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: #1213753 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 768 pages

Amazon.com Review
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

From the Back Cover

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.

About the Author

Thomas M. Thomas II, CCIE(r) No. 9360, is a certified Cisco Systems(r) instructor, holds CCNP(r), CCDA(r), and CCNA(r) certifications, and claims he never works because he loves what he does. Tom is the founder of NetCerts (now CCPrep) and the International Network Resource Group (inrgi), where he remains on the board of directors in an advisory capacity providing vision and focus. He was previously an instructor for Chesapeake Computer Consultants, Inc. (CCCI) and a course developer for Cisco Systems. Tom is currently working as a senior network consultant designing and implementing voice-over-IP and managed data networks wherever he can as a part of the U.S. Networks team (usnetworksinc).

Customer Reviews

Good information, but cluttered
Let me first commend the author of this book for a thorough explanation of OSPF. However, I do have a few qualms with the book, especially in the area of the organization of the content of the book. The author jumps one subject to another, and usually without a decent transition, or without a logical link between subjects. (Example: the author discusses the different types of OSPF routers before discussing autonomous systems and areas within an OSPF autonomous system, then proceeds to discuss the concept of hierarchical routing.) Another qualm: the beginning of this book provides an introduction to networking that is composed of a smattering of basic to advanced networking concepts, all arranged in no particular logical order. Anyone interested in designing an OSPF network should already have a firm grasp of networking (and especially of the OSI Refernce Model, which the author spends numerous pages explaining). Just be prepared to skim over the first 100 pages (or so) of the book, as it deals with topics any network engineer should be painfully familiar with. However, the information at the heart of this book is comprehensive and well-worth the read. The author covers the details of OSPF functionality quite carefully, and also provides detailed guidelines for implementing OSPF.

Sam Halabi's Design Guide Brought Up to Date !
A well laid out book that takes the reader through OSPF. This book is not the "definative" OSPF guide, as the book is not detailed enough to warrant this recognision. It does not address some of the "querky" OSPF design issues.

The book focuses on Sam Halabi's Design Guide that is still the most informative document produced on OSPF configuration guidelines. The author acknowledges this and adds some "value added" with the latest Cisco features. Although the book is a hefty 800 pages, the technical content does not justify this.

As a text book goes, and not free reference material, this may in fact be the best OSPF book on the market. This reflects the quality and quantity of reference material available for this subject !

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.