Business Data Communications, Fourth Edition [Hardcover]

William Stallings (Author), Richard Van Slyke (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0130882631 | ISBN-13: 978-0130882639 | Publication Date: January 15, 2001 | Edition: 4

For courses in Business Data Communications, Data Communications and Introductory Networking for business students. This text presents the fundamental concepts of data communications, networking, distributed applications, and network management and security in a way that relates specifically to the business environment and business management and staff. It also provides up-to-date coverage of key issues for the business student-high-speed networks, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and TCP/IP, and the use of the Internet, intranets, and extranets to support business objectives.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Making liberal use of "real-world" cases, this text provides a comprehensive treatment of data communications and telecommunications from a business perspective. It gives students a solid grasp of the technical fundamentals of data communications, networking, distributed applications, and network management and security--always emphasizing the practical concerns of business management and staff. This latest edition has been updated with new material throughout, particularly in the area of multimedia technology and services for ISDN. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

The fourth edition of this highly successful book offers thorough coverage of data communication fundamentals that are key to network and information management. Best-selling author William Stallings provides authoritative and up-to-date coverage of the key issues for the business student, including high-speed networks, ATM and TCP/IP, as well as the use of the Internet, intranets, and extranets. This text presents concepts while relating them specifically to the business environment and simultaneously providing the reader with a solid understanding of the technical foundation of business data communications.

This book offers more in-depth coverage that other business data communications texts by integrating numerous real world case studies and comprehensive charts and graphics.

FEATURES and BENEFITS:

• Comprehensive coverage of the Internet and World Wide Web
• Students learn the mechanisms and capabilities of these integral technologies.
• Detailed examination of intranets, extranets, and client/server computing
• Coverage of the newest and most important technology for corporate data communications.
• In depth discussion of all networking technologies, including LANs and WANs
• Enables students to compare and evaluate competing approaches to make sound business decisions.
• Complete survey of network security and network management
• Students learn the requirements and design issues involved in managing and safeguarding distributed systems.
• Solid coverage of TCP/IP
TCP/IP set of protocols form the foundation for all data networking.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 659 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 4 edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130882631
• ISBN-13: 978-0130882639
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,531,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A text with too many errors and clumsy explanations., May 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Business Data Communications (Hardcover)

This third edition is full of typos and even some errors that, in my opinion, would be devastating to a business student attempting to digest technical material.

I wouldn't have minded the tons of typos such as "a procedures" for "a procedure" and "port 12" instead of "port 2" and "ft/s" instead of "frames/s," but "increases" instead of "decreases" was too much to take at the end of an explanation of the relationship between bandwidth and signal to noise ratio.

My school will not be using this text next semester and my copy will be going in the trash at the end of this term. In my opinion, a third edition in this price range should not have so many errors and clumsily written explanations.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take the Lead, August 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Business Data Communications, Fourth Edition (Hardcover)

It is an excellent book to teach graduate courses. While the students find this book too dry and technical, at the end of the course they see themselves with the basic skills for this growing field. For the IS practitioner, the book is an ideal resource. It gives exactly the level of detail needed to understand projects related to data communication technology.

I have read the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions. I find the authors to progressively focus on new technology and issues of current interest. I recommend this book to someone wanting to learn fundamental concepts in data and TCP/IP communications.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not an Appropriate Introductory Textbook, August 26, 2004

By 

Coding Genius "CG" (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Business Data Communications, Fourth Edition (Hardcover)

A course I took earlier this year used this textbook, and I wasn't too fond of it. The book's explanations were very clinical, and other reviewers are correct in observing that it has many typographical errors (which are very frustrating when trying to solve mathematically inclined equations).

The professor deviated substantially from the text, supplying us with several real-world examples and more on the theory behind the examples given in the book. If he had not done that, I do not think I would have been able to learn the material from the book alone. Many of its explanations are too brief and lack depth or supporting examples.

If you are teaching an information systems course and intend to use this textbook, be prepared to supplement it with substantial cases or lose the interest and comprehension of your students.