Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook by Ray Horak
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Product Details
Synopsis
For an accessible and comprehensive survey of telecommunications and data communications technologies and services, consult the "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook," which includes information on origins, evolution and meaningful contemporary applications. Find discussions of technologies set in context, with details on fiber optics, cellular radio, digital carrier systems, TCP/IP, and the Internet. Explore topics like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP); 802.16 & WiMAX; Passive Optical Network (PON); 802.11g & Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) in this easily accessible guide without the burden of technical jargon.If you really need to understand telecommunications, you must own a copy of Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook by Ray Horak. A well-researched and comprehensive survey of telecom and datacom technologies and services, from the most basic to the most complex, the book begins with basic concepts and definitions and marches through the full ranges of transmission media and voice, data, and video systems, networks, standards and protocols. The author sets the technologies in context, providing a good level of detail on the origin and evolution of fiber optics, cellular radio, digital carrier systems, TCP/IP, and the Internet, as examples. The emphasis is just right, with plenty of ink devoted to broadband LAN, MAN, and WAN technologies such as 3G, 802.11g/n, ADSL, BPL, CWDM and DWDM, PON, and WiMAX. The author devotes the final chapter to tracking the origins, evolution, and current status of U.S. telecom regulation through key legislative, judicial and agency events. Back matter includes a helpful list of more than 1,000 industry acronyms and initialisms and an excellent and thoroughly complete index, which is the mark of an author with an appreciation for the reader. (Information is useless if you can't find it when you need it.) Ray Horak writes in a unique plain-English, commonsense style that makes the book an easy read for a technology book. Also, he liberally sprinkles his trademarked (or, more correctly, copyrighted) wry sense of humor throughout, so you will find yourself smiling and chuckling from time to time.While Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook is written for a reasonably astute academic and professional readership of engineers, analysts, regulators, attorneys, and other telecom professionals, Horak develops each topic in plain English and in such a commonsense and patient manner that the book is equally informative and useful to a student or relative newcomer to telecommunications. Among the many of specific technology topics are included the following:" T/E/J-Carrier Systems " Fiber Optics o MMF and SMF o CWDM and DWDM o EDFAs and Raman Amplification o Passive Optical Network (PON) o SONET/SDH " Wireless o 802.11a/b/g/n o Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) o 802.16 and WiMAX o Bluetooth o ZigBee o Cellular, including 2.5G and 3G " Broadband over Power Line (BPL) " E-mail and Instant Messaging (IM) " Storage Area Networks (SANs) " Digital Subscriber Line (DSL): ADSL, HDSL, SHDSL, SDSL, and VDSL " CATV Networks and Modems " Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), including IP PBX and IP Centrex " Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) vs. H.323Published by Wiley-Interscience (September 2007) 791 pages, $99.95 ISBN-10: 0470041412 ISBN-13: 978-0470041413The perfect companion to this book is Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary, also written by Ray Horak in 2007. It is a comprehensive telecommunications dictionary of more than 4,600 terms critical to understanding voice, data, video, and multimedia communications system and network technologies, applications, and regulation. An instant classic that contains none of the fluff found in competing works, Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary is a carefully researched and absolutely reliable source. As such, it is the one and only telecom dictionary you will need. Presents a survey of telecommunications and data communications technologies and services. This book includes information on origins, evolution and meaningful contemporary applications. It explores topics like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP); 802.16 & WiMAX; and, Passive Optical Network (PON).
Product Identifiers
ISBN-10
0470396075
ISBN-13
9780470396070
Key Details
Author
Ray Horak
Number Of Pages
832 pages
Format
EBOOK
Publication Date
2008-07-21
Language
English
Publisher
Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, John
Publication Year
2008
Additional Details
Edition Number
2
Copyright Date
2007
Illustrated
Yes
Target Audience
Group
Scholarly & Professional
Classification Method
LCCN
2006-032496
LC Classification Number
TK5101.H6655 2007
Dewey Decimal
621.382
Dewey Edition
22
Table Of Content
Preface.Acknowledgments.About the Author.1 FUNDAMENTALS OF THE TECHNOLOGY: CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS.1.1 Fundamental Defi nitions.1.2 Dedicated, Switched, and Virtual Circuits.1.3 Two-Wire versus Four-Wire Circuits.1.4 Bandwidth.1.5 Analog versus Digital.1.6 Loading Coils, Amplifi ers, and Repeaters.1.7 Conversion Process: Modems and Codecs.1.8 Multiplexers (Muxes).1.9 Switches and Switching: The Basics . . . and Then Some.1.10 Signaling and Control.References.2 FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS: TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS.2.1 Electromagnetic Spectrum.2.2 Transmission Media Selection Criteria.2.3 Twisted Pair: Introduction to Telephone Wire.2.4 Shielded Copper.2.5 Coaxial Cable.2.6 Microwave Radio.2.7 Satellite Radio.2.8 Free Space Optics.2.9 Fiber Optics.2.10 Powerline Carrier.2.11 Hybrid Transmission Systems.References.3 VOICE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS: KTS, PBX, CENTREX, AND ACD.3.1 Key Telephone Systems.3.2 Private Branch Exchanges.3.3 Centrex.3.4 Automatic Call Distributors.3.5 Computer Telephony.3.6 IP Systems.3.7 Futures.References.4 MESSAGING SYSTEMS.4.1 Facsimile (Fax) Systems.4.2 Voice Processing Systems.4.3 Electronic Mail (E-Mail).4.4 Instant Messaging.4.5 Mobile Messaging: SMS and MMS.4.6 Unifi ed Messaging and Unifi ed Communications.References.5 PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK.5.1 Network Characteristics.5.2 Numbering Plan Administration.5.3 Domains.5.4 Signaling and Control: Expanded View.5.5 Network Services.5.6 Portability: A Special Issue.5.7 Equal Access: Another Special Issue.5.8 VoIP: Next-Generation PSTN.References.6 FUNDAMENTALS OF DATA COMMUNICATIONS.6.1 Functional Domains.6.2 DCE: Expanded View.6.3 Protocol Basics.6.4 Network Architectures.6.5 Security.References.7 CONVENTIONAL DIGITAL AND DATA NETWORKS.7.1 Dataphone Digital Service.7.2 Switched 56.7.3 Virtual Private Networks: In the Classic Sense.7.4 Digital Carrier Systems and Networks.7.5 X.25 and Packet Switching.7.6 Integrated Services Digital Network.References.8 LOCAL AREA NETWORKS: CONNECTIVITY AND INTERNETWORKING.8.1 LANs Defi ned.8.2 LAN Dimensions.8.3 LAN Equipment.8.4 LAN Operating Systems.8.5 Virtual LANs.8.6 Remote LAN Access.8.7 LAN Standards and Standards Bodies.8.8 Life in the Fast LAN: The Need for Speed.8.9 Wireless LANs.8.10 Minding Your Ps and Qs.8.11 IEEE 1394 and FireWire.8.12 Nonstandard LANs.8.13 Broadband over Power Line.8.14 Storage Area Networks.References.9 BROADBAND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE.9.1 Access Technologies.9.2 SONET/SDH.9.3 IEEE 802.17, Resilient Packet Ring.References.10 BROADBAND NETWORK SERVICES.
Reviews
Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook ?covers the entire telecom landscape, from wireline to wireless, from copper to radio and fiber, from electrical to optical, and from the customer premises to the cloud. It discusses voice, data, fax, video and multimedia technologies, systems, and ap�plications in great detail, and in the LAN, MAN, and WAN domains. The handbook explores every relevant technology, standard, and ap�plication in the telecom and datacom space'.It is exceptionally well-written in Horak's plain-English, commonsense style, making it just as helpful to the neophyte and layperson as to the serious student or seasoned IT professional. Horak makes liberal use of well-constructed graphics to illustrate system and network architectures, topologies, and applications. It is hard to make a valid direct comparison to this book. The Irwin Handbook of Telecommunications, by James Harry Green, is good, but less complete, less technical, and drier, if such a combination is possible. The Voice & Data Communications Handbook, by Regis ?Bud? Bates, is written at a lower level; and, the Essential Guide to Telecommunications, by Annabel Dodd, at a much lower level. These latter two books are breezy reads and appeal more to a mass market than to a serious student or professional. The Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook compares more correctly to some of the more seminal works of Gilbert Held or James Martin, but covers a much wider range of subject matter and is a much easier and more pleasant read. The Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook is written for the academic and professional community, but is just as relevant to anyone who needs to understand telecommunications system and network technologies and their meaningful applications. It is an exceptional work that should be on every IT professional's bookshelf'when not in his or her hands. ?John R. Vacca ( The Internet Protocol Journal (Cisco Systems) , December 2008, pp. 38-40) There is finally a guide to telecommunications and data communications that non-engineers can understand. Popular author Ray Horak provides comprehensive, up-to-date information in plain English, instead of confusing technotalk'.Complete with a discussion of the current regulatory and business environments, including divestiture and revestiture as well as mergers and acquisitions, this is the ideal reference for non-engineering professionals in the end-user, carrier, content or service provider, manufacturing, regulatory, or financial communities. ( IEEE Communications Society , August 2008) "?a thoroughly researched and comprehensive survey of telecom and datacom technologies and services, from the most basic to the most complex. Horak sets the technologies in context, providing an excellent level of detail on the origin and evolution of fiber optics, cellular radio, digital carrier systems, TCP/IP, and the Internet, as examples'. We think that anyone with a compelling need for a complete and accurate understanding of telecommunications can benefit from it." ( ASCDI News ) We recently received a copy from Ray Horak of his "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" This (literally) weighty tome contains almost 800 pages of current technology, and, maybe more importantly, the historical basis for how we got to where we are today. From frequency division multiplexing to the invention of the Strowger switch by a disgruntled undertaker to the origin of wire "gauge," the book is a great trip down memory lane for us old-timers and a necessary piece of technology background for neophytes. However, the book isn''t just history. It''s more of an encyclopedia that includes current topics as of the publication date in 2007. As such, is serves as a great foundation for topics like application delivery and virtualization. As we move forward with new ideas, this historical context is mandatory to making sure that the mistakes of the past aren''t repeated.Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook covers the entire telecom landscape, from wireline to wireless, from copper to radio and fiber, from electrical to optical, and from the customer premises to the cloud. It discusses voice, data, fax, video and multimedia technologies, systems, and applications in great detail, and in the LAN, MAN, and WAN domains. The handbook explores every relevant technology, standard, and application in the telecom and datacom space .It is exceptionally wellwritten in Horak s plainEnglish, commonsense style, making it just as helpful to the neophyte and layperson as to the serious student or seasoned IT professional. Horak makes liberal use of wellconstructed graphics to illustrate system and network architectures, topologies, and applications. It is hard to make a valid direct comparison to this book. The Irwin Handbook of Telecommunications, by James Harry Green, is good, but less complete, less technical, and drier, if such a combination is possible. The Voice & Data Communications Handbook, by Regis Bud Bates, is written at a lower level; and, the Essential Guide to Telecommunications, by Annabel Dodd, at a much lower level. These latter two books are breezy reads and appeal more to a mass market than to a serious student or professional. The Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook compares more correctly to some of the more seminal works of Gilbert Held or James Martin, but covers a much wider range of subject matter and is a much easier and more pleasant read. The Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook is written for the academic and professional community, but is just as relevant to anyone who needs to understand telecommunications system and network technologies and their meaningful applications. It is an exceptional work that should be on every IT professional s bookshelf when not in his or her hands. John R. Vacca ( The Internet Protocol Journal (Cisco Systems) , December 2008, pp. 3840) There is finally a guide to telecommunications and data communications that nonengineers can understand. Popular author Ray Horak provides comprehensive, uptodate information in plain English, instead of confusing technotalk .Complete with a discussion of the current regulatory and business environments, including divestiture and revestiture as well as mergers and acquisitions, this is the ideal reference for nonengineering professionals in the enduser, carrier, content or service provider, manufacturing, regulatory, or financial communities. ( IEEE Communications Society , August 2008) " a thoroughly researched and comprehensive survey of telecom and datacom technologies and services, from the most basic to the most complex. Horak sets the technologies in context, providing an excellent level of detail on the origin and evolution of fiber optics, cellular radio, digital carrier systems, TCP/IP, and the Internet, as examples . We think that anyone with a compelling need for a complete and accurate understanding of telecommunications can benefit from it." ( ASCDI News ) We recently received a copy from Ray Horak of his "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" This (literally) weighty tome contains almost 800 pages of current technology, and, maybe more importantly, the historical basis for how we got to where we are today. From frequency division multiplexing to the invention of the Strowger switch by a disgruntled undertaker to the origin of wire "gauge," the book is a great trip down memory lane for us oldtimers and a necessary piece of technology background for neophytes. However, the book isnt just history. Its more of an encyclopedia that includes current topics as of the publication date in 2007. As such, is serves as a great foundation for topics like application delivery and virtualization. As we move forward with new ideas, this historical context is mandatory to making sure that the mistakes of the past arent repeated.
Synopsis
For an accessible and comprehensive survey of telecommunications and data communications technologies and services, consult the "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook," which includes information on origins, evolution and meaningful contemporary applications. Find discussions of technologies set in context, with details on fiber optics, cellular radio, digital carrier systems, TCP/IP, and the Internet. Explore topics like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP); 802.16 & WiMAX; Passive Optical Network (PON); 802.11g & Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) in this easily accessible guide without the burden of technical jargon.If you really need to understand telecommunications, you must own a copy of Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook by Ray Horak. A well-researched and comprehensive survey of telecom and datacom technologies and services, from the most basic to the most complex, the book begins with basic concepts and definitions and marches through the full ranges of transmission media and voice, data, and video systems, networks, standards and protocols. The author sets the technologies in context, providing a good level of detail on the origin and evolution of fiber optics, cellular radio, digital carrier systems, TCP/IP, and the Internet, as examples. The emphasis is just right, with plenty of ink devoted to broadband LAN, MAN, and WAN technologies such as 3G, 802.11g/n, ADSL, BPL, CWDM and DWDM, PON, and WiMAX. The author devotes the final chapter to tracking the origins, evolution, and current status of U.S. telecom regulation through key legislative, judicial and agency events. Back matter includes a helpful list of more than 1,000 industry acronyms and initialisms and an excellent and thoroughly complete index, which is the mark of an author with an appreciation for the reader. (Information is useless if you can't find it when you need it.) Ray Horak writes in a unique plain-English, commonsense style that makes the book an easy read for a technology book. Also, he liberally sprinkles his trademarked (or, more correctly, copyrighted) wry sense of humor throughout, so you will find yourself smiling and chuckling from time to time.While Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook is written for a reasonably astute academic and professional readership of engineers, analysts, regulators, attorneys, and other telecom professionals, Horak develops each topic in plain English and in such a commonsense and patient manner that the book is equally informative and useful to a student or relative newcomer to telecommunications. Among the many of specific technology topics are included the following:" T/E/J-Carrier Systems " Fiber Optics o MMF and SMF o CWDM and DWDM o EDFAs and Raman Amplification o Passive Optical Network (PON) o SONET/SDH " Wireless o 802.11a/b/g/n o Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) o 802.16 and WiMAX o Bluetooth o ZigBee o Cellular, including 2.5G and 3G " Broadband over Power Line (BPL) " E-mail and Instant Messaging (IM) " Storage Area Networks (SANs) " Digital Subscriber Line (DSL): ADSL, HDSL, SHDSL, SDSL, and VDSL " CATV Networks and Modems " Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), including IP PBX and IP Centrex " Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) vs. H.323Published by Wiley-Interscience (September 2007) 791 pages, $99.95 ISBN-10: 0470041412 ISBN-13: 978-0470041413The perfect companion to this book is Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary, also written by Ray Horak in 2007. It is a comprehensive telecommunications dictionary of more than 4,600 terms critical to understanding voice, data, video, and multimedia communications system and network technologies, applications, and regulation. An instant classic that contains none of the fluff found in competing works, Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary is a carefully researched and absolutely reliable source. As such, it is the one and only telecom dictionary you will need. Presents a survey of telecommunications and data communications technologies and services. This book includes information on origins, evolution and meaningful contemporary applications. It explores topics like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP); 802.16 & WiMAX; and, Passive Optical Network (PON).
Product Identifiers
ISBN-10
0470396075
ISBN-13
9780470396070
Key Details
Author
Ray Horak
Number Of Pages
832 pages
Format
EBOOK
Publication Date
2008-07-21
Language
English
Publisher
Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, John
Publication Year
2008
Additional Details
Edition Number
2
Copyright Date
2007
Illustrated
Yes
Target Audience
Group
Scholarly & Professional
Classification Method
LCCN
2006-032496
LC Classification Number
TK5101.H6655 2007
Dewey Decimal
621.382
Dewey Edition
22
Table Of Content
Preface.Acknowledgments.About the Author.1 FUNDAMENTALS OF THE TECHNOLOGY: CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS.1.1 Fundamental Defi nitions.1.2 Dedicated, Switched, and Virtual Circuits.1.3 Two-Wire versus Four-Wire Circuits.1.4 Bandwidth.1.5 Analog versus Digital.1.6 Loading Coils, Amplifi ers, and Repeaters.1.7 Conversion Process: Modems and Codecs.1.8 Multiplexers (Muxes).1.9 Switches and Switching: The Basics . . . and Then Some.1.10 Signaling and Control.References.2 FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS: TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS.2.1 Electromagnetic Spectrum.2.2 Transmission Media Selection Criteria.2.3 Twisted Pair: Introduction to Telephone Wire.2.4 Shielded Copper.2.5 Coaxial Cable.2.6 Microwave Radio.2.7 Satellite Radio.2.8 Free Space Optics.2.9 Fiber Optics.2.10 Powerline Carrier.2.11 Hybrid Transmission Systems.References.3 VOICE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS: KTS, PBX, CENTREX, AND ACD.3.1 Key Telephone Systems.3.2 Private Branch Exchanges.3.3 Centrex.3.4 Automatic Call Distributors.3.5 Computer Telephony.3.6 IP Systems.3.7 Futures.References.4 MESSAGING SYSTEMS.4.1 Facsimile (Fax) Systems.4.2 Voice Processing Systems.4.3 Electronic Mail (E-Mail).4.4 Instant Messaging.4.5 Mobile Messaging: SMS and MMS.4.6 Unifi ed Messaging and Unifi ed Communications.References.5 PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK.5.1 Network Characteristics.5.2 Numbering Plan Administration.5.3 Domains.5.4 Signaling and Control: Expanded View.5.5 Network Services.5.6 Portability: A Special Issue.5.7 Equal Access: Another Special Issue.5.8 VoIP: Next-Generation PSTN.References.6 FUNDAMENTALS OF DATA COMMUNICATIONS.6.1 Functional Domains.6.2 DCE: Expanded View.6.3 Protocol Basics.6.4 Network Architectures.6.5 Security.References.7 CONVENTIONAL DIGITAL AND DATA NETWORKS.7.1 Dataphone Digital Service.7.2 Switched 56.7.3 Virtual Private Networks: In the Classic Sense.7.4 Digital Carrier Systems and Networks.7.5 X.25 and Packet Switching.7.6 Integrated Services Digital Network.References.8 LOCAL AREA NETWORKS: CONNECTIVITY AND INTERNETWORKING.8.1 LANs Defi ned.8.2 LAN Dimensions.8.3 LAN Equipment.8.4 LAN Operating Systems.8.5 Virtual LANs.8.6 Remote LAN Access.8.7 LAN Standards and Standards Bodies.8.8 Life in the Fast LAN: The Need for Speed.8.9 Wireless LANs.8.10 Minding Your Ps and Qs.8.11 IEEE 1394 and FireWire.8.12 Nonstandard LANs.8.13 Broadband over Power Line.8.14 Storage Area Networks.References.9 BROADBAND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE.9.1 Access Technologies.9.2 SONET/SDH.9.3 IEEE 802.17, Resilient Packet Ring.References.10 BROADBAND NETWORK SERVICES.
Reviews
Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook ?covers the entire telecom landscape, from wireline to wireless, from copper to radio and fiber, from electrical to optical, and from the customer premises to the cloud. It discusses voice, data, fax, video and multimedia technologies, systems, and ap�plications in great detail, and in the LAN, MAN, and WAN domains. The handbook explores every relevant technology, standard, and ap�plication in the telecom and datacom space'.It is exceptionally well-written in Horak's plain-English, commonsense style, making it just as helpful to the neophyte and layperson as to the serious student or seasoned IT professional. Horak makes liberal use of well-constructed graphics to illustrate system and network architectures, topologies, and applications. It is hard to make a valid direct comparison to this book. The Irwin Handbook of Telecommunications, by James Harry Green, is good, but less complete, less technical, and drier, if such a combination is possible. The Voice & Data Communications Handbook, by Regis ?Bud? Bates, is written at a lower level; and, the Essential Guide to Telecommunications, by Annabel Dodd, at a much lower level. These latter two books are breezy reads and appeal more to a mass market than to a serious student or professional. The Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook compares more correctly to some of the more seminal works of Gilbert Held or James Martin, but covers a much wider range of subject matter and is a much easier and more pleasant read. The Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook is written for the academic and professional community, but is just as relevant to anyone who needs to understand telecommunications system and network technologies and their meaningful applications. It is an exceptional work that should be on every IT professional's bookshelf'when not in his or her hands. ?John R. Vacca ( The Internet Protocol Journal (Cisco Systems) , December 2008, pp. 38-40) There is finally a guide to telecommunications and data communications that non-engineers can understand. Popular author Ray Horak provides comprehensive, up-to-date information in plain English, instead of confusing technotalk'.Complete with a discussion of the current regulatory and business environments, including divestiture and revestiture as well as mergers and acquisitions, this is the ideal reference for non-engineering professionals in the end-user, carrier, content or service provider, manufacturing, regulatory, or financial communities. ( IEEE Communications Society , August 2008) "?a thoroughly researched and comprehensive survey of telecom and datacom technologies and services, from the most basic to the most complex. Horak sets the technologies in context, providing an excellent level of detail on the origin and evolution of fiber optics, cellular radio, digital carrier systems, TCP/IP, and the Internet, as examples'. We think that anyone with a compelling need for a complete and accurate understanding of telecommunications can benefit from it." ( ASCDI News ) We recently received a copy from Ray Horak of his "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" This (literally) weighty tome contains almost 800 pages of current technology, and, maybe more importantly, the historical basis for how we got to where we are today. From frequency division multiplexing to the invention of the Strowger switch by a disgruntled undertaker to the origin of wire "gauge," the book is a great trip down memory lane for us old-timers and a necessary piece of technology background for neophytes. However, the book isn''t just history. It''s more of an encyclopedia that includes current topics as of the publication date in 2007. As such, is serves as a great foundation for topics like application delivery and virtualization. As we move forward with new ideas, this historical context is mandatory to making sure that the mistakes of the past aren''t repeated.Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook covers the entire telecom landscape, from wireline to wireless, from copper to radio and fiber, from electrical to optical, and from the customer premises to the cloud. It discusses voice, data, fax, video and multimedia technologies, systems, and applications in great detail, and in the LAN, MAN, and WAN domains. The handbook explores every relevant technology, standard, and application in the telecom and datacom space .It is exceptionally wellwritten in Horak s plainEnglish, commonsense style, making it just as helpful to the neophyte and layperson as to the serious student or seasoned IT professional. Horak makes liberal use of wellconstructed graphics to illustrate system and network architectures, topologies, and applications. It is hard to make a valid direct comparison to this book. The Irwin Handbook of Telecommunications, by James Harry Green, is good, but less complete, less technical, and drier, if such a combination is possible. The Voice & Data Communications Handbook, by Regis Bud Bates, is written at a lower level; and, the Essential Guide to Telecommunications, by Annabel Dodd, at a much lower level. These latter two books are breezy reads and appeal more to a mass market than to a serious student or professional. The Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook compares more correctly to some of the more seminal works of Gilbert Held or James Martin, but covers a much wider range of subject matter and is a much easier and more pleasant read. The Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook is written for the academic and professional community, but is just as relevant to anyone who needs to understand telecommunications system and network technologies and their meaningful applications. It is an exceptional work that should be on every IT professional s bookshelf when not in his or her hands. John R. Vacca ( The Internet Protocol Journal (Cisco Systems) , December 2008, pp. 3840) There is finally a guide to telecommunications and data communications that nonengineers can understand. Popular author Ray Horak provides comprehensive, uptodate information in plain English, instead of confusing technotalk .Complete with a discussion of the current regulatory and business environments, including divestiture and revestiture as well as mergers and acquisitions, this is the ideal reference for nonengineering professionals in the enduser, carrier, content or service provider, manufacturing, regulatory, or financial communities. ( IEEE Communications Society , August 2008) " a thoroughly researched and comprehensive survey of telecom and datacom technologies and services, from the most basic to the most complex. Horak sets the technologies in context, providing an excellent level of detail on the origin and evolution of fiber optics, cellular radio, digital carrier systems, TCP/IP, and the Internet, as examples . We think that anyone with a compelling need for a complete and accurate understanding of telecommunications can benefit from it." ( ASCDI News ) We recently received a copy from Ray Horak of his "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" This (literally) weighty tome contains almost 800 pages of current technology, and, maybe more importantly, the historical basis for how we got to where we are today. From frequency division multiplexing to the invention of the Strowger switch by a disgruntled undertaker to the origin of wire "gauge," the book is a great trip down memory lane for us oldtimers and a necessary piece of technology background for neophytes. However, the book isnt just history. Its more of an encyclopedia that includes current topics as of the publication date in 2007. As such, is serves as a great foundation for topics like application delivery and virtualization. As we move forward with new ideas, this historical context is mandatory to making sure that the mistakes of the past arent repeated.