The switch book: the complete guide to LAN switching technology [Book Review]

(Continued from page 5) a safe, but influential, distance. The dif-The Switch Book: The Complete Guide to LAN ferences of switching at Layers 2 , 3 or 4 are briefly discussed in the fourth chapter. Rather than hurt the value of the book, the lack of network layer specifics adds to the pleasure ofreading it. Indeed, if you are of the opinion that routing is the crucial techniquebehindnetworking,you will be rightlv immessed bv the oDtions 698 pages/ hardcover This book by Rich Seifert should not be misunderstood as a routing/switching book. It is a bridging/routing book, dedicated to MAC protocols, bridges, LANs, VLANs, and so on. IP is kept at that exilt for r i u t i n g MAC frames. Seifert's prose can be light but remains insightfuland attracts thereadertounder-stand concepts and issues behind MAC protocols and layer 2 switching. For example , the catchy title " Diary of a Loopy LAN " serves as prelude to the spanning tree protocol. Nonexperts will find it easy to delve into Seifert's text, whichcom-bines conceptual and technical discussion, sprinkled with quotes of what its author calls " Seifert's Laws of Networking. " The first part of the book is a presentation of principles behind the 802 standards, 802 MAC protocols, the definition of bridges, transparent bridges, 802.1D, remote bridges, problems of bridging dissimilar LANs, principles of LAN switching, aswell as two routing issues: loop resolution (hence, spanning tree protocols and spanning tree Catents) and source routing. The second part of the book, on advanced topics , spans from flow control, link aggre-gation, and multicast pruning to virtual LANs, VLAN standards (specifically 802.lQ), priority operation (including 802.lp), andmanagement.Thebookends with an architectural overview of switch design principles and architectures (shared memory, shared bus, crosspoint, input vs. output queuing, and the HOL problem). Seifert stays clear of providing example configurations of specific products. Instead, he presents the features expected of products and how they are combined in networks. In summary, the book is a fairly comprehensive introduction to bridg-inghwitching tuned to a newcomer to the area who wishes to find out how to solve (if they can be solved) internet-working problems using br,idges and switches alone. As Seifert's law of networking #16 (p. 417) states: " Solutions to network problems usually involve the invention of new protocols. " And, maywe add, invention of a totally new layer too. This may give an indication …