JAMES KNAPP

Networking books come in two basic flavors: Platform-neutral and vendor-specific. Nortel Networks: The Complete Reference takes mainly the latter approach, explaining how data moves across (and among) networks based on Nortel equipment, including those products Nortel acquired when it bought Bay Networks. There''s rather a lot of theory and quite a number of universal truths mixed in with the Nortel information. For that reason, and because author James Knapp''s presentation style is so strong, you''re likely to derive value from this work even if you use other companies'' hardware and software. Knapp''s coverage runs the gamut from local Ethernet to Layer 3 switching, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and internetworking, so there''s something here for network engineers in organizations large and small. Knapp''s approach is unfailingly practical, always considering real-life situations and the best way to derive maximum performance from real networks. To this end, he''s included numerous anecdotes from his time spent as a Nortel engineer, and he''s provided conceptual background with excellent diagrams in many cases. You''ll particularly love this book if you own one of the Nortel products--listed below--that Knapp thoroughly investigates. For each covered product, you get a highly detailed look at its capabilities, appropriate use, and management specifics--all in an easy-to-follow style. For a shop that uses Nortel network equipment, this book should be required documentation. --David Wall Topics covered: Theory of Ethernet and the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) reference model, Ethernet implementations (with emphasis on BayStack, Centillion, and LattisSpan equipment), Layer 3 switching with Accelar gear, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) concepts (including Quality of Service and Private Network-to-Network Interfaces), ATM as implemented under the Centillion series, and internetwork routing with Nortel routers.