essay

7. How do local area networks (LANs) differ from metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), and backbone networks (BNs)?

Local Area Network as defined in our textbook is a “group of computers located in the same general area,” (Fitzgerald & Dennis, 2012. p13). LANs is a type of network usually implemented within an office, school or home environment where group of computers are located in proximity with each other or in a small geographic area. Thus, client computers are interconnected through a switch to access another network, server, then to a router that access the internet. LANs uses hardware such as Ethernet cables, network cards, wireless access points, switches and routers.

Hence, when LANs are interconnected even though it’s geographically separated and spans between 3 to 30 miles but still within the city, it forms a network type called Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). MANs covers a larger geographic area covered by LANs but smaller than the geographic area covered by WANs, (Fitzgerald & Dennis, 2012. p295). Example of organization that utilizes this type of networks are large Universities, school districts, and more. Furthermore, when LANs, MANs, and BNs that goes beyond state, national and international boundaries are interconnected it forms a network type called Wide Area Networks (WANs). Internet is the largest WAN, that exist under collective or distributed ownership and management, (Mitchell, n.d.). WANs use technology such as ATM, Frame Relay and X.25 for connectivity over longer distance, (Fitzgerald & Dennis, 2012. p319).

Interconnecting the organization’s diverse networks such as LANs, MANs, BNs, and WANs requires a Backbone Networks (BNs) that uses hardware devices such as switches, route...

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...zation (ISO) and the International Telecommunications Union – Telecommunication Group (ITU-T). According to our textbook “ISO makes technical recommendations about data communication interfaces while ITU-T is an international organization that sets worldwide communication standards” (Fitzgerald & Dennis, 2012. pp 23 & 562). Thus, ISO deals with data communication standards while ITU-T are more on standard recommendations for telecommunications group such as Postal Telephone and Telegraphs (PTTs) and other common carriers.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, J. & Dennis, A. (2012). Business Data Communications and Networking

(11th Edition). John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

By Bradley Mitchell, B. (n.d.). Introduction to Network Types-LAN, WAN and Other Area Network. Retrieved January 11, 2014 from http://compnetworking.about.com/od/basicnetworkingconcepts/a/network_types.htm