William Stallings
COMPUTER NETWORKING WITH INTERNET PROTOCOLS AND TECHNOLOGY
Softcover, pp. 642, plus XIV,
Pearson Education Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458, 2004
ISBN 0-13-191155-4
http://www.pearsoneduc.com

In general about the book

During the last two decades computer networks have been expanded explosively so that data communications and networking represent nowadays the fastest growing technologies. Practically every business enterprise, large or small, even the entire industry, has a substantial number of computers in operation. Some businesses have all their resources centralized in a building, while others have them scattered all over the world. Networking is used in every aspects of business, including advertising, production, shipping, planning, billing, servicing, and accounting. Consequently, most corporations have multiple networks, i.e. an internetwork that consists of one or more linked networks. These networks may have to traverse diverse networking protocols. Continued growth of the global Internet is one of the most interesting and exciting phenomena in networking. Today, the Internet has grown into a production communication system that reaches millions of people in all populated countries of the world.

This book provides an up-to-date survey of developments in the fields of computer networks and Internet-based protocols and algorithms. The material is divided into the following seven parts: Part I- Overview (chapters 1 and 2); Part II- Applications (chapters 3 and 4); Part III- transport Protocols (chapters 5,6 and 7); Part IV- Quality of Services in IP Networks (chapters 8, 9 and 10); Part V-Internet Routing (chapters 11 and 12); Part VI- Network and Link Layer (chapters 13, 14 and 15); and Part VII- Management Topics (chapters 16, and 17). In addition, there are two appendices, Glossary of technical terms, a list of frequently used Acronyms, an extensive Index, and a Bibliography. We now turn to a chapter-by-chapter description and critique of the contents.

Chapter content

The book begins with Chapter 0 (Reader's Guide, pp. 2-9) where some general information about its content, Internet and Web services, and Internet standards are given.

Part I deals with fundamental concepts referenced throughout this book. Chapter 1 (Data Networks and Internet, pp. 12-37) gives a general overview of data networks and Internet. Chapter 2 (Protocols and the TCP/IP Protocol Suite, pp. 38-73) presents the concept of layered protocol architecture. In addition it introduces the OSI reference model and the TCP/IP protocol suite as an Internet based concept.

Part II discusses a range of applications that operate over the Internet. Chapter 3 (Traditional Applications, pp. 76-112) explains the possibilities of the three oldest and most widely used Internet applications: Terminal Access-Telnet, File Transfer- FTP, and Electronic Mail- SMPT. Chapter 4 (Modern Applications, pp. 114-153) looks at some of the most widely used and advanced Internet application protocols, such as: Web Access- HTTP, Internet Directory Services- DNS, Voice Over IP and Multimedia Support- SIP, and Sockets.

Part III is concerned with protocol design and performance issue at the transport protocol level. Chapter 5 (Congestion and Performance Issues, pp. 162-201) concentrates on the issues of congestion and congestion control. The discussion begins with performance requirements from an application point of view, continues with effects of congestion, and ends involving the concept of self-similar traffic. Chapter 6 (Transport Protocols, pp. 202-237) covers in detail transport protocol mechanisms and discusses the two widely used protocols: Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP). Chapter 7 (TCP Traffic Control, pp. 238-269) concentrates on performance implications of TCP, and examines the complex issue of TCP congestion control.

Part IV discusses various techniques that, within an IP-based network, are needed to control congestion and provide the desired Quality of Service (QoS) to active applications. Chapter 8 (Internet Protocols, pp. 272-302) is devoted to the Internet Protocol as a foundation on which all of the internet-based protocols and on which internetworking is based. Chapter 9 (Integrated and Differentiated Services, pp. 304-343) presents the Integrated Service Architecture (ISA) as a specific framework within which integrated services are offered. Other topics discussed here relate to Queuing Discipline, Random Early Detection, and Differentiated Services. Chapter 10 (Protocols for QoS Support, pp. 344-380) describes three important protocols, RSVP, MPLS and RTP that relate to QoS.

Part V is devoted to the major approaches to routing, including distance vector, link-state, path-vector routing, and multicast routing. Chapter 11 (Interior Routing Protocols, pp. 384- 417) presents the algorithms that are usually used to determine the minimal path cost for a datagram. It examines the most important interior routing protocols: RIP and OSPF. Chapter 12 (Exterior Routing Protocols and Multicast, pp. 418-443) covers details concerning two path-vector routing protocols: BGP and IDRP. The chapter concludes with routing protocols needed to support multicasting.

Part VI gives survey related to network and line protocols and technologies that support Internet traffic. Chapter 13 (Wide Area Networks, pp. 446-471) describes the three important wide area-networking technologies: frame relay, ATM, and cellular wireless networks. Chapter 14 (Data Link Control, pp. 472-509) covers the basic techniques common to all data link control protocols. Specifics of HDLC are discussed. Chapter 15 (Local Area Networks, pp. 510-544) concentrates on high-speed LANs. Other topics discussed here include LAN Protocol Architecture, Ethernet, Bridges, Hubs, and Switches, High-speed Ethernet, and Wireless LANs.

Part VII describes two key aspects of network operation: Network Security and Network Management. Chapter 16 (Network Security, pp. 545-585) provides a brief survey of security techniques and services. Details concerning passive and active attacks, encryption, message authentication, digital signatures, secure socket layer and transport layer security are given. Finally, Chapter 17 (Network Management, pp. 586-604) deals with network management. The Simple Network Management Protocol (versions SNMPv1/v2/v3) is discussed, too.

Useful for students, engineers, and researchers

This is an informative well-written book, which in its seventeen chapters covers a number of subjects principally concerned with Internet based protocols and algorithms in the area of computer networks. The general organization of the book is reasonable in terms of both coverage and chapter headings. Each chapter includes Recommended Reading on Web Sites, Key Terms, Review Questions, and Problems. References are given to approximately 170 journals, articles, books, and reports on the subject. This feature of the book should make it very worthwhile to someone who requires an entrée to the area. One has to congratulate the author on having done the time-consuming and difficult job of putting together all this information in a single volume.

The text can be used in one semester course for senior or first year graduate computer science students with major of computer networks organization. It is also worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in learning about this very important new field in computer networks. If you have time and if you agree that communication technology and Internet will shape our future, then you should read this book.

In summary, I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in data transmission and computer networks fields.