This book combines an innovative and uniform representation of a variety of communication networks, simple to
understand motivations for real design problems for these networks, intuitive approaches to solutions, and rigorous
mathematical analysis where appropriate. It will be very valuable both as a textbook and as a reference for practitioners.
--Bharat Doshi, Director of Transformational Communication, Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory
It has been very difficult to write a textbook on networking that is relevant and rigorous because the field is
diverse and fast changing. This book stands out in both providing the readers with the essential domain knowledge
and equipping them with fundamental tools to analyze and design new systems as the networking field evolves."
--Steven Low, Associate Professor, California Institute of Technology
This book is a well-researched compendium of theoretical modeling applied to a number of practical networking problems.
Some interesting topics of note are important insights in the design of packet switches, performance of TCP under
various conditions, and the design of packet address prefix lookups. Although much of the material is mathematically
advanced, the book contains a comprehensive set of appendices useful as a reference for the researcher or advanced
practitioner.
--Dr. David E. McDysan, Fellow, MCI Internet Architecture and Technology
Submitted By Publisher, August, 2004
Summary
The viewpoint is that communication networking is about efficient resource sharing. The focus is on the three
building blocks of communication networking, namely, multiplexing, switching and routing. The approach is analytical,
with the discussion being driven by mathematical analyses of and solutions to specific engineering problems.
The result? A comprehensive, effectively organized treatment of core engineering issues in communication networking.
Written for both the networking professional and for the classroom, this book covers fundamental concepts in detail
and places design issues in context by drawing on real world examples from current technologies.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Two Examples
2. Networking: Elements and Practice
9. Performance and Architecture Issues
10. Queuing in Packet Switches
11. Switching Fabrics
12. Packet Processing
Part III - Routing
13. Routing: Engineering Issues
14. Shortest Path Routing of Elastic Aggregates
15. Virtual Path Routing of Elastic Aggregates
16. Routing of Stream-Type Sessions
Part IV - Appendices
A - Glossary of Terminology and Notation
B - A Review of some Mathematical Concepts
C - Convex Optimization
D - Discrete Event Random Processes
E - Complexity Theory