Book excerpt: Today's networks are required to support an increasing array of real-time communication methods. Video chat, real-time messaging, and always-connected resources put demands on networks that were previously unimagined. The Second Edition of Fundamentals of Communications and Networking helps readers better understand today's networks and the way they support the evolving requirements of different types of organizations. It discusses the critical issues of designing a network that will meet an organization's performance needs and discusses how businesses use networks to solve business problems. Using numerous examples and exercises, this text incorporates hands-on activities to prepare readers to fully understand and design modern networks and their requirements. Key Features of the Second Edition: - Introduces network basics by describing how networks work - Discusses how networks support the increasing demands of advanced communications - Illustrates how to map the right technology to an organization's needs and business goals - Outlines how businesses use networks to solve business problems, both technically and operationally.