Cisco Systems Books

Hats off to Toby Velte for this awesome refernce book. I currently hold CWNA and CWSP wireless certifications as well as CCNA and CCDA, and I find ths book packed with some great reference material.

Usually when you see a "Quick Reference" book means that it has limited information and explanations. Not so with this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who works on wireless networks or are planning on implementing wireless.

Most quick references are litle cut down booklets that usually just give you enough information to get you in trouble. The Velte's idea of a quick reference run for 288 pages. It's a reference all right, but the amount of data contained in it is enough so you can probably really solve the problem that you are looking up.

This is a Cisco book, so the material being discussed is oriented around Cisco products. But remember that Cisco owns Linksys and Aironet, so this book covers the traditional Cisco product line and also those of the other companies. A good bit of the book is on the 802.11 standard itself. This includes such things as frequencies, security procedures, generalized design tips on how to design your network and so on.

Cisco has quite a number of certifications that apply to networking and to wireless. There isn't enough information in this book to enable you to pass the certification test (Or at least, there isn't enough for me to pass it.) but there's probably enough to enable you to get your network going.

The Cisco 802.11 Wireless Networking Quick Reference book by Toby J, Velte, PH.D. and Anthony T. Velte, has pretty much everything you would want to know about wireless networking using Cisco Systems Aironet devices. I was thinking this book would just contain quick commands on configuring access points, configuring Cisco Aironet Wireless cards and so on, boy was I wrong.

Cisco 802.11 Wireless Networking Quick Reference has a lot to offer. First off it is a small size book. Can be easily thrown into someone's admin bag and pulled out for reference. Well organized Table of Contents, easy to find a particular topic. This book would be good for a beginner looking to find some useful info on Cisco Aironet products or a expert looking to refresh on a particular topic pertaining to Aironet devices. The first part of the book goes over technique specs, and the second goes over "after installation issues". The first chapter goes over Cisco Wireless Equipment, Access Points, Bridges, WLAN Controllers, and adapters. You will find useful information on the different models of Access Points, adapters and so on. There is a pretty extensive chart showing and comparing the different properties of access points, different antenna and so forth. Very useful information like signal range, noise ratio's etc.

There is a chapter dedicated just to antenna's. Which antenna to use for the right application, omni directional, bi directional among others. You will also find a comparison chart with information and specs relating to each antenna. Again, very useful information for a WLAN implementation. Cisco 802.11 Wireless Networking Quick Reference has a very in-depth section on WLAN encryption security and authentication. Shows you examples of configuring filtering, RADIUS server setup and WPA. Initial Setup, cabling sections are very well written as well. This book will help you with integrating a wired LAN and your new WLAN. The figures are well displayed, and there are real pictures of the devices mentioned in the book.

I recommend Cisco 802.11 Wireless Networking Quick Reference for a beginner in the WLAN world. Looking for a starting point if they want to pursue a CQS cert in Wireless. As mentioned earlier, it would also benefit a expert as a quick reference when encountering a problem with there existing WLAN or a new implementation. In a rating of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest. This book gets a 5 hands down.

Most of the time when a book claims to be a complete reference there is quite a lot of information left out. However in this case the information is complete and covers all the releases of the Cisco IOS from Version 9 to 12.

Only 350 pages, but don't be fooled, what is inside is a vast amount of reference information that will help in understanding how the release are built and what changes have been made, as well as what releases work with what routers and switches.

The 3 part breakdown of the book start in part 1 with how the IOS architecture is laid out and how the IOS has evolved over the years. Also you gain an insight into the naming conventions used with the IOS as well.

In part 2 this is where you begin to breakdown each IOS, in a table format that makes it easy to see what changes have been made, what equipment if affects. Covering Versions 9.X. 10.X, 11.0 to 11.3(2) and 12.0/12.0T to 12.0(7)XV.

In part 3, the hardware and IOS section, coverage of basic router and switch functions takes place. Using the ROM monitor and router architecture is also looked at. This book provides and excellent reference by showing you how the router functions and what takes place during the operation.

You must have known that Cisco has a lot varieties of Cisco IOS. Yet do anyone know what 11.2(T) and 11.2 differs ? I bet you dont' know much. This book unleashed all the cisco IOS revisions and their details. So you'll never puzzled out of 'hey what's is on this version'.

Good luck, buy it, CHeap and save time and efforts.

Excellent! This book is full of answers that I have been trying to get for the longest time. Maybe the title should have been " demystifying Cisco IOS Software Releases." Indispensable to net admin. The detachable poster-map of IOS Releases helps me quickly identify the correct software release for my implementation. In several occasions I have already referred to the appendixes which contain the IOS feature set and image naming format, and the IOS product numbering scheme.

In networking support is a key element of what the administrators do, the same principle applies within the world of routers and to become a CCNP is one of the four exams you have to take.

This book is just over a 1000 pages and the information is written in a labs/hands-on format. There are a number of step by step examples with instructions and the book can either work in a self learn or classroom setting.

Topics like the network models or OSI, DOD, Client/server, and LAN topologies and technologies like ethernet, token ring, FDDI and ATM. Also there is coverage of the troubleshooting tools like show and debug commands, ping, tracert and telnet.

LAN Protocols like IP and IPX, router configurations, frame relay, X.25, Novell, VLANS, STP and STA, 5000 series switches, ISDN and finally routing protocol troubleshooting. I have been able to use some of the routing protocol troubleshooting already in my job.

There is a sample test and review questions in the book as well as projects. The cd included has over 100 questions and practice tests in various testing formats. Overall a good value for what you pay for.

This is a very good book for both studying CCNP Support exam and as a work reference book. The real exam covers a wide range of topics, so does this book. The included CD has a good set of review questions to find any weak areas. The book actually provides more than 'exam cram', it asks you to perform some real-life like tasks. This is also a decent reference book for people working in general network support area, especially if you don't remember all the details of many aspects of Cisco equipment, this could provide an entrance point.

This latest ExamCram title was the best way for me to ramp up for the exam. Having taken the CSPFA 3.1 course from a Cisco Learning Partner last year, I learned that Cisco had changed the course content again to reflect the updated functionality of the PIX OS and FWSM. Cisco Press has been slow to release updated instructional materials that enable engineers to pass the required exams for either career certification or reseller specialization requirements. This CSPFA study guide was released at the perfect time to discuss and provide relevant examples of advanced configurations that one would expect to see in real life and in exam simulations. Simply put, I passed the 642-251 Exam because of this book. While you will not find identical test questions in this book, you will learn to distinguish which multiple guess answers are not applicable to each question and thus determine which answer is best suited for each question.

Newman wastes no time getting to the meat of the material and by the end of each chapter I felt comfortable enough to test each config and amend settings as need. The diagrams and listing of actual CLI outputs were thoughtfully presented and easy to read, much easier to digest than anything I've seen from Cisco Press. You don't want this book on your office shelf looking pretty, you want it in your car and on-site during installation to ensure a smooth integration.

I did find the included PrepLogic disc lacking in some regards, it was difficult to determine how to purchase the additional exam questions since their web site didn't show the 521 exam as part of their offerings. The .pdf version of the book was very much appreciated.

Daniel Newman's book is an excellent choice for studying for the difficult CSPFA exam. It is an easy read, concise, and covers the main points for the exam. Directly before I took the exam, I read through his book twice, taking special notice to alerts and the cram sheet in the back. You can see his instructor ability shine through as he provides creative scenarios and examples that both explicate difficult concepts as well as aid in retaining subject matter for the exam. I passed the test with a score in the upper 900's - something I do not think would have been possible without the assistance of his book. When you need to narrow down the required information to pass the exam, Mr. Newman's book is a must-have!

The Cisco Press "CCSP Self-Study: Cisco Secure Intrusion Detection System" is the Cisco Authorized self study book for the CSIDS Exam 642-531 (ISBN: 1587051443). The book is an excellent resource for any individual pursuing the CCSP track. In fact, I used this as my primary training material to pass the CSIDS Exam 642-531 to compliment my CSIDS web-based training.

The book format follows the CSIDS training course. However, the book provides far greater detail than the tradition Cisco courseware. The book follows the standard format similar to the majority of the Cisco Press Authorized self study books. Part I reviews the basics of Network Security; if you already passed some of the other CCSP exams, such as the PIX or SECUR exam, you can probably breeze through this section. Part II begins the deep dive into the CIDS environment, reviewing IDS concepts, Cisco's IDS architecture, and the various Cisco IDS platforms. The third section of the book delves into IDS configuration. Not only does the book provide detailed information on configuring the IDS sensor and modules, but also the various switch configuration requirements and the differences between IOS and Catalyst OS. The remaining sections cover CIDS maintenance and management.

Cisco Press provides numerous screenshots and configuration examples throughout the book. For those CCSP candidates who can not afford to invest in a 4200 IDS Sensor, a Layer 2/3 Switch, and CiscoWorks VMS, the diagrams, tables, configuration examples, and screen shots are very helpful in grasping the concepts and configuration requirements.

Where the book truly excels is in its coverage of both the IDS signatures as well as using the IDS Management Console (a component of CiscoWorks VMS). Fifty pages are dedicated to the IDS signatures. Admittedly, my eyes got a bit heavy reading this chapter. However, understanding the IDS signature architecture is paramount for any Network Admin. The coverage of the IDS MC was also fantastic. After completing the book, I felt confident in my abilities to utilize not only the IDS MC, and also the Security Monitor component of VMS.

The only instance where the book seemed lacking was coverage of the IDS Network Module for the Cisco Routers. However, in defense of Cisco Press, it is nearly impossible for a Cisco book to remain 100% up-to-date on Cisco latest hardware and software releases. The book does provide some content on the Cisco Secure Agent (CSA). Any CCSP candidate should always check www.cisco.com for the latest exam requirements and augment study material with the latest hardware and software releases from Cisco's website. All in all, I strongly recommend the Cisco Press "CCSP Self-Study: Cisco Secure Intrusion Detection System" for Cisco CSIDS 642-531 exam preparation.

I read this book over 4-6 weeks and must say its one of the best technical reads I have come across, the level of accuracy if 100 % and there are few errors even worth mentioning, it has loads of quality examples and the flow is brilliant, I don't keep many of my books but I will keep this one, highly recommended for all security engineers. Thanks Ciscopress for publishing a really high standard security manual AWESOME.

This book is the most comprehensive book I've seen on the A-interface for networking within cellular systems. It's truly evident that the authors have lived and breathed this technology and have boiled it down to the essentials while providing time saving tips along the way. Whether you will touch on this interface from the R&D or Operations side of the business this book is a "must-have"!

This is an excellent comprehensive book on the aspect of the CDMA networks. The contents of the book covered the Protocols(SS7, BSMAP), Supplementary features (OTASP, SMS etc) as well as implementations (call processing) for the Open-A interface standard, which is prevalent adopted in the U.S. PCS wireless systems.

Well illustrated figures and precise descriptions which make it an excellent reference for the CDMA network engineers even to an novice of CDMA.

Besides, G. Heine's (98') "GSM Networks: protocols, terminology and implementation" is also a good reference for the relevant topics.

The book is a product of a very logical mind , written with remarkable pedagogical talent.
(Or remarkable pedagogical training...).
A worthy reading for anybody who makes a living in IT .
A compulsory reading for anybody who's in Infrastructure Support (LAN/WAN) because it gives you a very clear overview on what "the others" are doing or dealing with...
I wish this book was available years ago; would have made me a better professional.
I wouldn't be surprised if it'll be embraced as Academic Material by some Universities.

Cisco is a leader in the internet infrastructure, Cisco is also a proven leader in knowing how to integrate the WWW with business and provide a solution for their customers. Now they produce the study guide for the CISS exam and become a proven leader their as well.

In over 750 pages the author starts the certification journey with business application models, followed quickly with discussions for design and application requirements, after that you move to learning about Internet business solutions including 4 scenarios.

There are also several other scenarios in the book as well as 5 CISS case studies ranging from e-business to security. There is also 2 practice exams included, 1 for the CISS Applications and 1 for the CISS Solutions exams.

Overall I found the book a very good read and very well documented, the author has certainly given you a first class effort with this one.

"Comparing, Designing and Deploying VPNs" introduces various and the most popular VPN technologies, provides explanation on how to select the appropriate VPNs, as well as how to design and deploy them. The book shows each VPN technologies in details, their capabilities and configurations.

The book starts with defining what VPN is, explaining what various VPNs are available and their comparisons. The first chapter introduces a lot of acronyms such as VPWS, VPLS, L2TPv2/v3, AToM and others). It also provides a summary table of technical consideration for selecting each Site-to-Site VPN and Remote Access technologies and a flowchart of all VPN technologies. Both the tables and flowcharts are very useful for reference before progressing to the next chapters.

The book dedicates the next 6 chapters (about 500 pages!) explaining Site-to-Site VPNs starting from designing, deploying and configuring L2TPv3 based Layer 2 VPN, Any Transport over MPLS (AToM) based Layer 2 VPN, MPLS Layer 3 Site-to-Site VPN and Site-to-Site IPSecs VPN. It provides in-depth explanation on how each VPN operates, many elaborate configuration samples with explanation of each commands used, and some advanced designs and deployments.

The first 6 chapters also have the most typos. For instance, in a couple of page, the author refers to previous diagrams by providing the page number xx instead of the actual page number. However, all of these typos are minor and can be ignored.

The next 3 chapters focus on Remote Access VPNs. They cover the design and implementation of L2TPV2 and V3 remote access VPNS, IPSec remote access and finally SSL remote access (WebVPN). They provide several configuration examples on how to implement the remote access VPNs in several VPN gateways from IOS routers, VPN 3000 Series Concentrators, and the new Cisco ASA 5500 series appliance.

The book assumes that the readers already have an extensive knowledge of IGP routing protocols (RIP, EIGRP, ISIS, OSPF), Quality of Service (QoS) and especially BGP. Without knowing them, readers will find difficulties in understanding the examples given as the book uses them extensively. I recommend readers to read Jeff Doyle's "Routing TCP/IP Volume 1 Second Edition" and "Routing TCP/IP volume 2 as well to understand IGP and BGP routing protocols in-depth.

I liked this book a lot and certainly will recommend others to read this. I gave the book five out of five stars for its good explanations, configuration and examples. The book is very technical but well written and provides a lot of examples that can be well understood. Since this is a CiscoPress release book, all of the hardware design and configuration are based on Cisco equipments.

The book has helped me greatly in understanding the different flavors of VPNs available. The IPSec VPN and Remote Access VPN chapters alone are very useful for the VPN project I am currently involved with and they already justify the purchase of this book.

Mark Lewis, the author, is a CCIE who has real work experiences in Service Provider VPN technologies. I also recommend his other book "Troubleshooting Virtual Private Networks (VPN)".

You would think that a VPN should be a fairly simple thing. But of course it isn't. Over a surprisingly short time various companies, groups of companies, standards organizations and seemingly anyone who wants to can come up with a new set of initials to define something special. Just a few examples include: GRE. AToM, Q-in-Q, MPLS LSP, L2F, PPTP. And of course they all mean something that is just a little bit different. This book starts out defining all these and more.

The second part of the book covers site-to-site VPNs. This part has six chapters, and basically each chapter talks about designing and deploying different types of VPNs. The third part of the book is on Remote Access VPNs, covering situations like the telecommuting worker or the salesman out on the road.

This book is by Cisco press so, as you might expect, it concentrates on the use of Cisco equipment. This is not unreasonable as Cisco produces a lot of VPN equipment. Also as you would expect from a Cisco title, the information is complete and accurate. In this book it is also very well written in a language that can be understood. All in all, quite a good book

This book covers every facet of DSL technology, from the bits and bytes of packets to strategies employed in deploying and implementing DSL networks. Its written in easy to understand style, complemented by gratuitous figures and configurations. The book offers a good blend of theory and practical applications of DSL technology.

I highly recomend this for casual readers interested in this subject, as well as experienced engineers running deployed networks . It provides a great source of information for everyone.

the only one of its kind, covering both pros and cons of each encapsulation method as well as design issues. Highly recommended.

- Detailed theory of modems, faxes
- Configuration examples
- Good screenshots
- Good explaination of T37 and troubleshooting t38 and t37


Good for beginners to understand the theory and those who already know the theory can refer the troubleshooting part for faxes and modems

This is a great reference book to understand the latest fax, modem and text for IP telephony technologies. It is certainly not for beginners but more suitable for anyone who has worked with, installed and supported these systems. The prior knowledge of call control protocols, voice gateways, Quality of Services (QoS) and familiarity of Cisco unified voice products and networking is very helpful to understand this book.

The book is divided into four parts starting from fundamental theories, solutions and designs, configuration and troubleshooting. It starts with the basic knowledge on how modem, fax and text telephony works. They come with good illustrations and are very easy to understand. Due to space limitation and various standards, the books only addresses the most common and important protocols for each technology.

The next part describes various switchover methods and transport options to handle fax, modem and text communication. There are so many technical jargons and complex concepts here that readers who are not familiar with these before, can get lost very fast. The book does a good job describing and comparing each method. The best part of this section is on the design guide chapter which shows reader what design considerations they have to review before implementing fax, modem and text communication for different hardware and network.

The configuration part shows various commands and configurations for fax, modem and text for many varieties of Cisco products. I understand that the authors include the configuration parts to complete the reference part of the book. However, since there can be many different commands for different products in different IOS software version, it is best to look up Cisco documentation in the Cisco web site directly rather than using this for configuration basis.

The last part describes the troubleshooting techniques and procedures used by Cisco TAC engineers to resolve fax, modem and text problems. This is the best part of the book to get the insight on how "divide and conquer" troubleshooting is done to find the cause of the problem. It is not easy considering the amount of devices and protocols involved to integrate the fax, modem and text system.

I am usually skeptical on any books that try to claim as definitive resources since they usually come short. However, this book is different. The authors successfully manage to incorporate all these technologies and cover them in details. Some readers might think that the delivery is quite dry but it is expected from a resource book. I rate this book 5 out of 5 starts and recommend this book for people who work with the IP Telephony.