Cisco: A Beginners Guide, Fourth Edition

This book can be picked up and read from the beginning of any chapter. Chapters covering technology start out with the basics and give explanations from the standpoint of the technology's historical background, how it developed, and what the issues and trends surrounding it are. Only then is Cisco specifically covered in terms of IOS commands, Cisco software tools, and Cisco hardware and software products.

This book doesn't try to reinvent the wheel by publishing yet another glossary on internetworking terms and acronyms. Every term introduced in this book is defined and explained in context. But the book should be read with the reader's browser pointed to Cisco's Web site at http://www.cisco.com. While this book stands on its own, it never hurts to browse around to help reinforce newly learned subject matter. Cisco's Web site contains a wealth of product illustrations, white papers, and other materials. In particular, readers of this book should use the Universal Resource Locator (URL) for two excellent online glossaries that complement this book:

• Cisco Systems Terms and Acronyms

  http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/cisintwk/ita/cisco12.htm

• Internetworking Terms and Acronyms

  http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/cisintwk/ita/index.htm