Paper review: Ethernet:Distributed Packet Switching for Local Computers 
Networks [MB76]

Reviewer: Ryan Gehl

    1.State the problem the paper is trying to solve. 

	This paper discusses the design principles and implementation for 
an ethernet network.  In addition, the paper presents a model for 
estimating heavy-load performance of the network.

    2.State the main contribution of the paper: solving a new problem, 
proposing a new algorithm, or presenting a new evaluation (analysis). If a 
new problem, why was the problem important? Is the problem still important 
today? Will the problem be important tomorrow?  If a new algorithm or new 
evaluation (analysis), what are the improvements over  previous algorithms 
or evaluations? How do they come up with the new algorithm or evaluation?  

	The contribution of this paper is designing ethernet 
communication.

    3.Summarize the (at most) 3 key main ideas (each in 1 sentence.)  

* An ethernet is a passive shared communications network where a packet is 
heard by all connected computers but are only received by stations 
according to the packets leading address bits (header).

* An ethernet network is scalable, inexpensive, and the control is 
distributed.

* Five mechanisms are presented which help to reduce the probablility of 
losing a packet.  (carrier detection, interference detection, packet error 
detection, truncated packet filtering, and collision consensus 
enforcement).

    4.Critique the main contribution
Significance:  5
	Given the current widespread use of ethernet networks, I would say
this paper was definitely a breakthrough.

Methodology:
	Since the authors actually built the network they had designed and 
had included mechanisms for reducing packet loss, I would say that they 
have effectively demonstrated their claims.

Limitations:
	In terms of the authors' approach to this subject, I actually see 
very few limitations; they effectively established a proof-of-concept for 
an ethernet network.  There were a few limitations found in the network 
they created, such as packet size and a performance slowdown when the 
network was heavily loaded, but I felt that the authors' approach was a 
solid first-step for designing ethernet networks.

    5.What lessons should researchers and builders take away from this 
work. What (if any) questions does this work leave open? 

	The lessons learned are that having distributed control and a
passive network are good ideas.  In addition, the ethernet network is
flexible and easy to maintain.