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Introduction to computer networking
Robertazzi T., Springer International Publishing, New York, NY, 2017. 154 pp. Type: Book (978-3-319531-02-1)
Date Reviewed: Oct 12 2017

Gigabit Ethernet? That’s the same as fast Ethernet, with faster clock speeds, isn’t it? Actually it’s not; depending on the physical media, there may be differences in encoding schemes and signaling logic levels. This book is full of interesting information like that, with concise details about each variant of the technology under consideration. Students, network engineers, and information technology (IT) professionals will find it invaluable.

The book begins with a chapter about network physical media. Details are provided concerning the various types of coaxial cable, different types of twisted pair wiring, and fiber optic cables. There are also paragraphs about microwave line-of-sight arrangements, various types of satellites (geostationary, low-earth orbit, medium-earth orbit, and Molniya), and cellular systems. Ad hoc networks and wireless sensor networks are also discussed. Multiplexing can be used to enhance the capacity, security, or resilience of a medium, and some diagrams are included to illustrate concepts like time division, frequency hopping, and spread spectrum.

The second chapter covers the evolution and characteristics of various Ethernet technologies, starting with the development of ten-megabits-per-second (Mbps) Ethernet over coaxial cable as an alternative to the token ring systems used in IBM systems during the early 1980s. Ten-gigabit Ethernet technologies have been used in campus networks, and we are now seeing 100-gigabit Ethernet fabrics being deployed in high-performance computing centers.

The author observes that more than 50 percent of the world’s Top500 supercomputers use the proprietary InfiniBand technology for interconnection. Brief details are provided in chapter 3, and it is noted that InfiniBand is widely used with Lustre file systems.

The reader might expect that chapter 4 (“Wireless Networks”) would describe the evolution of the various Wi-Fi protocols, up to and including more recent offerings like 802.11ac and 802.11s (for mesh technology). But wait, there’s more: it also covers Bluetooth, ZigBee, and long-term evolution (LTE) (4G mobile) technologies.

There is a short chapter about multiprotocol label switching and its role in establishing optimal paths for various classes of traffic through sets of routers. This is followed by a chapter in which SONET and other optic fiber protocols are explored. Self-healing ring topologies are discussed and some consideration is given to multiplexing schemes for passive optical networks.

Software-defined networking (SDN) has gained acceptance in recent years, and the author provides an architecture diagram in chapter 7. He shows how the OpenFlow protocol can be used so that network characteristics can be centrally managed to meet changing needs.

The components used in modern computers can include a number of cores on the same chip and there can be scalability issues in communications between those cores. These issues can be addressed through the inclusion of networks on the chip. The mesh structures and crossbar switch mechanisms used in such networks are illustrated in chapter 8.

Chapter 9 (“Space Networking”) raised some issues about which I had not previously given much thought. Specifically, how should we design networks that can tolerate the delays and disruptions introduced through spacecraft trajectories? Consideration should also be given to power minimization and cross-vendor compatibility. The SpaceWire specification has been developed with these issues in mind, and some diagrams that clarify its features are included.

In the penultimate chapter, there is a brief discussion of networking and other considerations (power, cooling, and so on) for grids, clouds, and data centers. This is followed by a chapter that explores the history and development of the advanced encryption standard (AES) and suggests that we may see an enhancement in network security through the application of quantum cryptography procedures.

I learned a lot about evolving network technologies from this book. The breadth of coverage is such that the level of detail is small, but there is sufficient information to whet the reader’s appetite and direct him to places where more detail can be found. A number of references are listed at the end of the book.

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Reviewer:  G. K. Jenkins Review #: CR145586 (1712-0764)
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