A Redbook That Doesn't Make Me Want to Gag

Inadvertent TCP Week continues here at t.a.a.b.a.t.s. Yesterday, I think, I pointed you at links to TCP buffer resizing and ACK prioritization: both are good and possibly simple ways to potentially boost your network utilization.

Today I dug up from the wicked netherworld that is Slashdot's comments a genuinely useful link to one of IBM's redbooks on TCP. Hardcopies are available for order, or you could just get the 12.1 MB PDF download for free. Guess which I picked.

IBM Redbooks | TCP/IP Tutorial and Technical Overview

This PDF is actually pretty neat: it's a really thorough reference and overview for all things TCP/IP. Say you want to review the field ordering of an IP packet. It's in there. Say you want a rough outline of how BGP works. It's in there. What about how POP3 works? Turn to page 442.

This is by no means light reading, but it's a great thing to have around collecting dust in your /docs folder for that one time you really need it. Personally, I find that the book spends way too much time talking about stuff that isn't TCP/IP. But that isn't to say it neglects these topics. It explains them pretty fully. The problem then is that it keeps right on going. This might be OK for a reference, but I worry about saying to myself "I want to refresh myself on the intricacies of FTP. Where's my TCP/IP redbook?"