Upgrading and Repairing Networks

This book has left a bizarre legacy. Que's "Upgrading and Repairing Networks, Second Edition" is written by a different author (Terry Ogletree, though it bears Scott Mueller's name in significantly larger type), and its true sequel ("Upgrading and Troubleshooting Networks" by Craig Zacker) is published by Osborne. One can only imagine the intrigue that gave birth to these two rival heirs, and one can only wish that such events had not taken place, as this book is far better than either of its descendents.Though a few years past its prime, Craig Zacker and Paul Doyle's "Upgrading and Repairing Networks" remains one of the best, broadest, most authoritative and most comprehensive guides to local area networking in print. Published prior to the certification frenzy, this book was designed to teach the journeyman technician both the theory and practice needed to perform effectively in a crisis situation. Subjects covered range from "the stuff in every book" (like the OSI model, hardware, and a plus/minus analysis of operating systems) to arcane but incredibly useful information for those new to the care and feeding of LANs (such as a chapter each on UPSes and tape drives).I strongly urge beginners to the networking field to put in the extra effort necessary to get this book; its scope all but guarantees that you'll learn new and valuable information, and its tone and style make this knowledge fairly painless to obtain. Seasoned networking professionals might also consider picking this one up (especially at marketplace prices)... that is, if the copy they've relied on since 1996 has worn out.

This book provides an excellent treatment of network fundementals from the perspective of a person designing or repairing networks. It is a good book for a person with little or no network experience.However, there are limitations to the book that are not apparent from the description. First, the book is primarily about Novell networks. If you are looking for an in-depth treatment of other networks, this is not the book for you. Second, the specific hardware and software recommendations are few and far between for a book of this type.I recommend this book for people wanting to learn about installing and repairing networks, particularily Novell networks. Just be aware of its limitations.

Anyone serious in getting into networking should read this book. I read this book before becoming a certified network engineer and I recommend buying it before taking any networking class (MCSE or CNE).