Networking Essentials: Hands-On, Self-Paced Training for Supporting Local and Wide Area Networks

A book/CD-ROM kit for learning the fundamentals of network technology and preparing for the Microsoft Certified Professional Exam, providing detailed explanations of concepts and components of network environments and an overview of the Internet. Units on network orientation; connecting components; network architectures; network operations; larger networks; and troubleshooting contain self-paced lessons with objectives, questions, exercises, and answers. Assumes knowledge of the operation and support of hardware and software in stand-alone personal computers. The companion CD-ROM contains network simulation exercises and video demonstrations. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Like most general networking texts for the non-expert, this offering from Microsoft Press explains all the expected stuff about network architectures and the reasons you'd want to set up a network in the first place. Networking Essentials, however, distinguishes itself by providing an in-depth look at administrating a network that is running Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 as its network operating system (NOS). Even though NT 4.0 replaced this outmoded NOS a year ago, lots of people still run 3.51 and it is still valuable to know.

This book's accompanying CD-ROM features some very handy animations that show how various network architectures work. These animations range from the simplistic--a green ball representing data zips into a telephone jack on the wall to illustrate modem communications--to the genuinely informative--green balls illustrate different means of avoiding or dealing with collisions.