What We Talk About When We Talk About Systems: Essays on the Systems Approach

The Systems Approach is a way of approaching the design, implementation, and evaluation of complex computing systems in the real world. It involves taking a big-picture view, considering the behavior of the system as a whole, not just the optimization of individual components. The authors applied the systems approach to the study of computer networking with their popular textbook Computer Networks: A Systems Approach. In this new book, they have collected a set of essays published since 2020 on a variety of systems topics, with the aim of teaching the systems approach by example.

The essays are grouped by theme, covering specific technologies such as 5G, congestion control, security, and software-defined networking. There are also chapters on broader topics such as the importance of architecture and the need for judgement on the part of the system designer.

Each chapter concludes with a set of key takeaways that can be applied by practitioners, researchers and educators to bring system-level thinking to their jobs. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of the principles that apply to the building and deployment of systems.

"An outstanding read on how and why we got `here.' Rarely do we get the opportunity to read the lineage of thinking of two prominent leaders in the network and systems field...peering into their minds and how they work. That alone is the worth the price of admission."

David Ward, CTO, Lumen