Security Books

For the starting cadaver dog handler this book is a must. I recommend it to all my students. It does an excellent job of detailing the scent imprinting training, establishing a readable alert and the advancement of training. Not only does it cover the handling and training of the dog but discusses in depth the handlers responsibilities and information useful to any agency wishing to deploy the cadaver dog. Excellent information in a basic readable form. Not much experience in scent work needed prior to implementing these techniques. A wealth of information.

The book was sent on time, and it cost less then other places that I looked at. Nice shape, and a great place to buy from. Kudo's!

This is an excellent book! Great for the civilian SAR Dog Handler or a person jutst doing research on the subject.

Tremendous resource book (especially for the Novice and/or Advanced SAR Dog Handler) for trouble shooting Handler/SAR Dog problems and maintaining a training program/profile.

Could also be utilized in conjunction with a qualified/competent instructor.

I found this handbook well written, organized and thorough. A must have for anyone interested or involved in this specialized field of cadaver dog handlers.

I've used this wonderful little book in a variety of college classes since it first appeared three years ago, and every time I reread it and discuss it with my students, I discover something new in it. Like all of Thich Nhat Hanh's writings, Calming the Fearful Mind can be (unintentionally) deceptive. The simplicity of its style can come across to the careless or antagonistic reader as simple-mindedness. But a closer scrutiny reveals a definite line of argumentation running throughout the entire book.

Nhat Hanh's claim is that the purveyors of violence in our world suffer from ill-being, and that their violence is a reflection of their interior pain. If we want to do something to lessen violence, we need to treat rather than retaliate, and this involves, minimally, deep listening on our part. Deep listening in turn requires mindfulness (nonjudgmental awareness not only of what the speaker is saying, but also of my own reactions to it), patience, and compassion. How different the world might be today, suggests Nhat Hanh, had there been a mindful response to 9/11.

But of course it's not only terrorists who suffer from ill-being. Most of us do as well. So Nhat Hanh offers advice on how both individuals and societies can be more mindful of our own dis-ease, both how it's generated and how to overcome it. In the commonsensical way so characteristic of Buddhist psychology, Nhat Hanh suggests that a great deal of who we are is dependent on the foods we eat. If we improve our diet, we improve our interior states, which in turn can't help but affect our behavior in the world.

According to Nhat Hanh, we feed on four "nutriments": edibles, sensations, volitions, and ideas. Consistent with his doctrine of "interbeing," or the interconnectedness of all reality, he insists that our choice of diet not only affects us but is also part of a greater whole. Agri-industrialized edibles contribute to environmental degradation; unwholesome sensory food spooned out by our media-driven culture can make us stupid; volitional foods can addictions that demand immediate gratification of unwholesome tastes; and violent idea-formation food can fix us in destructive dispositional patterns. So one way to change ourselves and our world is to clean up our diets, and much of Nhat Hanh's book explains how we can do this.

Calming the Fearful Mind is, then, offers both a diagnosis and a prescription for our troubled age. It's well worth taking seriously.

This book addresses a much needed gap in the literary marketplace, namely, how one is to live in the modern atmosphere of fear, hatred, mistrust, and constant enmity. TNH's response is that it is untenable, undesirable, and that we must change ourselves in order to meet the demands of our age. This book strikes right at the root of terrorism, which is, as with all forms of violence, suffering, and despair. When we cease listening, and refuse to engage in dialogue, we have given in to despair, and the cycle of violence continues apace. TNH worked in Vietnam during the War, for peace, and learnt much from his experiences. He applies those lessons here. A must read for anyone who is at a loss regarding how to function amidst this so-called "clash of civilizations", as some have framed it. An answer to the Greed, Hatred, and Delusion that is wracking the globe right now. Wonderful, heartwarming, courageous stuff.

i purchased this book today, 9/11/05 at a bookstore here in nyc. i'm not sure if it was placed on display by mistake as i've just read it is not to be released until october--but i am so thankful to have been able to read this today.

the memories of the attacks are so fresh today. i know that i've been ill at ease all day--sometimes struggling just to breathe. the simple act of opening this book has calmed me down.

thich nhat hanh, in his ever-gentle way, has reminded the reader that all too often we try to treat the symptoms and not the cause. by seeking out to destroy terrorists we are ignoring the root of the issue which, according to thay, are misunderstanding, fear, anger and hatred. i've seen so many "quick fixes" reported in the medical commmunity urging folks to take the newest pill to alleviate the pain rather than finding the source of the pain and treating it instead.

rather than attacking, he urges citizens to listen with compassion... to wait until we have calmed down before reacting... to try and understand where this behavior is coming from. he urges us to seek the roots and to act with compassion. and not once does he dismiss the severity of the situation. thay, having coming from war-torn vietnam and witnessing horrific examples of human cruelty, still recommends stopping and breathing before acting. it amazes me how his steadfast voice rings like a bell.

this is a slim volume, but one that is filled with wisdom. thich nhat hanh gently, yet firmly, reminds us to act wisely, compassionately and responsibly.

i turn to this teacher and his books often for much needed advice. this is one that i will return to again and again in these troubled times.

Thich Nhat Hanh comes to this brief but soulfully turgid book by way of a long history of Buddhist thinking and practice, having witnessed the atrocities of the Vietnam war, absorbed the nihilistic effect of evil and electing to form conclaves of believers of peace and serenity in spiritual retreats in Northern California, Vermont and southern France. His response to the current climate of a globe drowning in terrorism is simple: turn thoughts to listening, hearing, understanding and stay calm and shun blowing things up!

'Misunderstanding, fear, anger, and hatred are the roots of terrorism. They cannot be located by the military...To uproot terrorism, we need to begin by looking into our hearts.' His quiet wisdom is disarming. He advocates, no, pleads with us to listen to and hear and study the Muslim ideology to better understand the conflict in Iraq, a conflict as unwinable as that in Vietnam. His discussion of the concept of suicide bombings in contrast to the self-immolations of the monks in Vietnam who elected to symbolize their beliefs by sacrificing their own lives is poignant: suicide protest is a form of communication but one that results in the global observers refusing to listen, to react instead in fear and in rage. To that end Hanh directs his recurring plea to listen to those who make even such dire statements, that only by truly listening to the motivation and the passion that drives such acts can we understand and react out of learning.

'America has been overwhelmed by fear'. Hanh suggests that fear can be exchanged for insight through the act of deeply listening to those whom we seem to oppose. 'In the war with Vietnam, the Americans had the intention to save Vietnam from Communism. It was a good intention, but this desire to save us destroyed us...The intention to love is not yet love. We must know how to love. True love doesn't destroy the object of its love.' Transpose some words here, like Iraq for Vietnam, like dictatorship for Communism, and we are in the process of understanding the quiet timeliness of this little volume speaking for peace. It is quiet, it is readable and understandable, and it is necessary for each of us. Recommended reading. Grady Harp, November 05

In typical Chomskyian fashion, "Case Studies In Hypocrisy: US Human Rights Policy" is an extensive exercise in wit and wisdom. Noam Chomsky informs the listener of the paradox between America's official foreign policy and the bloody reality of its practice. As part of Chomsky's analysis of U.S. foreign relations and human rights policies, he takes the listener through specific incidents in such countries as China, Palestine and Iraq. This is a great audio lecture for Chomsky fans and anyone concerned with the plight of their fellow human beings overseas.

The section on Iraq is especially prescient. By Midnight on September 11, I already knew the Bush administration would use that horrible day as a pretext to attack those people again.

Mandatory listening for anyone who cares about democracy.

Noam Chomsky's books and CD's are addictive once you start reading or listenening you just can not get enough.

if I was not the one who did it. Noam provides a brief overview of how US human rights policy has done much to cause the "wars" we now need to stop.

While the connections are obvious we do little to change. We view the UN as a joke and have countless times displayed this.
We have had a past of funding ethnic cleansing in other countries and it would be foolish to think by ignoring it we will change.

As an engineer that is involved with ITS closed circuit television systems, "CCTV" is a great book to have on my desk. It provides me the information needed for my profession. You will find the book to be very technical, but easy to follow. The explaination of the CCTV system, from camera(s) to monitor(s), is complete and covers the most important hardware that a professional will encounter. "CCTV" helps me meet my goal to be one of the top experts of my profession. Engineers, technicians, consultants and installers involved with CCTV systems should definitely have a copy. Thank you, Mr. Damjanovski!!!

This is an Excellent book. It presents a lot of useful information and is perfect for professionals with a technical background. It doesn't go too deep into the theory but it tells just you what you need to know and gives you an idea of where to look for further information. It's expensive, but it's worth the money.

This is an excellent book for someone new to CCTV and who wants to know how things tick. I highly recommend this book for technicians, Security Managers and "techies".

Vlado does an excellent job explaining some very technical aspects of complex items in a way that is easy to follow.

If you are involved in the design of security CCTV systems, you would be remiss not to read this book. It clearly explains the physical and electronic science and how it relates to design theory.

One of the best books on channel trading I have ever read. By learning the techniques in this book you can be right over 80% of the time. Like in poker you can learn the market "tells", the trick is how strong are they. By using channel surfing you miss a lot of the head fakes the market throws at you. The author also sells excellent videos on the subject.

This book has more unique and practical applications of chart reading than many books on trading. Instead of regurgitating the same methods everyone knows, Mr. Parsons leaves the well beaten path and shows unconventional entry and exit methods. He also discusses why they work.

He does make it look easy, real time it is not that easy. Some of the examples look like they have the benefit of hind-sight.

The reader should already be familiar with money management techniques and some chart pattern basics.

This is not a book for Quant - types. Discretionary traders who trade patterns (not oscillators, indicators) will find some gold here.

Sam

I almost didn't look at it, but I am sure glad I did! This book is packed with a lot of great stuff for technical traders, particularly for the price. The method turned out to be really good and my trading results so far show it. I really liked this book and it was very enjoyable to read as well. If you prefer computer indicators then this book will probably not suit you, but if you like trading based on price movement then this is one you will definitely want to read.

As a former floor trader and member of a major US trading exchange, I have seen a lot of trading books, courses, and gurus with crazy ideas. Very few of them work and make you money. And some of them only work for a while before market conditions change, and their approach stops working. Other ideas are too complicated to follow, with many rules and exceptions. Or you have to watch the markets all day as a day-trader. But this is definitely not the case with "Channel Surfing."

I have over 100 trading books in my library, and this ranks as one of my top 3. Any trader can follow the author's trading approach and have very high odds for success. I strongly recommend that every trader get this book, whether you are a beginner or a professional. This book is also great for anyone who just simply wants to know what to do with their investments in their IRA, 401K, or mutual fund.

It's so easy to "see the trees but miss the forest" when trying to trade the markets. It's hard to know whether you should get in or out of a position in the market. With this book, the author helps you to clearly and confidently see the market the way it should be seen. You see where the likely trend is for the future in almost any market. I did not observe any "curve-fitting" or phony charts in the book, just dozens of real-world examples that will convince any open-minded skeptic. And the principles in this book are timeless - they will always work. This book is a great bargain for the price and a must-buy. You will not be disappointed.

A hard to find book but one well worth reading to anyone interested in law enforcement or, in particular, the LAPD. I couldn't put it down. Gates does an excellent job in providing the reader with a good picture of the Los Angeles police force and the trials and tribulations it's endured for the last 40 years. Gates comes across as a chief who genuinely cares for his department and it's officers as well as the community in which they serve. Plagued by a seeming knack to say the wrong thing or be endlessly misinterpreted by the media, one can not help but like the man and sincerely hope he will pen another one in the future

I was a potential victimof one of the serial killers in the book. I live with survivors guilt everyday. I fit the profile of his victims. I lived in the motel, and my friends and myself hung out at his room! I was mortified to hear what he did!

The Prologue starts with his visit to Washington for a conference on violence. He returned to Los Angeles at the time of the Rodney King attack. (Who was minding the store?) Chapter 1 tells of his early life, and the impact of the Depression on his family. His father's lost job was followed by alcoholism and hard times; they depended on government handouts (p.6). His mother was the backbone, and sole support of the family; his father was often in trouble with the Glendale police. After graduating from High School, Daryl joined the Navy and saw action in the Pacific. Daryl went to college on the GI Bill, married, and needed money. A friend suggested joining the LAPD.

Officer Gates learned there were more traffic deaths than homicides in 1950 LA. People got citations because warnings had no deterrence (p.20). The people Gates encountered were no poorer than he had been, but the Gates home was never without hope (p.23). Chapter 3 tells of the corruption in the LAPD before Chief Parker. Gates says Mayor Shaw and the underworld controlled the LAPD (but doesn't speak of the local ruling class). Gates was picked to be Chief Parker's chauffeur, and learned the importance of political support (p.31). Gates also learned of Parker's faults. Chief Parker streamlined the organization, reassigned police by time of day and neighborhood where crimes were committed. Parker instituted pro-active policing, creating the most aggressive police department in the country. Page 36 tells of the power of the 'Los Angeles Times': it elected mayors, and told the City Council how to vote (no mention of the powers behind them). Chapter 5 tells how hard he worked at preparing for exams. Gates came out first for the sergeant's exam, and for every exam afterwards (p.58). Promoted to lieutenant, he rejoined Chief Parker, and became his executive officer (p.65).

Promoted to captain, he learned "you can't give up on people" (p.68). Soon he was in charge of Intelligence. Gates noticed a lack of good protection for JFK in 1963 (pp.73-4). Gates explained the conflict between Chief Parker and J Edgar Hoover (p.76). Mob influence was minimal in LA, compared to Chicago or NY (p.78). There were checks and balances to avoid corruption (p.85). Gates was promoted to inspector in 1965, before the Watts riot. The postwar baby boom led to a huge increase in the number of young people, the predominant age group for criminals (p.105). Gates political skills paid off when he won the biggest pay raise in department history (p.130). The May 1974 incident with the SLA made SWAT famous.

"People really don't have the freedom to know what is going on in the world, only the freedom to know what the media wants us to know" (p.181). Proposition 13 "substantially lowered property taxes", and Chief Gates came up with a budget cut that avoided layoffs. One of Gates decisions was to allow each officer to choose when to wear a short-sleeved shirt. Gates discusses the two "chokeholds": one disables, the other can kill (p.214). Page 216 tells how the 'LA Times' misquoted him. Page 242 tells how the FBI tried to gain control of the LAPD. Chapter 19 tells of his efforts for gun-control. Was he angling for a plush job with Gun Control Inc? Or a Federal job with some agency (p.128)? Chapter 20 has some suggestions on fighting crime. The Rodney King beating gave his many enemies a chance to oust him (Chapter 22). Gates boasts of the lower ratio of police to population compared to NY or Chicago. But the places with less population density tend to have less crime. And so do places with "the right to keep and bear arms". This also made LA different from NY and Chicago. LA also has a lower ratio of pedestrians.

There is a good reason this book is so hard to find: it is onehell of a good read from the early start of the superchief's careerall the way to his unfortunate retirement this book takes the reader to the inside of the LAPD's world. The Chief did a great job for his first attempt. This reviewer only hopes he will produce more! The viewer gets an insiders look at the nations best police department the Los Angeles Police Department.

The work of Michael Pillsbury has been almost as popular in Chinese military circles as it is in the United States. His previous report on Chinese views of future warfare was noted enthusiastically by Chinese military scholars, although there was some concern over his liberal reference to high ranking Chinese sources.

Nevertheless, Pillsbury was able to return to drink from the same well in preparing China Debates the Future Security Environment. His sources are highly placed and respected members of China's security apparatus, and include members of leading think tanks, such as the China Institute for International Studies, as well as People's Liberation Army leadership.

The great value of the work is that between its covers Pillsbury shows a comprehensive picture of Chinese perspectives on a variety of topics relating to future security environments. He explains contemporary Chinese Communist Party rationale for viewing the future based on an amalagam of ancient Chinese statecraft (views drawn from the Warring States Era, which many Chinese use to draw comparisons with today's single superpower system) and current methodology for calculating the comprehensive national power (CNP) of modern states. The CNP of the United States will decline in the future, the Chinese are required to believe, and their calculations go to some lengths to show this pattern in various ways.

Most interesting to me was a discussion of China's three views of future threats and how these relate to special interest groups inside the PLA. People's War traditionalists are still the most powerful bloc and control most budget decisions. Their future posits a large enemy, such as the United States, Russia, India or a resurgent Japan. Power projection advocates see the future differently in terms of local wars around China's periphery. They advocate modernization, smaller and more professional forces. The revolution in military affairs (RMA) enthusiasts see no immediate major threat for a number of years, time, they say, to transform key parts of the military force to be technologically competitive with the West.

There is a fourth future, explained in Unrestricted Warfare, a book by two senior colonels in the PLA published last year. It advocates removing all rules and restrictions in the conduct of war to enable the "inferior to defeat the superior." Available too late for Pillsbury to consider in this work, Unrestricted Warfare may represent a synthesis of views on the future way of war from a Chinese perpective, even though it "does not represent official doctrine."

I commend Pillsbury's work to both the serious and casual student of Chinese military affairs. He has done a service for those on both sides of the Pacific.

Pillsbury's excellent work reminds Americans of the danger of expecting other nations to mirror our notions, objectives and policies. Fascinating Chinese foreign policy insights throughout the book. Some of the translated policy proposals/commentaries were really quite shocking. It should be required reading for all presidential (and Congressional) candidates. A "serious" book -- but very "readable", and definitely NOT just for policy "wonks." Availability may be troublesome as it is published by the National Defense University (NDU) and available through the Government Printing Office (GPO)[sorry Amazon ;-) ].

I have learned that perceptions are sometimes more important than facts and in the case of the Chinese viewpoint of the world situation, this holds true. This book describes in an interesting fashion, the Chinese perception of the motives, strengths and weaknesses of the world powers.

The Chinese use an interesting method of determining a nation's relative power using a quasi-mathematical formula to determine the Comprehensive National Power (CNP) of any given nation. They use this also to project the future CNP of given nations.

This interesting process is described in detail and the varying uses of this CNP are described. The Chinese show the most interest in the United States, Russia, Europe (mainly Germany, France and the United Kingdom), Japan, India and China. These calculations are focused through the lens of Chinese perception. This is based on Chinese history including ancient Chinese history, Marxism, Mao thought and the writings of Deng tso Peng. This is the most fascinating portion of the book.

For example, some factions in this debate feel that Japan is becoming militaristic and will want power in Asia. Most feel that Russia will become their friend in the coming struggles. The optomists feel that there will be a multipolar power sharing between China, Europe, Russia, the United States and Japan in a atmosphere of cooperation.

You may or may not disagree with the Chinese conclusions but the reality is, they believe that the world operates the way they see it and will react to world events accordingly.

Beyond ranking this fantastic work, there isn't much I can add that previous reviewers haven't admirably covered. It is necessary for our country to understand the needs that motivates the calculations Pillsbury illustrates in his book. It is essential for the American debate about our relationship with China to include texts such as these, which highlight important concerns for Americans, but transcend the current dichotomy of right-wing paranoia and left-wing romanticism toward China.

While Pillsbury's book is devoted to a very specific topic, the tone and quality of his work helps illustrate China's foreign policy communities in ways that are absent in the sterotyped visions of China usually constructed. Instead of having to fall in with one or the other viewpoint that is more an argument about domestic ideology than about China, we ought to remember that it is the clarity of our vision that is the most important technique for ensuring American security. Public relations gestures of saber-rattling or apologia accomplish just the obvious. That is why careful attention paid to work such as Pillsbury's book makes us better off in the long run.

The Cisco Firewall Video Mentor (ISBN:1587201984) by David Hucaby is a step-by-step video training guide for configuring the PIX or ASA firewall and is a must for beginner and intermediate level engineers. Hucaby is a natural at teaching and the video and audio make for a smooth learning experience. It comes with a handy 90 page book that follows labs but is also a great command and process reference guide to keep at your desk.

Hucaby moves along fairly quickly so you never get bored and it's easy to stop the video if you need to do a bit more research. Because he moves at a perfect speed, I found myself watching areas that I was already familiar with because I wanted to see if there was something he might do differently. I never felt as though I had wasted my time after finishing any of the sections.

One thing I really like about this is you can be completely new to Cisco and he gives you the essential tools you need to know to hit the ground running. I feel strongly that I could give this to a IT professional new to Cisco and help them feel relatively comfortable with the basics of a Cisco firewall. But it's not just the basics; it covers more advanced features like MPF, rules, traffic capture, etc..

The layout of the video is perfect and allows Hucaby to quickly move through the bottom console while displaying commands, images, and other data at the top of the screen. It's also easy and quick to navigate through the various labs. I used a pretty old computer yet I could jump from one lab to the middle of another in a very reasonable amount of time. The time is always on the bottom of the layout so you can remember exactly where you were at one point for later reference or research.

Not only does Hucaby cover configurations on the command line interface but he also does demonstrations in the ADSM. Right after he completes a CLI config, he removes it and shows the same config in the ADSM. I'm still not a fan of using the ADSM graphical user interface but it was nice to see commands translate from the CLI to the GUI.

I'd have to say what I was most impressed with was how Hucaby often spends a lot of time explaining why he is doing something, as opposed to someone who moves from step to step with little value to add. For example, in the chapter titled Packet Capture, he goes through all of the command syntax arguments before he actually types the command. After covering the syntax, you feel a lot more comfortable as he types the particular command arrangement.

Overall, I'm very impressed with this publication and I will seek others like it for more Cisco topics.

I have two words, David Hucaby! This is a great resource for any Firewall/Security engineer or beginner. The videos are not too long that you lose interest, they are just the right length and have enough information to make you feel comfortable using Cisco firewall products. David discusses basic Firewall configuration fundamentals as well as the more advanced scenarios. David also discuses basic and advanded troubleshooting steps using packet captures and packet tracer. These skills are a must for anyone working with firewalls. You will also learn how to setup a DMZ, customize logging, NAT, Modular Policy Framework and much more. The best thing about this format is the perfect balance between theory and practice and audio/visual learning. All in all this is a great product and you are being trained by one of the most seasoned CCIE's in the field!

I'm a fairly seasoned Cisco PIX/ASA Firewall Administrator. I've been around for a few years supporting several enterprise/campus networks and worked for a few Fortune 500 companies as the Firewall Administrator.

I love this product. Especially the clear and concise explanations for using multiple contexts.

These explanations are very clear and very much build on the previous topic. The author is clear and smooth in his expert delivery of the topic.

This is excellent. I own most of his books and I've used them on the job. But I never heard Huccaby deliver this material. He's top notch and clearly an expert's expert.

I think this product is an excellent value and would highly recommend it to anyone who supports with the Cisco ASA or the Cisco FWSM (Firewall Service Module).

Good job David.

Thanks for an excellent product I can easily recommend to others.

My sincerest compliments.

Darby Weaver

Cisco Firewall Video Mentor by David Hucaby published by Cisco Press (ISBN-13: 978-1-58720-198-1 / ISBN-10: 1-58720-198-4) covers various firewall configuration tasks associated with Cisco's Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) through 16 instructional videos (also referred to as Lab 1 through Lab 16). A printed, ninety (90) page booklet accompanies the DVD. The booklet is also available in PDF format on the DVD. The booklet covers all 16 labs and is consistently formatted. The booklet format for each lab contains 4 sections. The first section describes the objectives of the lab. The second section contains the steps performed in the lab to complete the objectives. The third section contains the initial configuration prior to starting the lab. The fourth section is used as a reference to the video presentation of the lab.

The author uses the Command Line Interface (CLI) to demonstrate how to configure various tasks and many times uses the Graphical User Interface (GUI) called ASDM (Adaptive Security Device Manager) to depict how one can also accomplish the same configuration task through the use of ASDM vice the CLI.

The video is presented well, typically using the upper third of the layout for reference material (i.e. - command formats, diagrams, etc.). The bottom two/thirds of the layout are used to show the terminal emulation session (i.e. - the console session of the ASA) and the ASDM interface. The author has a pleasant voice and the running audio commentary was outstanding and synchronized perfectly with the typing associated with the CLI and ASDM interfaces. I am wondering how many takes was required to get the audio synchronized with the typing that well. It truly is impressive.

The author does a tremendous job presenting the content of the video. The content is presented in a cumulative manner. All content, from rudimentary concepts, such as, exploring the CLI modes to more complex concepts, such as, Modular Policy Framework (MPF) are broken down and thoroughly explained. I found the video to be properly paced. When I did not fully grasp a concept, it was easy to back up the video and watch and listen to it again.

I really enjoyed learning about Cisco's ASA via this video method. It is a nice departure from just reading pure technical documentation. The video mentor presentation is the next best thing to having your own lab equipment. Anyone interested in learning about stateful firewall concepts and configuring the Cisco ASA will benefit greatly from watching and listening to this video.

I found this to be a very useful book if you are interested in developing a cohesive and viable NAC policy and creating sound and effective NAC enforcement. NAC is a hot buzz-word right now and very few companies have a real handle on how to make use it. This book goes a long way toward separating fact from fiction and making NAC an effectie piece of network security.

Over the last couple years NAC has moved from being a niche solution and is becoming a mainstream requirement for enterprise organizations. This creates a new set of skills for the network engineer to master. Unfortunately there have been few resources for self study, until now. This book provides everything you need to get started with NAC, weather you are just evaluating the technology or rolling out a full deployment. Get this book and you will have the skills that are sure to be a requirement of any network engineer in the very near future.

Why this book?

1. Credible - The authors field experience with NAC is evident as you read the book. This wasn't written in some ivory tower, these are folks who work on the technology with real world customers every day.

2. Comprehensive - ROI, design options, best practices, configuration examples, troubleshooting. Weather you are evaluating, implementing, or deploying there is something for everyone.

3. Concise - Weighing in at 576 pages it's hardly a short book, however give the amount of ground covered I would call it concise. The book is light on filler material, and since it isn't a certification guide there is anything in there just because it's on the test. Everything in this book is about how to get the job done.

To summarize... I highly recommend this book. Pick up a copy and get up to speed on this fast growing technology.

The Cisco Self Securing Network platform is currently structured around several cornerstone technologies of which the Cisco Clean Access technology is a leading component. The Cisco Clean Access technology is one of several industry wide Network Admission Control (NAC) technologies which rely on a combination of client-server components. The Cisco Clean Access suite includes a client component which could be host-installed applet or a browser based applet that can read basic configuration data from a host machine and communicate compliance to enterprise defined rules/policies which are pre-defined on a clean access server appliance and other coorperating systems. The book, Cisco NAC Appliance is a good guide for administrators deploying this complex set of solutions brought from Perfigo Inc. after Perfigo's acquisition by Cisco 2006.

The book's organization and tone is aimed at security architects, security managers and security administrators. While a security architect will better understand the various deployment options and thus the place of the Cisco NAC framework in an enterprise, security managers will get a comprehensive enough view of the Cisco NAC framework to make the judgment call on actual deployment of the infrastructure and of course make decisions on cost/facility and better grapple with the potential cost benefit requests from enterprise's executive and the security administrator will have a quick guide handbook to help wade through the myriads of documentations from Cisco on its evolving SAFE architecture in general and the NAC framework in particular.

The organization of this book is excellent for the intended audience; six parts covering the basics of host security landscape, design of Cisco NAC appliance, developing a host security policy, the Cisco NAC configuration, some deployment best practices, and of course NAC appliance maintenance and troubleshooting. The six parts are laid out in fifteen accessible chapters spanning more than 500 pages with generous amount of configuration examples and screenshots.

With Cisco now having more than 45% market share in the endpoint access control market, books like these can only increase in importance as a guide to organizations grappling with the decision on what and where to deploy these technologies.

And for this volume, the taste of the pudding remains in the eating. So if you don't have a copy yet, go grab one (so long as you are interested in some endpoint security solutions now or at some point in the future). As for rating, I'll give it my best rating so far, four star out of five.

I want to start out by saying that this book completely exceeded my expectations for the first NAC Appliance book. I wish this was published 3 years ago. The author clearly articulates the business benefits of NAC, including how NAC provides return on investment (ROI), which gives any reader the know-how to wisely purchase Cisco NAC Appliance. He also shows his technical expertise by diving extremely deep into the inner workings of Cisco NAC Appliance, which gives engineers, consultants, and operations the information they need to successfully deploy or maintain the product.

This book shows great details into the process flows of In-Band & Out-of-Band users, Clean Access Agent (CAA) users and network scanning users. The information on the different deployment options and how to use them in diverse environments is great to start your NAC Design. This book makes the confusing topics seem easy and manageable.

Some of the highlights that caught my eye and I thought everyone would like were:

- Chapter on Host Security Policy - An amazing deal of information on how to design/create a Host Security Policy as it relates to NAC Appliance is invaluable to deployments

- Exploration of High Availability and Load Balancing - Information on how to load balance Clean Access Servers using the CSM, CSS, ACE and PBR cannot be found anywhere else. This includes saving money on Failover Bundles by using N+1 Failover

- Layer 3 OOB Deployment options - Walk through of the benefits of the different methods of deploying L3 OOB, e.g. PBR, ACLS, VPNs, etc.

- Deployment Best Practices - An entire chapter on how to plan, schedule, and keep all parties happy for your NAC Appliance deployment

- Monitoring & Troubleshooting information - detailed list of all logs located on the CAM and CAS, as well as the information on how to troubleshoot and monitor online users

All in all this is a great book and I would recommend it for all people interested in Buying, Deploying, Operating, or Troubleshooting Cisco NAC Appliance. This is definitely a great reference manual to have at your desk!

haven't read the book yet, but the guy's my teacher at school right now ^^

I absolutely had a blast while reading this book!!! I started reading this book, and 5 orgasms later I was done. The pages got a little sticky but I persisted my intense reading. The information containted in this book was LIFE ALTERING, hence the title of my review. I learned so much about the collapse of Middle East Peace that I have been motivated to join several fund raisers that help the people in this unfortunate situation. Thank you for the new view on life....and the orgasms!!!

I am a very smart 12 year old, and Mr. Deeb's book has gotten me HOOKED on Isreal!!!!!! he has become my new hero and i think that everyone should read this book!!! it covers in depth the conflict in the middle east, and mr deebs insigtht is unbelievable!!! i have deveoloped a Dennis J. Deeb obsession...if anyone wants to make a fan club, let me know!!!!

Mr. Deeb's book is a quick, but extremely informative, read. It is an absolute must for anyone trying to understand the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in the Middle East. It is written in every-day language so it is easy to understand. THE COLLPASE OF MIDDLE EAST PEACE is thoroughly documented and explains fully why the Peace Process between the Israelis and Palestinians that began in 1991 have resulted in failure. Finally, the book gives readers a clear understanding of the important issues needing to be resolved between the two sides.