Survival for a modern communications network is bsed upon the flexibility to respond quickly and effectively to a change in user requirements, available technology and cost considerations. Written for network consultants, engineers, designers, support teams and managers faced with the challenges of interconnecting local area networks, this book explains the underlying principles of LAN interoperability, and aims to help readers avoid less obvious pitfalls and more common misconceptions. This book: * Clarifies the terminology and jargon used in the field of internetworking, enabling better understanding of current technological and marketing literature * Guides the reader in how to ask manufacturers and suppliers the right questions * Describes the features and functions of different internetworking relay elements infrastructure with case studies * Shows the relationship between internetworking, the open systems interconnection (OSI) reference model and proprietary network solutions, thereby explaining the architectural considerations for future networks
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Inside Flap
Looking back over the past twenty years, there has been an incredible change in the way people work. One of the most significant contributions to that change has been the wholesale adoption of computers and the technology that enables them to be connected across short and long distances. Incredibly, but inevitably perhaps, the rate of development is slowly increasing. Many forces are responsible for this but it is the user who suffers the consequences. It almost goes without saying that the moment a new purchase is agreed then it becomes dated technology. Survival for a modern communications network is based upon flexibility; the ability to respond quickly and effectively to a change in user requirements, available technology and cost.
The internetworking of local area networks is one way of responding to these changes. Unfortunately, like all solutions, it is a double edged sword. What might have looked ideal can turn into a nightmare solution because of the simplest oversight. A common example of this is the prohibiting of 'one-stop' shopping to avoid being too dependent on a single supplier or manufacturer. Of course this is fine until the issue of network management is considered (normally the last issue addressed and usually once the network is actually operational) and the strength of a single vendor solution becomes apparent-that is an integrated management system; something which is not yet available for the heterogeneous network architecture.
The aim of this book is to help you to avoid some of the less obvious pitfalls, but remember that mistakes will always be made. This book should help to
Clarify the terminology and jargon as it is used in the field of internetworking and so enable the reader to translate the current technological and marketing literature. It should also guide the reader in how to ask the manufacturers and suppliers the right questions.
Describe the features and functions of the different internetworking relay elements and so provide and appreciation of the ways best suited to creating extended local area networks.
Show the relationship between internetworking and the open systems interconnection reference model, thereby explaining the architectural considerations for future networks.
An underlying theme in this book is the use of the International Organization for Standardization's terminology adopted for the open systems interconnection seven-layer reference model (OSI/RM). This is not an attempt to advocate the OSI/RM in preference to any other protocol model but it is a reflection of the richness of the terminology available when using this approach. This use of the OSI/RM terminology as a common language is adopted by most suppliers and manufacturers and is a reflection of its capability to describe networks and protocols that do not conform to the formal standard itself.
This book was written in two distinct parts. The first introduces all of the networking terms used for the second part, which actually discusses the internetworking of local area networks. The emphasis is on the Ethernet and Token Ring local area networks because these account for the large majority of all installed local networks and this is unlikely to change in the next five years.
Chapter 1 establishes the case for internetworking. Internetworking is particularly important now that most organizations use different types of local area network and yet still require the seamless transfer of information across these. In fact, for many companies profitability is determined by the speed and accuracy by which this form of interconnection is supported.
Chapter 2 introduces the different types of network architecture commonly employed in the modern day network. One of the features of this discussion id the definitions are not reflected in the ways in which such networks are really used and interconnected.
Chapter 3 discusses the fundamental aspects of protocols-that is the set of rules for governing data communications across a network. While there are several dozen different types of protocol, there are in fact only a few underlying principles which are true for all of them.
Chapter 4 formally introduces the open systems interconnection seven-layer reference model. While full adoption of this model is still a long way off it is the most effective reference for terminology and as such it has been completely adopted by manufacturers and suppliers in their sales literature.
Chapter 5 reviews the field of local area networks and describes all of the underlying principles and techniques used in this field. Although Ethernet and Token Ring local area networks dominate in the commercial world the are still many rival techniques which may slowly acquire more acceptance as technology improves and user demands change.
Chapter 6 describes the operation of Ethernet based local area networks. There is not just one Ethernet system or architecture. Instead there are several flavours of this carrier sensing system, each of which reflects different cabling systems and user applications.
Chapter 7 describes the operation of the Token Ring local area networks. The Token Ring is considerably less mature than its rival and so there is considerably more interpretation and debate by the manufactures about the ways in which the corresponding standards should be specified and interpreted.
Chapter 8 reviews the myriad of proprietary systems currently in the marketplace. The present emphasis by the manufacturers may well be that towards standardization, however, there is a considerable investment in their own types of network operating systems, integrated architectures, closed protocols and local area networks.
Chapter 9 reviews the different types of internetworking relays and describes their relationship to the OSI. Each relay has its own particular role and so it is important to appreciate how each of them provides a part of the whole internetworking strategy. This chapter provides a synopsis of the information covered in the chapters on repeaters, bridges, routers and gateways, and as such is ideal for the reader who wants to acquire a quick overview of the technology used for internetworking.
Chapter 10 discusses both the Ethernet and the Token Ring repeaters, and shows how they are used to overcome the physical limitations imposed by the engineering of the network interface cards and the cabling structure.
Chapter 11 discusses bridges and describes how these are used to construct a single logical network from many linked physical networks. Again, both Ethernet and Token Ring bridges are discussed individually.
Chapter 12 describes how routers are used to create an integrated network by connecting different subnetworks, the only restriction on this connectively being that each of the subnetworks support the same network layer protocol.
Chapter 13 addresses the problem of interconnecting completely different network architectures, in particular those from Digital and IBM. This requires the use of a gateway, which provides protocol translation between the two systems.
Chapter 14 discusses how network management can be imposed on multivendor architectures. While the aim of integrated network management across true heterogeneous architectures is still many years away the benefit of some form or another of network management cannot be overstated.
Chapter 15 draws together all of the issues concerning internetworking and discusses the ways in which the relay elements effect the design of a network. The usual aim is to provide immediate connectivity. However, the long-term survival of the network depends on its manageability and flexibility to adapt to new demands. the important feature of this chapter is that it draws together all of the discussions on the different technologies and attempts to construct a network design approach to help the network engineer to plan an implement LAN based network systems.
Chapter 16 attempts to put into perspective the potential effects that the enormous range of new developments in networking, particularly those concerning wide area connectivity, will have on current systems. The correct architecture today may ensure a flexible response to these new developments, but what is the 'correct architecture'?
Chapter 17 looks back at the topics discussed in the previous chapters and attempts to draw some conclusions on the ways in which the best possible use can be made of the current technology, how to exploit the technology now and in the future, and how best to avoid obsolescence.
The final section of the book contains all if the reference material necessary to supplement the main body of the book. This includes the lists of references; a list of abbreviations; a glossary of terms which provides a brief, one paragraph, description of all of the important elements in internetworking; and lists of all of the relevant standards.
The field of communications is full of jargon and acronyms. The extensive list of abbreviations provided at the end of the book needs to be mastered, at some time or another. Unfortunately, in many instances jargon is used to hide understanding but is essential fo
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2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
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I laughed! I cried! Better than Cats!,
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This review is from: Internetworking: Designing the Right Architectures (Data Communications and Networks) (Hardcover)
Very rarely does a book come along that changes the way you view the world. Before reading Mr. Smythes book all I didn't know a Network Relay from a Catalytic Converter. But now that I've read this book, I'm a new man. Not only did I bawl my eyes out at the OSI transition, laugh until my belly ached at the hilarious Router sequence, but by the time Colin's Final thoughts rolled around, I was already designing a Token Ring Bridge Transistor that the kid's love. Spellbinding! A Ripping Read!
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