Networking: The Complete Reference
Authors: Craig Zacker
Venue:  (2001)

From the Book:Introduction Networking: The Complete Reference is divided into parts, which are as follows: Part I outlines networking basics. Chapter 1 explains essential networking terminology and introduces some of the fundamental concepts that you will build on in later chapters. You'll learn about some of the primary components that make up a network and how the technology came about. Chapter 2 introduces the OSI reference model, a theoretical tool that compartmentalizes the networking functionality of a computer into seven discrete layers. These layers work together to enable the computer to communicate effectively with the other computers on the network. In this chapter, you'll also get your first glimpses of the technologies that will be examined in much greater detail later in the book. Part II explains the hardware used to construct a network. Chapter 3 examines network interface cards, which enable you to connect a computer to a network. This chapter will discuss the various types of cards you can buy to suit your computer's hardware configuration, your network type, and the role of your system on the network. In Chapter 4, you'll learn about the cables used to connect computers together to form a network. The type of cable you choose determines how easy or difficult network installation and maintenance will be, how long the cable can run, and how well your network will perform. This chapter also examines the standards that should guide your cable installation and some of the tools you'll need to do the job. Chapter 5 discusses wireless LAN technologies, and Chapters 6 and 7 examine the technologies used to construct local area networks, internetworks, and wide area networks. Chapter 8 discusses some of the hardware used to construct network servers, and Chapter 9 explains how to bring all of this hardware together into an effective network design. Part III is about the protocols used at various layers of the OSI reference model. Chapters 10 and 11 examine Ethernet, the most popular data link-layer protocol used in the world today. Chapter 12 addresses other LAN protocols, such as Token Ring and FDDI. Chapters 13,14, and 15 discuss the three main suites of protocols used at the network and transport layers, TCP/IP, IPX, and NetBEUI. Part IV examines the networking elements of the operating systems most commonly used on today's networks, such as Windows 2000 and NT (Chapter 16), Novell NetWare (Chapter 19), and Unix (Chapter 21). Chapters 17,18, and 20 discuss the various types of directory services used to store information about networks, their users, and their applications. These include Active Directory, the long-awaited enterprise directory service from Microsoft, which is included with Windows 2000; the domains used to organize Windows NT networks, and Novell Directory Services (NDS), the first commercially successful enterprise directory service. Chapter 22 explains the client capabilities that workstations need in order to access resources hosted by various other operating systems. For example, this chapter describes how to connect Macintosh and Unix systems to Windows and NetWare networks. Part V discusses some of the most important administrative services used on today's networks. Chapter 23 covers the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), which you can use to automatically configure TCP/IP clients on your network, and Chapter 24 covers the Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS). Windows NT networks use WINS to resolve the NetBIOS names Windows systems are known by into IP addresses necessary to communicate on a TCP/IP network. Chapter 25 examines the Domain Name System (DNS), which is used on the Internet and on private TCP/IP networks to resolve host names into IP addresses. Part VI shows you how to improve your network by adding some of the most useful services available, such as World Wide Web, FTP, and e-mail servers (Chapter 26), network printing (Chapter 27), and access to the Internet (Chapter 28). Chapter 29 examines the security mechanisms you can use to protect your network from unauthorized access. Part VII covers the tools and techniques you can use to administer your network. Chapter 30 outlines Windows-specific network administration techniques, Chapter 31 discusses network troubleshooting and management tools, and Chapter 32 discusses the hardware and software used to create network backups. The book is intended for beginners, as well as experienced network professionals. I hope that, in addition to the uses mentioned above, it will lead you to learn more about the computer systems you use every day.