Packet Communication (Hardcover)

Description:

Bob Metcalfe's groundbreaking Harvard Ph.D. dissertation "Packet Communication" led directly to his invention of Ethernet and contributed significantly to the TCP/IP protocol suite developed by Vint Cerf and others (including Metcalfe).

Metcalfe's contributions to the development of wide area networks (especially the Internet!) have until now been overshadowed by his application of these ideas to local area networks; Metcalfe is most famous as the developer of Ethernet, still the most widely used LAN technology after 20 years!

Metcalfe's dissertation remains a penetrating mathematical exposition of the fundamental packet switching techniques employed by both TCP/IP and Ethernet. Hard-core techies interested in either technology, as well as computer/EE history buffs, will find this material fascinating. In addition to the dissertation and two related technical papers (RFC #89 by Metcalfe and RFC#62 by David Walden, former VP of BBN), this volume also contains a special retrospective chapter by Metcalfe on the dissertation, its influence on the Internet, and the birth of Ethernet.

• Exclusive retrospective chapter plus historical materials
• Foreword by Vint Cerf ("Father of the Internet")
  
• First work of a legendary computer industry figure