| This book, like so many, has grown from an undergraduate Networking course. Its current content is rather more than a single course could comfortably cover, though it is all relevant for an adventurer into the jungle of networks.
It is somewhat biased towards the Internet and the protocols the Internet uses, namely TCP/IP. Other network technologies are touched on more to give a flavour of alternatives and contrasts of approaches than to give a deep insight. In fact, to give a deep insight into any single aspect of networking is worth a book in its own right, so I have had to be somewhat selective in the topics covered. Though, in the end, the criterion of choice for inclusion is simple: this book contains the stuff I find interesting about networking. The intent is to provide a taster for many concepts, but with enough information for the reader to follow up and deepen their understanding. For the details, please refer to the various RFCs and standards documents that are listed in the margins. RFC 2555
As is traditional, each chapter ends with some exercises. What is less traditional is their form: they are less of the ‘write down everything you know’, but more ‘go and try this’. You are expected to find out things for yourself and experiment! You may need to read up and learn other things before you can tackle the problems directly: this is all part of the exercise. The best way of learning this kind of material is by direct experience. And quite often there might not be a single answer, or even a ‘right’ answer. |
