Metropolitan Area Network

Metropolitan Area Network

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network with a size between a LAN and a WAN. It normally covers the area inside a town or a city. It is designed for customers who need a high-speed connectivity, normally to the internet, and have endpoints spread over a city or part of city. A good example of a MAN is part of the telephone company network that can provide a high-speed DSL line to the customer.
A MAN may be wholly owned and operated by a private company, or it may be a service provided by a public company, such as a local telephone company. Many telephone companies vide a popular MAN service called Switched Multi-megabit Data Services (SMDS).

Metropolitan Area Network

advantages of MAN

– It utilizes drawbacks of both LAN and WAN to provide larger and controllable computer network.
– MAN requires fewer resources compare to WAN. This saves the implementation cost.
– It helps people interface fast LANs together. This is due to easy implementation of links.
– It provides higher security compare to WAN.
– It helps in cost effective sharing of common resources such as printers etc.
– Like LAN and WAN, it also offers centralized management of data and files.

Disadvantages of MAN

– It is difficult to manage the network once it becomes large.
– It is difficult to make the system secure from hackers and industrial espionage.
– Network installation requires skilled technicians and network administrators. This increases overall installation and management costs.
– It requires more cables for connection from one place to the other compare to LAN.