Like its predecessors, this fully updated Fifth Edition of Local and Metropolitan Area Networks provides a clear, comprehensive presentation of LAN/MAN technology and the many emerging approaches to high-speed local networking. It meets the needs of today's students by emphasizing both the fundamental principles as well as the critical role of performance in driving LAN/MAN design.

With the continuing success of Local Area Networks (IANs), there is an increasing demand to extend their capabilities towards higher data rates and wider areas. This, together with the progress in fiber-optic technology, has given rise to the so-called Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). MANs can span much greater distances than current LAN s, and offer data rates on the order of hundreds of Megabits/sec (Mbps). The success of MANs is mainly due to the opportunity they provide to develop new networking products capable of providing high-speed commu nications between applications at competitive prices, which nonetheless give an adequate return on the manufacturers' investments. A major factor in of appropriate networking standards. achieving this goal is the availability Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDl) and Distributed Queue Dual Bus (DQDB) are the two standard technologies for MANs for which industrial products are already available. For this reason, this book focuses mainly on these two standards. Nowadays there are several books dealing with MANs, and these look mainly at FDDI (e.g., [2], [92], [118], [141]). These books focus primarily on the architectures and protocols, whereas they pay little attention to per formance analysis. Due to the capability of MANs to integrate services, a quantitative analysis of the Quality of Service (QoS) provided by these tech nologies is a relevant issue, and is thus covered in depth in this book.

Metro Service Providers are increasingly turning to Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) to converge disparate networks and services into a unified core, maintain quality, and deliver additional value-added capabilities. MPLS for Metropolitan Area Networks addresses service providers' challenges by demonstrating solutions provided by MPLS features

This book provides an exhaustive look at current MAN standards and products, and how they fit in with other communications services and standards. It covers the definition of MANs and the two main strategies today: ANSI's Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), and the IEEE's Distributed Queue Dual Bus (DQDB).

The demand for communication networks has increased dramatically in the last few years, creating a need for an intermediate network that operates over a metropolitan area at comparatively high data rates with simple protocols. With some characteristics of local area networks and wide area networks, the metropolitan area network (MAN) technology reflects the best features of both. The motivations for MAN technology include o interconnection of LANs o high-speed services o integrated services. MANs can be used in the following areas: LAN interconnection Filetransfer Distributed processing Remote services Remote login Metropolitan Area Networks provides an introduction to the key concepts of MANs in an easily understood style. Organized into five chapters, this unique book acts as an excellent reference for a beginner as well as for the veteran in the field. Topics include: Introductory and background information about MANs Interworking devices, MAN topologies, and key issues Various popular protocols proposed for MANs Modeling and performance analysis of common MAN topologies Emerging MAN-related technologies such as BISDN, ATM networks, frame relay, cell relay, SONET, and SMDS For a broad understanding of this expanding subject, Metropolitan Area Networks serves as the singular standard in the field.

This practical text presenting the fundamentals of individual fixed and mobile wireless technologies is ideal for industry practitioners and students.