BKTCPADM.RVW  981025

"TCP/IP Network Administration", Craig Hunt, 1998, 1-56592-322-7,
U$32.95/C$46.95
%A   Craig Hunt
%C   103 Morris Street, Suite A, Sebastopol, CA   95472
%D   1998
%G   1-56592-322-7
%I   O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
%O   U$32.95/C$46.95 800-998-9938 fax: 707-829-0104 nuts@ora.com
%P   630 p.
%T   "TCP/IP Network Administration, second edition"

The growth of the Internet, in terms of the number of computers
connected, has been doubling each year for at least the last fifteen. 
This means that in this coming year about thirty million computers
will get connected, and in the year following, approximately sixty
million.  This growth cannot continue indefinitely.  One constraint is
the number of computers in the world, and another is the limit on the
number of numeric Internet IP addresses available, although IPv6 may
soon extend that a fair ways.  One of the most important limiting
factors, however, is the availability of knowledge about the
connection and configuration of computers to the Internet.  Hunt, with
his initial release of this book, went a fair way to removing this
last as a barrier.  His test is now the standard text for those
running ISPs (Internet Service Providers), intranets, and corporate
connections to the Internet.

If you are a UNIX system manager, this book is a thorough guide to
configuring an Internet connection.  (Even if you are not on the
Internet, it is an excellent overview of the requirements for using
TCP/IP to network your own machines.)  For some, the guide may be on
the technical side--but then, network administration is a formidably
technical task.  In spite of the nature of the topic, Hunt has done a
superlative job in ensuring that the content is not only clear, but
readable as well.

The first three chapters discuss the concepts behind TCP/IP, routing,
and the domain name and name service.  The next six cover the basics
of connections and configuration.  Chapter ten provides information on
sendmail.  This is likely separated from details on the primary
network services in chapter thirteen due to the broader nature of
sendmail's functions.  There are also chapters on troubleshooting,
security.  Appendices cover additional topics such as serial link
interfaces and dynamic configuration.

If you are not working in UNIX, many of the low level specifics will
not be of much use.  Many of the items, however, can either be used as
rough outlines, or adapted to non-UNIX systems.  Many programs may be
different, but a lot of the structure, data and concepts will be the
same.

For those charged with the practical details of bringing a system into
the Internet, this book is uniquely helpful.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994, 1998   BKTCPADM.RVW  981025