T1: A Survival Guide (Paperback)

by Matthew Gast (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The T1 line and its predecessors were developed as long-distance voice trunks, but now they're used almost exclusively as data connections for large and mid-sized organizations. In part because they've been adapted to fill a new role, T1 lines make use of complicated signaling and linking protocols. What's more, T1 technology has a lot to do with the public telephone network, which means most router jockeys and other "data people" lack the background they need to speak intelligently with engineers at T1 providers. T1: A Survival Guide explains leased T1 data circuits for the benefit of the lessee--in other words, for the telephone company's customer. The book is also useful for telco people who want to understand where their clients are coming from when they ask "elementary" questions.

The truth be told, this book probably won't enable organizational network administrators to fix any but the most basic problems with their T1 lines and the Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) associated with them. It is nonetheless a worthwhile read. Matthew Gast, who works on the ever-blurring border between voice and data as an engineer at Nokia, explains how a Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit (CSU/DSU) works and provides a ton of information about the protocols that communicate data over T1 links (including HDLC, Cisco-enhanced HDLC, PPP, and Frame Relay). Lots and lots of bit diagrams, signal tables, and pictorial representations of networks clarify T1 as much as possible. --David Wall

Topics covered: The T1 line as a high-capacity carrier of digital data, with coverage of multiplexing and other aspects of T1 architecture, as well as High Level Data Link Control Protocol (HDLC), Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), and Frame Relay. There's excellent coverage of how to order a T1 from a telephone company (as well as how to figure out if you need more than one), and a guide to working with telco engineers during install and troubleshooting.

Product Description
T1: A Survival Guide is a practical, applied reference for Internet data transport using T1, a 40-year-old technology originally designed for AT&T's voice network rather than for data transport. In spite of its limitations, T1 is proven, reliable, and likely to be around for a while. In the past, network administrators have mainly learned T1 by apprenticeship, stumbling on troubleshooting tidbits and filing them away until they were needed again. This book brings together in one reference the information you need to set up, test, and troubleshoot T1.T1: A Survival Guide covers the following broad topics:

• What components are needed to build a T1 line, and how those components interact to transmit data effectively
• How to use standardized link layer protocols to adapt the T1 physical layer to work with data networks
• Troubleshooting and working with vendors

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.; 1st edition (September 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596001274
• ISBN-13: 978-0596001278
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #158,074 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a much needed book arrives on the market, October 10, 2001

By	Charlotte Oliver (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews

Gast's T1: A Survival Guide is a fantastic resource for networking professionals in the IP world. All too frequently we are called upon to interface with Verizon and other big carriers that speak a language that is completely foreign to our world (and they don't speak our language, either!). This book finally brings the lingo of the telco world into terms that the networking professional can quickly grasp and understand, which is something that anyone that has spent any time talking to switch and transmission techs can appreciate.

"It's blue? All 1s? MUX? DACS? Biscuit?"

Finally these terms make sense!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable T1 reference, December 11, 2004

By	Jeff Roback (Los Angeles, California United States) - See all my reviews

This book is an invaluable reference to the art and science of T1 lines. If you're in a position where you regularly install or troubleshoot T1 lines, this book will make you infinitely more successfully at your job.

The book puts many topics under 1 cover, including the physical wiring of T1 jacks, the configuration options needed when ordering, as well as the methodlogy used by the telephone company to troubleshoot malfunctioning lines. Unlike many telecommunications references, this book is written focusing on the practical aspects of installing, troublehsooting, and monitoring t1 jacks. There's sufficient background material to explain how things work, but it focuses on the practical, making it a much quicker read.

By understanding the language and concepts of T1 lines you'll be able to much more effectively troubleshoot T1 activity and interact with the telco. Even if you don't work with these on a daily basis but are just curious, the book is well written enough that it makes for an interesting read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally - O'Reilly does T1s, May 20, 2002

By A Customer

Until now, it has been a difficult (impossible?) task to find a really good reference on T1s. There are plenty of books out there on digital communications, but they tend to be too general, lumping in SONET, ATM, etc. with minimal coverage on the T carrier system. Finally, in traditional O'Reilly style, we have a definitive focussed and entertaining reference book on the subject of many an IS manager's greatest nightmare. The author takes the reader on a tour of the T carrier system with clear explanations on signalling, timing, and the different components which make up the system to provide a cohesive overview of what goes on behind the scenes when that smartjack shows up in the wiring closet. Additionally, the coverage on PPP and frame relay is exceptional (if a bit brief on the frame side). Chock full of charts, tables and diagrams, the book is an excellent reference, while also serving as an entertaining introduction to the subject for the uninitiated. If you work with, plan to work with, or have ever been curious about T1s, this book should be considered required reading.