Following the boom in networking and data communications advancements throughout industry, this fourth edition of an ISA best-seller gives technical professionals who have little or no background in data communications the knowledge they need to understand, troubleshoot, and maintain both legacy and leading-edge systems. The text emphasizes practical functional aspects of common systems rather than design criteria. It includes a complete description of relevant terminology, standards, and protocols including EIA/TIA 232, 485, and IEEE 802. New material in this edition includes updated information on 100 MBps and 1000 MBps Ethernet, RIP and OSPF router technologies, OLE for Process Control (OPC), ActiveX, and .NETΓ ΓTM, virtual private networks, and more. A complete glossary and index make the book especially useful as a handy desk reference. The growth and application of data communications in the industrial environment as well as emerging technologies are discussed. Contents: Historical Overview, Communication Foundations, Physical Layer and Data Link Standards, Local Area Networks, Network Operating Systems and LAN Management, Industrial Networks and Applications, Wide Area Networks.