SHORT DESCRIPTION:
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a data plane and control technology that is used in packet (that is Internet Protocol) networks. Now over ten years old, it has taken root firmly as a fundamental tool in many service provider networks. The last ten years have seen a considerable consolidation of MPLS techniques and protocols. This has resulted in the abandoning of some of the original features of MPLS, and the development of other new features. MPLS has moved from a prospective solution, to a grown-up technology. Now that MPLS has reached this level of maturity, these new tools and features allow more sophisticated services to the users of the network. These tools and features are discussed within various contexts throughout several networking-related books published by MK and this presents us with a unique publishing opportunity.
The proposed book is a best-of-the-best collection of existing content from several books MK has published in recent years on MPLS technology (multi-label protocol switching). Individual chapters on MPLS technology are derived from a handful of MK books and are combined in one new volume in a way that makes sense as a reference work for those interested in new and developing aspects of this technology, i.e., network operators and designers who need to determine which aspects of their networks would benefit from MPLS technology and applications. It also serves as a definitive reference for engineers implementing MPLS-based products.
This book represents a quick and efficient way to bring valuable content together from leading experts in the field while creating a one-stop-shopping opportunity for customers to receive the information they would otherwise need to round up from separate sources. Suitable and current content will be collected from the following titles: Evans, Deploying IP and MPLS QoS (2006); Farrel, GMPLS (2005); Ash, Traffic Engineering (2006); Vasseur, Network Recovery (2005); Farrel, The Internet and Its Protocols (2004); Nadeau, MPLS Management (2003); and Davie, MPLS Technology and Applications (2000). These chapters will be updated where necessary and two new chapters will be added at the beginning and the end of the book to bring the content into focus and discuss next generation developments.

* Coverage of major applications of MPLS such as traffic engineering, VPNs, IP integration, GMPLS, and QoS written by leading experts in the field contributes to your practical knowledge of this key technology
* Shows you how to implement various MPLS applications that will result in saving your organization time and money
* Shows you how you can evaluate MPLS applications and techniques in relation to one another so you can develop an optimum network design

The term Quality of Service, abbreviated QoS, refers to network resource control mechanisms. Quality of Service is the ability to provide different priority to different applications, users, or data flows, or to guarantee a certain level of performance to a data flow. This book brings all of the elements of network quality of service (QoS) together in a single volume, saving the reader the time and expense of making multiple purchases. It introduces network QoS, explains the basics, describes the protocols, and discusses advanced topics, by the best and brightest experts in the field. It is a quick and efficient way to bring valuable content together from leading experts in the field while creating a one-stop-shopping opportunity for customers to receive the information they would otherwise need to round up from separate sources.
* Chapters contributed by recognized experts cover theory and practice of network quality of service (QoS), allowing the reader to develop a new level of knowledge and technical expertise.
* Presents methods of analysis and problem-solving techniques, enhancing the reader's grasp of the material and ability to implement practical solutions.
* Use of examples illustrate core QoS concepts for enhanced comprehension

Network management refers to the activities, methods, procedures, and tools that pertain to the operation, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of networked systems, which includes controlling, planning, allocating, deploying, coordinating, and monitoring the resources of a network. This book brings all of the elements of network management together in a single volume, saving the reader the time and expense of making multiple purchases. It introduces network management, explains the basics, describes the protocols, and discusses advanced topics, by the best and brightest experts in the field. It is a quick and efficient way to bring valuable content together from leading experts in the field while creating a one-stop-shopping opportunity for customers to receive the information they would otherwise need to round up from separate sources.
* Chapters contributed by recognized experts in the field cover theory and practice of network management, allowing the reader to develop a new level of knowledge and technical expertise.
* This book's up-to-date coverage of network quality of service issues facilitates learning and lets the reader remain current and fully informed from multiple viewpoints.
* Presents methods of analysis and problem-solving techniques, enhancing the reader's grasp of the material and ability to implement practical solutions.
* Use of examples illustrate core network management concepts for enhanced comprehension.

The view presented in "The Internet and Its Protocols" is at once broad and deep. It covers all the common protocols and how they combine to create the Internet in its totality. More importantly, it describes each one completely, examining the requirements it addresses and the exact means by which it does its job. These descriptions include message flows, full message formats, and message exchanges for normal and error operation. They are supported by numerous diagrams and tables.
This book's comparative approach gives you something more valuable: insight into the decisions you face as you build and maintain your network, network device, or network application. Author Adrian Farrel s experience and advice will dramatically smooth your path as you work to offer improved performance and a wider range of services.
* Provides comprehensive, in-depth, and comparative coverage of the Internet Protocol (both IPv4 and IPv6) and its many related technologies.
* Written for developers, operators, and managers, and designed to be used as both an overview and a reference.
* Discusses major concepts in traffic engineering, providing detailed looks at MPLS and GMPLS and how they control both IP and non-IP traffic.
* Covers protocols for governing routing and transport, and for managing switches, components, and the network as a whole, along with higher-level application protocols.
* Offers thoughtful guidance on choosing between protocols, selecting features within a protocol, and other service- and performance-related decisions."

The last two years have seen significant developments in the standardization of GMPLS and its implementation in optical and other networks. "GMPLS: Architecture and Applications" brings you completely up to date, providing the practical information you need to put the growing set of GMPLS-supported services to work and manage them effectively.
This book begins by defining GMPLS s place in a transport network, leveraging your knowledge of MPLS to give you an understanding of this radically new control plane technology. An overview of GMPLS protocols follows, but the real focus is on what comes afterwards: in-depth examinations of the architectures underpinning GMPLS in real-world network environments and current and emerging GMPLS applications. This one-of-a-kind resource delivers immensely useful information for software architects, designers and programmers, hardware developers, system testers, and network operators--and also for managers and other decision-makers.
+ Written by two industry researchers at the forefront of the development of GMPLS.
+ Provides a practical look at GMPLS protocols for signaling, routing, link and resource management, and traffic engineering.
+ Delves deep into the world of GMPLS applications, including traffic engineering, path computation, layer one VPNs, point-to-multipoint connectivity, service management, and resource protection.
+ Explores three distinct GMPLS control plane architectures: peer, overlay, and hybrid, and explains the GMPLS UNI and NNIs.
+ Explains how provisioning challenges can be met in multi-region networks and details the provisioning systems and tools relied on by the GMPLS control plane, along with the standard MIB modules used to manage a GMPLS system."