Communications Technology Explained

Mark Norris is an independent consultant with over 20 years experience in software development, computer networks and telecommunications systems. Over this time he has managed dozens of projects to completion, from the small to the multi-million pound, multi-site, and has worked for periods in Australia, Europe and Japan. He has published widely over the last ten years with a number of books on software engineering, computing, project and technology management, communications and network technologies. He lectures on network and computing issues, has contributed to references such as Encarta, is a visiting professor at the University of Ulster, and is a fellow of the IEE.

Foreword. About the Author. 1 The New Communications Business. 1.1 Some Basic Concepts. 1.2 Technological Change. 1.3 The Public Switched Telephone Network. 1.4 The Internet. 1.5 Distributed Computing. 1.6 Summary. References. 2 Technology Trends. 2.1 From Narrowband to Broadband. 2.2 From Voice to Multiservice Networks. 2.3 From Desktop to Core Network. 2.4 From Wires to Wireless. 2.5 From Switched to Intelligent Networks. 2.6 Computer Telephony Integration. 2.7 Summary. References. 3 Key Telecommunications Concepts. 3.1 Back to Basics. 3.2 Some Practical Issues. 3.3 Data Networks. 3.4 Useful Models. 3.5 Network Products. 3.6 Summary. References. 4 Telecommunications Technology. 4.1 Bulk Transmission-SONET/SDH. 4.2 Signalling in the Network-C7. 4.3 Exploiting the Local Loop-xDSL and ISDN. 4.4 Satellite Communications. 4.5 Network and Service Management. 4.6 Speech Coding. 4.7 Traffic Engineering. 4.8 Summary. References. 5 Key Computing Concepts. 5.1 Object Orientation. 5.2 Client/Server. 5.3 The Three-Tier Architecture. 5.4 Middleware. 5.5 Mobile Code. 5.6 Data Warehousing. 5.7 Application Program Interfaces. 5.8 Agents. 5.9 Summary. References. 6 Computing Technology. 6.1 Distributed Objects. 6.2 Remote Procedure Call. 6.3 Directories. 6.4 Security. 6.5 Distributed Transaction Processing. 6.6 Summary. References. 7 The Intelligent Network. 7.1 Why Networks need to be Intelligent. 7.2 IN Architecture and Terminology. 7.3 Examples of IN Services. 7.4 Service Management and Creation in the IN. 7.5 Centralised or Distributed Intelligence? 7.6 Summary. References. 8 The Internet and Intranets. 8.1 Views of the Net. 8.2 Putting the Puzzle Together. 8.3 Behind the Scenes. 8.4 Intranets and Extranets. 8.5 Summary. References. 9 Communication Standards. 9.1 The Players. 9.2 How They Work Together. 9.3 Summary. 10 A Meeting of Minds. 10.1 Are We Having Fun Yet? 10.2 It's Good to Talk. 10.3 Two Become One. 10.4 Summary. References. Glossary. Index.