Customer Reviews

Small Business Networking for Dummies

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

 

 

Small Business Networking for Dummies is an excellent introductory book to the world of networking. In addition, it adds the aspect of the management end of the planning process, like staffing, etc. It covers both peer-to-peer networking and client/server networking, and provides beginners with all the technical terms and definitions they need to be considered knowledgeable on the subject. I also suggest pairing this up with a slightly more technical book such as Networking for Dummies, 3rd Edition. Note that this book is not as useful if you are setting up an old network with old NICs, etc., and does not go into much detail at all about UNIX networks or MAC networks. It is mainly for those using Windows 95 (98 is almost the same), Windows NT, NT Server, and Novell products.

Let me start with a couple of positives. First, this book is a very good "executive summary" of networking technologies and issues. Second, the author takes the attitude that computer networks are not just about hardware and software widgets; the business culture and the financial issues involved in network structure and maintenance are just as important. On the downside, the book did not have the information I was looking for. The primary issue facing our location is "what are the ongoing costs of administering a 150-node network, and can we afford it?" The author included his business' web URL in the book and solicited feedback. When I mentioned this to him, his response was "hire a consultant to tell you that information". Perhaps this is the most realistic advice, but, since the author is a consultant, he seems to have a vested interest in that as a one-size-fits-all answer. This book did not have the information I needed. Unfortunately, there are probably none out there that come any closer.

I'm a small business owner and I had pretty much given up on understanding networking until someone recommended this book. In a nutshell, if you're not a PC expert but you're smart and you need to set up a network for your office, buy this book. You probably won't do all the work yourself, nor should you, but this book helped me understand the key decisions and what to outsource.

I'm perhaps too much of a dummy for this book, but even I realized that the '98 edition seems somewhat outdated in the networking game. Still, it did help reinforce some concepts.

I won't be able to give up on our networking consultant just yet.

This book is perfect for both novice and experienced user alike! It's content is "Right on Target" for small companies getting into this important area! I found it extreemly informative!

I'm a small business owner and I had pretty much given up on understanding networking until someone recommended this book. In a nutshell, if you're not a PC expert but you're smart and you need to set up a network for your office, buy this book. You probably won't do all the work yourself, nor should you, but this book helped me understand the key decisions and what to outsource.