ATM Theory and Applications

Rating:
Summary: Definitive reference on ATM
Review: This book is packed with everything. It is the definitive reference on ATM. If you just want an overview, the book is not for you. If you want to understand ATM in depth, this is it. It is valuable not only for network engineers, but also for product engineers designing new equipment or software. However, McDysan has also come out with a new book titled ATM & MPLS Theory and Application. Unless you are certain you will never need to know about MPLS, I would suggest getting the newer book. I haven't had a chance to read that one yet, but I would expect it is the excellent equivalent of this book with additional coverage of MPLS.

Rating:
Summary: Definitive reference on ATM
Review: This book is packed with everything. It is the definitive reference on ATM. If you just want an overview, the book is not for you. If you want to understand ATM in depth, this is it. It is valuable not only for network engineers, but also for product engineers designing new equipment or software. However, McDysan has also come out with a new book titled ATM & MPLS Theory and Application. Unless you are certain you will never need to know about MPLS, I would suggest getting the newer book. I haven't had a chance to read that one yet, but I would expect it is the excellent equivalent of this book with additional coverage of MPLS.

Rating:
Summary: Too hard to follow
Review: This book is rather bloated. There are too many references to standard specifications and not enough "down to earth" explainations. The beginning third of the book is a confusing overview of LAN and WAN technologys with a few errors and bloated with standards numbers and designations. After the first few chapters of the ATM "meat" part of the book I soon found myself in acronynm hell. Again bloated with useless standard desigations. I would recommend this book to anyone who is already well versed in ATM as a good reference book. However, if your new to the technology as I am, find something else.

Rating:
Summary: Too hard to follow
Review: This book is rather bloated. There are too many references to standard specifications and not enough "down to earth" explainations. The beginning third of the book is a confusing overview of LAN and WAN technologys with a few errors and bloated with standards numbers and designations. After the first few chapters of the ATM "meat" part of the book I soon found myself in acronynm hell. Again bloated with useless standard desigations. I would recommend this book to anyone who is already well versed in ATM as a good reference book. However, if your new to the technology as I am, find something else.

Rating:
Summary: Superb, Comprehensive ATM book
Review: This is a superbly written book, that explains very clearly, ATM. It makes great use of analogies in an effort to help the reader to understand ATM concepts. If only all technology books were as well written and as easy to read and understand as this book I'd be well on the way to understanding Einstein's theory of relativity :-) !!

Rating:
Summary: Definately not in the "...for Dummies" category.
Review: To the point,very detailed study of ATM and it's relationship and interworking with other network access and transport protocols. Not for the networking novice. Especially well done explanations of how other services like Frame Relay, TCP/IP, voice, and video are transported over ATM. I give it 4 stars. This book is aimed at the intermediate and advanced networking types who need an in depth tutorial on ATM network functionality.