Held has produced a well-written book for a specific, limited audience--network planners in the data communications industry utilizing public carrier networks. The content of this book provides excellent planning tools for this audience. On the other hand, a number of other data communication network options are not addressed in this book; it is not a comprehensive book on the subject. The author also suggests college students as an audience; I would advise using it with business majors, not engineering majors.

The book’s main strengths include its thorough and clear explanations of design issues and the completeness of its solutions (a number of application-specific BASIC programs are detailed). Additional application programs are available from the author. The most sophisticated sections are chapters 5, 6, and 7. They clearly describe the methods used to optimize the location of data concentration equipment, optimal data routing techniques of multidrop circuits, and the traffic planning section. For example, graph  theory  and weighted connection matrix techniques are illustrated as ways to optimize the locations of data concentration equipment. The minimum-spanning-tree technique of graph  theory  is methodically developed to illustrate its use in optimizing the link distances in a multidrop network structure. In order to optimize traffic capacity planning, several techniques are illustrated and corresponding BASIC programs are given. Specifically, one approach assumes the Erlang traffic formula; the second is based on Poisson distribution of traffic.

The second chapter explains the basic communications protocol, BISYNC, and how to optimize the information transfer ratio. Tradeoffs include block size, error control, and half and full duplex communications. Chapter 3 discusses the economic tradeoffs between leased and switched lines, and between analog and digital telecommunication networks. Specific cost computations are given in detail. The basic behavior and the economics of multiplexers, data concentrators, modems, and line-sharing units are detailed in  chapter 4. 

In addition to detailed solutions of design problems, the author provides a number of useful tables for the network configuration designer, such as Erlang and Poisson’s traffic distribution tables and capacity planning tables. The book has no technical references, however.

Unfortunately, the author does not discuss local area networks (LANs), which are now popular for data communication within 10 km. Black claims they handle up to 80 percent of the data of most businesses, in a more comprehensive text addressing the same field [1], which is better suited for the engineering and science community.

I do agree with the author that his book is a “practical guide to the design of networks,” as stated in the preface. Note, however, that the term “design” means cost optimization, the audience is business planners, and the networks are the public telecommunications networks.