For network administrators, support professionals, and system designers, intimate knowledge of the network protocols that are the foundation of the Internet is crucial. Internet Core Protocols: The Definitive Guide is a superb summary of the nitty-gritty details of the most important Net standards.

This book assumes you have a working knowledge of networks and a basic familiarity with TCP/IP. Unlike the cursory coverage of TCP/IP found in many Internet titles, this presentation includes low-level details that aid in troubleshooting. It also includes a copy of Shomiti Surveyor Lite--a utility for analyzing network traffic. Extensive screen shots of Surveyor Lite also illustrate data fields.

Each protocol is examined closely, using network diagrams and detailed breakdowns of the fields and flags. In addition to TCP, IP and UDP, there is far-reaching discussion of multicasting and error communication protocols, including practical application issues such as caching and timeouts to provide a real-world perspective.