Preface

Computer networks are one of the most difficult concepts for IT professionals to fully grasp. A network isn’t a discrete thing like a piece of software, a printer, or a motherboard. It’s a vast, sometimes nebulous collection of hardware and software all working together to move bits from one place to another. The level of complexity in a network is overwhelming, which is one reason so many brilliant and dedicated IT professionals tend to stay away from it. It often seems unapproachable.

If you’ve tried to read other networking books, you’ve probably found that they’re far too academic and dripping with theory. They steep you in a brew of counterintuitive concepts and terms without tying them to practical, hands-on skills. My goal in writing this book is to make the network accessible to you—the IT professional who loves technology and loves to learn, but has found learning networking too intimidating or time-consuming. You won’t be cramming years’ worth of theory and concepts into a month-long boot camp. Instead, you’ll start with a big-picture view of how networks operate, and then you’ll dive right into practical, hands-on tasks that you can start using today. You’ll pick up the concepts as you go, and they’ll make sense because you’ll be able to tie them in with day-to-day administration tasks. Best of all, you’ll be able to prove your skills while simultaneously being able to explain why networks work the way they do.