I like the book for the following reasons and many more: -covers both routers & switches -covers the show commands as well as the equivalent SNMP objects -tells me the inside information (e.g.) Which ver of IOS started supporting sub-interfaces, IOS hidden commands -tells me how I can leverage applications like HpOV NNM, MRTG etc

And it tells all this and more in a simple language (e.g.) The chapter on monitoring CPU & Memory resources explains lucidly how one can be proactive about monitoring these 2 key elements.

The chapter on VLAN management is another good example. One of the topics it covers is about monitoring spanning tree topology changes, how you can use community string indexing to get vlan information for each individual vlan

I am certainly not a professional but found this book very informative. The writing was "reader friendly" but, of course, having a computer and being networked certainly are not enough credentials to fully understand the nuances of this book. I highly recommend this book for people "in the business."

The title of this book need not deter you. Yes, it is aimed at both Test Managers (the risk elements) and at web testers (the E-Business content). However, if, like me, you fall into neither category, it is still a very worthwhile addition to your reading list and workplace library.

The authors use very practical examples from real life testing to illustrate points. A continuous analogy of an individual E-Business being like a shop, with potential walk-in customers, works very well. Some rather startling facts emerge too; the average visit to the Systeme Evolutif web-site (of which Paul Gerrard is the web-master) is less than two minutes. I am sure that is true of a lot of sites, including those that are payment-now, real business sites.

Everyone in testing seems to promote 'risk'. Here is a strategy for answering the inevitable questions on ready-for-live issues based on whether risks have been addressed. "When enough tests have been prepared, executed and passed to convince the risk-owners that the risk has been addressed, enough testing has been done".

I have dabbled in web testing, both formally and informally (the latter probably every time I use the internet). The techniques for addressing real and perceived E-Business risks have a large carry over into other (i.e. non E-Business) test forms. The sections on performance, usability and Large Scale Integration rung some bells with me, and the use of tools is both encouraged, and discouraged. Strange as it may seem, the way of doing this did not seem to be contradictory. The sections on why the concept of E-Business is different only seeks to place MORE emphasis on why a coherent risk strategy is necessary. With web applications, not only is the time-to-market critical, but the price of failure can be so much more disastrous.

Use of American spelling and currency (everything is quoted in dollars) jars for the British reader, and look out for the words "we", "us", and "our". These are sometimes used a little ambiguously. (Ask who "us" refers to). However, expect to be challenged, and encouraged on to the land of better testing. There is a wealth of source material provided, especially on tools, and toll providers. There are lots of web-based references; additionally, a significant number of articles and books referenced are from 2001 or 2002.

The preface gives one of the reasons for the book being the ordering of the vast quantities of information that there is around. What was set out as an aim has been achieved, and both Paul and Neil have brought their experience, knowledge and communications skills to benefit us all. One of the dedications says: "To all those testers who do the best they can, but always think they should do more". I for one appreciate that the book was written for me. Thanks.

Although the focus is on e_business testing this book has changed my views about the realities of risk-based testing for any environment. First, the authors give a dose of reality regarding the differences between 'best practices' provided in the testing body of knowledge that is growing into hundreds of books (less than two years ago there were only a few dozen books on software testing, so this is a positive trend for the profession as a whole). Second, the fallacies in conventional risk-based testing are exposed. Here the authors propose that testing be exclusively focused on product risk, instead of trying to encompass the wider scope that includes project and process risk. This, in my opinion, is sage advice and keeps testing focused on areas where it can contribute to a project's success.

Among the strong points of this book are it's clear writing, which is full of examples, and the logical sequence in which the material is presented. In addition, the clear definitions of general risk management and associated processes and procedures, and how it all ties together are among the most succinct I've read. However, the best aspect of this book is the way the chapters build upon each other, and the complete coverage of risk-based testing.

Specifics include a general chapters on risk-based e-business testing and types of web site failures that lay the foundation for the technical aspects of the book. These are followed by chapters that show how to develop an e-business test strategy, how to fit risk analysis to a test process, and a comprehensive treatment of test techniques and tools. The latter is especially valuable because it covers the full range of testing techniques that are tailored to e-business testing, which includes static, web page integration, functional, service and usability testing. This part of the book also includes security testing and large scale integration testing - both of which make this one of the most complete collections of test techniques for e-business as well as general testing.

The remainder of the book covers the context of e-business testing (including brief advice on how it fits within Extreme Programming and the Unified Process), E-business test organization, planning and specifications (a wealth of information for the test manager), and E-business test execution (which also addresses important topics such as incident management and testing in a live environment). The two appendices, Essential Web Technologies for Testers and Web Testing Using Home Brew Tools are also valuable.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is involved in E-business testing, and also recommend that it be used in conjunction with Systematic Software Testing by Rick D. Craig by Stefan P. Jaskiel (ISBN 1580535089), which nicely augments this book.

The Agrarian Roots of Pragmatism gathers some of the best minds in American philosophy around a single theme: the relationship between pragmatism and agrarianism. The first half provides an excellent introduction to agrarian thought, its history, and its contemporary (and possibly future) relevance. The second, assuming a greater familiarity with the pragmatic tradition, limns the relationship between agrarian philosophy and pragmatism, often using one to advance or bring criticism to bear on the other. The result is remarkable, for the reader not only puts down this book with a better understanding of the roots of pragmatism and its historically contingent relation to agrarianism, but also with an exciting sense of how both of these traditions may be developed in the future. Those unfamiliar with pragmatism and agrarianism get a great introduction; those who already think of themselves as pragmatists, like myself, will find much they didn't know.

This book, the Cry of the Humble, is written with a purpose. It wants to be a compilation of different and short subjects. Who has time to read 600 page books and, besides the other daily rememberances, to be able to recall what you have read yesterday? This book treats most every situation one can meet in life in short recall. Put the book in your grip, read a couple pages while waiting for the bus or any other occasion.

This is an excellent book for parents and lay people. I have a son who is schizophrenic and as I read the book, I found myself saying "AMEN!" on nearly every page. While it holds no miracle cures or magic wans (never found a book or counselor or teacher or anyone who could come up with those...), this book certainly lets parents know that they are not alone in their struggle!
Tamara S. Hacker
BA, Social Work, Harding Univeristy, 1973
M.Ed., Speical Education, Univeristy of Mississippi, 1974
Currently working on MA in Counseling, Harding University Graduate School of Religion

The authors make this "Globalization In Question" a great antidote for people (especially in the Business and Administration area) that can't stop repeating that "the world is globalized, the world is globalized" like parrots. It's very pleasing to have some kind of skepticism about this whole discussion. In countries of the Third World, this talk about globalization is particularly dangerous since glued to it comes the neoliberal talk. And don't be scared by all the "economics". After reading this one, I can garantee that you will pay more attention to the books you're buying about the "global world".

This book is the last book in a series of books issued by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. It is a highly useful and interesting book for any Wisconsin history nut.

This is very fine book for studies in karat

I picked this up in used book store hoping that I would not be disappointed and I wasn't. It is every now and then that you come across a book like this -- fun, romantic, adventure, monsters etc...great reading for a rainy afternoon.

Brother and sister Amero and Nianki are reunited in this epic tale of the Barbarians.... While one tribe is allied with a bronze dragon and one is allied with perhaps the most exquisitely written green dragon in Dragonlance-dom, Sthenn, a battle takes place that will draw into it race of good and evil... will there be balance? Yes. Will characterization and action be well balanced? Heck yes! This book made me thrill and tears were certainly shed at points of the story. Overall Thompson and Cook prove to me that they can write Krynn well... The female warrior Karada is easily a heroine to rival favorites like Laurana... well done!