Customer Reviews

Cisco OSPF Command and Configuration Handbook (paperback)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After reading other Cisco Press OSPF documentation, which was often drier than RFCs and all over the place, this was a welcomed addition to my CCIE Prep Library. Not only does Bill provide the commands and what they do, but many hands on practical scenarios that you can apply in your own home or work lab. I found that even reading through them provided a greater understanding of how the commands are used in real life situations. This is a great supplement to Jeff Doyles Routing TCP/IP Vol 1, which is the ONLY other OSPF refrence in the Cisco Press I would recommend. For those who really want to know the inner guts of OSPF, I would recommend either of John Moy's book on OSPF or Radia Perlmans Interconnections 2nd Eddition.

The Cisco OSPF Command and Configuration Handbook (ISBN 1-58705-071-4) by Dr. William Parkhurst is a must read for any network professional who is currently using, or may use, OSPF in their network. The book delivers exactly what the title promises. While most other books deal with the theory and the mechanics behind OSPF, this book is purely a command and configuration reference, as used on Cisco routers. Dr Parkhurst presents each OSPF command with a syntax description, an explanation as to the purpose of the command (which I found really helpful), which Cisco IOS version it was initially released in, configuration examples and a troubleshooting section.

The material is very well presented and extremely easy to read and comprehend. The configuration examples are easy to follow and implement. The troubleshooting section steps are clear, concise and easy to follow. Each chapter is concerned with different areas of OSPF configuration. There are chapters outlining show, debug and clear commands along with chapters on route filtering and route redistribution. There is even a chapter on the type 6 LSA (MOSPF). I found this informative, because I couldn't find other documentation on type 6 LSAs.

Another aspect of the book I really liked was in how the configuration examples were presented. Each example had a network scenario and gave a step by step process on how to utilize the command. A network diagram was included along with outputs from the routers used in the configuration scenario. The configuration examples start with a verification phase where the correct operation is determined. Then the command is applied and the changes are outlined and displayed. The troubleshooting section outlines steps where the most common failures may occur. While you can get a lot of information from the configuration examples, it helps if you have access to routers where you can apply the commands.

While I found the book easy to comprehend, I believe it was written primarily for network professionals pursuing higher level certification or who operate a network using OSPF. At least a basic knowledge of OSPF and link state routing protocols is needed to understand the majority of the commands; specifically the OSPF area commands, timer commands, route filtering and route redistribution. It is also very important to know OSPF terminology when reading this book, as there is no glossary that defines the terminology used in the book. If you plan to use this book for certification preparation, it is more suited towards the CCIE Routing and Switching Lab Exam rather than the written exam. It also makes a great desk reference for network professional currently using OSPF.

I would highly recommend this book to all network professionals, whether studying for Cisco certification or wanting to implement OSPF in their networks. It has helped me to understand OSPF a lot better and I am more confident in using it in my network. I am also looking forward to reading the CISCO BGP-4 Command and Configuration Handbook by Dr. Parkhurst.

Best book I have seen for both an OSPF "How To" reference and CCIE lab preparation. Every command and OSPF scenario is covered
and the book is virtually error free. I configured every exercise
in the book using my home lab and the OSPF section of the CCIE
lab exam was absolutely no problem. If you want to learn how to
configure every scenario using OSPF, this is the only book I have
seen that will show you how to do it.

CiscoPress's "OSPF Command and Configuration Handbook" by Dr. Parkhurst is simply a great book. Don't get me wrong, you are not going to walk away from this book understand the underlying root-theory of OSPF. You will need a basic understanding of OSPF to properly benefit from this book - it's not OSPF-101. Nor will you find a whole and complete, complex OSPF config. What you will find is nearly every major OSPF command at the time of the book's printing. This book is both a compliment to any Network Administrator or a candidate for the CCIE R&S lab.

The book does an excellent job at breaking down the major categories of OSPF commands (neighbor commands, network commands, the difference types of default route generation, etc...). The book also does a superb job at showing the dangers and pitfalls of OSPF demand-circuit (certainly a likely area to study for the CCIE lab). What I particularly enjoy is each command is broken down both by command structure and then used in a configuration (the config is amended to only show the command and other relevant commands). This way you have a fuller appreciation of the command being used in context.

Some typos that I notice:

Page 193 - what is documented as Loopback 0 should be Loopback 1.

Page 321 - the book incorrectly discusses the use of the subnet command. The book asserts that if the subnet command is not used, that non-classful subnets will be redistributed. This is simply not true and is, indeed the reason for the subnet command - to redistribute non-classful subnets.

Page 415 - frame-relay map statements must be made for the other DLCIs to establish an OSPF neighbor relationship.

Overall, I love the concept of this book. I wish CiscoPress would come out with more books like this. They provide a value in that they discuss commands in ways not found in other CiscoPress books or the Cisco website.

I give this book 5 pings out of 5:
!!!!!

This book doesn't tell you the theory of OSPF, but it fits my purpose well - to use 2-3 routers to test out OSPF commands! The description and examples are comprehensive and will not lose you.

Definitely it will help me in studying CCIE. (4.5 stars)

Buy this if You have OSPF Network Design Solutions, Second Edition
by Tom Thomas. A useful command reference on Osfp and good example.

This book is an excellent OSPF configuration reference for the practicing network engineer and for anyone preparing for the CCIE lab exam. It has complete configuration examples for every OSPF command with tips on how to verify and troubleshoot. Much more complete than anything you will find in web based documentation.

They had the right idea they decided to publish this book. A good command and configuration guide for OSPF is much needed. This is not that book, sadly. Technical errors abound. I worked through the configurations with a lab full of 2612 routers using IOS 12.1 (you need at least 4 routers with 2 serial ports and an ethernet port to complete all of the configurations). All I can say is I wish Cisco Press had done the same thing BEFORE publishing this book! I'm being generous giving this book 3 stars.

... with many COMMON commands missing or hidden. This is an absolutely lousy reference for someone actually using OSPF. I had the silly experience of flipping between this dismal mess and another OSPF book, "Cisco Router OSPF Design and Implementation Guide" and wondering why all OSPF books are so bad - until I noticed that the same guy wrote both of them! The only thing unclear to me is which book is worse. Neither should have ever been published at all.