Synopses & Reviews
"Ray has provided individuals like myself the knowledge to truly understand the maze of data communications." David Rubin, CEO Mercury eCOMM Your Complete Guide to Today's Networked World In this unique overview, Ray Horak lucidly describes today's communications systems and networks voice, data, video, and multimedia and explains how they are likely to evolve and converge as we move further toward an information-based economy. Packed with diagrams and illustrations, Communications Systems & Networks delivers plain-English explanations of all the technical fundamentals and puts everything in context by addressing standards, regulations, and the real-world outlook for legacy, contemporary, and emerging technologies. Whether you're a communications pro who wants to gain some perspective or you just want to understand our increasingly wired and wireless world, this is the one book you need to see the big picture, with just the right amount of detail. Inside, you'll find clear explanations of:
- Essential telecommunications concepts such as circuits, switches, multiplexers and digital and analog transmission
- Transmission media from twisted pair to satellite to optical fiber
- The basics of voice systems, including PBXs and computer telephony integration, and more
- The fundamentals of data communications, including basic LAN and WAN engineering, modems, protocol basics, and network infrastructure services
- TCP/IP and other Internet technologies and protocols that have become the foundation for next generation networks
- Emerging technologies such as DSL, CATV modems, Wireless Local Loop, SONET, and DWDM
- The future of broadband networking, including Frame Relay, ATM, Broadband ISDN, and Advanced Intelligent Networks
- Emerging trends, from network convergence to the effects of regulation, deregulation, and privatization
Synopsis
An industry pundit explains fundamentals of telecommunications technology, and how the merging of voice and data networks has evolved and is likely to evolve as the world moves toward an information-based economy.
Synopsis
* Convergence is confusing. Convergence is critical. And convergence is real. In this book, industry pundit Ray Horak describes how the merging of voice and data networks has evolved and is likely to evolve as we move toward an information-based economy.
* Beginning with the fundamentals of communications technology, the book grounds the reader in basic telecommunications concepts including circuits (dedicated, switched and virtual), switches (circuit, packet, and frame), and the issues involved in digital and analog transmission.
* Describes the rudiments of transmission media, from twisted pair and coaxial cable to satellite and fiber-optic transmission.
* Introduces the basics of voice systems, beginning with legacy networks like key telephone systems and including PBXs, Centrex, Automatic Call Distributors, and Computer Telephony Integration (CTI).
* Explains the fundamentals of data communications, including basic LAN and WAN engineering, modems and other forms of data communications equipment, broadband infrastructure and network services, and the protocols and equipment that make the global Internet a reality.
* Considers some of the emerging technologies and applications just now gaining widespread acceptance, including wireless networks and digital video networks, along with the economic and regulatory forces likely to determine the shape of the networked world of the 21st Century, as well as the speed with which we can expect to see it implemented.
* Previous edition sold 40,000+ copies.
Synopsis
A comprehensive overview of today's networked world, offering just the right amount of technical detail
Now updated to cover the latest wireless and broadband technologies, this lucid overview describes today's communications systems and networks-voice, data, video, and multimedia-and explains how they are likely to evolve and converge. Communications Systems and Networks delivers plain-English explanations of all the technical fundamentals-and puts everything in context by addressing standards, regulations, and the real-world outlook for legacy, contemporary, and emerging technologies. Whether you're a networking pro who wants to gain some perspective or you just want to understand our increasingly interconnected world, this is the one book you need to see the big picture.
Inside, you'll find clear explanations of:
* Essential concepts such as circuits, switches, and digital and analog transmission
* Transmission media--from twistedpair to satellite, microwave, infrared, and fiber optics
* Data communications, from LANs and WANs to broadband and 3G wireless
* Recent and emerging voice technologies, including Voice over Frame Relay (VoFR), Voice over ATM (VoATM), Voice over IP (VoIP), and Voice over DSL (VoDSL)
* Broadband access technologies, including Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modems, Free Space Optics (FSO), and Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
* Internet and Web standards, topology, technologies, and protocols, including WAP and i-Mode
* Video and multimedia networking, from HDTV to videoconferencing systems
* Network convergence issues, such as standards, regulation, addressing, and Quality of Service (QoS)
* The latest regulatory flash points, from line sharing to Internet wiretapping
Synopsis
Packed with diagrams and illustrations, Communications & Systems delivers plain-English explanations of all the technical fundamentals -- and puts everything in context by addressing standards, regulations, and the real-world outlook for legacy, contemporary, and emerging technologies. In this unique overview, Ray Horak lucidly describes today's communications systems and networks -- voice, data, video, and multimedia -- and explains how they are likely to evolve and converge as we move further toward an information-based economy. Whether you're a communications pro who wants to gain some perspective or you just want to understand our increasingly wired and wireless world, this is the one book you need to see the big picture, with just the right amount of detail.
About the Author
About the Author Ray Horak is President of the Context Corporation, an independent telecommunications consulting firm. Ray is a world-class lecturer who presents seminars, workshops, and conferences for telephone and data networking professionals worldwide. He is the author of many professional articles and is a Contributing Editor for Newton's Telecom Dictionary and several other publications.
Table of Contents
Foreword.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Chapter 1: Fundamentals of the Technology: Concepts and Definitions.
Chapter 2: Fundamentals of Transmission Systems: Technologies and Applications.
Chapter 3: Voice Communications Systems: PBX, ACD, Centrex, and KTS.
Chapter 4: Messaging Systems: Facsimile, Voice Processing, and Electronic Mail.
Chapter 5: Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
Chapter 6: Fundamentals of Data Communications.
Chapter 7: Conventional Digital and Data Networks.
Chapter 8: Local Area Networks: Connectivity and Internetworking.
Chapter 9: Broadband Network Infrastructure.
Chapter 10: Broadband Network Services: Frame Relay, SMDS, ATM, B-ISDN, and AINs.
Chapter 11: Wireless Networking: Voice and Data.
Chapter 12: The Internet and World Wide Web.
Chapter 13: Video and Multimedia Networking.
Chapter 14: Network Convergence.
Chapter 15: Regulation: Issues And (Some) Answers.
Appendix A: Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Symbols.
Appendix B: Standards Organizations and Special Interest Groups (SIGs).
Index.