Networks Books

I recommend this book to my coaching clients because it gives them a real system to develop strategy and then measure performance. Everyone wants a simple way to stay on track with their goals, and this book offers organizational planning advice, suggestions on how to effectively communicate the plan with employees, and then reports to make sure there is accountability for results.

Its a real road map on how to get where you want to go in business.Its content is practical and very useful for managers and owners.The many forms are great and puts you thru the process.Written from a Tec point of view.

This book is packed with practical information and worksheets so you really get your money's worth. All points are illustrated with actual company stories and real-world experiences. The format makes it particularly easy to read and use.

Whether you work in a large company or small, are new to business or are a long-time professional, you will find something invaluable in this book. I bought the 1st edition, and this 2nd edition adds several new sections: there is a whole new chapter devoted to Human Resources, and great sections on holding a strategic planning meeting and writing a business plan. This book should be on every business person's bookshelf - you'll use it again and again.

I found the worksheets alone in this book worth the price. When you follow the step-by-step instructions, the worksheets cull out only the data you need. With all the extraneous data out of the way, it's easy to pinpoint critical problems that you might miss otherwise. And it makes developing key indicators and reports easier as well. I think any CEO who wants to keep the company's accounting and human resource managers on top of things at all times should give them this book tomorrow...if not sooner.

Having just passed the CCDP ARCH exam 642-871, I can highly recommend this book. Coverage is fairly complete and concise. As an adjunct, I also recommend the Sequeira, Wallace book for focus and final test preparation.

If you are preparing for the CCDP exam 642-871, Designing Cisco Network Architectures is a must have. This self-study guide covers all the objectives and should be read early and often throughout the preparation for the exam. While reading a manual like this will not replace experience or an instructor led course, it will help you master the concepts. One of the overwhelming problems of preparing for a Cisco exam is the breadth of the subject matter to be covered. A book that is well outlined like Designing Cisco Network Architectures is necessary to grasp all of the topics.
This book is geared toward the intermediate level student and assumes some basic knowledge of networking and Cisco devices, but not much more. There is a helpful glossary in the back to assist with terminology. Anyone who designs networks will find the book useful, but I give it a five star rating primarily with exam preparation in mind: which is its claim.
There are thirteen chapters but no units. So one can pick and choose which chapter to read in any order. Except for the first chapter, which is an introduction to the Cisco network model, the chapters can stand on their own as a single treatise. The layout includes a balance of text, diagrams, and charts. So that learning is enhanced and the reader's attention is maintained. Besides a summary, there is a product summary at the end of each chapter. This is a resource for understanding which Cisco equipment fits the designs discussed. Woven through each chapter ending is a case study of a fictional company that gives problems, goals and solutions. Finally, a plus for any exam preparation volume, there are review questions with the answers in the appendix.
Designing Cisco Network Architectures has some business value as well. I have recently consulted it in the planning and evaluation of VLANs and an internet edge network. The book is geared toward the "Cisco solution". Although, recently published, it does not cover the new multi-functional routers such as the 2801. But all of the design concepts of the latest networks are covered and the best equipment for each job is determined.

CCDP Self-Study: Designing Cisco Network Architectures by Keith Hutton and Amir Ranjbar (Cisco Press, 2005) covers all the topics for the CCDP ARCH (642-871) in the right level of detail. Having taken the exam within the last year, I can tell that it meets the exam objectives and does an excellent job of providing a framework to help you learn the services and solutions covered in the exam.

The CCDP went through an appropriate overhaul in 2003. It is now tied much more to modern technologies and to design principles based on the AVVID architecture and the Enterprise Composite Network Model (ECNM). This book introduces all the functional areas of the ECNM in the first chapter and continues to refer to these areas and their constituent modules as it delves more deeply (in later chapters) into the services and solutions of AVVID.

Of all the Cisco certifications, I think the CCDP gives you the best overall picture of what's happening in enterprise networking today. You won't get near enough depth for the CCIE, but you get a decent exposure to all the major solutions (such as content, wireless, telephony, storage, and VPNs) and the underlying services (such as network management, security, multicast, high availability, QoS) that make up the architecture of Cisco's offerings.

This book covers all of these topics in the right level of detail for CCDP ARCH. In addition, it relates the corresponding products to these services and solutions, so that you have a good sense of how to fit all this together when you're in the field. The network diagrams and other illustrations are clear and detailed, and there are numerous tables summarizing the often-copious amounts of information. The questions and answers at the end of each chapter seemed to be at the appropriate level of detail and were in line with the level of difficulty of the exam question in ARCH.

I also liked the fact that at the end of each chapter the book provides a nice summary of the Cisco products relating to each service or solution. While typically beyond the scope of this exam, this will give you a deeper understanding of how to help your customers choose the right products to meet their needs. A running case study of a hypothetical company going through a network upgrade is also updated at the end of each chapter; a careful look at the ongoing saga of the OCSIC Bottling Company will not only improve your applied knowledge in general, but will also help you with the (I thought) tough case study testlet in the ARCH exam.

The difficulty that authors face in putting together a book like this lies in the dynamic nature of the technology and the potential of it to change for the exam. I noticed a few minor flaws along these lines in terms of discussing products or solutions (such as CD One and the nGenius RTM), which are end of life. For this reason, it's a good idea to complement your test preparation with a review on CCO of any solutions you think might fall into this category. I also recall there were some telephony concepts, such as dial patterns, covered on the exam but not discussed in the book. If you peruse the SRND guides on Cisco's website for topics such as storage, wireless, VPN, content, and telephony, while keeping the exam objectives (listed on Cisco's website) in the back of your mind, you should be able to make up for these minor omissions.

I would also recommend some final preparation with the CCDA/CCDP Flash Cards and Exam Preparation Pack. This book contains some excellent summary sheets that follow the same structure as this self-study guide.

Overall, I would give this book 5 stars, and I believe you can use it as both your main preparation tool for the CCDP ARCH exam and as a field reference for your consulting services.

I used this book in preparation for the Cisco CCDP ARCH exam. It was a very helpful resource. The book focuses on concepts and methods, which is perfectly in-line with the exam content.

Overall the book is well written and I give kudos to the author for his ability to explain complex topics. The section on PIM sparse-mode was exceptional. Each chapter concludes with a real world example that helps illustrate the finer points.

Compared to the poor editing of the other Cisco books, this is definitely 5 stars. There are refreshingly few errors in this book.

Since you are likely buying this book to take the CCDP ARCH exam, I will also suggest complementing it with the BOSON CCDP practice questions. These two resources were the sum total of materials I used to pass the exam. There were only one or two questions that I don't recall the book covering.

Good luck!

In my opinion this book is most helpful preparation tool for Cisco CCDP ARCH exam. It covers all you need to pass that exam. Mr Ranjbar did good job and for me he recovered his good name after Self-study CCNP: CIT book.
Must have !

For a such a small, thin book, it is highly infomartive. It answers all the questions I had about applying to college. It helped me tremendously.

This book is great because it lays out everything one needs to keep in mind when preparing for college. I always refer to this book just in case I'm missing something or want to learn more. It answers every question I have about the SAT, SAT II, AP Classes, College Requirements, types of colleges and everything in between. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs organization and anyone who is already organized.

i am a sophmore in high school and i bought this book at the end of freshman year and have been using it ever since. It has check lists to make sure you get everything needed for your college application even stuff you would not think about. It gives you good ideas and motivation. It has a pull out resume to copy and use for inverviews as well as all in one easy reference book. Its a good tool any person should have looking into a college the easy way.

this slim book is truly helpful. i just got mine few weeks ago and it already helped me alot to get ready for college. this book is helpful to anyone, especially people who are really confused and don't know what to do. it is good to get it as early as possible but in sophomore or even junior year is not late. just follow along and do what this book recommands you to do. keep records of everything. i hope everyone will get help from this book and check yourself into COLLEGE you dream of!

i just got Check Yourself into College few weeks ago and it already helped me alot getting ready for college. i think this book is great for anyone in highschool, especially for people who are confused and don't know what to do about college. it's good to get it as early as possible, but even if you're a sophomore or junior, it's not late. follow along, and do what this book tells you to do and keep records of everything you do in this book. i hope everyone will get help from this slim, but great book and check yourself into COLLEGE you dream about.:)

Very well done, great insights, author has a minimal amount of church experience but brings a wealth of wisdom and practical, applicable steps for creating clarity. Worth the price.

"Vision, mission, values, strategy"--terms that most church leaders are familiar with. Many churches have written statements to cover these important elements of ministry, but most of us struggle with putting them together for effective and God-honoring ministry.

Will Mancini has done the Church a great service in "Church Unique" to not only demonstrate the importance of each of these elements, but also how you can frame these pieces together to discover how God has created each church to serve in our local and global contexts. While I've read most of the popular books on church leadership and have understood the importance of these various pieces in leading a ministry, Will has helped me to bring them together into a vision framework that makes sense for us. While recognizing the value that WCA, Saddleback and others bring to the discussion, Will ably makes the case that God has a unique vision for your ministry--that may or may not look like the last big (or small) church seminar you attended.

As soon as I read this book, I bought one for each of our elders. The descriptions, process and exercises have been extremely helpful as we have been together, re-discovering God's vision for our next steps in ministry. It's given a framework that makes sense--giving us the confidence that God has a vision for us. While we have much to learn from Warren, Hybels, Stanley and others, Church Unique shows how we can create a vision frame that allows us to know what does and doesn't best fit us and God's vision for our church.

The final section of the book on advancing the vision is a practical tool, which I know we will be referring to regularly. Will gives practical insights in not only how we articulate and deliver the vision, but also what is often the missing piece--how we integrate the vision into our everyday ministry and mission.

If you are trying to get your staff and your church leaders onto the same page or are yourself wrestling with what God's unique movement is for your church and ministry, I would highly recommend "Church Unique" as tool in your journey.

If you are trying to lead your church to effectiveness and impact, Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture, and Create Movement (J-B Leadership Network Series) by Will Mancini is a "must-have" resource! Like very few books of its kind, this one is not only packed with ideas, it is presented in a clear and purposeful manner with implementation in mind.

Based on Mancini's work with Auxano, Church Unique provides a carefully executed, step-by-step walk through the concepts and practices that build a "vision frame." Discovering and articulating a compelling vision is at the heart, but developing the missional mandate (mission), motives (values), map (strategy) and marks (measures) are what provide the frame. Each step in the process is presented in a way that begs to be implemented.

If you long for clarity and a laser focus, this is a book you will devour, mark up, and wear out. I'm frequently asked what's the best thing I'm reading. Church Unique is a book I'll be talking about for a long time.

I have been fortunate enough as a Pastor to go through the Vision To Grow process outlined in
Church Unique in the past two churches I have served. In both, the process and results have been arguably the most significant thing I've done as a Pastor. The process outlined in Church Unique helps to articulate the UNIQUE context of your local church, not just slapping on the model heard at a conference or adopted by a mega-church.

Church Leader/Pastor Friend, this is the resource you've been searching for. You can not put a price on the clarity, focus and ensuing movement you will help facilitate through this process explained in Church Unique.

This book reads like a cross between text book visioneering, story telling narrative (i.e. Patrick Lencioni's work) and inspiring coaching.

No brainer. Get this book.

It's rare to visit a church, read its mission statement and then conclude, "What a great match!" For that to happen, the church's vision must be clear, appealing, and most important, truly reflective of the unique culture demonstrated by the church.

Back in 1992, when churches were just beginning to think about vision statements, George Barna wrote a highly popular book called Power of Vision. In it he defined vision as "a clear mental image of a preferable future imparted by God."

I predict Will Mancini's Church Unique (2008, 271 pages) will succeed Barna's classic as the go-to book for church leadership discussions because it does even more than help you articulate a vision for your church. It goes further. It helps you "cast vision, capture culture, and create movement," as the subtitle forecasts. The book affirms that your church is "stunningly unique," and then helps you turn your church's one-of-a-kind potential into a model of ministry that leads to a redemptive movement. It understand that each church models a culture reflective of its particular values, thoughts, attitudes and actions. Using numerous specific-church examples, it walks you through the process of vision focus and alignment within the context of your church's unique culture.

Mancini, a former pastor and now church consultant, also explores pitfalls that often trap churches, such as adopting the latest conference technique or following a Band-aid approach to addressing deep-set issues.

CHURCH UNIQUE will benefit any type of church leader, whether megachurch or church plant, mainline or non-denominational.

The book is release #25 in Leadership Network's series with Jossey-Bass. It references in several places another excellent Leadership Network book -- Culture Shift: Transforming Your Church from the Inside Out (J-B Leadership Network Series)by Robert Lewis and Wayne Cordeiro with Warren Bird (Jossey-Bass, 2005).

Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Research Director at Leadership Network, and co-author of 19 books on various aspects of church health and innovation.

Cisco Network Design Solutions For SmallMedium Businesses zeros in on critical solutions for networking professionals who are deploying computer networks within a small or mediumsized business. It addresses core networking issues, including security, customer relations management (CRM), wireless LANs, unified communications, IP telephony, and more. For networking professionals, Cisco Network Design Solutions for SmallMedium Businesses is a onestop reference and design guide for the effective implementation of networking solutions that enhance the bottom line. Cisco Network Design Solutions For SmallMedium Businesses is separated into two parts the first part explores the network design process, surveys the SMB landscape, and identifies the network requirements from the edge to the core for an effective solution implementation. The second part identifies multiple security solutions, Cisco's integration with popular CRM solutions, design models for ICS 7750 deployment in the context of an IP Telephony solution, Wireless LAN solutions, and Cisco's Unity and IP/TV solutions.

This book gives sound advice for developing an effective business focused network solution. I especially like the chapters on security, which are practical and concise, offering an effective path for making sense of the all to complex security situation that we find ourselves confronted with in these times. The author puts security issues and threats in an easy-to-understand framework along with examples that help the reader make the connection to their business. Each threat is followed up with a set of solutions that the designer (and the CEO) can use to assess the security interventions that best balance risks and costs for their own business. The creation of a security policy is stressed. A follow-on chapter delves into the details of how the security policy gets translated into the Cisco environment. This book takes the rare but much needed view that network design should be driven from requirements and policy first and design and implementation second. Although the title slots the book in the realm of Cisco network design for small to medium businesses it should be of interest to a wider audience. I count myself fortunate to have crossed paths with this practical and useful book. Hats off to Mr. Rybaczyk for a job well done!

Every sentence in this excellently written book is packed with concentrated advice for small-to-medium sized enterprises. The content is absolutely up-to-date in how it relates to the real world. I particularly valued the Security Overview chapter, which helped me, with its Security Policy template, to meet the new Sarbanes-Oxley requirements for financial data security. Essential reading for every SMB enterprise!

Do you manage an accounting department? This book is for you. Are you in sales, marketing, manufacturing, advertising? This book is for you. Are you a senior or mid-level manager in a small to medium sized business? If you are, this book is for you. If you are a network engineer who is considering a move into management this book is for you. If you are a network manager, this book will give you excellent insights into the use of various technologies in your business. If you are a school administrator or technology coordinator in a school district of any size this book is for you. If you are a Cisco 'guru', this book will fill in any gap that you may have regarding newer Cisco technologies and how they might be integrated within your organization.

This book isn't a standard technology book with detailed explanations regarding for instance; how to enter into 'config' mode or how to configure a vlan on a wireless device. This book is about serious issues that all Small to Medium businesses face as they try to bring their organizations to the next level.

It is almost impossible to do justice to this book without writing 100 page review...but I will do my best to point out some salient points that I believe provide the philosophical guidance that underlies what is written.

In Chapter 7 Customer Relationship Management Solutions (CRM), Peter writes the following, "Any effective CRM solutions offers an SMB the opportunity to provide excellent customer service 100% of the time or, at least, close to it. In the information age, it means that no matter which employee is interacting with a customer, he or she has access to the relevant information to meet the customer's needs effectively, in a timely manner, and without confusion." He then proceeds to write that whether one is taking an order, a reservation, offering info about a new service or product, "a CRM solution should facilitate the interaction and the decision-making process on the part of the SMB's employees."

Talk about a crash-course MBA. His chapter on CRM and Chapter 10 Front and Back Office Integration Solutions reads like a mini-mba and should be helpful to anyone in management. The rest of the book provides inciteful information on various technologies and how they can be considered within the context of Customer Relationship Management Solution, increasing a company's competitiveness and increasing the bottom line.

For instance, in the section on VPNs, Peter provides a level of technical insight that is usually missing from technical how-to books. In addition, he provides the business-management insight that is always missing from how-to books. The issues that he writes about are critically important for not only network managers to understand, but for business managers to understand also. Any techie who reads this book will clearly be more valuable to an organization. Many techies only understand the 'prompt' they see on a router or switch. If a 'techie' wants to be well-respected within an organization, they need to have a deeper level of managerial insight that goes beyond the 'prompt'. This book will provide that and may well lead to a higher-level position within a company.

For instance, a VPN isn't just encrypted traffic running through the Internet. In the VPN section, Peter writes about design considerations, network topoligies and workforce distribution, cost savings, and vpns as enhancements to the existing communications infrastructure, reliability, resiliance, and scalability, and much, much more.

I consider myself fairly knowledgable on routing, wireless, security...vpns, firewalls, (not intrusion detection). I know a fair amount about VoIP in WANs. This book provided me with a great deal of understanding as to the equipment and issues with using VoIP in lans. I knew next to nothing about Unified Communications Solutions but now understand how it fits overall within the organization, and understand critical issues from both the technical and the human-managerial side. I have gained many important insights into areas that I understand technically...but not from the smb-management side.

Peter writes in such a manner that it is easy to understand where and how the technologies that he writes about, will help small to medium business processes and provide a higher lever of Customer Relationship Management.

This was a challenging book to write, but Peter has succeeded in doing the impossible. He has successfully integrated both technical and managerial issues into a cohesive book that any business and even school district will benefit from.

This book is a winner! Read it today!

Cisco Network Design Solutions for Small-Medium Businesses (Peter Rybacyk, 2005) outlines the networking needs of SMB's across the whole "yellow pages" of vertical markets. When dealing with a topic this extensive, an author has to make choices between depth and breadth. While the book does not delve too deeply into configuration or deployment use cases, it does manage to touch on pretty much every solution Cisco offers the SMB market. It's a comprehensive resource for a partner or reseller to help design an SMB network. By covering the SMB market in such detail, the book actually winds up touching on most of the major solutions (including enterprise) in networking today.

For the small business owner, its probably a bit steep on the technical detail for a first-step resource, but if you are already networking savvy or have able to dig a little deeper to get more vital information, you'll find this book quite useful. It's worth noting that there isn't any mention of the Linksys offerings; thus, it appears that this book is aimed at the "larger than the smallest" SMB market; it certainly is not applicable to small office/home office (SOHO).

Throughout the book the author puts forth a poignant and true-ringing analogy about the direction of networking vis a vis its apparent commoditization. Networking appears to be en route, however quickly and completely, to a kind of utility basis, wherein we will come to see it as increasingly plug and play, and perhaps as reliable, as electrical and plumbing systems. Although it is questionable whether networking can ever attain such a status, especially inasmuch as the applications get more complex with IPT, wireless, and storage, the trend in that direction is apparent (and welcome!).

The first part of the book covers the network design process and the profiles on different small and medium-sized businesses. It takes into consideration the key requirements of an SMB network: high performance, scalability, and "built within budget." This section includes an interesting overview of the networking infrastructure, including cable plant and storage requirements. There is a very useful checklist of design document components including requirements, cost/benefit analysis, implementation details, and so forth.

The second, and larger, part of the book details specific network solutions. These include security, remote access, IP telephony, wireless, partner collaboration, customer care, and front/back office collaboration. The security topic is divided into two chapters, the first dealing with the impact of the wide variety of security breaches (such as DDoS, man-in-the-middle attacks, zombies, worms, etc.). The other security chapter covers details on VPNs (in terms of the encryption technologies, appliances such as concentrators to manage them, and management advantages), firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and security functionality in the Cisco IOS. After detailing the requirements for VPNs (authentication, encryption, flexibility, scalability), a variety of VPN topologies (hub and spoke versus full mesh) and technologies (IPSec, SSL, and GRE) are discussed. It then covers advanced topics such as Dynamic Multipoint VPNs (DMVPN). Firewall technologies and capabilities such as DMZ creation, NAT, static packet filtering, and stateful inspection are discussed in detail.

Wireless LANs (WLAN) are tackled next, and the book provides excellent product descriptions of access points, wireless routers and bridges, switching requirements, site survey issues, the different standards, and the security implementation. There are several unique security issues related to wireless networking; examples include rogue access points and eavesdropping. There are many authentication and encryption technologies available for WLANs, partly because this a new area and partly because the original WEP encryption proved to be fairly easy to hack. The performance and topology considerations of WLANs also get a little bit dense because of the many ways that wireless signals can be interrupted. Thus, a serious discussion on WLAN technology needs to cover such topics as radio frequencies, relevant standards (802.11 a/b/g), transmit power, and antenna types. The Cisco Aironet family of access points is discussed in detail.

The CRM chapter deals with the relevant Cisco products (e.g., IPCC) to customer care. This is a relatively nebulous area because it is really so business dependent that it's hard to find a one-size-fits-all solution. But the Cisco Contact Center product description gives a very good idea of the current state of the solution.

The IP Telephony chapter covers the Cisco Call Manager (CCM) Express and other CCM IPT solutions, including deployment options. It first discusses the lower-level technical details such as echo, delay and jitter, and then goes on to discuss IPT standards and protocols, and relevant products such as gateways, gatekeepers, PBXs, and IP phones. Then integrated IPT solutions are discussed along with integrated call manager deployments. Finally it covers integration issues such as dial plans and integration with legacy PBXes. Issues related to unified messaging (e.g., getting your voice messages via email, and vice versa) are discussed in the following chapter, followed by front office/back office integration (detailing applications such as order processing and inventory management).

Overall, this well written and smartly illustrated book hits the mark and rates 5 stars out of 5.

This is an excellent book! It's very hard to put down. Brian uses references, charts, and graphs that a person like me can understand. I'm not the most knowlegdeable in this part of the computer field, but this book is giving all the tools needed to understand and build on the knowledge presented in this book. It has been most helpful to me because I've taken a huge step in my career from a desktop technician to Enterprise support. The knowledge I need to be successful is contained in this book. It has been approved overwhelmingly by my boss and others who have looked at it.. I greatly suggest buying this book..you will not be dissapointed

I found this book to be an outstanding reference guide through the quagmire that is the CCIE written exam. An important fact to remember- most books do not explain in depth all the IOS features even Cisco own Cisco IOS manuals, but this book doesn't leave any stone unturned, loads of IOS examples for routers and switches but a complete reference to almost every feature used in todays' enterprise IP networks, a must for a cisco person,
The structure of this book is to give you a solid foundation if you don't have much experience, and to act as the glue to tie it altogether if you do have experience or no experience.
Not only did this book help me to pass my written exam, but I could not have done it without it. I found the text easy to read and quick to sink in, which is critical when study-time is at a premium. I finished the book in a two weeks, and then passed my written exam. I highly recommend this book.

You may fall in love with all the concise yet clear description of most ALL cisco products in the first quarter of this huge book
(or not, IF you're adverse to Cisco product catalogs!). It also does a good job of covering [teaching] all the many topics listed in the TOC. There are some unique flowcharts of route processing. But there's no coverage of BGP and some other important advanced topics. I don't seem to find a "command reference", like the superb O'Rielly IOS Nutshell book. I give it only 4 stars, because of it's limitations, but there's sooooo much to love in this book. The details on EIGRP/OSPF do go VERY deep.

There are two kinds of people, those that take exams and have lots of expensive pieces of paper on the wall and then there are those people that actually do the work. If you are a do the work sort of person then this book is quite helpful.
I have to admit that I just bought this book for some light reading; however having access to Cisco equipment the little dabbling I have done has paid off. I doubt I will be doing anything serious other than initial setting up.
This book is a lot more than just Cisco. It covers the history, theory, and practicality of WANs, LANs, WAP, and more. We can not cover everything in this review.
The book is broken down to four parts, [Networking Basics, CISCO Technology Overview, CISCO LAN Switching, CISCO Routing]. Each part has a darkened tab down the side of the book to allow fast access. These sections are broken down in to 27 sub categories that are further broken down in to subjects. There are plenty of diagrams and tables, even a few practical commands.
While it is all there this book is more helpful if you have some background in the subjects or the learning curve is quite steep.

Working with Cisco Routers is part of what I do everyday and there are time when I need an information about the router or a configuration entry, or I might want to change certain parameters to enhance the performance of the network. Using this book I can have a great manual to go to for almost every purpose.

Broken down into 4 parts, with Part 1 covering Networking basics, such as an excellent explanation of the OSI model from top to bottom. Also 90 pages of TCP/IP breakdown as well as IPX/SPX and WAN technologies finish out this section.

Part 2 is the CISCO technology overview, from the router layout, which included several models, to the switch layout for both LAN and WAN switches and what I found to be most helpful was the 125 pages covering the IOS and commands.

Part 3 is the LAN switching and configuration section, covering Layer 1, 2, 3 and 4 switching. This is followed by Part 4 or the Routing section, and here you have coverage of all the protocols from RIP I and II, IGRP, EIRGP, OSPF in single and multiple environments and Access lists. What is missing is coverage of BGP, which could be included in the next edition.

Overall this book is very complete and while no specific exam is covered this book can and should help with all Cisco Exams.

Working in the IT field, I found this book to be very helpful-- especially from a historical perspective--explaining the various highspeed options available. I read this, although I have been trouble-shooting highspeed issues on a helpdesk, for a long time. When studying for Network +, I read references about T1 lines, and other methods of highspeed access that I have never used, personally, or only used in a corporate office invironment, as a User.

This book explains all the (mostly out-dated, in heavily populated areas) technologies, and helps to grasp the basics when studying for the Network+ certification.

I have read some of Mark Soper's works in the past (Upgrading and Repairing PCs Technician's Portable Reference, his articles in SmartComputing, etc.) and have always found them informative and relevent to my purposes. This book is no different. Soper presents broadband technology in a way that is both extremly detailed and easy to understand. It is humorous and very readable, qualities not often found in computer books. Yet it covers the topics (ISDN, DirectPC/Duo, DSL, Cable, etc) throughly and doesn't skimp on any vital detail. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is considering broadband service, anyone who has it already, or just anyone who enjoys learning about emerging technologies.

With all of the recent information floating around about "High-Speed" internet connections, one can literally go insane trying to decipher fact from fiction, not to mention attempting to figure out which service is right for YOU. When I came across this book, which I did here on amazon, I was very excited, but still unsure of what I would be getting my hands on. I thought that perhaps it would assist me a little here or there, and help out with the most basic information possible.

To my surprise, and delight, this book was truly AWESOME. So much so that I just received it a couple of weeks ago, and I'm now on my second reading. The book is packed with information. It not only delves into the aspects of Cable Modems and DSL(which is does so very intensely), but also tells you how you can optimize your standard dial-up modem connection to the internet. You can't lose with this book--if you already have an internet connection, the knowledge on getting the most out of THAT hook-up is worth the price of the book. In addition, the author definitely has a sense of humor, and that REALLY helps when you sit down to read a book, and along with educating you, you're also given a dose of humor that's JUST ENOUGH to make the education FUN.

The book also gives the reader information on what to do in order to have your computer completely in order BEFORE the installation of a broadband hook-up takes place, whether you do it yourself, or somebody's going to be installing it for you. This book even delves into how computers work, and the processes of computers connecting to one another to put the wheels of the internet into motion. The reader won't be BOGGED down with this, however, as the book is written in a very clear, concise manner. You'll also learn little tricks here and there throughout the book on how to maintain your computer for overall optimal performace. What a great book--I couldn't recommend it more highly!

DSL? Cable Modem? Satellite? Wireless? These are among the choices you will have to make if you decide to "upgrade" to high speed Internet access. It's difficult to know which one will work best for you. This book helps to explain the differences between each of them. The introductory part explains ways to get higher speeds from your current analog modem before diving into the different kinds of high speed Internet options you have.

The second part of the book is divided into chapters explaining ISDN, DSL, satellite, and wireless Internet and how each one works. It also gives you an idea of which specific type might work best for your individual needs. The next part of the book is divided into chapters explaining how to install whichever service you've decided on, complete with "installation checklists" at the end of these chapters.

There are also a couple chapters devoted to keeping your PC secure from "hacker attacks," which is always a problem, but even more so if you have this kind of Internet connection. Finally, there's a section devoted to troubleshooting problems, even a glossary at the book's end so you can familiarize yourself with related terms, and if nothing else amaze your friends with your knowledge of this technology!

This book provides an excellent overview of the high speed Internt technology available today.

I have read some of Mark Soper's work before (Upgrading and Repairing PCs, SmartComputing, etc.) and have always found it to informative and relevant to what I needed. This book is no exception. Incredibly readable and humorous for a computer book, it provides an excellent balance between technical detail and practical knowledge. Easy to understand and yet packed with information, this is a must have book for anyone even slightly interested in high-speed Internet access. I recommend this book to anyone who is considering broadband, anyone who already has it, or just anyone who enjoys emerging technologies.

If you practice law and are finding that clients are increasingly demanding you to be more tech-savvy, you'll want a copy of Jerry's book on your shelf. Sharing the same high-quality information that Jerry has put into his presentations for years, he makes this book a superb collection of lessons that will keep you flipping pages through to the end. This book is not one that you'll read once and put away - you'll find it answers just about any question you'll have about using the Internet on a day-to-day basis. Unlike most books about the Internet, this is one whose value will remain for quite some time.

Jerry Lawson's The Complete Internet Handbook for Lawyers (1999), is the standard reference for attorneys who use the Internet or who don't yet but should. Besides providing his own substantial guidance for using the Internet, Mr. Lawson surveys, organizes, and synthesizes data and resources from and about the Internet. If there is one book for attorneys about using the Internet, The Complete Internet Handbook for Lawyers is it. The book is a bargain at $50 given the time it will save and revenue it will help generate.

You could run all over the Web just identifying the opportunies and issues presented by the Internet for your law firm. Then you'd need to evaluate a slough of disparate information to arrive at answers to those questions. Or, you could buy this book and have an astoundingly comprehensive and qualified treatment in one convenient and easy-to-ready package. I had a copy that somehow walked out of my office. I know why it's not coming back. Whoever has it is using it. I bought another copy, which I am now guarding.

T. R. Halvorson, author of Law of the Super Searchers: the Online Secrets of Top Legal Researchers.

The Complete Internet Handbook For Lawyers is comprehensive, definitive, and exceptionally well organized survey and explanation of the Internet specifically designed for law students, practicing attorneys, legal paraprofessionals, and law firm staffers. From the essentials for getting started on utilizing the Internet, to doing legal research on the Internet, to marketing legal services on the Internet, to ethic and security issues involving the Internet, to philosophical and practical considerations for the present and future practice of law and the influences of Internet, Jerry Lawson's The Complete Internet Handbook For Lawyers is a highly recommended, essential, practical reference and guide.

Rarely, law books are published which teach a complex and essential subject effortlessly. This is such a book for Lawyers about the Internet. The author's explanations of relatively new and still arcane subjects are excellent. His section discussing Public Key Encryption is a good example of the style and ease of learning thoughout the book. Other lawyers have tried and generally failed to explain this type of encryption in a way which is comprehended by the average lawyer who barely passed or may have even flunked algebra. Using a 250 word analogy, author Lawson teaches it in a manner that lawyer and layman alike can easily understand. Realizing that the Internet is new and changing in ways no single person can fully comprehend, the author also includes a unique chapter by a number of knowledgeable lawyers and support personnel who contribute their own observations and conclusions. No lawyer who has to practice for the next decade can ignore the Internet. For those who haven't started, or those who haven't yet incorporated the Internet and Email into their practice, there is no better place to begin than with this handbook.

Connecting Online is a fascinating text that explores two worlds--the Internet with its many tentacles and the public relations industry--and how to merge them with powerful results. Sherwin and Avila start off with a well-written explanation of the Internet-not just the World Wide Web, but also ftp, e-mail, Usenet, Internet etiquette. In short, all the various pieces that fit under the umbrella of the Internet. They also explore the public relations world if briefer than they did with the Internet--releases, media relations, crisis communication. Having accomplished the groundwork, they set out on their main objective--explaining how to have effective public relations online.

They demonstrate a variety of interesting, if not necessarily the most innovative techniques. Examples abound, including finding the right consultants, costs, hardware, software, and utilizing websites for maximum advantage. In this, Connecting Online is none too dissimilar to Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired, which also covers using the Internet as the means to attain public relations objectives.

Drawing upon their experiences in both the Web and in the public relations industry, Sherwin and Avila provide several valuable pieces of advice. What makes this text even further stand out is the style in which it is written. Deft uses of humor in the technical explanations assure that even those with a layman's grasp of the terminology and technology will have little difficulty in understanding, grasping, and using Sherwin's and Avila's methods and advice.

In Connecting Online: Creating A Successful Image On The Internet, Gregory Sherwin and Emily Avila draw upon their extensive expertise and experience in clearly and definitively explaining the history, demographics, features and benefits of the Internet; show how to utilize email, the World Wide Web, Usenet, FTP, and other Internet tools; explain Internet etiquette, press release, crisis communications, security, and other public relations essentials, reveal how Web pages work and provide some strategies to research, build, maintain, and keep websites current. Connecting Online also covers issues such as costs, hardware, software, hiring consultants, and obtaining proper technical support for establishing and maintaining a website or an Internet presence. Connecting Online is an ideal, informative, comprehensive "user friendly", and highly recommended guide for learning all of the aspects of establishing a an effective online public relations strategy.

This book was exactly what I was looking for. Although, I am not sure I agree that my business isn't ready to jump into online sales... the significance of applying public relations techniques and solid, thought-out strategies online is certainly important to me at this point in my business' life. Connecting Online provided the answers I was looking for on the relationship between the Web and maintaining my company's overall image. The book also offers some great information, data, and step-by-step procedures. Although I wasn't looking for a site management book, this book covered new territory that will certainly help my communications with our Web team...all on terms I understood. In fact, the humor in this book made the most technical areas quite fun!!! What can I say, I just got done reading it and I highly recommend it! What a great read!

Connecting Online: Creating A Successful Image On The Internet explains why it is essential to establish a solid image and a communicative environment with specific Internet audiences. Authors Gregory Sherwin and Emily Avila have collaborated to created a guidebook that will help the most novice of computer users to get up and running with image building strategies, even when they have had no prior experience with, or training in, public relations. Connecting Online covers the history, demographics, features and benefits of the Internet; how to effectively use email, the Web, Usenet, FTP, and other Internet tools; Internet etiquette, press releases, crisis communications, security, and public relations essentials; how Web pages work including strategies to research, build, maintain, and keep them current; costs, hardware, software, the hiring of consultants; the technical support required to establish and maintain a website or an Internet presence; and much, much more. Connecting Online is "must" reading for those new to Internet communications and public relations and a handy reference for anyone needing a refresher in the art and craft of building a successful and profitable Internet presence.

The authors of Connecting Online have chosen to supplement the book with a companion Web site of the same name, which includes a wealth of information for PR people who want to use the Internet to its full advantage. This site contains updated links, organized by chapter, to all of the Web sites mentioned in the book. Connecting Online is the best resource I have seen for online PR professionals.

If you are a Crystal Reports Developer, this book is a must have. Not only is it a great teaching resource, but it also make an awesome reference. It's loaded with thought provoking questions and exercises. I've currently got five Crystal books on my bookshelf here at work. The ONLY one I refer to is this one. This book is also outstanding for someone new to Crystal, as long as you have some IT background. If you are completely new to programming/reporting, this book will be very useful to you eventually, but it's not a good book for your level.

Just in case you're not aware, Crystal Reports is a graphically oriented program designed to produce reports filled with data that comes out of a database, comes from a specialized type of server called OLAP, or from data that is calculated internally. It was one of the first such packages and was usually used in conjunction with big powerful databases such as Oracle or SQL Server that didn't have sophisticated reporting structures built into the database.

This book is oriented to guiding the reader through passing the CRCP exam. As such, it's orientation is less formal and descriptive and more oriented to the practical aspects of what's on the test. It includes a CD with a simulated set of examinations (you take three tests) to give you the look and feel of the test and help identify any areas where you need more knowledge.

The design of the book is such that it will be useful in passing the test and still of value as a reference book to the Crystal Reports user.

I highly recommend this book! If you are writing Crystal Reports this book is a MUST HAVE even if you are not interested in getting your CRCP certification. I have been using Crystal Reports for 5 years and have read several Crystal Report reference manuals. This one is by far the best!!!

This textbook contains everything the reader will need to gain Crystal Reports Certified Professional (CRCP) certification.

I used the textbook to take all three exams, and passed them all within twelve weeks. The only other source of information I used was the on-line documentation provided with the product (and I used that as a secondary reference only). Note that I did not take any education courses from Business Objects or third-party providers--this book was my sole information source, and it guided me to high scores on all three exams. I also became a much better Crystal Reports developer in the process.

The writing is exceptionally clear and free of all the techno-babble that clutters up so many other texts. This book is clear, easy to read, and structured perfectly. Not only that, but the examples are exceptional and applicable.

In addition to guiding the reader through the certification material, the text will thereafter continue to serve as a valuable reference for Crystal development.

Highly recommended--this is the Crystal Reports book that nobody should be without.

NOTE: Now that Business Objects has revised their CRCP examinations you might be wondering if this text would still be useful. The unqualified answer is YES. The two exams for XI are nearly identical to the three exams for version 10, except all of the Business Views components have been removed.

For XI certification, you still use this text. Just i) skip the Business Views parts (skip chapters 27, 28, 29)--as that software component has been dropped; ii) focus on the SQL components elective (chapter 22); and iii) skim the other elective sections (chapters 23, 24)--as there are no longer elective test tracks. Do this and you will still find this text the definitive preparation material for the CRCP exams.

The CRCP exams for version 10 Crystal Reports are difficult without taking instructor led courses. This book gives detailed information that is critical when preparing for these exams.