In this section you will learn the basic overview of the wan networking overview, wide area communication methods, lan, atm, sonets and x.25 protocols.. There are three basic types of computer networking LAN (local area network), MAN (metropolitan area network) and WAN (Wide area network). A wide area network is a geographically dispersed large network. A wide area network can be privately owned or rented. A WAN covers a large geographical area such as a city, province or a country.
A widea area network may consist of a multiple LANs or MANs. The world’s most popular wide arae network in the world is is the internet. WANs are the corporate network that utilizes leased lines.
Wide area networks generally utilize much expensive equipment. The main communication technologies that are included in the WAN are SONET, Frame Relay and ATM. The computers that are connected to the WANs are generally connected through the public networks and they can also be connected through the satellites.
WANs are used to connect the computers in the one part of the world with the other part of the world. So the users and computers from the different parts of the world can communicate with each other. Many WANs are generally built for one organization. Other types of WAN networking are the Internet service providers that connect the LANS or individual computers to the Internet. WAN networks are built using the leased lines and a router is connected to the one end of the WAN and a hub is connected to the other end.
With this hub a number of computers and other hubs and switches are connected. Among the other methods of building the WANs are the circuit switching or packet switching methods. The general protocols and the communication technologies that are involved in the overall wide area networking/communication are TCP/IP, SONET, MPLS, ATM and X.25, which closely works with frame relay. Typical a WAN consists of a number of interconnected switching nodes.
Networking Methods
Networking is a complex part of the computing and it covers the broader range of the IT industry. All the communication in the world including satellite communication, mobile communication, internet, telephones and WANs is due to the networking. There are two main types of the networking.
Local Area Network (LAN)
A local area network is relatively covers small space and provides services to a small amount of people. A local area can be divided into two major types, peer to peer and the client server. Depending on the number of the users a network is configured. Among the few examples of the peer to peer networks are small office network and home networks. On the other hand, in the client/server networking model all the client computers depends on the server for resources like (modem, printer, scanner, cd-rom) and they are connected with the server. The servers in the client/server networking model works in different capacities like single service server and multiple service servers.
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A wide area network is a network where are large number of the resources are deployed in a very wide geographically area. The best example of the WAN is the internet itself which is a largest network in the world.
In order for communication to take place between the computers the mediums must be used. These mediums can be cables, Routers, Repeaters, Ethernet, Protocols and switches etc. These different mediums make the data communication possible in different scenarios.
Types of WANs
There are two basic types of Widea Area Networking.
A computer network is set of computers and devices that are connected with each other. Examples of the networks are the Internet, local area network, Wide area network and satellite networks.
Centralized WANS:
A WAN that consists of a server or a group of servers in a central location to which client computers connect, the server provides the most of the functionalities of a network. Many banks, large stores, large schools and universities use centralized WAN. A centralized wide area network may have a number of the servers in the centralized location.
Distributed WAN:
A widea area network that consists of the client and server computers that are distributed throughout the WAN, the functionalities of the network are distributed throughout the WAN. The internet is an example of the wide area network.
The impact of Wide Area Networking on business
In this age of information, data communication (sending and receiving data) over a long distance is a necessity. There have been number of technologies developed that enable networks and their users to communicate with each other, and exchange data easily even if they are at the different end of the world. Geographical area is no more a matter in today’s communication age. Because of this the communication through WAN has been become vital. Wide area networks make it feasible for the companies to have a single network, which will connect their several offices and departments. Companies, banks, large organizations often have their offices spread over a large distance. Without wide area networking the people of a multinational organization can face difficulties to communicate with each. WANs are important in connecting institutes they are very far from each other.
The main purpose of the wan is to establish a secure, fast and reliable communicate channel among the people who are widely away from each other. Wide area networks are often privately owned networks. A wide area network uses many types of network devices such as WAN switches, access servers, CSU/DSU, modems, ISDN terminal adapters, routers, multiplexers, ATM switches and other networking devices. An example of the WAN is SURFnet, which is a research network and that connects the universities and research centers of the Netherlands with each other.