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Network Warrior by Gary A. Donahue

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Written by networking veteran with 20 years of experience, Network Warrior provides a thorough and practical introduction to the entire network infrastructure, from cabling to the routers. What you need to learn to pass a Cisco certification exam such as CCNA and what you need to know to survive in the real world are two very different things. The strategies that this book offers weren 't on the exam, but they 're exactly what you need to do your job well.

Network Warrior takes you step by step through the world of hubs, switches, firewalls, and more, including ways to troubleshoot a congested network, and when to upgrade and why. Along the way, you 'll gain an historical perspective of various networking features, such as the way Ethernet evolved. Based on the author 's own experience as well as those he worked for and with, Network Warrior is a Cisco-centric book, focused primarily on the TCP/IP protocol and Ethernet networks -- the realm that Cisco Systems now dominates. The book covers:

The type of networks now in use, from LANs, WANs and MANs to CANs



The OSI Model and the layers involved in sending data Hubs, repeaters, switches, and trunks in practice Auto negotiation and why it 's a common problem in network slowdowns Route maps, routing protocols, and switching algorithms in Cisco routers The resilient Ethernet -- how to make things truly redundant Cisco 6500 multi-layer switches and the Catalyst 3750 switch Telecom nomenclature -- why it 's different from the data world T1 and DS3 Firewall theory, designing access lists, authentication in Cisco devices Server load balancing technology Content switch module in action Designing QOS and what QOS does not do IP design and subnetting made easy



The book also explains how to sell your ideas to management, how networks become a mess as a company grows, and why change control is your friend. Network Warrior will help network administrators and engineers win the complex battles they face every day.

Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

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About the author

Gary A. Donahue

12 books3 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
1 review
March 12, 2024
A gem in the realm of technology books, offering timeless insights into network fundamentals and practical skills. Despite its age by technology book standards, the book remains relevant, primarily because it delves into the enduring principles of networking. To be honest there were some chapters I skipped. I probably won't encounter those technologies in my professional life.
The book is enriched with an array of real world examples. Those help to make theoretical ideas clearer and show how they work in real situations.
In conclusion this is a great book of foundational networking principles. With its clear explanations, practical examples and some chapters on soft skills that can help you a lot in your carrier.
Profile Image for Shyam.
12 reviews33 followers
December 17, 2015
A must have book for every network admins, easy to follow and quick reference to all networking topics,

If you want to learn more advanced topics in TCP/IP protocol, then you should read TCP/IP Illustrated by W. Richard Stevens
156 reviews3 followers
April 15, 2018
It's very difficult to comment on a book of more than 700 pages. Inevitably you will find really good parts (the last few chapters are exceptional career advice even for me, a software engineer with more than 20 years of experience) and less interesting parts.
The book is impressive, and tries to cover everything network related. It is written from the experience of a warrior and you feel it everywhere.
However, it requires some degree of basic knowledge, it focus (in my opinion too much) on Cisco hardware and lacks (probably because it was written 7 years ago, but also because it would require a book ) anything related to virtualisation and cloud.
All in all, still interesting.
Profile Image for Vlad Ardelean.
157 reviews36 followers
May 22, 2022
There is some networking in there that I could get, but really this book is not for beginners in the field (such as myself)

If someone could recommend a good networking book for beginners, that would be great!

I appreciated the part about computer jerks and how they just need respect and can be coached out of being jerks.
Profile Image for Alexandros.
6 reviews20 followers
August 26, 2011
A very good book and a must for any network administrator.

It's not a book about the theory of networks but about actual practical stuff. It's the closest you'll get to experience.
Profile Image for Gabriel Cano.
6 reviews
January 6, 2018
Good intro to Arista CLI for someone with a Cisco background. Not great in depth, but adequate in breadth to get you started.
Profile Image for Kelly McCubbin.
310 reviews16 followers
October 28, 2018
This is an extremely solid, nicely readable, book that takes you, with a very practical eye, to about a CCNP level of routing and switching.
I say "practical" because if you're looking fir certs, this is not the book for you. It's for people doing the hands on work.
One caveat might be that a bit too much time might be spent on some routing protocols that are pretty obsolete (RIP for example), but you can skim that stuff with no real problem.
As others have mentioned, the book closes with some truly valuable information about how techs can get by a little better in a business environment. Normally I have stuff like that, but this is trying insightful and has really helped me.
Profile Image for Peter.
51 reviews9 followers
October 27, 2009
Overall a very good book for network engineers, the book covers a lot of topics that affect engineers at a high to mid level on a daily basis. On the downside, there are quite a few technical errors in the book. Most are relatively minor. However, when attempting to learn a new concept, minor errors can pose fairly serious problems in regards to comprehension of the topic.
Profile Image for Joe Vaughn.
26 reviews1 follower
December 28, 2007
EXCELLENT supplemental for working on Cisco certs. I was a bit leery when flipping through it and seeing rec's on cabling, but the IOS config is what sealed the deal. However, delighted my gut reaction about cabling was so wrong. This is some damned fine information for newbie through specialist.
Profile Image for Thomas Wesseling.
14 reviews1 follower
Read
April 3, 2016
This book begins where certifications exams leave off, and equips you to work in the real world. If you have enough basic knowledge on computer networking and don't feel like being bothered with hypothetical situations presented on exams like CCNA, this book is something for you.
Profile Image for Andy.
22 reviews2 followers
November 3, 2011
This is the second time I've read this book and it is excellent. I just found out that a 2nd edition came out in June. It has new chapters on MPLS, IPv6, VoIP, etc.
Profile Image for Takedown.
137 reviews9 followers
June 27, 2011
Very good book about advanced networking concepts such as auto-negotiation, sophisticated details about network protocols and such. Good unique content and very easy to read.
Definitely must read.
Profile Image for Rohit Gupta.
12 reviews1 follower
October 20, 2015
The book to read when you are gearing up for interviews. :) The new version has some chapters deleted and added some new wrt to old version. Be sure to check the difference before you buy it.
Profile Image for Rhett Smith.
118 reviews3 followers
January 31, 2017
some books aren't meant for me to pick up. and I realize this, for this book, by picking it up. kinda like women. (but not you!)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

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