# Paperback: 385 pages
# Publisher: Wiley (September 6, 2005)
# Language: English
# ISBN: 0471747548
# Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
# Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds.

* Les Freed shares his many years of networking experience and insider status to guide readers step by step through the confusing and intimidating world of home networking
* Features special emphasis on using the network for entertainment and digital media, offering invaluable how-to advice on sharing TV, video, photos, music, and more
* Begins with the need-to-know basics of networking, including the various types of networking equipment and choosing the right type of network
* Readers roll up their sleeves and actually construct their network-either wired or wireless-or by even using the existing electrical wiring already in the walls of their home
* Shows readers how to set up all the necessary software on their Windows XP PC or Apple Mac OS X computer so they can quickly, easily, and safely share files, printers, and Internet connections .

This exam certifies that candidates know the layers of the OSI model, can describe the features and functions of network components, and have the skills needed to install, configure, and troubleshoot basic networking hardware peripherals and protocols. The certification is endorsed by Microsoft (as part of its popular new MCSA program), Cisco, Novell, and 3Com, among others. This book is not intended to teach new material. Instead it assumes that you have a solid foundation of knowledge but can use a refresher on important concepts as well as a guide to exam topics and objectives. This book focuses exactly on what you need to know to pass the exam - it features test-taking strategies, time-saving study tips, and a special Cram Sheet that includes tips, acronyms, and memory joggers not available anywhere else. The series is supported online at several Web sites: examcram.com, informit.com, and cramsession.com.

An increasing number of shops are putting clustering and load-balancing technologies into place so as to provide high availability and an economic way to scale server capacity. The slender Server Load Balancing explains the state of the art in multiple-server technologies implemented at Layers 4 and 5 on the OSI network model. Though author Tony Bourke includes a fair bit of good information on configuring four commercial load-balancing solutions, the most valuable part of his work is his high-level discussions of how load balancing fits into a larger network environment, and his explanations of the relative merits of alternative approaches to the problem. A comparison of flat-based solutions with designs based on Network Address Translation (NAT) is part of this book's value; further appeal takes the form of dozens of network diagrams that document typical working solutions.

Without Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), network administrators might have to actually get out of their chairs and go see what's up with all of the network-connected equipment under their authority. Perish the thought. Essential SNMP explains how the management protocol works and how it's implemented by several operating systems and pieces of equipment. More importantly, this book shows its reader--who should be a network administrator who's familiar with the problems of running a distributed network--how SNMP can earn its place as a network administration tool. In other words, this book examines SNMP as a strategic resource as well as a technical phenomenon.