COST – the acronym for European COoperation in Science and Technology – is the oldest and widest European intergovernmental network for cooperation in - search. Established by the Ministerial Conference in November 1971, COST is presently used by the scientific communities of 35 European countries to coop- ate in common research projects supported by national funds. The funds provided by COST – less than 1% of the total value of the projects – support the COST cooperation networks (COST Actions) through which, with € 30 million per year, more than 30,000 European scientists are involved in - search having a total value which exceeds € 2 billion per year. This is the financial worth of the European added value which COST achieves. A “bottom up approach” (the initiative of launching a COST Action comes from the European scientists themselves), “à la carte participation” (only countries interested in the Action participate), “equality of access” (participation is open also to the scientific communities of countries not belonging to the European - ion) and “flexible structure” (easy implementation and light management of the research initiatives) are the main characteristics of COST.

A complete and in-depth introduction to computer networks and networking In this first volume of The Handbook of Computer Networks, readers will get a complete overview of the key concepts of computers networks, data transmission, and digital and optical networks. Providing a comprehensive examination of computer networks, the book is designed for both undergraduate students and professionals working in a variety of computer network-dependent industries. With input from over 270 experts in the field, the text offers an easy-to-follow progression through each topic and focuses on fields and technologies that have widespread application in the real world.

This work presents a series of papers examining various aspects of architecture, control, and management issues in all-optical networking.

Network processing units (NPUs) will be the occasion of sweeping changes in the network hardware industry over the next few years. This new breed of microchip impacts chip designers like Intel, equipment vendors like Cisco, application developers like IBM and Morotola, and an army of software engineers who spent the last decade working on protocols and network management solutions. A thoroughly practical dissection of the early NPU market, this designer's guide explains how network processors work and provides detailed information on all major commercial architectures, from features to design considerations. Comparative tables are a rich source of cross-industry info. Coverage includes traffic managers, classification chips, content-addressable memories, switch fabrics, security accelerators, storage coprocessors and NetASICs.