Product Description

The comprehensive reference for OSPF network design and deployment

• Understand the full dynamics of OSPF network components, how they interact with one another, and how to configure them
• Increase the efficiency of your OSPF network through a variety of performance tuning techniques
• Apply load balancing to enhance OSPF's capability to adapt to network topology changes
• Ensure seamless communication between OSPF and other Interior Gateway Protocols (IGPs) and OSPF and BGP through redistribution
• Optimize network stability and efficiency with OSPF summarization
• Maximize your ability to properly manage an ever-changing OSPF network landscape through Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and Management Information Bases (MIBs)
• Develop a practiced, tested security plan to protect your OSPF network
• Optimize the efficiency and bandwidth of your OSPF network through the integration of MPLS
• Complete your basic OSPF knowledge gaps with a boiled down summary of the OSPF RFCs

One of the most prevalent Interior Gateway Protocols (IGPs), OSPF is in use in numerous networks across the globe. Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is also one of the most widely tested protocols if you choose to pursue a networking certification. From a technical perspective, the overwhelming presence of OSPF ensures that you will encounter it at some point in your career. As a result, every networking professional should understand how OSPF operates, how to configure and troubleshoot this important protocol, and most importantly how to design a network that uses OSPF.

OSPF Network Design Solutions, Second Edition provides comprehensive coverage of OSPF network design, deployment, management, and troubleshooting. The book begins in Part I by providing you with a common-sense understanding of the primary building blocks of internetworking, and follows up with a detailed examination of how OSPF fits into the big picture. You will also learn how OSPF neighboring routers communicate with one another via link-state advertisements (LSAs) and how to optimize this communication for network efficiency. Part II begins with a detailed explanation of how to apply the "golden rules of design" to create an optimal OSPF network and follows up with a logical approach to configuring OSPF routers and areas. Part II concludes with hard-to-find information about how to redistribute RIP into OSPF and OSPF into BGP as well as how to make your OSPF network more efficient through summarization. Part III provides you with detailed information about how to keep pace with network growth through tested network management tools and techniques. Furthermore, you will learn how to secure your OSPF network from inside and outside attackers and how to troubleshoot your network should problems arise. Part III concludes with timely information about how to accommodate BGP and MPLS in an OSPF network.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #648928 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 768 pages

From Amazon.com
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) guru Thomas M. Thomas II strikes again with his OSPF Network Design Solutions. This book's three sections--"Contemporary Intranets," "OSPF Routing & Network Design," and "OSPF Implementation, Troubleshooting, & Management"--amply cover any OSPF base you can imagine. In addition, each chapter ends with at least one case study and a list of FAQs--a particularly nice touch.

Always careful to lay the proper groundwork, Thomas first covers networking foundations, including relatively recent developments such as intranets. From there he launches into an explanation of not only routing protocol fundamentals but also methods that will enable you to determine which protocols are appropriate for your particular environment. If at that point you have discerned that OSPF is indeed what you need, you can march on to the second and third sections, which hone in on implementation specifics.

The second section opens with a chapter dedicated to OSPF, complete with the protocol's history and Request for Comments (RFC). The remaining pages are taken up by configuration commands and tips. The last part of the book is reserved for highly advanced topics, including network design, security, and management. Though definitely aimed at those well versed in basic networking, OSPF Network Design Solution has the flexibility to grow with you as your level of OSPF knowledge and familiarity increase.--Sarah L. Roberts-Witt

Ingram
One of the first treatments of OSPF, this book provides the reader with comprehensive coverage of the network design, deployment and management.

Book Info
Presents a detailed, applied look into the workings of the popular Open Shortest Path First protocol, demonstrating how to dramatically increase network performance, security, & the ease with which large-scale networks are maintained.

Customer Reviews

Decent coverage of OSPF design issues, but poor quality
I have to agree with another reviewer - I don't see how anyone can rate this book so highly. True, I haven't yet made it all the way through the book, but already I have many, many errors. Most of the errors that I have seen so far are relatively easy to decipher, but then perhaps there are many more errors that I'm not catching because I'm not knowledgeable enough with OSPF yet.

I'm giving the book an avg rating because it does seem to give a good treatment of design issues, but there are just too many mistakes. This book would probably be MUCH better in a second edition.

It's a good 10,000 foot view book but lacks meat at times
I revisited this book the other day. It's not bad, but it doesn't have any concrete examples that can help set the concepts in concrete. Originally, I had a scathing review, but after reviewing the book again, I might have over reacted.

This is Hog Wash
My attention was first brough to this title becasue I had once taken a class with the author. Surprised that he had written a book I checked out the book in the local book store and found the book discombobulated and full of mistakes. I proceeded to read some of the reviews on the book and a number of the reviews confirmed my initial suspicions. However, I noticed a very peculiar situation recently when I happened across the reviews again on Amazon.com. This book has 12 of 19 ratings of 5 stars (and 2 ratings of 4 stars) and three people who have rated the book 1 star. I have never run across reviews in such contradiction to each other. Although I have only spent an hour or two looking over the book it is clear this title is at best average. It confounds me how anyone in their right mind could rate this book greater than 3 stars, unless however they were a cohort of the author! The only reason I rated this book three stars was not to intentionally bias the rating of the book with out having made a thorough examination.