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Cisco LAN Switching Configuration Handbook, Second Edition is a well written and easy to understand book. The book’s goal is to provide a quick guide to the most commonly used features for Cisco Catalyst switches from 2000, 3000, 4500 to 6500 family series ranging from the basic switched network design and IP address configuration to a more advanced Quality of Service and voice.

Each chapter starts with a quick introduction of the features, followed by common design overview, configuration steps and examples and further reading where readers can find more extensive advanced topics on the features.

This is not a comprehensive reference book. The book is for network technicians that need to work on switches fast and do not need too much explanation to get the job completed. As a result, this book seems too basic for CCNP level engineer but it is a good start for CCNA level and networking beginners.

However, the authors have done a good job covering the switching configuration and concepts from a vast range of Cisco switching family series considering that the book has only 340 pages. The official Cisco configuration guide for 6500 switch itself has almost 600 pages.

I agree with some readers that question why the book is missing CD / DVD learning resources that will allow readers to access the book material anywhere. The book however does come with a free 45 days online edition from Safari Books online site.

Some drawbacks I found including the need to give more depth for Quality of Service chapter and perhaps a chapter dedicated for routing protocol concept as well. Most of these switches are layer 3 switches that can do routing. With the proliferation of layer 3 access layer switches, this will be helpful for readers to configure them. I would add some basic concept and configuration for Cisco Nexus switch family including 1000v virtual switch as well for future releases.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Overall, the book is a good reading to get a quick grasp on the switching configuration but readers will need to supplement their reading with other Cisco Press books to learn the switching concepts and features in detail.

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John Matlock “Gunny” (Winnemucca, NV) –

  

This book has several advantages over the official Cisco documentation on their switches.

First it is not an all encompassing reference book that covers every little detail. The authors have taken advantage of their experience to identify those features that the person actually setting up the device is likely to need to know. As a result, even though the book is about half the length of the official documentation, the individual subjects can be given more attention.

Second the writing style is better. It doesn’t have the totally dry, boring detail where the official documentation has to cover every little possibility. Here is the information you need in a quick and easy to find, easy to understand format.

Finally, this is not an exam prep book. It covers what you need to know to get your system working, not written to cover the material that is on the test.

All in all, this is a good approach that I’d like to see followed in more computer books.

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