Cisco OSPF Command and Configuration Handbook
Reviewer Name: Chuck Price, Network Specialist III
Reviewer Certification: CCNP
The Cisco OSPF Command and Configuration Handbook (ISBN 1-58705-071-4) by Dr. William Parkhurst is a must read for any network professional who is currently using, or may use, OSPF in his or her network. The book delivers exactly what the title promises. While most other books deal with the theory and the mechanics behind OSPF, this book is purely a command and configuration reference, as used on Cisco routers. Dr Parkhurst presents each OSPF command with a syntax description, an explanation as to the purpose of the command (which I found really helpful), which Cisco IOS version it was initially released in, configuration examples and a troubleshooting section.
The material is very well presented and extremely easy to read and comprehend. The configuration examples are easy to follow and implement. The troubleshooting section steps are clear, concise and easy to follow. Each chapter is concerned with different areas of OSPF configuration. There are chapters outlining show, debug and clear commands along with chapters on route filtering and route redistribution. There is even a chapter on the type 6 LSA (MOSPF). I found this informative, because I couldn’t find other documentation on type 6 LSAs.
Another aspect of the book I really liked was in how the configuration examples were presented. Each example had a network scenario and gave a step-by-step process on how to utilize the command. A network diagram was included along with outputs from the routers used in the configuration scenario. The configuration examples start with a verification phase where the correct operation is determined. Then the command is applied and the changes are outlined and displayed. The troubleshooting section outlines steps where the most common failures may occur. While you can get a lot of information from the configuration examples, it helps if you have access to routers where you can apply the commands.
While I found the book easy to comprehend, I believe it was written primarily for network professionals pursuing higher-level certification or who operate a network using OSPF. At least a basic knowledge of OSPF and link state routing protocols is needed to understand the majority of the commands; specifically the OSPF area commands, timer commands, route filtering and route redistribution. It is also very important to know OSPF terminology when reading this book, as there is no glossary that defines the terminology used in the book. If you plan to use this book for certification preparation, it is more suited toward the CCIE Routing and Switching Lab Exam rather than the written exam. It also makes a great desk reference for network professional currently using OSPF.
I would highly recommend this book to all network professionals, whether studying for Cisco certification or wanting to implement OSPF in their networks. It has helped me to understand OSPF a lot better and I am more confident in using it in my network. I am also looking forward to reading the Cisco BGP-4 Command and Configuration Handboo by Dr. Parkhurst.