CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide

An impressive offering, CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide does a terrific job of making networking basics approachable. Though written for those already familiar with technology, it nonetheless manages to clearly explain what makes networks work without undercutting their inherent complexity. Authors Lammle and Chellis set the stage by going through such fundamentals as local area network (LAN) devices, the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, and various data transport protocols. From there, the book delves into such topics as network congestion--what causes it and what to do about it--Internet protocol (IP) addressing and subnetting, interior routing protocols, and basic routing configuration.

As is characteristic of any quality study guide, each chapter ends with a summary followed by a mountain of review questions, which are good practice for the written CCNA exam. Answers are listed in one of the six appendices, which also cover AppleTalk and related Request for Comments (RFCs). In addition, this book contains a fantastic 116-page glossary--again, a terrific feature for networking newcomers. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt