardo Aguiar de Oliveira (see more about me) from Rio de Janeiro
A must-have book! I seldom see a book so well focused on its aims. It is like it screams: "hey guy, use it do not use that!" or "connect works this way, not that way, take a look!". Every example is quite illustrative and, as if it was not enough, the comments are always helpful.

Everyone which wants to develop serious TCP/IP programming must get it. And it can also be read by UNIX programmers as well.

 

Effective TCP-IP Programming 44 Tips to Improve Your Network Programs
by Jon C. Snader
Our Price: $34.95
Paperback - 299 pages 1st edition (January 15, 2000)
Addison-Wesley Pub Co; ISBN: 0201615894 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.81 x 9.21 x 7.35
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 26,716
Avg. Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Number of Reviews: 6
 
??? The NAT Handbook Implementing and Managing Network Address Translation
by Bill Dutcher
Our Price: $49.99
Paperback - 322 pages 1st edition (January 15, 2001)
John Wiley & Sons; ISBN: 0471390895 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.80 x 9.12 x 7.44
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 76,586
Table of contents
Avg. Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 1
??? Internet Core Protocols the Definitive Guide
by Eric A. Hall, Vinton G. Cerf
Our Price: $31.96
Paperback - 449 pages 1st edition (March 15, 2000)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 1565925726 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.04 x 9.19 x 7.03
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 2,254
Avg. Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 9

An excellent book for the basic protocols., August 21, 2000
Reviewer: Uri Raz (see more about me) from Haifa, Israel
This book, subtitled "An Owner's Manual for the Internet", does a very good work of explaining the core protocols - IP, ICMP, IGMP & multicasting, UDP, and TCP.

Higher level protocols will, apparently, be covered in a future volume. Considering this volume quality, which follows O'Reilly's tradition of high standards, I cant wait for the second volume to come out.

The readable & detailed explanations are accompanied by sample packet decodes (a lite version of the decoding is available on the accompanying CD), make the book an excellent study book for both students and network administrators.

Food for a TCP/IP junkie; looking forward to your next book!, June 14, 2000
Reviewer: Richard Bejtlich (see more about me) from Texas, USA
I can't learn enough about how TCP/IP packets appear at the hex and bit level. Call me crazy. That's what my job in network intrusion detection requires, so I appreciate authors like Richard Stevens and Eric Hall. These folks bring the details of TCP/IP to life, so I can apply that understanding to suspicious traffic. Eric's approach focuses on network monitor traces, nicely complementing Richard's TCPDumps. I would recommend checking O'Reilly's web site for the latest errata, even though none of the errors are enough to detract from this excellent reference work. I am actually more interested in seeing the companion volume, "Internet Application Protocols," as this is where some of the attack action occurs these days. Anyway, this book is in my top ten essential security reading list. Thank you Eric!

 
***+ Linux Network Servers 24*Seven
by Craig Hunt (he authored a popular  O'Reilly book TCP/IP Network Administration)
Amazon Price: $27.99

Paperback - 627 pages (August 1999)
Sybex; ISBN: 0782125069 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.72 x 8.99 x 7.58
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 5,573
Avg. Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 16

5 out of 5 stars Yes! I've found it January 26, 2000

Reviewer: Thierry A de Villeneuve (see more about me) from San Diego

Yes, this time I've found *the* good book on Linux. I'm a sysadmin. I know how to get the most of a Linux box. But I was always seeking for *the* book that will bring it all under my eyes. Check this: sendmail's rulesets explained in clear language. Conversion from BIND 4 to 8. Apache admin tricks. Netstat -a explained in clear. Configuring a POP/IMAP server. Lilo in detail. It'll help everybody: the newbie and the close-to-know-it-all. And it's not one of these fake RH6.1 updated books where only the cover tells about RH6.1 and the content never talks about what's to be known. Great concise book.

*** TCP-IP Clearly Explained, Third Edition
by Peter Loshin
 
Amazon Price: $35.96
Paperback - 450 pages 3rd edition (July 1999)
Ap Professional; ISBN: 0124558267 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.36 x 9.31 x 7.43
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 57,520
Avg. Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 17
 
Not that "clearly explained" ;-). Decent general reference with a lot of diagrams. Not that great as introduction or the first book on the subject. This book has good links to RFCs.
 
5 out of 5 stars Decent introduction to TCP/IP February 26, 2000

Reviewer: A reader from Watertown MA

If you've got a degree in computer science, you probably won't like this book too much: it's written mostly for intelligent and knowledgeable people who just happen to need to understand how IP networks work. All the protocols are explained, from the bottom layers (like ARP and RARP) up to the application layer (HTTP and FTP). IP, TCP, and UDP are also explained pretty well. If you could only have one book about IP networking, this would be a pretty good one to have.
4 out of 5 stars A little stuffy, but a great reference January 27, 2000

Reviewer: Scott Pollock from Las Vegas, Nv

This is not the book for the novice to go from nothing to a complete understanding of TCP/IP, but it is a great reference. It doesn't flow very well, and it is a little technical in its approach. It does however give a good explanation of the protocols within the TCP/IP suite. It is an excellent desk reference, but don't delete your link to RFC-editor for RFCs. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Effective TCP/IP Programming: 44 Tips to Improve Your Network Programs

by Jon C. Snader. Textbook Binding
Amazon Price:$34.95
Average Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
 
**** Second Edition Bridges, Routers, Switches, and Internetworking Protocols (Addison Wesley Professional Computing Series)
by Radia Perlman
Amazon Price: $59.95

Hardcover - 560 pages 2 edition (October 1999)
Addison-Wesley Pub Co; ISBN: 0201634481 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.28 x 9.55 x 7.65
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 5,993
Popular in: Austria (#15) Santa Clara, CA (#20) . See more
Avg. Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 10

 
This is a classic book. Highly recommended on advanced level.
 
 
5 out of 5 stars A highly technical but easy to read book on networking January 6, 2000

Reviewer: Andrew S. Tanenbaum from Amsterdam, The Netherlands

If you are looking for a highly readable, but technical book on computer networking, this one is great. It contains some material on hardware, but it is mostly about algorithms and protocols. The author is one of the world's most respected authorities on the subject, having invented some of the key protocols and algorithms herself. Unlike many experts, however, she is able to explain the material in a straightforward way, making it accessible to anyone with a good technical background and an interest in the subject. The final chapter, on protocol design folklore, is unmatched anywhere. It gives tremendous insight into how to design a protocol and what can go wrong if you are not careful. This chapter is well worth the price of the book alone and "must" reading for anyone actually planning to design a protocol.
4 out of 5 stars Make sure you're ready for this book... then hang on! May 29, 2000

Reviewer: Richard Bejtlich (see more about me) from Texas, USA

I work in the intrusion detection field, and I approached this book as a definitive and highly-respected guide to internetworking. "Interconnections" contained more than I bargained for. If you're looking for a reference work that extends well beyond IP, and collects information for comparison and posterity's sake, this tome is for you. If you're looking for more of an introductory to intermediate text, with more of an IP focus, either look elsewhere or scour this book for what you need. I did find it highly refreshing to read the words of a true master of the networking profession, and her candid evaluations of protocols, committee decisions, and failures of common sense. I was especially pleased to absorb the clarity of her opinions on layer 2 vs layer 3 switching, and all the vendor/committee mislabelling that follows! (Is it a bridge, router, etc.?) Enjoy!
 

Teach Yourself TCP-IP Network Administration
by Brian Komar, Brian Komer

Our Price: $20.99

Paperback - 606 pages 1st edition (July 15, 1998)
Sams; ISBN: 0672312506 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.44 x 9.13 x 7.39
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 55,436

Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 starsBased on 8 reviews.

Open

**** The Networking CD Bookshelf (Version 2.0)
 
    by O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
 

Contains seven useful books of varying quality (Please note that  Practical UNIX & Internet Security, and sendmail books are absent in version 2.0 of this CD bookshelf)

TCP/IP Network Administration, 3rd Edition
DNS & Bind, 4th Edition
Building Internet Firewalls, 2nd Edition
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide
Network Troubleshooting Tools
Managing NFS & NIS, 2nd Edition
Essential SNMP

As a bonus, you also get the new paperback version of TCP/IP Network Administration, 3rd Edition.
 

****  The Networking Cd Bookshelf ( Version1.0)  6 Bestselling Books on Cd-Rom ~ Usually ships in 24 hours
Paul Albitz, Cricket Liu / Software / Published 1999
Amazon Price: $71.96 ~ You Save: $7.99 (10%)

Not that much updated in comparison with 1996 edition. The package includes a CD-ROM with the complete text and graphics of these books, formatted in HTML, readable with any web browser, and fully searchable and cross-referenced:

As a bonus, a hardcopy version of DNS and BIND, 3rd Edition is also included.

 
***+ TCP/IP : Network Administration, Second Edition e-text is available on O'Reilly Networking CD
Hunt, Craig
Amazon Price: $30.36
Paperback - 630 pages 2nd edition (January 1998)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 1565923227 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.20 x 9.16 x 7.03
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 2,911
Avg. Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 15
Pretty decent, but not that great and should not be used as an introductory book. It's more like a reference book.

Preface ..... xi Chapter 1 - Overview of TCP/IP ..... 1 Chapter 2 - Delivering the Data ..... 23 Chapter 3 - Network Services ..... 48 Chapter 4 - Getting Started ..... 80 Chapter 5 - Basic Configuration ..... 105 Chapter 6 - Configuring the Interface ..... 123 Chapter 7 - Configuring Routing ..... 164 Chapter 8 - Configuring DNS Name Service ..... 202 Chapter 9 - Configuring Network Servers ..... 226 Chapter 10 - sendmail ..... 271 Chapter 11 - troubleshooting TCP/IP ..... 319 Chapter 12 - Network Security ..... 362 Chapter 13 - Internet Information Resources ..... 405 Appendix A - PPP Tools Appendix B - A gated Reference Appendix C - A named Reference Appendix D - A dhcpd Reference Appendix E - A sendmail Reference Appendix F - Selected TCP/IP Headers

***+ Teach Yourself TCP/IP in 14 Days -- electronic text is available from www.informit.com
Tim Parker, Timothy Parker / Paperback, 512 Pages / Published by SAMS August 16, 1996 / ISBN: 0672308851

Outdated but still useful  Less patronizing than "Dummies..", and not as matter-of-fact as "Internetworking..", this book provides more or less solid fundamental material for developing understanding of TCP/IP. Tim Parker is a gifted writer. 

The book provides useful tests at the end of each chapter. While no one should expect to be an expert at TCP/IP in 2 weeks, one can probably get a good understanding of basics of this protocol. The biggest advantage is that the book is available in electronic form.  See also TCP/IP Unleashed.

 
 
TCPIP Architecture  -- ERCB review
 

Introductory

There are two major types of introductory books: TCP networking oriented and TCP/IP administration oriented (often Unix oriented). Here I cover mostly TCP/IP Protocol oriented books. For introductory Networking Admininstation Book see Network Administration
**** Using TCP-IP
by John Ray
Amazon Price: $23.99
Paperback - 797 pages Bk&Cd Rom edition (January 5, 1999)
MacMillan Publishing Company; ISBN: 0789718979 ;
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 179,718
Avg. Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 2

This is a good inexpensive book
5 out of 5 stars The way Introduction books should be... November 18, 1999

Reviewer: Rajjaj (urduni@hotmail.com) from Indianapolis, Indiana

Mr. John Ray excelled in the making of this book. Simple approach, always comes back to the 'Real World' with examples and hinters. I highly recommend this book to anyone entering the field of Internet Protocols.
 
 
**** [Oct. 25, 1999] Ip Fundamentals : What Everyone Needs to Know About Addressing & Routing ~ Usually ships in 24 hours
Thomas A. Maufer / Paperback / Published 1999
Paperback - 492 pages (May 1999)
Amazon Price: $39.99 ~ You Save: $10.00 (20%)
Average Customer Review: *****
Table of contents
This is a very interesting approach -- instead of TCP/IP only IP part is covered...

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Explanation Of VLSMs
Reviewer: A reader from Richmond, Virginia      October 24, 1999
This is a tremendous book for IP newbies and more experienced users alike. I bought the book primarily because I had not been able to find a comprehensive and understandable explanation of VLSMs. The chapter in this book dealing with that subject itself is worth the purchase price. Clearly explained with text, examples, and exercises, this book took a complicated subject and made it quite easy to understand. The rest of the book is just as good. My compliments to the author for an excellent job.

Best IP Fundamental book I ever read
Reviewer: geoffrey khoo (geoffrey.ns.khoo@capgemini.com.sg) from Singapore      October 7, 1999
The title speaks what it means by IP Fundamental. Good for all who want to take MCSE, MCP, CNE, CNA, CCSE and CCSA. It will help u to build a very strong ground of understanding an important Protocol. Practice the example of every chapter, it will test your understanding of that subject before you move to another one. Good luck.

Good practical (and comprehensive) reference and guide.
Reviewer: A reader from Washington DC      July 13, 1999
This book is a fine reference for network professionals. Probably more IP than anyone person needs in one place, with good references and excellent examples. The style is clear and readable. It's very useful to see the nuts & bolts of how OSPF & RIPx work together. If you need one IP book, this would be a good bet.

 
***+ TCP/IP Unleashed (Unleashed) ~ Usually ships in 24 hours
Tim Parker, et al / Paperback / (3rd Edition)
Amazon Price: $41.99
 
5 out of 5 stars Great overview, February 21, 1999
 
  Reviewer: A reader from Toronto, Ont

Non-technical look at TCP/IP that is great. I had a Windows and Linux network running in less thgan a day and I even know what's going on. Removed a lot of the technobable I see in other TCP/IP books. This book deserves a second edition.
5 out of 5 stars My one stop shop for anything on TCP/IP, January 15, 1999
 
  Reviewer: A reader from New Jersey, USA

This book covers the basics of TCP/IP as well as many related internet services, how they interact, and how to set them up on different operating system. I keep taking this of the shelf again and again more than a year after I bought it. A must have reference guide for anyone doing a little more TCP/IP than what comes on the ISP's setup disk.

 

***+ TCP-IP JumpStart
by Andrew G. Blank
Amazon Price: $15.99
Paperback - 272 pages 1st edition (February 2000)
Sybex; ISBN: 0782126448 ;
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 48,240
Avg. Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 3
Decent and very inexpensive introduction.
 
TCP/IP Blueprints
Robin Burk, et al / Paperback / Published 1997
Amazon Price: $27.99 ~ You Save: $12.00 (30%)
Robin Burk also authored Unix Unleashed,   Unix Unleashed - Internet Edition (Unleashed),
Unix Unleashed - Internet Edition (Unleashed)
 
**** Inside Tcp/Ip : A Comprehensive Introduction to Protocols and Concepts (Inside Series)
Karanjit Siyan (Editor), et al / Paperback, 700 pages /New Riders Publishing 3d edution. Published November, 1997
Amazon price: $39.99 ~ You Save: $10.00 (20%)
This late 1997 book seems provide good coverage of TCP/IP including name services (DNS and BIND). Highly recommended by all Amazon.com readers(5 stars).

                                                                       Table of Contents

Introduction Pt. I. TCP/IP Layering Model and Physical Infrastructure 1. Introduction to TCP/IP 2. TCP/IP Protocol Layering Concepts 3. Network Support for TCP/IP

Pt. II. TCP/IP Internetworking Infrastructure 4. IP Addressing 5. Address Resolution Protocols 6. The Internet Protocol 7. IP Routing Concepts 8. The ICMP Protocol 9. IP Subnetting and Supernetting 10. IP Routing Protocols 11. Transfer Protocols

Pt. III. TCP/IP Application Services 12. Automatic Configuration 13. Application Services 14. TCP/IP Network Management Pt. IV. Future Directions 15. IP Next Generation and ATM

Tcp/Ip Administration;

Zacker, Craig Idg Books Worldwide; 01/1998; Softcover; $39.95 (20% off list); 600 pages;  
Preface                                            ix
Part I  Origins                                    3  
  Chapter 1  Building a Network Standard           3  
  Chapter 2  TCP/IP Communications                 17 
  Chapter 3  TCP/IP and Operating Systems          53 
Part II  Protocols                                 95 
  Chapter 4  The Link Layer                        95 
  Chapter 5  The Internet Layer                    139
  Chapter 6  The Transport Layer                   177
  Chapter 7  The Application Layer                 213
Part III  Servers                                  249
  Chapter 8  Windows NT and IntranetWare           249
  Chapter 9  Routing IP                            289
  Chapter 10  DHCP and IP Address Management       327
  Chapter 11  Name Registration and Resolution     361
Part IV  Clients                                   413
  Chapter 12  Microsoft TCP/IP Clients             413
  Chapter 13  IntranetWare TCP/IP Clients          453
Part V  Tools                                      481
  Chapter 14  TCP/IP Utilities                     481
  Chapter 15  TCP/IP Applications                  519
  Chapter 16  Protocol Analysis                    559
Appendix  About the CD-ROM                         601
Index                                              607
*** Exam Cram Tcp/Ip
Ed Tittel, et al / Paperback / Published 1998
**** Hands-On Tcp/Ip ( Series on Computer Communications)
Paul Simoneau / Paperback, 452 pages / Published by McGraw-Hill in 1997 / contains CD-ROM
Based on the leading international hands-on TCP/IP course (rated as ``excellent'' by almost 10,000 attendees).

                        Table of Contents

* Tcp/Ip Complete (Complete Series) -- this is an extremely bad book
Ed Taylor / Paperback 607 pages/ Published by McGraw-Hill Companies; 03/1998;
Junk. The title promises a lot and the previous book in the "Complete" series (Complete Perl) was a really good book. Here it's not the case. Instead of complete coverage you get a complete disaster -- a lot of pages to cover very little and I found most explanations confusing. A lot of small errors. No routing coverage -- an interesting understanding of the word "complete".

CD is a joke -- it contains some disorganized materials from the author hard drives and was created in an hour or so -- it contains assorted connection of RFCs some named using numbers (e.g. RFC9999 and some renamed e.g. DHCP.txt) without any search engine...

I am amazed that McGraw Hill editorial staff showed such a disrespect for customers including such a CD.

BTW Ed Taylor managed to publish a dozen of books on the subject...
Here is a review the author other books The Network Architecture Design Handbook : Data, Voice, Multimedia, Intranet, and Hybrid Networks (Taylor Networking Series):
 
Author is trivial, condescending, and even flippant. I have text books from a BS-CIS, two AAS, and 1/2 of a Masters. I have read a lot of books. I'm not perfect, and I do realize it can be hard to write a book: but that is no excuse for this book. (This is the only book I will say that I totally HATE).
 
The author is arrogant, condescending, and even flippant towards the reader. How stupid do you think we are Eddie? (answer: stupid enough to spend money on this trash). The book is padded with a big list of RFC's and a Glossary that consume more than 1/3 of back of the book. A trivial and shallow introduction and basics consume more than 1/3 of the first part..leaving about 100 useful pages that were shallow and painful to read. Design? The only design was a way to get a book on the market to get some money!!!

I paid $90.00 for this piece of garbage. I'll *never* buy another book by Ed Taylor (The Taylor series of Trash Titles).
 
I use to think highly of McGraw-Hill.... after this book, even the Enquirer delivers more relevant data. Although in a gesture of fairness, I would say I'm half way through a book on SONNET, also by MGH, which is a very good book. So not all of their titles are bad.
 
(all in all, be careful about which technical titles you buy. Not all MGH titles, IMHO, are worth your $$$). PS: Mr. Ed Taylor: Go f*** yourself, do it today. You are an a**h** pretending to be an author, pal
Table of Contents
**+ Demystifying Tcp/Ip
Paul L., Dr. Schlieve / Paperback / Published 1997 / ISBN: 1556225393 Amazon price: $19.96
No routing covered...
Table of Contents
Illustrated Tcp/Ip (Wiley Illustrated Networks Series)
Matthew G. Naugle, Matt Naugle / Paperback / Published 1998
Acknowledgments
Part One Introduction to the TCP/IP Protocol
Part Two The Protocol Suite of TCP/IP
Part Three Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6)
Part Four Beyond the IP Layer
Part Five IP Multicast
Part Six BOOTP, DHCP, RSVP, and SNMP
Index

Advanced

**** Second Edition Bridges, Routers, Switches, and Internetworking Protocols (Addison Wesley Professional Computing Series)
by Radia Perlman
Amazon Price: $59.95

Hardcover - 560 pages 2 edition (October 1999)
Addison-Wesley Pub Co; ISBN: 0201634481 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.28 x 9.55 x 7.65
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 5,993
Popular in: Austria (#15) Santa Clara, CA (#20) . See more
Avg. Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 10

 
This is a classic book. Highly recommended on advanced level.
 
5 out of 5 stars A highly technical but easy to read book on networking January 6, 2000

Reviewer: Andrew S. Tanenbaum from Amsterdam, The Netherlands

If you are looking for a highly readable, but technical book on computer networking, this one is great. It contains some material on hardware, but it is mostly about algorithms and protocols. The author is one of the world's most respected authorities on the subject, having invented some of the key protocols and algorithms herself. Unlike many experts, however, she is able to explain the material in a straightforward way, making it accessible to anyone with a good technical background and an interest in the subject. The final chapter, on protocol design folklore, is unmatched anywhere. It gives tremendous insight into how to design a protocol and what can go wrong if you are not careful. This chapter is well worth the price of the book alone and"must" reading for anyone actually planning to design a protocol.
4 out of 5 stars Make sure you're ready for this book... then hang on! May 29, 2000

Reviewer: Richard Bejtlich (see more about me) from Texas, USA

I work in the intrusion detection field, and I approached this book as a definitive and highly-respected guide to internetworking. "Interconnections" contained more than I bargained for. If you're looking for a reference work that extends well beyond IP, and collects information for comparison and posterity's sake, this tome is for you. If you're looking for more of an introductory to intermediate text, with more of an IP focus, either look elsewhere or scour this book for what you need. I did find it highly refreshing to read the words of a true master of the networking profession, and her candid evaluations of protocols, committee decisions, and failures of common sense. I was especially pleased to absorb the clarity of her opinions on layer 2 vs layer 3 switching, and all the vendor/committee mislabelling that follows! (Is it a bridge, router, etc.?) Enjoy!
 
**** TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1 : The Protocols (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series) Vol 1 -- W. Richard Stevens; Hardcover
Hardcover - 576 pages Vol 1 (January 1994)
Addison-Wesley Pub Co; ISBN: 0201633469 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.83 x 9.59 x 7.68
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 1,304
Popular in: Network Associates, Inc. (#5) Rockwell International Corporation (#12) . See more
Avg. Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 23
Table of Contents
3 out of 5 stars Not exhaustive April 17, 2000

Reviewer: Partho Bhowmick (see more about me) from Thousand oaks, CA

Not a very exhaustive treatment of the protocols, esp. TCP. Leaves a lot of gaps like not explaining the SND, RCV & SEG variables & how they are used for error checking. You will find the RFCs alot more exhaustive & they come free of cost.
5 out of 5 stars Great explanation March 19, 2000

Reviewer: Chui Ong (see more about me) from Illinois, US

This book provides simple and in-depth explanation of the TCP/IP protocols. Handshaking algorithm, TCP timeout retransmission and a whole lot of other TCP stuff. It allows you to see clearly how everything works! Use this book with Unix Networking Programming by the same author and everything begins to make sense!
**** TCP-IP Illustrated, Volume 2 The Implementation (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing)
by Gary R. Wright (Contributor), Wright Gary R., W. Richard Stevens
Amazon Price: $65.95

Hardcover Vol 2 (January 1995)
Addison-Wesley Pub Co; ISBN: 020163354X ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.97 x 9.59 x 7.73
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 4,038
Popular in: Mountain View, CA (#19)
Avg. Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 4

 
5 out of 5 stars TCP/IP De-Mystified and Revealed January 5, 2000

Reviewer: Nirav Raval from Canada

I was always fascinated by the way computers were connected over the networks and communicated. Being a software programmer, I was looking for a book which could explain how the internet protocols work. TCP/IP Illustrated gave me an excellent and in-depth details of how TCP/IP is implemented with a unique line by line explanation of source code and clear diagrams. The book is an absolute must on every network programmer's book shelf and for anyone like me interested in getting closer look at the way TCP/IP functions.
5 out of 5 stars The best hard-core TCP/IP book out there. Period. November 19, 1999

Reviewer: Carl Schmokel (see more about me) from Dallas, TX

This book requires a strong knowledge of TCP/IP in order to get the most from it. Once you have that, I recommend that you read this book in order to get a firm understanding of how TCP/IP actually WORKS. Be advised, though...this text is a borderline reference book. Stevens (as you probably know) has a dry writing style, so be sure to fill up on your favorite caffinated drink before digging in ;)
5 out of 5 stars Impressive August 25, 1999

Reviewer: rtchakmakjian@na.marconicomms.com from Canada

If you want to know the internal mechanisms used to build an IP stack, and how the mechanisms are implemented, this is the book to refer to. The level of detail is very impressive. Although Vol.1 can be read as a text book, Vol.2 is really a reference book with a large quantity of code. It is very easy to read and well indexed (very important for a book of this nature). Simply put, it's one of the best TCP/IP implementation books I've encountered yet.
2 out of 5 stars It might be great if you are a programmer... August 3, 1998

Reviewer: A reader from Cleveland, OH

I'm a network engineer and I'll tell you what, the examples in the book are pretty horrible. They spent exactly a half a page on subnetting, which for anyone who knows subnetting, they should have dedicated a seperate chapter to.

The book is way too academic and not enough true to life material.

If you are looking to find out what every single bit is doing at any given time, then this is the book for you. If you're looking to use this book to set-up your WAN, don't bother.
4 out of 5 stars Comprehensive but dated, plus code wouldn't compile July 22, 1998

Reviewer: A reader from hamilton nj

The covereage is comprehensive and in great detail, the organization of the material flows in a logical manner. Stevens needs to put out a new edition soon to reflect recent enhancements to the protocols (notably IPv6 and upgrades to TCP like larger window sizes (RFC 1323) which are quickly glossed over in this edtion). Also, it's kind of aggravating that none of the code would compile on my system even though Stevens supposedly tested it in my environment. And even if I could have compiled the code, I would still need superuser priveleges to run traceroute and the other programs - it would be nice to provide utilities that an average user could run. If you can get past these nits, this book really is an excellent reference on TCP/IP and applications. Another excellent book which I recommend highly is "Networking UNIX" by Douba for a more top level approach to this material.

***+  Internetworking With Tcp/Ip : Principles, Protocols, and Architecture Vol 1
by Douglas Comer
Amazon Price: $64.00

Hardcover - 750 pages 4th edition Vol 1 (April 15, 2000)
Prentice Hall; ISBN: 0130183806 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.64 x 9.59 x 7.29
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 8,936
Popular in: Cary, NC (#12) Petaluma, CA (#16) . See more
Avg. Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 22

Table of Contents
  • 1. Introduction and Overview.
  • 2. Review of Underlying Network Technologies.
  • 3. Internetworking Concept and Architectural Model.
  • 4. Internet Addresses.
  • 5. Mapping Internet Addresses to Physical Addresses (ARP).
  • 6. Determining and Internet Address at Startup (RARP).
  • 7. Internet Protocol: Connectionless Datagram Delivery.
  • 8. Internet Protocol: Routing IP Datagrams.
  • 9. Internet Protocol: Error and Control Messages (ICMP).
  • 10. Subnet and Supernet Address Extensions.
  • 11. Protocol Layering.
  • 12. User Datagram Protocol (UDP).
  • 13. Reliable Stream Transport Service (TCP
  • 14. Routing: Cores, Peers, and Algorithms (GGP).
  • 15. Routing: Autonomous Systems (EGP).
  • 16. Routing: In an Autonomous System (RIP, OSPF, HELLO).
  • 17. Internet Multicasting (IGMP).
  • 18. TCP/IP Over ATM Networks.
  • 19. Client-Server Model of Interaction.
  • 20. The Socket Interface.
  • 21. Bootstrap and Autoconfiguration (BOOTP, DHCP).
  • 22. The Domain Name System (DNS).
  • 23. Applications: Remote Login (TELNET, Rlogin).
  • 24. Applications: File Transfer and Access (FTP, TFTP, NFS).
  • 25. Applications: Electronic Mail (822, SMTP, MIME).
  • 26. Applications: Internet Management (SNMP, SNMPv2).
  • 27. Summary of Protocol Dependencies.
  • 28. Internet Security and Firewall Design.
  • 29. The Future of TCP/IP (IPng, IPv6).
  • Appendix 1: A Guide to RFCs.
  • Appendix 2: Glossary of Internetworking Terms and Abbreviations.
  • Index.
 
***+ Internetworking With Tcp/Ip : Design, Implementation, and Internals Vol 2 ~ Ships in 2-3 days
Douglas E. Comer, David L. Stevens / Hardcover / Published 1998
  • Amazon price: $62.00
Internetworking with TCP/IP, Vol. III: Client-Server Programming and Applications, Linux/Posix Sockets Version~ Ships in 2-3 days
Douglas E. Comer, David L. Stevens (Contributor) / Hardcover / September 11, 2000
  • Amazon price: $67.00

DHCP

Dhcp : A Guide to Dynamic Tcp/Ip Network Configuration (Prentice Hall Series in Computer Networking and Distributed Systems) ~ Usually ships in 24 hours
Berry Kercheval / Hardcover / Published 1999
Amazon price: $44.99

Routing

CCIE Professional Development: Routing Tcp/Ip Vol 1
Jeff Doyle / Hardcover / Published 1998
Amazon price: $59.50 ~ You Save: $10.50 (15%)

 
  • Textbook Binding: 1025 pages
  • Publisher: Cisco Press; 1st edition (July 1, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN: 1578700418
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.5 x 2.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds. (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: based on 57 reviews.
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15,920 in Books
**** IP Routing Primer
Robert Wright / Paperback
Cisco Press,1998
ISBN: 1-57870-108-2
Pages: 352
Amazon price: $34.00
 

This is Cisco's IP Routing Primer that discusses the generic behavior of IP routing and packet forwarding using Cisco routers. It goes into detailed analysis of several real-life scenarios to provide insight into the fundamentals of IP that everybody supporting IP in a network should know.

By providing examples taken directly from Cisco routers, this book enables the reader to associate theoretical behaviors discussed in many internetworking books with their real-life counterparts. The reader should find it much easier to understand statements such as "Split horizon refers to the concept of not advertising routes over the interface they were learned from …" when it is accompanied by actual screen output from a Cisco router as it sends a routing table update to an adjacent router.

By providing examples of IP routing behaviors taken directly from Cisco routers, this book avoids theoretical explanations that can vary from one networking engineer to another. Ask any 10 network engineers what a poison reverse update is, and you will likely receive 10 different answers.
 

Here is the author note on the book, posted on Amazon ( August 28, 1998)
Why I wrote this book and what I hope it can do for you
I wrote this book to help people who want to learn how IP behaves in a router-based network but don't have a local expert to learn from. Many of the people who have become experts in IP Internetworking since the beginning of the Internet had the advantage of learning from their peers and from the broader Internet community. They also benefited from the fact that they developed their understanding and knowledge during the evolution of the technologies that make the Internet what it is today.

Anybody attempting to enter the world of IP internetworking support today has a daunting task ahead of them. The technologies already in place are extremely complex and the changes just keep on coming. And the one thing that everybody needs to understand - how IP actually behaves in a router-based network - is often miss understood or not understood at all. For example; ask any three people what "IP Routing Convergence" really means and you are very likely to get three very different answers. This book attempts to get beyond theoretical discussions of IP convergence by actually showing what happens when a network loses a transmission link and must converge on a new topology. It also avoids expressing opinions on what "should" happen during IP convergence by showing in detail what actually happens. IP convergence is only one of the topics that are presented in this real world manner. How routers make decisions on where to forward IP packets and many other concepts are included as well.

This book was not written with the intent of teaching Cisco router configuration techniques or how to design networks with Cisco routers. Nor is it intended to be an in depth guide to the TCP/IP protocol suite or to specific routing protocols like IGRP, EIGRP, BGP or OSPF. Good Book: Covers Basics That Are Glossed Over by Others, January 7, 1999
 

Reviewer: Kevin Scott Harris (Bellevue, WA USA) - See all my reviews
This is a an excellent book. Contrary to its title, I do not think this book is for raw beginners. Nor does this book help for the CCNA. But its loaded with supposedly "basic" topics that you must know and that other books just gloss over, like: route summarization, default routes (in detail), VLSM, IP Unnumbered, Discontiguous Networks, etc. All of the above subjects are covered in the context of how routing is affected.
Some good info but not well organized, June 28, 2005
 
Reviewer: J. Macfarlane "computer nut" (Idaho) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
There is some good info in this book but the principle criticism with is a major lack of organization of the material. It is almost as though the topics were written on little pieces of paper, thrown into a hat, and then drawn one at a time and associated to chapter 2, chapter 3, etc. For example, a discussion of binary numbers and network addressing, a preliminary topic, is left until chapter 8.

"VLSMs" and "IP unnumbered" are combined into one chapter. Although both topics can be thought to solve a similar problem, not much of a case is made for that.

There are actually no chapters specific to routing protocols, the heart of routing. Instead, an assumption seems to be made that the reader is already familiar with routing protocols, in spite of the first chapter assuming the reader knows nothing about routing.

 

 

**** Cisco Routers for IP Routing Little Black Book
Innokenty Rudenko / Paperback / Published 1999
Amazon price: $23.99 ~ You Save: $6.00 (20%)
Paperback - 474 pages (May 1999)
The Coriolis Group; ISBN: 1576104214
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 4,473
Avg. Customer Review: *****
Number of Reviews: 5
 
Actually the book is not little it's almost 500 pages long ;-). This is a very decent book. It is also priced much more reasonably that books from Cisco.
 
5 out of 5 stars Dont miss this book! December 2, 1999

Reviewer: mreza (see more about me) from Lahore, Pakistan

Ok. So you've got all the Cisco Press Books. And you think what good is one little black book going to make. This is one of the most practical books on Cisco so far. The other one written from a practical approach was a title by McGraw-Hill.

This book is a winner. The author literally packs so much information in so few pages! unbelievable.

This book covers almost everything : Bridging, Routing protocols, Frame-Relay, Redistribution etc.

Highly Recommended. You wont be sorry. Invaluable for the CCIE Lab. Get this book plus Bruce Caslow's.
4 out of 5 stars Good book with examples of command output November 2, 1999

Reviewer: router guy from Monterey, CA

This book is an EXCELLENT buy. For the price you can't beat it. I love the way it show you examples of commands, with the output. That is invaluable. It also show examples of entire config. files.

The only thing I wish it had were examples of the actual prompts before each command. Each example has the same default prompt, so it is difficult to see what mode the command was typed in.

All in all, though, the book is a must buy for anyone who works with routers, or is studying for Cisco certification.
 
**** Practical Cisco Routers
by Joe Habraken
Our Price: $23.99
You Save: $6.00 (20%)
Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours.
Paperback - (September 1999) 379 pages
The book is an excellent introduction--not only to Cisco, but also to networking itself.

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding Book, June 3, 2000
Reviewer: A reader from USA
This was an outstanding book with the little knowledge I had already on Cisco routers. This books brought me up to speed in a hurt in a fun easy to read type book. I loved it. And I look forward to reading more of the Practical Series of books from QUE.

5 out of 5 stars This is an excellent introduction to cisco router book!, May 8, 2000
Reviewer: Aminur Rizal Afip (see more about me) from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
I do agree that this is the best introduction book for Cisco beginners. It gives you from all the basic things you need to know about networking concepts and then explain the features of the routers and how to configure it.

I would recommend this books to my friends. Well the price itself is affordable :)

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