Book 19

WAN Survival Guide

by Howard C Berkowitz

Published 23 November 2000
If a Wide Area Network (WAN) is not set up properly, it will not be able to meet the needs of the applications being used in the Local Area Network (LAN). With the emergence of new technologies such as VPNs, multi-service networks, and the mobility of corporate users, the costs involved with running a WAN have changed dramatically. Written by an expert on WAN design, this book provides a comprehensive strategy for choosing the best technologies available for your WAN. It includes analyses of business requirements for WANs, end-user and service provider requirements, and the capabilities and trade-offs of the available technologies. The book also covers the realities and limitations of QoS, security, multi-service networks, virtual networks, VPNs, multi-homing, roaming, and mobility.

To be competitive, service providers cannot customize every installation but must simultaneously offer services that meet a wide range of perceived customer needs. This guide shows commercial service providers and equipment vendors how to build competitive service offerings for enterprise-specific needs. It: provides vital technical and business guidance to the service provider marketplace; explains how to satisfy the customer's specific needs in data, voice, and/or video; and, enables readers to gain the upper hand in submitting the most competitive service network bids and service level guarantees to customers.