Local Area Network Architectures

Local Area Networks (LANs) provide a cost-effective medium for rapid communications and resource sharing between computers and other devices. This book gives a detailed account of LAN technology from an architectural point of view, giving equal prominence to hardware and software issues.

Highlights of the book include:

• a detailed account of the 3 major LAN types — Ethernet, Token Bus and Ring, and Slotted Ring
• a clear presentation of standards activities, based on the ISO's 7-layer model for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)
• extensive coverage of higher level protocols, network management and distributed systems
• a glossary of terms, annotated bibliography and exercises

Local Area Network Architectures will be suitable as a text for courses on LAN Technology, Computer Communications and Networks for students in Computer Science, Computer Systems Engineering and Electronic Engineering. It will also provide an invaluable guide to the application of LAN technology for professional engineers and technical managers in the IT industry.

1. Local area networks: and introduction
1. Overview
2. Historical perspective
3. Emergence of local area networks
4. Definitions
5. Characteristics of local area networks
2. Local area network standards
1. The importance of standards
2. The standards bodies
3. The open systems interconnections reference model
4. The IEEE/ECMA LAn reference model (LAN/RM)
5. LAN standards
6. Layering
7. Service and protocol specifications
8. Service primitive types
9. Examples of use
10. Summary on service primitives
11. Protocol data units
12. Local network LLC layer
3. Types of LAN
1. Introduction
2. Classification of LANs
3. Applications
4. Technologies
5. Looking ahead
6. Ongoing issues
4. Ethernet
1. Background — the ALOHA system
2. The Xerox PARC experimental Ethernet
3. The DIX Ethernet
4. The Xerox Internet
5. The Xerox Network Systems (XNS) protocols
6. DARPA Internet
7. The Standard Ethernet
5. Token ring and bus
1. Overview
2. Tokens
3. Token ring
4. Token bus
5. The standard token passing systems
6. PROWAY and MAP
6. The Cambridge Ring
1. Introduction
2. Ring details
3. The ring station
4. Maintenance
5. Modulation system
6. Ring protocols
7. The Cambridge Distributed Computing System
8. Ring developments
9. The standard Cambridge Ring
7. Internetworking
1. Introduction
2. The OSI network layer
3. LAN bridges
4. The PUP internetwork architecture
5. Alternative approaches
6. The OSI transport layer
8. Higher level protocols
1. Introduction
2. User requirements
3. The OSI session layer
4. The OSI presentation layer
5. The OSI application layer
9. Network management
1. Introduction
2. Network management of wide area networks
3. Managing local area networks
4. Goals and philosophies
5. Architectures
6. Protocols
7. Applications
8. Automated management
9. ISO OSI basic management framework
10. A complete management model
11. Conclusion
10. Distributed computing systems
1. Introduction
2. Higher layer protocols
3. Electronic mail and X.400 message handling systems
4. Remote procedure call (RPC) protocols
5. Distributed operating systems
6. Distributed databases
7. Research issues in distributed computing
8. Concluding remarks

• Appendix: The main standards organizations

Interesting low-level descriptions.