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.

"Network+ 2005 In Depth" gives you all the skills that you need to pass the CompTIA 2005 Network+ exam. Begin with an introduction to the fundamental building blocks that form a modern network, such as protocols, topologies, hardware, and network operating systems. Then, dive into the most important concepts in contemporary networking, such as client/server architecture, TCP/IP, Ethernet, wireless transmission, and security. When you are finished, you will be prepared to select the best network design, hardware, and software for your environment. You will also have the skills to build a network from scratch and maintain, upgrade, and troubleshoot an existing network. CoursePrep Exam Guide available on Companion Web Site!

This is the essential reference for any IT professional deploying virtual private networks (VPNs) using Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. The book thoroughly details how to implement remote access and site-to-site VPN connections and their related authentication technologies for a Windows environment. You’ll learn how to deploy VPN solutions that use the latest Internet-standard VPN protocols and security technologies including Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) and Layer Two Tunneling Protocol with Internet Protocol security (L2TP/IPSec) and authentication infrastructure components such as Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) using the Windows Internet Authentication Service (IAS), the Active Directory directory service, public key infrastructure (PKI), and Extensible Authentication Protocol-Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS) for certificate authentication. The book also includes a detailed summary of deployment best practices and four different step-by-step test lab configurations so that you can get a working configuration up and running quickly, from which you can experiment and adapt configuration options to best suit your production deployment of Windows-based VPNs.

As the Internet has grown, so have the challenges associated with delivering static, streaming, and dynamic content to end-users. This book is unique in that it addresses the topic of content networking exclusively and comprehensively, tracing the evolution from traditional web caching to today's open and vastly more flexible architecture. With this evolutionary approach, the authors emphasize the field's most persistent concepts, principles, and mechanisms--the core information that will help you understand why and how content delivery works today, and apply that knowledge in the future.

+ Focuses on the principles that will give you a deep and timely understanding of content networking.
+ Offers dozens of protocol-specific examples showing how real-life Content Networks are currently designed and implemented.
+ Provides extensive consideration of Content Services, including both the Internet Content Adaptation Protocol (ICAP) and Open Pluggable Edge Services (OPES).
+ Examines methods for supporting time-constrained media such as streaming audio and video and real-time media such as instant messages.
+ Combines the vision and rigor of a prominent researcher with the practical experience of a seasoned development engineer to provide a unique combination of theoretical depth and practical application.