BKHDOATM.RVW   980130

"Hands-On ATM", David E. McDysan/Darren L. Spohn, 1998, 0-07-045047-1,
U$49.95
%A   David E. McDysan
%A   Darren L. Spohn
%C   300 Water Street, Whitby, Ontario   L1N 9B6
%D   1998
%G   0-07-045047-1
%I   McGraw-Hill Ryerson/Osborne
%O   U$49.95 800-565-5758 fax: 905-430-5020 louisea@McGrawHill.ca
%P   641 p.
%T   "Hands-On ATM"

This book is, in a sense, volume one of the second edition of "ATM:
Theory and Application."  It contains the higher level, conceptual
material as well as practical vendor information, while leaving the
details to the actual second edition of the theoretical book.  The
intended audience is the data communications manager as well as the
networking professional, and it should also be able to perform as a
textbook for a short high-level view of ATM or a course on recent
networking technologies.

Chapters are short and many.  Part one is a conceptual backgrounder,
with chapters on business forces driving the adoption of ATM
(Ayschronous Transfer Mode), ATM in the marketplace, changes in the
network computing environment, foundation technologies for ATM, and
ATM introductory concepts.  ATM basics become more detailed in part
two, covering some of the core operating specifications, the ATM
protocol families, signalling and routing, support for voice/video and
wide area network data, ATM in local area networks, internetworking
using ATM (with excellent coverage of Internet Protocol over ATM), and
management and testing.  Of course, ATM does you no good if you can't
get it, so part three looks at available ATM products in both hardware
and software.  This starts with a list of ATM device categories and
continues with edge and backbone switches (with pages of valuable but
not altogether easy to read comparison charts), enterprise and LAN
backbone devices, workgroup and desktop products, and comparisons of
switch vendors by function.  Equally, having ATM devices does you no
good without ATM service, so part four reviews carriers primarily in
the United States, but also worldwide.  Chapters include service
access methods, US providers, and (to a very limited extent) global
providers.  Part five looks at network design, with the design
process, practical considerations, and case studies.  Part six
compares ATM with other technologies, and looks to the future.

McDysan and Spohn aim for a "light, easy reading style."  Readability
I will grant, but this is not the book you want to take to the beach. 
The occasional attempts at humour are self-conscious, and therefore
awkward.  However, the material does hit exactly the right tone for
its major audience: the telecom manager.  The principles are covered
well and explained clearly.  Practical guidelines and vendor listings
are a valuable component missing from too many other works.  For the
supervisor starting to become involved with ATM, or for the boss
trying to decide whether to become involved, this book is the best
reference I've seen to date.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998   BKHDOATM.RVW   980130