I have known and used this book for years and I always found it very valuable as a textbook for teaching computer networks as well as a reference book for networking professionals. This Fifth Edition maintains the core value of former editions and brings the clarity of explanation of network protocols in the introduction of the most up-to-date techniques, technologies and requirements of networking. Beyond describing the details of past and current networks, this book successfully motivates the curiosity, and hopefully new research, for the networks of the future.
Stefano Basagni, Northeastern University
Peterson and Davie have written an outstanding book for the computer networking world. It is a well-organized book that features a very helpful "big picture" systems approach. This book is a must have!
Yonshik Choi, Illinois Institute of Technology
The Fifth Edition of Computer Networks: A Systems Approach is well-suited for the serious student of computer networks, though it remains accessible to the more casual reader as well. The authors enthusiasm for their subject is evident throughout; they have a thorough and current grasp of the interesting problems of the field. They explain not only how various protocols work, but also why they work the way they do, and even why certain protocols are the important and interesting ones. The book is also filled with little touches of historical background, from the main text to the "Where Are They Now" sidebars to the papers described in each chapter's "Further Reading" section these give the reader a perspective on how things came to be the way they are. All in all, this book provides a lucid and literate introduction to networking.
Peter Dordal, Loyola University Chicago
I have used Computer Networks: A Systems Approach for over five years in an introductory course on communications networks aimed at upper-level undergraduates and first-year Masters students. I have gone through several editions and over the years the book has kept what from the beginning had been its main strength, namely, that it not only describes the how, but also the why and equally important, the why not of things. It is a book that builds engineering intuition, and in this day and age of fast-paced technology changes, this is critical to develop a student's ability to make informed decisions on how to design or select the next generation systems.
Roch Guerin, University of Pennsylvania
This book is an outstanding introduction to computer networks that is clear, comprehensive, and chock-full of examples. Peterson and Davie have a gift for boiling networking down to simple and manageable concepts without compromising technical rigor. "Computer Networks" strikes an excellent balance between the principles underlying network architecture design and the applications built on top. It should prove invaluable to students and teachers of advanced undergraduate and graduate networking courses.
Arvind Krishnamurthy, University of Washington
Computer Networks: A Systems Approach has always been one of the best resources available to gain an in-depth understanding of computer networks. The latest edition covers recent developments in the field. Starting with an overview in Chapter 1, the authors systematically explain the basic building blocks of networks. Both hardware and software concepts are presented. The material is capped with a final chapter on applications, which brings all the concepts together. Optional advanced topics are placed in a separate chapter. The textbook also contains a set of exercises of varying difficulty at the end of each chapter which ensure that the students have mastered the material presented.
Karkal Prabhu, Drexel University
Peterson and Davie provide a detailed yet clear description of the Internet protocols at all layers. Students will find many study aids that will help them gain a full understanding of the technology that is transforming our society. The book gets better with each edition.
Jean Walrand, University of California at Berkeley."
