How to Read This Book

This book is organized logically with the subject matter getting progressively advanced, yet flexible enough to allow readers to access sections or chapters of interest according to their level of IS-IS knowledge or interaction with the protocol. Advanced users might want to browse through Chapter 1 to refresh their knowledge on the fundamentals of IP routing and spend more time studying the chapters in Part I to master advanced knowledge about the IS-IS protocol. Other readers may combine the concepts presented in Part I with the design and deployment material presented in Part II. Readers interested in troubleshooting can focus on Part III and also review Part I in order to understand how IS-IS works. For the latter type of readers, the parameter tables in Part I and the packet formats and analyzer captures in Appendix A provide a good reference for regular troubleshooting situations and related responsibilities in operations environments.

This book also provides numerous references and Web links to relevant material that is not elaborated here because of space limitation or because it is beyond the scope of the book. Readers are encouraged to consult included references for additional information that augments the presented material.