[Kamath, 3(8): August, 2014] ISSN: 2277-9655

Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449

(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852

IJESRT
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES & RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGY
Computer Networking: A Top Down Approach James F.Kurose, Keith W.Ross –
Book Review
Dr. R.S. Kamath
Department of Computer Studies, Chatrapati Shahu Institute of Business Education and Research,
Kolhapur, India
[email protected]
Abstract
In the field of communication, Computer Networking has much of attention. It has become an essential
omnipresent technology with explosive growth. There are ample of books accessible for the study and design of
computer networks. This paper addresses the review of book - Computer Networking: A Top Down Approach. This
book provides the most balanced and uniform coverage of principles, architecture, practical insights of networks. This
book can be a good reference suitable for computer professionals as well as students those with a computing
background.

Keywords: book review; computer network; internet; layered architecture; protocols.

Introduction
The Internet is a massive public spiderweb of followed a true approach, in that they attempted to
computer connections. It has become a broadcast teach the building blocks of the major networking
medium for the every person. In regard to this the book technologies [6].
Computer Networking discusses technology behind
network architecture with layered organization [1]. Authors of book
According to its specification A Top Down Approach, The two authors, James F.Kurose and Keith
uses the Internet’s architecture and protocols as prime W.Ross are researchers, practitioners in the in the field
medium for presenting fundamental computer of computer networks. James Kurose is currently a
networking concepts. The decision to use the TCP/IP Professor of Computer Science at the University of
model over the OSI model is appropriate considering Massachusetts. His research interests include real-time
the authors' intentions of focusing on the internet. and multimedia communication, network and
As the subject of Computer network is operating system support for servers, and modeling and
extremely complex, many of networking texts are performance evaluation. He has been active in the
organized as layered network architecture [2, 3, 4]. program committees for IEEE Infocom, ACM
According to the experience of authors a layered SIGCOMM, and ACM SIGMETRICS conferences for
approach is highly desirable. Authors found that the a number of years. He is a recipient of various honors.
traditional approach of teaching from physical layer Keith Ross is currently a Professor of the Computer
towards application layer is not the best approach for a Science and Engineering Department at NYU-Poly.
modern course on computer networking. As it His Ph.D. was in Computer and Control Engineering
mentioned in the title A Top-Down Approach, authors from the University of Michigan. Professor Ross has
provide chapters on the application, transport, network worked in security and privacy, peer-to-peer
and data-link layers respectively. It enables teachers to networking, Internet measurement, video streaming,
introduce network application development at an early multi-service loss networks, content distribution
stage. networks, queuing theory, and Markov decision
The style of the writing would be best processes. He has supervised more than ten Ph. D.
described as clear, accessible and creates interest while theses. He has served on numerous journal editorial
reading. The authors make use of analogy and boards and conference program committees. He has
repetition to drive home the content which convinces received various honors and has published many
concepts clearly to the learner. Especially we wanted to papers.
mention the “household analogy” presented in the
chapter 3. This explains the relationship between
transport and network layer effectively. Authors
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[Kamath, 3(8): August, 2014] ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852

This book is published by Addison-Wesley, Sixth throughout all of the chapters in the book and presented
Edition, February 2012, 864 pages, with ISBN No.:10: on a "need-to-know" basis.
0132856204 ISBN-13: 978-0132856201 Following four chapters in the book cover
wireless networking, multimedia networking, network
Organization of contents security and network management. A solid foundation
There are a total of nine chapters, the first of in all layers of the protocol stack is essential for the
which cover the big picture and lays out the nuts and understanding of these chapters. By considering the
bolts of internet [5]. The text of this presents a self revolution made by wireless and mobile networks,
contained overview of networking with the chapter 6 has focused on the principles, common
introduction of many key concepts and terminologies. technologies and network architecture for supporting
All the other chapters directly depend on this chapter. wireless and mobile communication. A range of
A special historical section offered in this chapter and multimedia applications are explored in the chapter 7.
few historical sidebars spotted throughout the chapters. Multimedia networking is one of the most exciting
The tremendous amount of material covered concisely developments in the field of internet. In chapter 8,
in this chapter. According to authors this chapter itself authors have covered security techniques with
constitutes a mini-course in computer networking. convincing illustrations [8, 9]. The text of book ends
The book presents an analysis of each layer of with the study of network management in chapter 9.
the 5-layer TCP/IP model. In chapter 2, authors have This small unit enlightens important concepts of
elucidated many of the applications that rely on the network management.
protocols. Being academics, authors practice reveals Following are the special features of this book
that covering applications early provides motivation which we want to enlighten,
for the remainder of the text. Once a student  This book gives a good understanding of how
understands the application, then he can understand the networks work. The coverage of the TCP/IP
network services needed to support these applications layers is more standard, excellent and
[7]. The study of this chapter covers the conceptual and complete here.
implementation aspects of network applications such
 Each chapter elaborates the background,
as web, file transfer, e-mail, remote access, file sharing,
concepts, and functionalities in a descriptive,
multimedia applications etc. Chapter ends in the
well-defined way.
company of network application development with
socket programming.  The flow of contents in the book helps the
Equipped with the knowledge covered in reader to understand the mechanics of TCP/IP
chapter 2 about internet application structure and architecture in a way that provides insight into
protocols lend a hand to go down the protocol stack. the various networking issues.
Critical role of transport layer that providing
communication services directly to the application  Due to the enormous relevance of the internet,
processes running on different hosts enlightened in study creates curious in students. The
chapter 3. The features of connection oriented service, explanations are clear and well illustrated with
segment structures of TCP & UDP etc are focused in- diagrams.
detail here. According to authors computer network  In addition to the theory authors have also
can be partitioned into the “network edge” and the added practical demonstrations of socket
“network core”. Chapter 2 and 3 covers network edge programming, construction of web server.
where as network core covered in chapter 4 and 5. The
host to host communication service of network layer  At the end of each chapter challenging and
dealt in detail in chapter 4. Intention of this chapter is interesting assignments are furnished to
to explain network layer functions, services, improve problem solving ability. It instills the
forwarding techniques, routing algorithms etc. Having readers a keen interest to think and ponder over
completed study of the network layer, journey takes issues.
reader one step down the protocol stack, namely to the
 Each chapter presents ample details about the
data link layer. Since the link layer involves a number
protocols, technologies, algorithms and
of important and fascinating issues that can keep the
standards that are used by each layer as it
reader busy for a long time. Different link layer
relates to the internet.
channels and technologies are dealt in a well defined
way. Coverage of the physical layer is spread

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[Kamath, 3(8): August, 2014] ISSN: 2277-9655
Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449
(ISRA), Impact Factor: 1.852

 Purchase of this book grants access to website, 9. Jason Helms, “Book Review - Total
to retrieve interactive learning material, lab Interaction: Theory and Practice of a New
assignments, relevant online material etc. Paradigm for the Design Disciplines”, IEEE
Transactions on Professional
This book is located in libraries such as Communications, Vol 50, No. 2, June 2007
Amazon, Infibeam, Flipkart, and Alibris etc. This
book’s Fourth and Fifth edition e-version is available
in internet.

Summary
This book offers a modern introduction to the
dynamic field of computer networking, with the
principles and practical approaches to understand
today’s networks. In our opinion it can be used as a
reference for those who have to deal with some
network issues. All of these chapters are quite long
which may give readers the impression that the text
drags on. The authors' wealth of experience has
achieved interesting and informative read for the user.
Readers especially students will likely appreciate
reading of this book. According to us, this book
provides the best introduction for computer students
who have not had much exposure to network theory
and are looking for a practical introduction to the
subject.

References
1. Kurose & Ross, Computer Networking: A
Top Down Approach, Addison-Wesley,
Sixth Edition, February 2012
2. Tanenbaum, Computer Networks, Pearson
Education India, 2003
3. Douglas Comer, Internetworking with
TCP/IP: Principles, protocols, and
architecture, Prentice Hall, 2006
4. Stallings, Data and Computer
Communications, Pearson Education India,
2007
5. LeValley, “Book Review -An Engineering
Approach to Computer Networking”, The
Internet Protocol Journal, Vol 13, No 2, June
2010
6. Abobaker, “Book Review - Assessing
Language through Computer Technology”
International Journal of Computer-Assisted
Language Learning and Teaching, 2(2), 61-
63, April-June 2012
7. Dave Crocker, “Book Review - The Art of
Scalability”, The Internet Protocol Journal,
Vol 2, No 4, 1999
8. Greenberg, “Book Reviews”, INFORMS
Journal on Computing Vol. 24, No. 3, 2012,
pp. BR1-BR13

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