Enriching the Value Chain: Infrastructure Strategies Beyond the Enterprise Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is an extensive rework of the authors' "The Adaptive Enterprise", and in my opinion supersedes that earlier book.
Like the first book this one borrows heavily from the software engineering community to employ proven techniques, such as layered design, patterns and a component-based approach to infrastructure. Where this book extends and builds upon the earlier work is the emphasis on extending the corporate infrastructure into a meta infrastructure that is characterized by B2B and supply chains. As such it lives up to the title because the goal of the extended infrastructure is to enrich the value chain - or at least support the underlying business goals.
What I like about this book is what the authors propose is not only attainable, but makes good business sense. It starts with a 22-page introduction that clearly defines what is and is not infrastructure, and the concept of an adaptivity. These are important to understanding the approach that follows. Chapter 2, Laying the Foundation, quickly gives the basics for a layered infrastructure, develops a model for associated services that are needed to make the infrastructure adaptable, and drills down into service-related issues. I am not in complete agreement with the impact that this approach has on IT organizational structures; however, I am not willing to write it off as unfeasible until I have a chance to carefully think it through. The ideas do have merit (on paper) and are better developed in the first book.
Much of the rest of the book is a rehash of "The Adaptive Enterprise", but the material is slanted towards the extended infrastructure. What is important is the emphasis on patterns and components as frameworks and building blocks. Where the first book brought infrastructure management to a new level, this book extends it in a manner that reflects the realities of connected enterprises defined by supply chain management and business partners. Please see my review of "The Adaptive Enterprise" for specifics that apply to this book, and if you're deciding between the two books, this is the one to get.

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A guide telling you how to achieve success in value chain infrastructure planning. Provides strategic advice for mapping business drivers to a set of fundamental patterns and planning models.

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Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Administration Unleashed Review

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(More customer reviews)I have read about 3/4th of this book so far,most of it is mainly just review for me since the RHEL 5 release. I have noticed so far a few issues mainly with grammar, spelling, and multiple misguided instructions such as the PXE installation method, LDAP setup, and a few other minor things. Overall the book is my favorite linux related book since it gets right to the point and doesnt have all the boring history lessons about 15 years ago when service such and such was developed and how it is completely different etc etc. Any one who's read a linux related book knows what im talking about.
In regards to the misguided instructions, for instance the PXE setup. I have gone through the chapter about 5 times now and slowly stepped through the documentation as it explains but still have yet to be able to get the correct outcome.(a working PXE installation). I have previous experience with PXE so I was able to figure this out on my own with no issue but worry that some new admins to RHEL will have a hard time getting this particular method of installation setup. I'm unfortunetly human so I still may have gotten the steps down wrong and other may find that the instructions are infact correct. If so ... cool. :)
- runlevel -

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This comprehensive guide can help youadminister Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 effectively in any productionenvironment, no matter how complex or challenging.

Long-timeRed Hat insider Tammy Fox brings together today's best practices forthe entire system lifecycle, from planning and deployment throughmaintenance and troubleshooting. Fox shows how to maximize yourefficiency and effectiveness by automating day-to-day maintenancethrough scripting, deploying security updates via Red Hat Network,implementing central identity management services, and providing shareddata with NFS and Samba.

RedHat Enterprise Linux 5 Administration Unleashed contains extensivecoverage of network and web services, from the Apache HTTP server andSendmail email services to remote login with OpenSSH. Fox alsodescribes Red Hat's most valuable tools for monitoring and optimizationand presents thorough coverage of security—including a detailedintroduction to Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux).


Streamline deployment with Kickstart
Find, install, update, remove, and verify software
Detect, analyze, and manage hardware
Manage storage with LVM, RAID, ACLs, and quotas
Use Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 on 64-bit and multi-core systems
Administer users and groups more efficiently and securely
Ensure trustworthy backup and rapid recovery
Script and schedule tasks to run automatically
Provide unified identity management services
Configure Apache, BIND, Samba, and Sendmail
Monitor and tune the kernel and individual applications
Protect against intruders with SELinux and ExecShield
Set up firewalls with iptables
Enable the Linux Auditing System
Use virtualization to run multiple operating systems concurrently

Part I Installation and Configuration
Chapter 1 Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Chapter 2 Post-Installation Configuration
Chapter 3 Operating System Updates

Part II Operating System Core Concepts
Chapter 4 Understanding Linux Concepts
Chapter 5 Working with RPM Software
Chapter 6 Analyzing Hardware
Chapter 7 Managing Storage
Chapter 8 64-Bit, Multi-Core, and Hyper-Threading Technology Processors

Part III System Administration
Chapter 9 Managing Users and Groups
Chapter 10 Techniques for Backup and Recovery
Chapter 11 Automating Tasks with Scripts

Part IV Network Services
Chapter 12 Identity Management
Chapter 13 Network File Sharing
Chapter 14 Granting Network Connectivity with DHCP
Chapter 15 Creating a Web Server with the Apache HTTP Server
Chapter 16 Hostname Resolution with BIND
Chapter 17 Securing Remote Logins with OpenSSH
Chapter 18 Setting Up an Email Server with Sendmail
Chapter 19 Explaining Other Common Network Services
Part V Monitoring and Tuning
Chapter 20 Monitoring System Resources
Chapter 21 Monitoring and Tuning the Kernel
Chapter 22 Monitoring and Tuning Applications
Chapter 23 Protecting Against Intruders with Security-Enhanced Linux
Chapter 24 Configuring a Firewall
Chapter 25 Linux Auditing System
Appendixes
Appendix A Installing Proprietary Kernel Modules
Appendix B Creating Virtual Machines
Appendix C Preventing Security Breaches with ExecShield
Appendix D Troubleshooting


TammyFox served as technical leader of Red Hat's documentation group, whereshe wrote and revised The Red Hat Enterprise Linux SystemAdministration Guide. She was founding editor of Red Hat Magazine, nowan online publication reaching more than 800,000 system administratorsand others interested in Linux and open source. She wrote Red Hat'sLogViewer tool and has written and contributed to several Red Hatconfiguration tools. Fox is also the founding leader of the Fedora DocsProject.

Registeryour book at www.samspublishing.com/register for convenient access toupdates and to download example scripts presented in this book.

Category:Linux/Networking
Covers:Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
User Level:Intermediate–Advanced

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A Guide to Chinese Medicine on the Internet Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this guide while conducting my own research on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). According to the author, although there are consumer protection groups such as QuackWatch, American Accreditation HealthCare Commission [...], and Health on the Net Foundation that hold websites providing health- and medicine-related information to quality and ethical standards, these groups do not tend to review very many websites, so this guide should still be of interest to many people, including researchers, practitioners, and lay people.
The product description provides a table of contents so I won't repeat that here. Most chapters further break down into sections organized according to the major components of TCM: acupuncture, herbal medicine, and qi-gong. For each web site listed, the author indicates the language skill(s) required (English, Traditional or Simplified Chinese, Japanese, or other), briefly describes the general nature of the news or information provided, and if known or appropriate, the people or groups maintaining the website and their reputation within TCM circles.
One thing I noticed is that within a given chapter section, websites requiring language skills beyond English are listed along with English-only websites with no apparent organizational structure. It would probably have been more helpful if the websites within a given section were further organized according to some easy-to-discern scheme such as language skill required; that would have facilitated faster lookups, etc.

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The Ruby Way, Second Edition: Solutions and Techniques in Ruby Programming (2nd Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)People in the Ruby development community know me because I started several of the most popular open source Ruby projects (I have been active in Ruby since 2001). If you are serious programming in Ruby then there are two must-have books to keep within reach as you program: Dave Thomas' Programming Ruby; and this book: Hal Fulton's The Ruby Way.
This is really two books in the guise of one. One the surface, The Ruby Way appears to be a cookbook of Ruby recipes, and a very thorough one at that. But The Ruby Way also manages to capture the gestalt of Ruby, that intangible, indefinable philosophy behind the Ruby idioms that old-timers now take for granted.
Every programming language has its own "way" of doing things. You don't want to write Java code in Ruby, or VB code in Ruby, you should be writing *real* Ruby code. If you want to see Ruby code the way it was "meant" to be written, this is your book.


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Ruby is an agile object-oriented language, borrowing some of the best features from LISP, Smalltalk, Perl, CLU, and other languages. Its popularity has grown tremendously in the five years since the first edition of this book.The Ruby Way takes a "how-to" approach to Ruby programming with the bulk of the material consisting of more than 400 examples arranged by topic. Each example answers the question "How do I do this in Ruby?" Working along with the author, you are presented with the task description and a discussion of the technical constraints. This is followed by a step-by-step presentation of one good solution. Along the way, the author provides detailed commentary and explanations to aid your understanding.Coverage includes• An overview of Ruby, explaining terminology and basic principles• Operations on low-level data types (numbers, strings, regular expressions, dates)• The new regular expression engine (Oniguruma)• Internationalization (I18N) and message catalogs in Ruby• Operations on hashes, arrays, and other data structures such as stacks, trees, and graphs• Working with general I/O, files, and persistent objects• Database coverage including MySQL, SQLite, Oracle, DBI, and more• Ruby-specific techniques in OOP and dynamic programming• Graphical interfaces in Ruby (Tk, GTK+, Fox, and Qt)• Working with Ruby threads for lightweight multitasking• Everyday scripting and system administration in Ruby• Working with image files, PDFs, YAML, XML, RSS, and Atom• Testing, debugging, profiling, and packaging Ruby code• Low-level network programming and client-server interaction• Web development tools including Rails, Nitro, Wee, IOWA, and more• Working with distributed Ruby, Rinda, and Ring• Ruby development tools such as IDEs, documentation tools, and moreThe source code for the book can be downloaded from www.rubyhacker.comHal Fulton has worked for over 15 years with variousforms of Unix, including AIX, Solaris, and Linux. He was first exposed to Ruby in 1999, and in 2001 he began work on the first edition of this book–the second Ruby book published in the English language. He has attendednumerous Ruby conferences and has given presentations at several of those, including the first European Ruby Conference. He has two degrees in computer science from the University of Mississippi and taught computer science for four years before moving to Austin, Texas to work as a contractor for variouscompanies, including IBM Austin. Hal currently works at Broadwing Communications in Austin, Texas, maintaining a large data warehouse and related telecom applications, working daily with C++, Oracle, and, of course, Ruby.

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Apple Training Series: Mac OS X Support Essentials (2nd Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is for Service Professionals or those wishing to become Service Professionals. It gives the reader everything he/she will need to pass the required exam for the Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) designation. This rating replaces the Apple Certified Help Desk Specialist (ACHDS) rating and covers Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Each chapter provides in-depth coverage of the workings of the operating system. The Appendix includes the Apple Troubleshooting Workflow Chart and troubleshooting methodology used by Apple Technicians.
You'll learn about Installation and Setup, including configuring, installation troubleshooting, etc. Lesson 2 covers User Accounts, how to manage them, account security, and more. Lesson 3 covers Storage, Partitions and Volumes, File Ownership and Permissions, File Management via the Command Line. Lesson 4 covers the Mac OS X Volume Hierarchy, Mac OS X Metadata, Archiving and Backup. Lesson 5 discusses Applications and Boot Camp, Processes, and how to run Windows on a Mac. Lesson 6 provides detailed information about Network Configuration, fundamental networking concepts, configuring Mac OS X networking, and network troubleshooting. Lesson 7 describes how to access network services and directory services. Lesson 8 takes you through a discussion about providing network services, providing and protecting network services, and troubleshooting shared services. Lesson 9 talks about peripherals and printing, as well as faxing. Lesson 10 includes an overview and detailed discussion of the startup process and troubleshooting the startup process. Finally, the Appendix covers troubleshooting techniques.
Support Professionals need to pass one exam, Mac OS X Support Essentials v10.5 Exam (9L0-402), sponsored by Thompson Prometric. This book will give the reader everything necessary to pass the exam. Those pursuing Apple Technical Certification may also want Apple leader-led training, which is available at training centers in major cities in the United States.
For the above reasons, I highly recommend this book, which is well written, easy to read, contains essential information, is thorough in its scope and complete in its design.

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The only Apple-certified book on supporting Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, thiscomprehensive reference takes support technicians and Mac aficionadosdeep inside the new operating system, covering everything frominstallation to networking technologies, and more. Following thelearning objectives of the Apple Certified Support Professional exam,the lessons in this self-paced volume serve as a perfect guide forApple's own training class and a first-rate primer for computer supportpersonnel who need to troubleshoot and optimize Mac OS X as part oftheir jobs. Lesson-review quizzes reinforce the knowledge gained alongthe way.

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CompTIA Network+ Exam Coupon + CompTIA Network+ N10-002 Practice Test Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was very impressed with this study aid. It covers all the topics WELL and not only prepares me for the test but they also gave me a coupon for the actual test. I could not believe how inexpensive and effective this study aid is. It truly helped!

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Use the Network+ Exam Coupon to save on your certification exam and study with Network+ practice test
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The regular price for the CompTIA(r) Network+ exam (N10-003) is US$218.00 or equivalent your local currency.
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Simple instructions are included on README.TXT file on CD, how to receive Network+ exam coupon and N10-003 practice test 99 questions directly from StudyExam4Less free of charge to you as a registered customer of the CD.
You must register for your Network+ exam online at Pearson VUE website OR Pearson VUE registration centers by phone Information is provided in the README.TXT file on CD.
Network+ Practice Test (99 questions). Test Questions are extracted from Network+ N10-002 Practice Test CompTIA CAQC Approved, CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum (CAQC) that means that it has been reviewed by independent third-party experts for completeness against test objectives and other quality standards on content layout and instructional design.
Exam Registration by using exam coupon: You must register for Network+ exam online at Pearson VUE website OR Pearson VUE registration centers by phone. Detailed Information will be provided with Network+ exam coupon redemption. Exam must be taken by expiration date.
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Due to the unique exam coupon for each person, return cannot be accepted on this item.Gain recognition with CompTIA(r) Network+ certification. Earning a CompTIA Network+ certification demonstrates that a candidate can describe the features and functions of networking components, and possesses the knowledge and skills needed to install, configure and troubleshoot basic networking hardware, protocols and services. The exam tests technical ability in the areas of media and topologies, protocols and standards, network implementation, and network support. The exam also covers new technologies such as wireless networking and gigabit ethernet.

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The Internet and Technology for the Human Services Review

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(More customer reviews)Drs.Karger and Levine have written a "complete" Internet quide for all human services professionals and the general public. Starting from ground level this book presents a full picture of the Internet. "The Internet and Technology for the Human Services" provides a rich and vast source of ethical and practical information as well as an excellent list of human service related Internet sites.It provides the basic how to skills and background needed to start and use this transformative technology we call the web.

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Demystifies the Internet & related technology. Empowers human service professionals, with both beginning & advanced knowledge of the Internet, to take charge of the technology that will inevitably help to shape their work.Paper.DLC: Human services - U.S. - Computer network resources.

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A+ Certification Study Guide, Sixth Edition (Certification Press) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've read a few A+ books recently and trying to find the right balance between too much unneeded information and not enough this books strikes that balance. It has the facts you need and if you need more information- you can easily find it online as well. The accompanying CD is more than adequate as well. If you're more than just basic PC literate I would definitely recommend this book for the tests as well as for better personal knowledge.

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CCNA 1 and 2 Companion Guide, Revised (Cisco Networking Academy Program) (3rd Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I checked twice to make sure I was reading reviews of the book I am currently reading(now on Ch 8), because this is an excellent book. Before I begin - one caveat - I have the the Networking Basic, CCNA 1 Companion Guide (cc 2006) not the CCNA 1 & 2 Companion Guide. However, judging by the contents and excerpt it appears that Part I of this book is the same as the book I am reading.
This is perfect for self study as it is heavy in pedagogy and takes real pains to make sure key concepts are conveyed with special notation, graphics and some repetition. There are plenty of illustration and excercises you can do with the included network simulator to drive home concepts and practice some practical configuations of devices and experiment with topologies.
I can't understand how anyone would think this is too technical assuming they are interested in acheiving a working understanding of networking. At times I wished they would dive just a little deeper, but I appreciate that this is not an engineering text, but rather is written on what I would call a technician level.
I have had no trouble understanding any of the concepts and found it to be one of the more readable texts I have encountered. Good explanations and a logical flow to the text. Prior to this book I had read one book on the subject; it is non-technical (in as much as is appropriate when covering a technical topic) but covers a wide scope so that I would get an nice overview before delving into details - Sam's Teach Yourself Networking in 24 hours.
I have a BS in Electronic Engineering so I can appreciate that those without this kind of background might find the CCNA CG more challenging, but if you are attempting to be a professional networker then I suspect you may be in over your head if you find this book too difficult. I don't want to imply that my BS gave me an advantage in terms of knowledge of the material since I had no networkin courses, but rather I am just used to reading much more difficult texts and solving much more difficult problems. The only portion so far that my EE degree gave me an advantage in was the explanation of the physics of cable and fiber transmissions. The books explanation is written on a 9th grade level and would be simple reading for an arts major IMO.
As for preparation for the CNNA I can't speak with any authority since I have not taken the exam yet. Of course you will need other resources besides these books to prepare for the exam but I have to believe this provides a solid theoretical and to a some degree practical grounding in networking - assuming of course you also study CCNA 3& 4 CG's which I hope are as well written as this book.

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The only authorized textbook for the Cisco Networking Academy ProgramThis revised and expanded edition, which has 1:1 chapter-to-online module alignment, contains many learning aids that have been redesigned to help you reinforce the material in the course, focus on important concepts, and organize your study time for exams.Chapter Objectives are stated as questions at the beginning of each chapter. The objectives cover only the topics that are critical to passing the certification exam. The question format encourages you to think about finding the answers as you read through the chapter's content. Additional Topics of Interest is a new feature that indicates related information provided in the chapter that is not pertinent to pass the certification exam but would certainly be worthy to know on the job. Key Terms are now also listed at the beginning of each chapter in order of occurrence to alert you to the technical vocabulary that you need to understand as you work through that chapter. Key terms are then highlighted at first reference and defined at the end of the corresponding chapter. At the back of this book, an extensive Glossary collects all the key terms and their definitions. Check Your Understanding questions with an answer key help you keep track of your progress and aid studying for the assessments.Cisco Networking Academy Program CCNA 1 and 2 Companion Guide, Revised Third Edition, is the Cisco approved textbook to use alongside version 3.1 of the Cisco Networking Academy Program CCNA 1 and CCNA 2 web-based courses. The topics covered provide you with the necessary knowledge to begin your preparation for the CCNA certification exam (640-801, or 640-821 and 640-811) and to enter the field of network administration.As in the courses, the CCNA 1 section covers networking basics, including the basics of Ethernet technologies, TCP/IP, network media, IP addressing, and routing. The CCNA 2 section covers routers and routing basics, including the basics of configuring routers, routing protocols, more TCP/IP concepts, access control lists, and networking troubleshooting skills.Use this Companion Guide as a portable desk reference to access the information for study and review at any time!In addition, new icons throughout this Companion Guide refer you to additional skill-building activities found on the companion CD-ROM or in the separate Lab Companion.Companion Titles for CCNA 1 and 2:Cisco Networking Academy ProgramCCNA 1 and 2 Lab Companion Revised Third Edition ISBN: 1-58713-149-8Cisco Networking Academy ProgramCCNA 1 and 2 Engineering Journal and Workbook Revised Third Edition ISBN: 1-58713-151-XCompanion CD-ROMThis CD-ROM includes 25 new Interactive Media Activities, a customizable test engine with more than 250 practice questions, 10 PhotoZooms of Cisco equipment, 25 instructional Videos and Animations, and the Case Study Materials files you will need. PLUS Packet Tracer 3.2 is included, which is a Flash-based simulation environment to design, configure, and troubleshoot CCNA-level networks and animate packet flow. Also included is a special offer to save at ciscopress.com.This book is part of the Cisco Networking Academy Program Series from Cisco Press. The products in this series support and complement the Cisco Networking Academy Program.

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Cisco CCNA Exam #640-607 Certification Guide (3rd Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Wendell Odom has, yet again, created an excellent study guide for the latest CCNA exam.
I teach Cisco courses at a large, Chicago based training center. Since we are not a Cisco authorized training center, we do not have access to the Cisco course materials. I use this book since it is as close as you are going to get to the Cisco course material. No one is going to write a book that compliments the exam material as closely as Cisco Press. As an instructor, I appreciate the depth in which the material is covered. This book does not cover exactly what is required for the exam. It covers significantly more. Given the competitive nature of the industry today, enough is not enough. You can't enter this industry and be average if you want to succeed. In the past, I have used the Sybex material for our training courses. Regularly, I had students that learned enough from the book to have questions the book didn't answer. The one complaint I have about this book is the speed in which the material gets deep. There is little ramp up time for a newbie to the material. If you are brand new to the IT industry and Cisco, you may want to start with a more watered down book, such as the Sybex 607 book and graduate to this book for additional detail.
This book has an excellent assortment of charts, graphs and pictures for the visual learner. Read, see and do are all required parts of the learning process. I find I learn best when I read about a concept, refer to a diagram to solidify the detail, and then, if possible, do it.
Lastly, the CD that comes with the book is excellent. In the past, Cisco's CCNA CDs have been mediocre at best. The new CD has the complete book in PDF format and a separate "topic focused" study guide for the last step of exam preparation. The practice exams on the CD are as close as you will come to the real thing (without paying).
If you want to learn about Cisco, understand their products and get your CCNA certification. Stop here. You have found your book.

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The official study guide for CCNA exam #640-607 with new exam format practice questions

Coverage of all CCNA exam topics enables you to discover and fill any gaps in your knowledge before the exam date. You'll learn about:
Internetworking functions of each layer of the OSI reference model and how they are performed in network devices
Functionality of Cisco IOS(r) Software and TCP/IP and IPX network protocols
Segmentation of networks using routers, switches, and bridges
Use and configuration of Catalyst(r) switches, Spanning-Tree Protocol (STP), and virtual LANs (VLANs)
Concepts behind RIP and IGRP and how to add routing protocols to a configuration
Configuration, monitoring, and verification of standard and extended IP and IPX access lists
Frame Relay and ISDN concepts and configuration

Although it's the first step in the Cisco Career Certifications, the CCNA exam is a difficult test. The recent additions of performance-based questions have made it even more challenging. Your first attempt at becoming Cisco certified requires a lot of study and confidence in your networking knowledge. When you're ready to test your skills, complete your knowledge of exam topics, and prepare for exam day, you need the preparation tools found in Cisco CCNA Exam #640-607 Certification Guide from Cisco Press.

Completely revised by CCIE(r) and certified Cisco Systems instructor Wendell Odom, Cisco CCNA Exam #640-607 Certification Guide is a comprehensive study tool for the CCNA exam. Updated with new content and features to make it easier to read and reference, this book helps you understand and master the material you will need to know to pass the exam. The instructor-developed elements and techniques enable you to maximize your retention of exam topics. "Do I Know This Already?" quizzes open each chapter and allow you to decide how much time you need to spend on each section. Exam topic lists and Foundation Summary tables and figures make referencing easy and give you a quick refresher whenever you need it. Challenging chapter-ending review questions and scenario exercises help you assess your knowledge and reinforce key concepts.

This edition of the book includes special features in both the text and CD-ROM to help you prepare for the new simulation-based questions you will encounter on the exam. These new simulation-based questions are designed to test your hands-on skills. A chapter of lab scenarios allows you to practice applying your knowledge on home-, work, or remote access-based labs. In addition to these exercises, the robust exam engine on the CD-ROM includes the new question types so that you can assess your ability to handle this new challenge. The CD-ROM's test engine includes powerful features that enable you to take practice exams that mimic the real testing environment, focus on particular topic areas, track your progress, and refer to electronic text to review concepts.

Cisco CCNA Exam #640-607 Certification Guide is part of a recommended learning path from Cisco Systems that can include simulation and hands-on training from authorized Cisco Learning Partners and self-study products from Cisco Press.

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CompTIA Security+ Certification Kit: SY0-201 Review

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(More customer reviews)I highly recommend this kit to anyone preparing to take the Security+ exam. I did it by reading the entire Security+ Study Guide while testing myself chapter by chapter using the CDs test engine (also included on the CD is the entire book in PDF format which can be quite convenient). Then I moved onto the Fast Pass book which reinforced what I already knew from the previous book. Also included in the Fast Pass book is another CD with a test engine on it (unfortunately no pdf of the book on this one though). That's really all I did. I studied for about 8-10 hours a day for about 11 days and on day 12 took the exam and passed; I'm now a CompTIA Security+ certified IT Professional!

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Creating the Secure Managed Desktop: Using Group Policy, SoftGrid, Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, and Other Management Tools Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been using this book to help me roll out a new Vista deployment. This book has been indispensible. It's really hard to know just how to go about a ground-up deployment (especially if you've never done one before), so this book approaches desktop management and security in an incremental approach, which is appropriate if you are still deciding on what level of desktop management is required in your situation. So I have no complaints. I just wish there was a similar book tha would help (especially small businesss, e.g. 25 employees or less) know what steps to take to plan a managed secure desktop enviroment and then roll it out.

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Learn how to secure and manage every desktop in your network with Creating the Secure Managed Desktop: Using Group Policy, SoftGrid, Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, and Other Management Tools. Understand the tools and technologies you will need to create a more secure network using Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista and other Windows platforms and learn how to manage, diagnose, configure, update, and protect multiple desktops in an Active Directory network. Master automating tasks, setting and controlling settings, managing user profiles, and locking down systems from this must-have reference.

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The Vedic Prophecies: A New Look into the Future Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book seems to follow the standard Vedic lines without questioning them at all. One fact that kind of bugged me was how long Kali-yuga is to last... 426,000 years! Ok, this is the shortest of the 4 yugas and it is the 4th one. That would make it impossible for us to be in this yuga. To me, this simply suggests that we have our time frames wrong or atleast encoded.
The facts like this divert your attention very quickly away from what is otherwise a very good book.
The book does contain "unedited" teachings of the cycles of the world/universe and preditions of the future and even what some of the prophecies that have occurred. It is also a very good reference that puts together a lot of the stories that many people have heard of and are now in danger of being forgotten.
For me, it even served as a historical reference. Much the first few pages explain the different incarnations of God/teachers and what their roles were. This list includes Krishna, Rama, Buddha and most of the others. That is something that I have had difficulty finding elsewhere.

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Revised and ExpandedThe Vedic Prophecies take you to the end of time! This is the first book ever to present the unique predictions found in the ancient Vedic texts of India. These prophecies are like no others and will provide you with a very different view of the future and how things fit together in the plan for the universe.Now you can discover the amazing secrets that are hidden in the oldest spiritual writings on the planet. Find out what they say about the distant future, and what the seers of long ago saw in their visions of the destiny of the world. This book will reveal predictions of deteriorating social changes and how to avoid them; future droughts and famines; low-class rulers and evil governments; whether there will be another appearance (second coming) of God; and predictions of a new spiritual awareness and how it will spread around the world. You will also learn the answers to such questions as:Does the future get worse or better?Will there be future world wars or global disasters?What lies beyond the predictions of Nostradamus, the Mayan prophecies, or the Biblical apocalypse?Are we in the end times? How to recognize them if we are.Does the world come to an end? If so, when and how?Now you can find out what the future holds. The Vedic Prophecies carry an important message and warning for all humanity, which needs to be understood now!--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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CISSP for Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)For you to understand my rather positive rating of this book, I feel that I must describe the context of my decision to read it. I'm a pretty experienced software developer (10+ years, network engineer (2 years), & solution architect (5 years), who recently accepted a position of Security Director for a large corporation. To educate myself for my new role I searched for good, well rounded books on the subject. I found CISSP books very attractive as they provide a structured 20,000 foot view of information security. I chose CISSP for dummies as my first book so I could get this high level view as quickly as possible.
The good:
The book satisfied my objective. It was indeed a quick read... at least as far as CISSP books go. The 320 or so pages with a big font & white-space allow one to read this book in a small fraction of the time it takes to read the official ISC guide or Shon Harris's book (though both of these provide a more complete & accurate education). The author does a good job hitting the subject at a high level with clear text. I especially like the way this book wraps up business continuity planning.
The bad:
Don't rely on this book to prepare yourself for the CISSP exam. After finishing this book I scored >80%, or high enough to make one think you could pass the test. After reading Shon's book (CISSP Certification All-In-One) I realized I really didn't know that much yet. I have since earned my CISSP & don't think the dummies book alone would have been enough for me.


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Logged On and Tuned Out: A Non-Techie's Guide to Parenting a Tech-Savvy Generation Review

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(More customer reviews)Ms. Courtney shares honestly, with humor and without a didactic attitude of judgment. She uses her own experiences, both positive and negative, with her teens' usage of today's technology.
Each chapter explains what the technology is in a way that clarifies it for the most clueless parent and still provides needed cultural context for those of us who might feel pretty savvy. I really appreciated Courtney's perspective on the use of monitoring software. It's controversial, but she recommends it, and explains how and why she uses it to be able to make sure that her children (and their friends) are adhering to her guidelines and conducting themselves online in a way that is God-honoring.
This is a great resource for parents of kids aged ten and up. Certainly the parent of every teen should be well-versed in all of these areas. The social networking chapter was eye-opening to me. As savvy as I am (I mean, I have a blog, don't I?), I have had negatively judged myspace out of ignorance. She calls these sites the "virtual malt shop" of this generation. This is the way that kids connect. They don't have to hang out at the malt shop. Their community exists 24-7 on the world wide web. It gives all new meaning to the old warning, "It's 10:00pm. Do you know where your children are?" They could be at the desk in the study, on the internet, engaging in good clean fun, or perhaps participating in some behavior that they might later regret. If we as parents are tuned in instead of tuned out, we can help them stay in the world, and yet not be of the world.

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Telecommunications Cabling Installation Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is obsolete. A new employee for our company bought a used copy of this book for himself and showed me information on TIA cabling standard that are obsolete. For our new employees, we use updated BICSI manuals. Most of the explanations are also incomplete. Overall, this book is not worth the money. To see more updated information on telecommunication installation visit our website: [....]

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As the telecom industry evolves, installation practices take on a bigger role in overall system performance. Even the best-designed system won't function optimally unless it's properly installed and configured. This book, based on the manual for BICSI's internationally recognized RCDD accreditation program, is the most hands-on tutorial in structured cabling systems available. It provides crystal clear instructions and checklists, along with guidance to standards compliance. The second edition is updated throughout to conform to new ANSI/TIA/EIA standards releases. New information has been added on cabling for emerging access technologies.

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Cisco CCNA Training Kit Exam #640-507 Review

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(More customer reviews)The reading assignments are simply 199 page long PDF files. There is NO interactivity within the reading assignments themselves, and the "simplified navigation" is limited to jumping between 199 page long PDF files from a menu. The PDF files are all material printed in Cisco press books. Converting their current publications into 199 page long PDF files, and marketing that as a CBT is irresponsible and misleading on Cisco's part. (Cisco never even MENTIONS Adobe Acrobat or PDF files in their product descrptions or packaging.)
The testing software also has some design flaws. (i.e. If your time expires in study mode, the test will not get graded or reviewed.)
I am extremely disappointed with this product, and in Cisco. This is NOT a CBT, this is an E-book with a test program.

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Official Cisco computer-based training and practice for the new CCNA exam.


Provides users with official CCNA training on CD-ROM based on recommended training materials developed by Cisco Systems.
Includes study materials, reading assignments, self-tests, and automatic progress tracking.
Innovative Course Navigator software keeps track of self-study materials and test scores, enabling users to tell at a glance what they have accomplished and what remains to be done.
Provides over 500 self-assessment, practice questions.
Offers comprehensive training, review, and practice, providing users with a unique start to finish preparation tool.


Cisco CCNA Training Kit, Exam #640-507 is a unique CBT product designed to offer both in-depth instruction on exam topics and a robust test bank of practice exam questions.This product offers a complete solution for truly learning the concepts behind the questions, so that candidates are not only prepared to succeed on the exam, but also in their daily jobs as CCNA certified networking professionals.

The tutorials are based on the content of the two Cisco recommended training Coursebooks for the new CCNA Exam #640-507: Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices and Internetworking Technologies Handbook, Second Edition.This new CCNA exam tests a candidate's ability to build multirouter, multigroup internetworks using LAN and WAN interfaces for the most commonly used routing and routed protocols.

Each computer-based course in the Cisco CCNA Training Kit, Exam #640-507 offers concise tutorials, exercises and labs, study mode exams, adaptive exams, and simulated practice exams.

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