Historically, only large companies could afford secure networks, which they created from expensive leased lines. Smaller folks had to make do with the relatively untrusted Internet. Nowadays, even large companies have to go outside their private nets, because so many people telecommute or log in while they're on the road. How do you provide a low-cost, secure electronic network for your organization?

The solution is a virtual private network: a collection of technologies that creates secure connections or "tunnels" over regular Internet lines--connections that can be easily used by anybody logging in from anywhere. A number of products now exist to help you develop that solution.

This book tells you how to plan and build a VPN. It starts with general concerns like costs, configuration, and how a VPN fits in with other networking technologies like firewalls. It continues with detailed descriptions of how to install and use VPN technologies that are available for Windows NT and Unix, such as PPTP and L2TP, Altavista Tunnel, Cisco PIX, and the secure shell (SSH).

Real-world Exchange 2003 deployment and management for working administrators
This is your start-to-finish guide to getting Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 into production, then maximizing its reliability, performance, and business value. Bill Boswell writes for working administrators whose responsibilities now include Exchange Server 2003. He addresses every facet of Exchange from architecture to address lists, answering three key questions: How does it work? How do I get the most out of it? How do I fix it if it breaks?

Unlike some books, this one recognizes that you’re deploying Exchange in the context of a complex IT infrastructure. Boswell thoroughly discusses Exchange’s key dependencies and connections, and offers detailed process analyses¿complete with diagrams and step-by-step integration guidance. You’ll learn exactly what you need to know to make Exchange work seamlessly with Outlook--and with other email clients. Boswell even introduces third-party administration tools that work when Microsoft’s don’t. Best of all, you can rely on this book. It was written by one of the world’s leading Exchange and Windows Server consultants, then reviewed by Microsoft Exchange MVPs, and approved by Microsoft itself for technical accuracy.

The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an Internet-standard protocol for managing hosts on an IP network. Devices that typically support SNMP include routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, modem racks, UPSs, and more.

Essential SNMP is a practical introduction to SNMP for network and system administrators. It starts with the basics of SNMP and how it works, along with the technical background to use it effectively. The book covers OIDs, MIBs, community strings, traps, and other technical elements. But the main focus is on practical network administration: how to configure SNMP agents and network management stations, how to use SNMP to retrieve and modify variables on network devices, how to configure management software to react to traps sent by managed devices.

Essential SNMP explores both commercial and open source packages, including HP's OpenView, Castle Rock's SNMPc, the Net-SNMP tools, Simon Leinen's Perl SNMP support, and MRTG. Administrators will come away with ideas for writing scripts to help them manage their networks, create managed objects, and extend the operation of SNMP agents. In addition to SNMPv1 and v2, the book covers SNMPv3, which has just started to appear in commercial products as of this printing.

Is a home network for you? This comprehensive guide covers everything from deciding what type of network meets your needs to setting up the hardware and software, connecting different operating systems, installing the necessary applications, managing the network, and even adding home entertainment devices. Fully updated with new material on all the latest systems and methods, it’s just what you need to set up your network and keep it running safely and successfully.

Inside, you’ll find complete coverage of home networking