f change in the types of technologies used to move bits is blindingly fast.
Introducing and explaining just about all the important data-network technologies, from ATM to X.25, Darren L. Spohn's
Data Network Design
is a good, but not great, book. Its 25 chapters are full of information about almost every network medium in general use and most of the protocols that are important to network designers. At just under 1000 pages, this is a book to use when you need to know exactly how Dis
tributed Queue Dual Bus (DQDB) and Switched Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS) work together.
First published in 1993, this complete revision reflects the rapid pace of networking change, both in what was added and what missed the boat. For example, Spohn mentions the latest TCP/IP issues, including IPv6 and SNMPv2, but his information is about a year out of date. And while he includes a section on 100-Mbps Ethernet, other parts of the book refer to Ethernet as a 10-Mbps LAN medium.
This could have been a great book if it had a better index. For example, the "Novell" listing points to a description of the IPX protocol, but not to the book's description of IPX addressing. Tighter editing and graphics polishing would also have made
Data Network Design
more approachable. But despite its flaws, this is a good book to have on your shelf.
Book Review: Moving Bits
