An essential guide to understanding networking theory, implementation, and interoperability

• Excellent preparation for generic or vendor-specific networking certification programs
• Written in a user-friendly manner accessible to readers who may need an introduction to networking terms
• Introduction to two popular real-world networking models: the Department of Defense (DoD) model and the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model
• Includes latest technologies such as laser, infrared, and satellite/ microwave communications
• Coverage of common server operating systems, including Windows NT(r), Windows(r) 2000, NetWare, UNIX, and Linux
• Security coverage provides basic cryptography concepts, public and private key encryption, firewalls and proxies, and internal security measures

Computer Networking Essentials, written by educator, trainer, and technical author Debra Littlejohn Shinder, starts with an introduction to networking concepts. You will learn computer networking terminology and history, and then dive into the technical concepts involved in sharing data across a computer network. A survey of networking hardware and software will show you how the hardware components, the server and client operating systems, and the networking protocols work together to make that data sharing possible.

Several "specialty" areas of networking are explored, including security, remote access, virtual private networking (VPN), and network monitoring and troubleshooting.

Written at a level that requires little computer experience, Computer Networking Essentials incorporates elements from a variety of popular introductory networking courses into a comprehensive all-in-one guidebook. It is an excellent preparation for the Network+ program, Microsoft's Networking Essentials core course, Novell's Networking Fundamentals, and the Cisco Systems CCNA certification.

When it comes to computer networking, there are two kinds of knowledge. The first has to do with the specifics of the equipment and software you're interconnecting (such as how to enable TCP/IP routing on Windows 2000, or how to configure access lists on Cisco equipment). The second is background knowledge. You need a fair bit of it to feel confident that you're making the right architectural decisions, and Computer Networking Essentials can help you gain that knowledge. It's useful as a test-prep tool--several professional certifications include an element on general networking knowledge--but readers will find Debra Littlejohn Shinder's work helpful even if they have no certification ambitions.

Reading this volume is like sitting in a university lecture. A typical section includes quite a bit of text explaining what problem the technology at hand solves and how, plus the historical context of the technology and its future prospects. Almost every page includes a nugget of information--a definition, a network diagram, a table, or a packet diagram--that helps clarify concepts that don't come across well in prose. Each chapter concludes with references to books and online materials, as well as with a multiple-choice quiz. Answers to the quiz questions--annotated extensively, to the author's credit--appear in an appendix. --David Wall

Topics covered: Fundamental principles of computer networking over local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs), including topologies, addressing, protocols, routing, and security. Coverage is well suited to general networking certification tests, though no specific test is focused on.