Network Engineers' Reading List

[SimonV]

TCP/IP
TCP/IP Illustrated: Volume I - W. Richard Stevens

Routing General
Routing TCP/IP, Volume I, 2nd Edition - Jeff Doyle, Jennifer Carroll
Routing TCP/IP, Volume II - Jeff Doyle, Jennifer Carroll
IP Routing on Cisco IOS, IOS XE, and IOS XR - Brad Edgeworth, Aaron Foss, Ramiro Garza Rios

OSPF
OSPF Network Design Solutions, 2nd Edition - Tom Thomas

BGP
BGP for Cisco Networks - Stuart D Fordham
Internet Routing Architectures, 2nd Edition - Sam Halabi

MPLS
MPLS for Cisco Networks - Stuart D Fordham
Day One: MPLS for Enterprise Engineers Darren O'Connor
MPLS Fundamentals - Luc De Ghein

Quality of Service
End-to-End QoS Network Design: Quality of Service for Rich-Media & Cloud Networks - Tim Szigeti, Christina Hattingh, Robert Barton, Kenneth Briley

Multicast
Developing IP Multicast Networks, Volume I - Beau Williamson

Network Design
The Art of Network Architecture: Business-Driven Design - Russ White, Denise Donohue
Optimal Routing Design - Russ White, Alvaro Retana, Don Slice

Data Center
NX-OS and Cisco Nexus Switching: Next-Generation Data Center Architectures - Ron Fuller, David Jansen, Matthew McPherson
Data Center Virtualization Fundamentals - Gustavo A. A. Santana

802.1X
802.1X Port-Based Authentication - Edwin Lyle Brown

SDN & SD-WAN

Cisco Intelligent WAN (IWAN) - Brad Edgeworth, David Prall, Jean Marc Barozet, Anthony Lockhart, Nir Ben-Dvora

Please add your suggestions to the topic! 

[deanwebb]

I really enjoy Wendell Odom's CCNA books. Very well written, lots of solid theory. These books can stand the test of time, almost.

I also enjoyed the CCDA official curriculum guide as a brief, but useful intro to disciplines outside my specialization. I found that after reading it, I had a better understanding of what was going on in Voice, Wireless, and the Data Center. It provided me with a vocabulary to help discuss topics in those areas.

Security is tricky business, because it changes so quickly. However, keeping a printed copy of product user guides for the gear you work with is quite handy to have, especially when you need to show someone a piece of information quickly and you don't want to have to waste time scrolling around - just open to the page and bam! get to work.

[icecream-guy]

Get a year subscription to Safari Online.  $399/yr. or $39/mo. then you have access to more than just "a few books"  I think it's better training value than purchasing.

if you are looking for reference books. get some that people recommend in pdf format and put them on your phone so in a pinch you can reference.

I would also download configuration guides and command reference guides for your most common managed platforms on put on the phone. but that don't hurt the budget.

[SimonV]

Yes, Safari is definitely a great resource but there's only so much you can read in a month. One of the certification books, for example, would take me at least 2 to 3 months and that's rather optimistic with two kids. On the other hand, it would make more sense for an IT company with multiple employees, all needing documentation or study guides.

For actual studying, I prefer paper books over PDF. The thing with PDF is that you have to read it on an iPad or PC, and I can't stay focused on a screen. Paper, much easier on the eyes with no popups or notifications I do have an e-reader, but afaik those don't handle drawings too well.

I was thinking more of those must-read books, like for the CCIE. Internet Routing Architectures, Routing TCP/IP I & II, OSPF Network Design Solutions, etc. Those are probably the most well-known, but there must be many others.

By the way - how would Safari compare to the Amazon Prime deal?

[config t]

This is what I've picked up so far for my ccie studies:

Routing TCP/IP - Doyle Carroll
BGP for Cisco Networks - Stuart Fordham
MPLS for Cisco Networks - Stuart Fordham
CCIE R&S Official Cert library v5

[deanwebb]

If you work with security or wireless:

802.1X Port-Based Authentication - Edwin Lyle Brown

This book reads very well. It is worth every penny of its monetary cost in terms of what great information it conveys. Given that the number of people I've had introduced to me as "dot1x experts" I can count on 2 fingers, I decided that I would need to be my own expert. This is the book those other 2 experts recommend.

[that1guy15]

This is what I've picked up so far for my ccie studies:

Routing TCP/IP - Doyle Carroll
BGP for Cisco Networks - Stuart Fordham
MPLS for Cisco Networks - Stuart Fordham
CCIE R&S Official Cert library v5

This. Also add
Art of Network Architecture
IP Routing on Cisco IOS, IOS XE and IOS XR
CCNP SWITCH
TCP/IP Illustrated
End to End QoS
MPLS Fundamentals
NX-OS and Cisco Nexus Switching Next-Generation DC Architecture

[SimonV]

Keep 'em coming, I'll divide them into categories

[config t]

If you work with security or wireless:

802.1X Port-Based Authentication - Edwin Lyle Brown

This book reads very well. It is worth every penny of its monetary cost in terms of what great information it conveys. Given that the number of people I've had introduced to me as "dot1x experts" I can count on 2 fingers, I decided that I would need to be my own expert. This is the book those other 2 experts recommend.

Worth a read for me.. I've been supporting a dot1x environment ever since I got to the ME. I'm no expert, that's for certain, but I know enough about it to prove that it's not the network*

*or the firewall

[SimonV]

First post updated with all that was added to the topic. Not sure if we should keep track of cert-specific books?

[wintermute000]

I'm afraid I disagree with the NX-OS book, it was terrible. I just go straight to the online documentation and Cisco Live presentations.

Data Centre Virtualization Fundamentals is a great read, if dated and a lot more 'fluff'/solutions design focused than hard tech/'this is how you configure XYZ'. Personally, I found it helped solidify a lot of concepts in between knowing your Nexus and your Vmware hard skills.

finally, Developing IP Multicast Networks is absolutely fundamental for multicast, even if a lot of it is now depreciated/no longer used, its still THE PIM book.

[SimonV]

Added 

[deanwebb]

Awesome. You, SimonV, have earned a "helpful".

[routerdork]

I'm afraid I disagree with the NX-OS book, it was terrible. I just go straight to the online documentation and Cisco Live presentations.

Terrible as in dry and boring? Or just doesn't explain well? I  was just looking at buying it right before reading this thread. I need to get up to speed on my Nexus fu. Did some 7K/5K/2K work for a few weeks but not enough to claim greatness.

[wintermute000]

Poorly explained, out of date, very little design/best practices/integration info. The Cisco design guides are where it's at