Description:
If nothing else, Cisco IOS Solutions for Network Protocols, Volume I: IP, can be entered as indisputable evidence of the rapid proliferation of networking acronyms. From BGG to RSVP to IGRP to BGP, this book covers them all, or at least the ones that run through the Internet Protocol (IP), the standards-based language of the Internet. Solutions for Network Protocols takes no prisoners as the first chapter dives into media access control (MAC) layers, address resolution, and the diverse array of routing protocols highlighted in the table of contents. The book effectively explains what each of the protocols is best suited for and offers guidance on which ones make sense for your situation. As you dig deeper, several red-hot networking topics emerge. The IP address mess, a mean-spirited and recurring nightmare for information services professionals, is sorted out nicely in chapters 3 and 4, though the language can be obtuse. Also worth mentioning is the discussion of Network Address Translation, a protocol developed by Cisco that lets you hide internal network IP addresses from the outside world. Particularly strong are sections on IP Multicast Routing and the Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP), a Cisco brainchild that lets you reserve portions of your network bandwidth for voice, video, or data traffic. If different traffic types are wreaking havoc on your network's performance, you'll be glad you waded through this tough chapter. The section on IP Multicasting, which breaks the one-to-one or one-to-all delivery mode by letting you define groups, is one of the strongest in the book. The book also provides fabulous explanations of the multicasting protocol variants and how to put them to work. An excellent primer, Cisco IOS Solutions for Network Protocols will help you wring the most from those ethereal routing protocols. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt
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