Networks for computer scientists and engineers - IEEE Xplore

c1 NEW BOOKS and MULTIMEDIA

umentation) to fully exploit its power is not widely available. The book by Pitt and McNiff hopes t o fill this gap as well as t o raise b o t h awareness of RMI's potential and to link the concepts of distributed programming t o corresponding constructs in R M I , exposing, in the pi-ocess, the internals of RMI and its des,ign. The audience is expected to be reasonably knowledgeable with Java as well as familiar with 0-0concepts (inheritance and polymorphism). In particular, the reader is assumed to be aware of the networking classes Socket and Serversocket. The newcomer t o R M I will find the first nine chapters the most helpful to start writing applications. These chapters include, apart from introduction and concepts, the semantics of RMI, serialization, remote interfaces, the R M I registry, basic client and server programming, basic security, and tcchniques/support f o r mobile code execution. T h e p r o g r a m m e r m o r e familiar with distributed programming and elements of RMI finds better use for the following three chapters that provide detailed information on activation (essential to provide the illusion of persistent reference to an object in a distributed environment), socket factories, and example architectures for agents programming as an example of the design patterns facilitated by the RMI programming paradigm. The last part of the book presents alternatives and extensions t o the standard R M I implementation (JNDI, naming services, Jini, CORBA/IIOP, SSL): topics

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Networks for Computer Scientists and Engineers YGlu Zheng and Shakil Akhtar, 2002, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-195 1 1398-5, 575 pages, hardcover.

Among available undergraduate networks texts, t h e o n e by Zhcng and Akhtar follows a particularly interesting structure. First, two example applications introduce corresponding architectures: voice 'communication for telephone networks on one hand, clientserver applications for packet-switched networks on the other. Mechanisms are presented to illustrate how such networks operate. The examples lead to more detailed information, such as the distinction along the lines of topology and the need for standards. The second part deals with the principles of data communications at the level of signals and modulation but is, oddly, complemented by a section on videoconferencing (applications and standards). The OS1 reference model is next, but once more the chapter includes, oddly enough (since a separate chapter on the topic exists), an introduction to network performance. T h e OS1 model is followed by LAN technologies (the majority of which is a description of the IEEE 802 standards), including hardware aspects, with the somewhat misplaced

addition of LAN operating systems. A single chapter describes TCP/IP, from addressing to IP to essentials of routing and transport layer protocols (TCP and UDP), ending with applications (SMTP, FTP, POP3, Telnet, DNS) as well as dialup data link protocols (SLIP, PPP). What is surprising is the relatively sparse information on HTTP despite a section devoted to Web applications. The next theme discusses access and high-speed technologies. This is really a chapter on both the last mile, as well as on LAN and WAN protocols, namely ISDN, DSL, SMDS, Frame Relay, FDDI, High Speed Ethernet, FDDI and CDDI, ATM, SONET, and DWDM. The switching and virtual LAN chapter spans from hubs to LAN switches, introducing VLANs and eventually ATM switches, but lacking in terms of describing bridging protocols. Network performance presents analytical (basic queuing), simulation, and network traffic monitoring. The network management chapter covers b o t h t h e usual suspects (SNMP and R M O N ) and telecommunications management network (TMN). The coverage of cryptography and security is fairly comprehensive (secret and public key crypto, DES and AES, MD5, PGP, PKI, firewall architectures and types, Kerheros, VPNs, smart cards, etc.). Concluding is a chapter o n network programming, with a typical introduction to sockets (and Winsock) programming plus low-level programming over serial or parallel ports, as well as basics of RPC and Java programming.

IEEE 802 PERSPECTIVES/Edited by Paul Nikolich

The IEEE 802 L.ocal and Metropolitan Area Network (LAN/MAN) Standards Committee is an international standards developing organization consisting of more than 1000 individual networking experts located worldwide. The major industry standards now in development by I E E E 802 a r e E t h e r n e t (CSMA/CD), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN), Broadband Wireless Access (BWA), Resilient Packet Ring (RPR), and Bridging/Architecture that provide the basis for enterprise networking. There are about 50 IEEE 802 LANJMAN standards and five major ISO/IEC/JTCl 8802 series equivalent standards covering the broad spectrum of LAN/MAN standards. These perspectives have appeared in some issues of I E E E Network since September 1997 and are aimed to pro-

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in the periphery of RMI proper, but likely to be encountered when deploying elaborate or specialized applications.

vide the reader with highlights of IEEE 802 activities to enable better dissemination of these standards into marketable products as well as seek new ideas to be brought into the IEEE 802 arena. This perspective will provide a brief overview of the I E E E 802 standards development process. A Web page where additional information can be obtained on IEEE 802 activities, meeting dates, and organization is located at http://www.ieee802.org. Subsequent columns will contain highlights of specific standards in development. Some of the exciting topics in IEEE 802 are 10 Gigabit Ethernet and how Ethernet will migrate outward from the enterprise to the first mile, powered Ethernet, and the growing diversity of wireless communication networks. Please send suggestions, criticisms, and requests for future article topics t o

p.nikolich@ieee, IEEE 802 chair. As a final note, Jim Carlo retired from the 802 Chair position in November 2001. I wish to thank Jim for the leadership and mentorship he has provided to IEEE 802 since he took over as Chair in 1996. Paul Nikolich

Biography PAUL NIKOLICH wos elected to the IEEE802 Chair in November 2001 after serving as IEEE 802 Vice Chair since 1996. He has led product, technology, and standaids development activities at several companies since the early 1980s. Most recently he was co-founder of Broadband Access Systems, Inc., a supplier of carrier class networking equipment to cable television system operators. He currently i s on independent consultant working closely with YAS Broadband Ventures, LLC on investing in early stage startup companies

IEEE Network

March/April 2002

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