Network Ninja, by Charlie Schluting, has been self-published and is now available from lulu.com. http://stores.lulu.com/
Ninjas think in terms of "what is this protocol supposed to do, and how can I use that?" instead of "what did they tell me would happen?" when designing and troubleshooting networks.
Network managers and administrators alike need to understand what they're dealing with; far beyond anything a certification course will teach. They need conceptual models and fundamental knowledge, not simply test material.
Network Ninja, which started as a book under contract with O'Reilly called "Network Warrior," is, by some measures, a fork of the project. O'Reilly has since released a Network Warrior with another author, but the concept of the book as changed so much that Network Ninja is still essential reading.
Further "practical example" books, as O'Reilly published, still do not solve the original problem. The average CCNA holder generally thinks about problems in terms of what they've learned thus far, which is usually tons of scenario-based examples.
Network Ninja focuses on the fundamentals of IP, Layer 2, TCP, security, routing protocols (non-proprietary only), and more. This book is a wonderful reference, both for technical information and conceptual ideas.
If you're serious about networking, or being a network or systems administrator, you won't find a better book to help you along your way to success.
"It is rare that I run across something that is directed to that level of audience that is clear, balanced, and correct" -- John Klensin, IETF/ICANN
