Wide Area Network Design: Concepts & Tools for Optimization

Rating:
Summary: More math than expected
Review: Hi there

This book includes more math than practical examples, and is
such more on the theoretical side of network design.

But I think the book is great, and the examples are fruit for
thought, just a pitty some of the other reviewers aren't grown
up so they can recognize it.

I have used it several times for my thesis about IPv6 network design
- even though it doesn't mention IPv6 at all!

Best regards

Rating:
Summary: WAN is more than a simple graphic/network topology theory!!!
Review: I didn't buy this book because I liked it. I bought it because it was the text book selected by my instructor. If you look at the title you would expect at least the basic principles, rule of thumb or whatever that will guide you to the optimization of wide area network in terms of performance and money saving. This book is about anything but WAN optimization. A more realistic title should be "Network graph theory and the fraudulent way of stealing your money". I was expecting a detailed discussion of the elements needed when planning, analyzing and implementing a WAN. I expect the author to discuss WAN technologies and protocols but he fell short. He mentioned once in the whole book the term Frame Relay as technically as my sister (who is a senior student of medicine) does it, but she does it better. Reading the book was a pain, there was a lot of gaps and "assumed knowledge" not to mention the lack of numerous computations steps. The author seems so arrogant, he writes for himself not for us. We can read books, Robert, but how can you expect us to read your mind? Plus, the author promises to wall off the info that other authors have hidden from us. What a lie!!! I still see the wall and it is now thicker. What was he talking about? Let's be realistic, the author is a mathematician trying to get to know of telecommunications network, and thus, he mostly focused on graph theory and fruitless algorithms. The software facilitated by him is good to get a strong headache. If you are interesting in WAN design this is the book to avoid, but if you want to trash up your money go ahead and buy it. I COULDN'T FIND THE NO-STAR SO I WILL GIVE YOU A "NON-EARNED" SINGLE STAR!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book to understand network optimization
Review: I have been working in the telecom industry for over 9 years. I have been invloved with the development of decision support systems for network planning and design at one of the largest carriers in the world. Optimization is a misused word but this book does an excellent job of presenting useful and practical techniques for network optimization. If you are interested in quantitaive analysis and design of real networks this is a good book to have.

Rating:
Summary: The author should learn how to write a book
Review: I think that all reviews agree that the book is not written very well and that the software is sub-par. The author should really rewrite this book and correct everything, including showing all of his work for the math problems. I bought this book because of a class that I was taking and the teacher even said that the book was not very useful and did not cover enough material or was not very intuitive. I highly suggest that you do not buy this book. There are plenty of other books that cover the subject in a more complete way. As for the review that stated that one should read the book first, I have and the other reviews were correct. I think that the only good reviews were given by friends of the author in order for him to sell more books.

Rating:
Summary: Try reading the book before reviewing
Review: It is true that if you are brand new to networking, this is not the first book you should purchase. And if you are looking for a "how to" book on programming a particular network device go buy one of those cisco instruction books. BUT, if you are a serious academic and want to understand what networks are REALLY all about (queuing and graph theory, etc.) this is one of the best introductory books on the subject. Cahn's preface speaks volumes about the trend in technology education: if all you've learned was how to work on particular products, when something new comes along, you have to start all over again. But if you gain "design sophistication", you will understand how to use new networking protocols and technologies as they emerge. His book is about the *science* of networks, which is timeless, NOT the technology which is much more fleeting.
If all you want to do is design and operate a network that works "good enough" then you don't need this book. But if you want to understand how to design and optimize a network using theory rather than just throwing money at buying more bandwidth, Cahn's book is where you start. I only give 4 stars because the software that comes with the book only works with Windows 98 and is difficult to manipulate. The book itself is a great resource.

Rating:
Summary: Not good for starters.
Review: Let me tell you upfront that I haven't read this book, I am pondering on buying it. However I feel that I can compile the previous reponses to this book which may be useful to the other buyers.

Based on the prior reviews, the people who already knew a lot about it (like the guy with 9 years of telecom experience and the guy writing his PhD thesis) have said that it is an excellent book, while the people who are just learning the ropes have really disliked it. Hence my feeling is that this book is good for someone who already knows quite a bit of the telecom protocols, standards, and tools and is planning to learn more about WAN.

By the way, I wish some reviewers abstained from personal attacks (ad hominem) and sticked to the critique of the book. As we all know, authors could be very knowledgeable of the subject but yet do a poor job of making it all coherent (happens to the best of them; it is a difficult job). As a critic it is useful to point out as to where the text lacks and oversaw rather than question the credibility of the author himself. I hope you understand what I mean.

Rating:
Summary: Not good for starters.
Review: Let me tell you upfront that I haven't read this book, I am pondering on buying it. However I feel that I can compile the previous reponses to this book which may be useful to the other buyers.

Based on the prior reviews, the people who already knew a lot about it (like the guy with 9 years of telecom experience and the guy writing his PhD thesis) have said that it is an excellent book, while the people who are just learning the ropes have really disliked it. Hence my feeling is that this book is good for someone who already knows quite a bit of the telecom protocols, standards, and tools and is planning to learn more about WAN.

By the way, I wish some reviewers abstained from personal attacks (ad hominem) and sticked to the critique of the book. As we all know, authors could be very knowledgeable of the subject but yet do a poor job of making it all coherent (happens to the best of them; it is a difficult job). As a critic it is useful to point out as to where the text lacks and oversaw rather than question the credibility of the author himself. I hope you understand what I mean.

Rating:
Summary: Don't but it unless you want to waste your time and money
Review: The author of this book should have never received his degree. The book is very confusing and vaguely describes any mathematical process in arriving to its conclusions. An example of this is in chapter two where the author attempts to describe call blocking but ignores any input traffic to the system. The author obtains values from thin air and does not describe how the process used in obtaining the answers. This type of confusing gibberish is seen through out the book. I strongly recommend that you do not buy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Waste of time and money -DON'T BUY IT
Review: This is one of the worst books written in the field. The author barely shows how he came to any mathamatical answers in the book. His theories and math also have many holes in them and therefore they should not be trusted. Honestly the author of the book should go back to college to learn how to write in a scientific manner and learn basic stats.