Many computer networking books have been adopted in universities and are very popular [1,2,3], so it is hard for a new book to make an impact unless it differentiates in a significant way. This book tries to achieve this, though I feel it could have done much more. Instead of a seven-layer model or a mathematical approach involving queueing theory, this book looks at networking as a data plane and control plane abstractions, and delves into explanations along these lines. There is no need for prior knowledge of networking, and the book goes into various aspects of networking, for example, the Ethernet physical layer, the 802.11 wireless standard, the Internet protocol (IP), and the transmission control protocol (TCP).

The authors adopt an approach of explaining at the protocol level with packet diagrams and topology diagrams, and provide references at the end of each chapter. There are also review questions at the end, not exercises like those found in traditional textbooks [1]. So this book is well suited for an industry professional looking to learn networking rather than a university student. The control plane chapter goes into the details of routing protocols like the routing information protocol (RIP), open shortest path first (OSPF), and the border gateway protocol (BGP). Surprisingly, there is not much discussion of multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) and traffic engineering protocols.

Overall, it is a highly readable book that provides good materials. However, it only has one chapter on newer areas and challenges like cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), virtualized network functions, hyperconvergence, and blockchain technologies and their impact on networking. I wish the authors had devoted much more attention to these areas, as the traditional books have not updated their editions to include them. I hope the authors release a second edition highlighting the newer issues in greater detail--there is a need for good books in these areas.

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