Bookpool: Cisco Router Firewall Security

Apr 3, 2005 Fuller Stallworth, IT Infrastructure Analyst (fstallwo@yahoo.com) from the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area
Arm yourself--secure and defend your network!
Cisco Router Firewall Security by Richard A. Deal is one firewall security book no networking professional should be without. The book begins with an overview on network security and firewalls, and continues with a showcase of Deal's extensive knowledge and experience configuring the Cisco IOS Firewall. Now, rather than re-inventing the wheel or relying on trial and error practices in configuring your Cisco IOS firewalls, you too can incorporate Deal's extensive Cisco Router Firewall Security expertise into your network security plan, or environment. In each chapter of the book, Deal walks you through best practice Cisco Router Firewall Security configuration as he explains and demonstrates, step-by-step, how to program the Cisco IOS Firewall feature set--from router security management to virtual private networking.

Networking professionals having an intermediate to advanced knowledge of Cisco routers, or at least a Cisco CCNA certification, will benefit immensely from reading and applying the Cisco IOS firewall security features discussed in the book. All concepts and examples, such as configuration command files, are clearly explained against the backdrop of example network illustrations and thus easy to follow. Deal reinforces each and every illustration with appropriate, well-executed discussions for you to follow as he pin-points the reasons for implementing, or applying, Cisco IOS firewall security and how best to configure it for maximum advantage.

For networking professionals interested in pursuing a Cisco security certification, Cisco Router Firewall Security provides a wealth of tips, recommendations, considerations and cautions. While there is no CD-ROM included with the book, an abundance of configuration command file listings provide network administrators and engineers the opportunity of a virtual experience in the nuts-and-bolts of configuring Cisco IOS firewalls in a secure manner.

Networking professionals will develop an unparalleled depth of understanding in best practice network security--such as properly securing the various modes and methods of accessing Cisco routers as well as the Cisco IOS firewall.

On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest, and in terms of usefulness and practical application, Cisco Router Firewall Security easily rates a 5. Network engineers and administrators will benefit immensely from this handbook of network security: from the illustrations showing where and why network security should be applied, the index which is strictly focused on cross-referencing network security topics, and the solid network security advice that reaches beyond Cisco-centric networking environments. Future books by Deal, as well as his previous book, PIX Firewalls, will undoubtedly prove to be excellent reading for the networking community at large seeking to increase the security of their networks and to ward off ever-increasing network attacks and intrusions.

If shooting from the hip in dealing with network security issues is your stick, Cisco Router Firewall Security is the book for you. Cisco Router Firewall Security provides a smorgasbord of tried and tested network security process, procedure and application--providing a comprehensive set of tools and case study material that can be either adapted in whole or in part when making your case, or justifying, how you intend to protect or defend your network against attacks.

Without question, you absolutely must add Deal's Cisco Router Firewall Security--a stellar treatise on both applied network security and applied firewall security--to your networking bookshelf. Arm yourself with the necessary knowledge, skills and practical application to secure and defend your network--and in essence your job--or else, you're fired!

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