Firewalls: Jumpstart for Network and Systems Administrators

I fell into the category of "I know what a router is but I hope I never have to set one up." Our routers were handled by another talented memeber of our team. When she left, I gave it shot using some manuals we had from cisco and some other informatin passed down from project to project. Completely lost, I decided to start from the beginning. This text was just the ticket to get me started!

This book is a must read for the I/T professional. Years of professional expertise have been distilled into this well written and well organized security book. Highly recommended.

Firewalls by Vacca and Ellis begins with what firewalls are and what they can accomplish as well as the limititations of these systems. The book progresses with chapters on installing, configuring, testing as well as maintaining your firewall system. This text uses extensive examples and case studies as teaching tools to develop the skills required by anyone responsible for establishing and maintaining firewall technology whether they work for a corporation, law enforcement or government.

John Vacca has done it again! He shows experienced (intermediate to advanced) firewall security and law enforcement professionals how to analyze and conduct firewall security, and report the findings that will lead to incarceration of the perpetrators. Vacca also provides the fundamental knowledge you need to analyze risks to your system, and implement a workable firewall security policy that protects your information assets from potential intrusion, damage or theft. Through extensive hands-on examples (field and trial experiments) and case studies, you will gain the knowledge and skills required to master the deployment of firewall security systems to thwart potential attacks.

The book provided an in-depth, comprehensive review of firewalls. The easy to understand and well organized text took me through firewalls from A-Z. I would recommend it as a "must have" for anyone interested making a truly secure firewall for their network.