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IntroductionIt is hard to look at todays networking landscape and recall that less than a decade ago, LANs were considered little more than a novelty. More often than not, they were thought to be extravagant, wasteful expenditures of precious resources, with little to offer the business world. Today, even the most casual observer can easily see how much things have changed in a few short years. As the millennium draws rapidly to a close, we find LAN technology exactly where it needs to be. The business world is currently placing its emphasis on topics like high productivity, reduced cycle times, transformation of the enterprise, quality, and added value; meanwhile, LAN technology is delivering high performance, rapid reconfiguration, unprecedented connectivity capabilities, high integrity, and access to value-enhancing resources. Thus we find that providers of LANs and the related technologies of distributed computing, while once received by the business world with skepticism or even contempt, are now in the enviable position of being welcomed on board as value-added partners. The focus of this fourth edition of the Handbook of Local Area Networks is essentially a reflection of this environment. Specifically, the focus is on high performance and adding business value. Topics have been selected and organized with this in mind, providing both depth and breadth of coverage. It is intended that readers of this book not only gain an understanding of how LANs work and how to go about selecting and implementing LAN products, but also how to exploit LAN capabilities to the benefit of their organizations. As with the prior editions, readers of this edition of the handbook are squarely positioned at the forefront of technology. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK The readers objective will determine how to get the most out of this handbook. For the reader in search of an educational manual or textbook, the organization is such that if the chapters are read sequentially, cover to cover, the topics will unfold in a logical, orderly progression. For the reader with a general grasp of most of the subject matter, but who needs more focused information, each section is organized to provide complete coverage of a topical area, with a minimum of dependence on other sections. Last, for the reader with very specific needs, each chapter can be read independently. Such specific needs may take several forms, and accordingly the handbook contains several types of chapters. The first such type presents basic, fundamental concepts, or information about stable technologies. Other chapters deal with more dynamic, time-sensitive subjects. These have been included to the greatest extent possible in a publication of this form, but with a strict guideline: only information indicative of a significant trend is included, and time-sensitive details are identified for the reader. A number of chapters also present case studies, describing what other people have done in certain situations with the technology available to them. For any reader, it is suggested that the section introductions be read first. The overall organization of the book will then be clearer and the reader will be given a summary of the information presented in each chapter. Briefly, the first two sections of the book take a look at what could be considered core LAN technologies, such as wiring, encoding, and truly local transmission technologies. Section 1 focuses on the basics, and Section 2 explores issues and solutions at the leading edge. The next two sections take a look at the technologies of LAN interconnectivity. Section 3 covers the basics of LAN interconnectivity in the late 1990s, and Section 4 explores some of the more challenging and advanced issues in this topic area. Following the interconnectivity sections are two sections that focus on the application of LAN technology to meet the information needs of the organization. Section 5 surveys a few of the more leading edge applications of LAN technology, and Section 6 explores several issues associated with building LAN-based applications. Finally, the last two sections of the book deal with managing LANs and LAN-based resources, and with maintaining the security and integrity of the information residing on the LAN. For all readers, this handbook is not meant to be simply read once and shelved. Every effort has been made to include only chapters that will contribute to the books usefulness on a continuing basis, and the intent is for the book to be kept handy and referred to many times. Most of the chapters are richly illustrated, and many include such useful features as checklists and list of suggestions. An index facilitates the location of specific items of interest. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with each previous edition, I would like to express my most sincere appreciation and gratitude for all the men and women who have contributed to this book, including the authors of individual chapters and the countless others who have made indirect contributions in the form of suggestions for revisions and improvements or author referrals. Without their many hours of planning, preparation, and execution, and more important, without their willingness to share their ideas and experiences with others in our industry, this book would never have been possible. I would also like to thank the staff at Auerbach Publications, especially Karen Brogno and Rebecca Mabry, both of whom make working on this handbook enjoyable and rewarding. JOHN P. SLONE Orlando, Florida August 1997
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