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Computer Networks: A Systems Approach (2019)

128 points by skilled 2y ago

dondraper36 2y ago
The book is really cool, but somewhat surprisingly it doesn't even mention NAT.
- Heidaradar 2y ago
  the textbook is better, I think that might mention it but I don't recall
- bhewes 2y ago
  https://book.systemsapproach.org/internetworking/basic-ip.html#address-translation-arp https://book.systemsapproach.org/internetworking/basic-ip.ht...
  - dondraper36 2y ago
    But ARP and NAT are not the same
- harshreality 2y ago
  Mentioned in passing in 8.5.6. Firewalls https://book.systemsapproach.org/security/systems.html#firewalls https://book.systemsapproach.org/security/systems.html#firew...
- drbruced 2y ago
  Co-author of the book here. Thanks for the comment. I agree, it does seem surprising to miss NAT. I opened an issue (which we will address at some point): https://github.com/SystemsApproach/book/issues/75 https://github.com/SystemsApproach/book/issues/75
dang 2y ago
Related: Computer Networks: A Systems Approach - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26110796 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26110796 - Feb 2021 (23 comments) The Book “Computer Networks: A Systems Approach” is now open source - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17824472 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17824472 - Aug 2018 (14 comments)
emmanueloga_ 2y ago
Traditional textbooks on networking are so verbose and tedious... often very focused on theory and less helpful for every-day networking. I would love to see courses based on tools like shadow [1], encouraging a more hands-on learning experience. Network simulators seem pretty cool, but it is hard to benefit from them using the docs alone. With shadow it seems I would be able to run actual software on a simulated network. -- 1: https://github.com/shadow/shadow?tab=readme-ov-file#why-is-shadow-needed https://github.com/shadow/shadow?tab=readme-ov-file#why-is-s...
- vedranm 2y ago
  My group used to teach Computer Networks at a university ([1] gives a fair overview of the scope if you know Croatian or use a bit of Google Translate). We used CORE and PHP built-in web server [2] for the basic course. IMHO, stuff like Shadow is too overwhelming for the introductory course, but we planned to use it together with ns-3 and SimGrid for the advanced course (which in the end we never got a chance to develop for unrelated reasons). [1] https://group.miletic.net/hr/nastava/kolegiji/RM/ https://group.miletic.net/hr/nastava/kolegiji/RM/ [2] https://coreemu.github.io/core/ https://coreemu.github.io/core/
TZubiri 2y ago
For something that's supposed to propose a "novel" approach, this sure does stick to the arbitrary definition that network protocols are restricted to time sensitive protocols. The application layer shouldn't be an after though or a miscellaneous category to which we give almost no attention. The application layer, along with the user, should drive the network.

128 points by skilled 2y ago

dondraper36 2y ago

The book is really cool, but somewhat surprisingly it doesn't even mention NAT.

Heidaradar 2y ago
the textbook is better, I think that might mention it but I don't recall
bhewes 2y ago
https://book.systemsapproach.org/internetworking/basic-ip.html#address-translation-arp https://book.systemsapproach.org/internetworking/basic-ip.ht...
- dondraper36 2y ago
  But ARP and NAT are not the same
harshreality 2y ago
Mentioned in passing in 8.5.6. Firewalls https://book.systemsapproach.org/security/systems.html#firewalls https://book.systemsapproach.org/security/systems.html#firew...
drbruced 2y ago
Co-author of the book here. Thanks for the comment. I agree, it does seem surprising to miss NAT. I opened an issue (which we will address at some point): https://github.com/SystemsApproach/book/issues/75 https://github.com/SystemsApproach/book/issues/75

dang 2y ago

Related: Computer Networks: A Systems Approach - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26110796 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26110796 - Feb 2021 (23 comments) The Book “Computer Networks: A Systems Approach” is now open source - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17824472 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17824472 - Aug 2018 (14 comments)

emmanueloga_ 2y ago

Traditional textbooks on networking are so verbose and tedious... often very focused on theory and less helpful for every-day networking. I would love to see courses based on tools like shadow [1], encouraging a more hands-on learning experience. Network simulators seem pretty cool, but it is hard to benefit from them using the docs alone. With shadow it seems I would be able to run actual software on a simulated network. -- 1: https://github.com/shadow/shadow?tab=readme-ov-file#why-is-shadow-needed https://github.com/shadow/shadow?tab=readme-ov-file#why-is-s...

vedranm 2y ago
My group used to teach Computer Networks at a university ([1] gives a fair overview of the scope if you know Croatian or use a bit of Google Translate). We used CORE and PHP built-in web server [2] for the basic course. IMHO, stuff like Shadow is too overwhelming for the introductory course, but we planned to use it together with ns-3 and SimGrid for the advanced course (which in the end we never got a chance to develop for unrelated reasons). [1] https://group.miletic.net/hr/nastava/kolegiji/RM/ https://group.miletic.net/hr/nastava/kolegiji/RM/ [2] https://coreemu.github.io/core/ https://coreemu.github.io/core/

TZubiri 2y ago

For something that's supposed to propose a "novel" approach, this sure does stick to the arbitrary definition that network protocols are restricted to time sensitive protocols. The application layer shouldn't be an after though or a miscellaneous category to which we give almost no attention. The application layer, along with the user, should drive the network.