Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture (CCIE Professional Development) [Hardcover]

Vijay Bollapragada (Author), Russ White (Author), Curtis Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2000

An essential guide to understanding the Cisco IOS architecture

In-depth coverage of Cisco's IOS Software architecture provides crucial information to:

• Prevent network problems and optimize performance through more efficient design and configuration
• Isolate and resolve network problems more quickly and easily
• Apply the appropriate packet switching method, such as process switching, fast switching, optimum switching, or Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF)
• Understand the hardware architecture, packet buffering, and packet switching processes for shared memory routers (Cisco 1600, 2500, 3600, 4000, 4500, and 4700 series)
• Understand the hardware architecture, packet buffering, and packet switching processes for the Cisco 7200 series routers
• Understand the hardware architecture, packet buffering, and packet switching processes for the Cisco 7500 series routers
• Understand the hardware architecture, packet buffering, and packet switching processes for the Cisco GSR 12000 series routers
• Further your knowledge of how IOS Software implements Quality of Service (QoS)

Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture offers crucial and hard-to-find information on Cisco's Internetwork Operating System (IOS) Software. IOS Software provides the means by which networking professionals configure and manage Cisco networking devices. Beyond understanding the Cisco IOS command set, comprehending what happens inside Cisco routers will help you as a network designer or engineer to perform your job more effectively. By understanding the internal operations of IOS Software, you will be able to take architectural considerations into account when designing networks and isolate problems more easily when troubleshooting networks. Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture provides essential information on the internal aspects of IOS Software at this level, and it is an invaluable resource for better understanding the intricacies of IOS Software and how it affects your network.

Inide Cisco IOS Software Architecture begins with an overview of operating system concepts and the IOS Software infrastructure, including processes, memory management, CPU scheduling, packet buffers, and device drivers, as well as a discussion of packet switching architecture with detailed coverage of the various platform-independent switching methods, including process switching, fast switching, optimum switching, and Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF). The book then delves into the intricate details of the design and operation of platform-specific features, including the 1600, 2500, 4x00, 3600, 7200, 7500, and GSR Cisco routers. Finally, an overview of IOS Quality of Service (QoS) is provided, including descriptions of several QoS methods, such as priority queuing, custom queuing, weighted fair queuing, and modified deficit round robin.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

An essential guide to understanding the Cisco IOS architectureIn-depth coverage of Cisco's IOS Software architecture provides crucial information to:Prevent network problems and optimize performance through more efficient design and configurationIsolate and resolve network problems more quickly and easilyApply the appropriate packet switching method, such as process switching, fast switching, optimum switching, or Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF)Understand the hardware architecture, packet buffering, and packet switching processes for shared memory routers (Cisco 1600, 2500, 3600, 4000, 4500, and 4700 series)Understand the hardware architecture, packet buffering, and packet switching processes for the Cisco 7200 series routersUnderstand the hardware architecture, packet buffering, and packet switching processes for the Cisco 7500 series routersUnderstand the hardware architecture, packet buffering, and packet switching processes for the Cisco GSR 12000 series routersFurther your knowledge of how IOS Software implements Quality of Service (QoS)Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture offers crucial and hard-to-find information on Cisco's Internetwork Operating System (IOS) Software. IOS Software provides the means by which networking professionals configure and manage Cisco networking devices. Beyond understanding the Cisco IOS command set, comprehending what happens inside Cisco routers will help you as a network designer or engineer to perform your job more effectively. By understanding the internal operations of IOS Software, you will be able to take architectural considerations into account when designing networks and isolate problems more easily when troubleshooting networks. Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture provides essential information on the internal aspects of IOS Software at this level, and it is an invaluable resource for better understanding the intricacies of IOS Software and how it affects your network.Inide Cisco IOS Software Architecture begins with an overview of operating system concepts and the IOS Software infrastructure, including processes, memory management, CPU scheduling, packet buffers, and device drivers, as well as a discussion of packet switching architecture with detailed coverage of the various platform-independent switching methods, including process switching, fast switching, optimum switching, and Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF). The book then delves into the intricate details of the design and operation of platform-specific features, including the 1600, 2500, 4x00, 3600, 7200, 7500, and GSR Cisco routers. Finally, an overview of IOS Quality of Service (QoS) is provided, including descriptions of several QoS methods, such as priority queuing, custom queuing, weighted fair queuing, and modified deficit round robin.

About the Author

Curtis Murphy, CCIE #1521, is an engineer in Cisco's Serviceability Design Department in Research Triangle Park, specializing in IOS software products. He has worked in the networking industry since 1989 and at Cisco since 1994. While at Cisco, he has worked both as an IBM protocols specialist in the Technical Assistance Center and as a software engineer in IOS Software Development for mid-range and high-end routers.

Russ White, CCIE #2635, is a member of the IOS Network Protocols Deployment and Scalability Team at Cisco, where he is involved in the design and implementation of routing protocols and scalable network design.

Vijay Bollapragada, CCIE #1606, is currently a manager in the Solution Engineering team at Cisco, where he works on new world network solutions and resolves complex software and hardware problems with Cisco equipment. Vijay also teaches Cisco engineers and customers several courses, including Cisco Router Architecture, IP Multicast, Internet Quality of Service, and Internet Routing Architectures. He is also an adjunct professor in Duke University's electrical engineering department.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 222 pages
• Publisher: Cisco Press (August 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578701813
• ISBN-13: 978-1578701810
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #814,076 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent text; thorough treatment of IOS inner workings., September 4, 2000

By 

Mr. Phil - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture (CCIE Professional Development) (Hardcover)

After a short review of this text, I felt compelled to write a review for the benefit of others. The book provides an excellent overview of cisco IOS and, more specifically, core router architecture. It will remain in my library as a reference for hardware troubleshooting. Coverage of the GSR internals are enough to warrant the purchase of this book.

Excellent job Russ, Curtis, and Vijay.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book on Cisco Buffers, June 6, 2001

By 

Engineer Guy "James" (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture (CCIE Professional Development) (Hardcover)

This book centers around buffer allocations and buffering problems. It will give you a better understanding of when different buffers are used. I think the title should have been "Cisco IOS Buffering, What you need to know".

You definitely have to read between the lines to fill in what all is happening to the data as it flows through the router in different ways. I feel that it is rather limited in it's descriptions of the IOS SW Architecture so don't expect to come away with the full details on how IOS does its job.

This is not a book for beginners.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional overview of router architecture, August 3, 2000

By 

Nicholas Bastin (Wooster, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture (CCIE Professional Development) (Hardcover)

Excellent book for anyone wanting to know exactly how Cisco IOS software (and router hardware) really works. Functionally complete explanation of the different switching methods that IOS employs, as well as an in-depth view of a few hardware architectures. For anyone who ever wanted (or needed) to know how Cisco implements queueing and shared memory, and how CEF/dCEF work their magic. Also includes a large poster-size flow chart in the back of the book illustrating the steps packets take from being received to being routed and sent back out for several different architectures.