Book excerpt: Business Data Communications and Networking, 14th Edition presents a classroom-tested approach to the subject, combining foundational concepts, practical exercises, and real-world case studies. The text provides a balanced, well-rounded presentation of data communications while highlighting its importance to nearly every aspect of modern business. This fully-updated new edition helps students understand how networks work and what is required to build and manage scalable, mobile, and secure networks. Clear, student-friendly chapters introduce, explain, and summarize fundamental concepts and applications such as server architecture, network and transport layers, network design processes and tools, wired and wireless networking, and network security and management. An array of pedagogical features teaches students how to select the appropriate technologies necessary to build and manage networks that meet organizational needs, maximize competitive advantage, and protect networks and data from cybersecurity threats. Discussions of real-world management and technical issues, from improving device performance to assessing and controlling costs, provide students with insight into the daily networking operations of actual businesses.