The book consists of the following 13 chapters followed by Authors’ Preface and Notation and Abbreviations:

It is concise and compact book on the subject of how to compute k-terminal reliability (probability that k-terminals remain connected) of a given communication network, where the edges or links can fail. This is a combinatorial problem and using standard analytical techniques, even a small well-connected (where each node is connected to the other nodes of the network) a two-state network of 10 nodes may require 2⁴⁵ number of states to reckon with. The reliability computation with such a large number of states is computationally unwieldy if not impossible. So the authors suggest the most practical approach of computing system reliability using Monte Carlo simulation. Another reason for using Monte Carlo approach appears in the fact that the availability of repairable system elements can be used in place of reliability (of non-repairable elements) without much hassle. This assumed interchangeability of approach is reflected in all the chapters of the book. To make a beginner understand the subject matter, the treatment in a chapter starts with examples and leads a reader to the definitions and theorems that are incidental to the explanation of an approach. This helps in understanding the intricacies involved in the problem of computing network reliability. The concept of spanning trees is used to ensure connectivity of nodes of interest. Other measures of interest in reliability of networks such as component criticality and Birnbaum Importance are also discussed in the book. Approximate approaches, wherever essential, have been dealt with necessary explanation. In another generalization, the authors have considered that network nodes can fail, in addition to allowing edges to be unreliable. An indication to multi mode failure analysis is also indicated.

The students and teachers pursuing reliability of communication reliability will find this book of interest. In general, the book would be very useful for reliability engineers and those dealing with design of communication networks would find it highly indispensable.

Krishna B. Misra

Review published in the International Journal of Performability Engineering, Vol. 7, No. 3, May 2011, p. 262.