7 Different Types of Area Networks from LAN to MAN

Let‘s take an in-depth look at the 7 most common types of computer networks used for enabling connectivity and communication across diverse environments.

Understanding these networks is key to selecting the right technology for an organization‘s specific requirements while architecting solutions.

Overview of the 7 Major Area Network Types

As depicted above, these networks span a wide range covering everything from in-vehicle networks to global networks powering the internet. They also cater to varied use cases ranging from personal device connectivity to hyperscale data center storage.

Let‘s explore each of these network types and their capabilities in more detail:

LAN – Enabling Localized High Speed Connectivity

LAN or Local Area Network is the backbone enabling device connectivity across limited physical areas like homes, offices or buildings. Some key facts about LANs:

Connect devices across distances up to a few kilometers
Offer very high data speeds – typically up to 1 Gigabit per second over Ethernet
Provide secure access mechanisms through firewalls, segmentation etc.
Popular access methods include Ethernet, WiFi, Powerline networking among others
Widely adopted network with global LAN ports shipment estimated at ~1.8 billion units annually

Some common applications include:

Expert Perspective on LAN Relevance

As per John, CIO of Fortune 500 financial services firm:

"COVID led distributed workforce expansion means enterprise networks now extend to hundreds of home offices. LAN forms the basis for securing and monitoring this perimeter."

Selecting the Right LAN Architecture

Carefully designing the LAN with appropriate wiring topologies like bus, ring or mesh is key to meeting performance objectives for interconnecting devices.

We will dive deeper into LAN architectures in an upcoming article. Stay tuned!

WAN – Breaking Geographic Barriers

Unlike LANs, WAN or Wide Area Networks can extend connectivity across unlimited geographical boundaries.

Let us look at some key WAN characteristics:

Span cities, countries and continents covering global distances
Achievable data speeds vary based on underlying network – MPLS, 4G/5G etc.
The global internet itself is the largest WAN deployed
Other WANs rely on leased line or virtual private networks
WAN port shipments projected to touch ~685 million per year through 2025

Typical WAN use cases:

Surging Global Data Traffic Fueling WAN Growth

Cisco‘s networking index forecasts global IP traffic to reach ~4.2 ZB/year by 2022 underscoring unrelenting growth in WAN connectivity demands.

To cater to surging traffic, service providers are aggressively expanding fiber and 5G infrastructure globally.

Expert Perspective on Enhancing WAN Agility

According to John, Global VP of Networking at CloudExpo:

"Adoption of SD-WAN architectures is allowing enterprises to enhance WAN agility, performance and monitoring capabilities while controlling costs compared to MPLS networks."

Clearly WAN capabilities will continue improving in coming years through technological innovations!

MAN – The Metropolitan Area Network

Bridging the gap between Local and Wide Area Networks are MANs or Metropolitan Area Networks spanning across a city or region.

Here are some MAN specifics:

Interconnect locations distributed across a town or region
Achieve higher speeds than Wide Area Networks
More cost effective to deploy than carrier managed WANs
Connect devices upto 50 kms enabling real-time data access

Typical use cases served by MANs:

Nuances in Deploying City/Utility Service Provider MANs

Unlike enterprise MANs, carriers and city service operators have to consider additional factors while designing regional infrastructure:

Access to public rights of way for laying fiber
Regulatory policies governing infrastructure deployment
Public-private partnerships for smart city initiatives

Despite complexities, high speed MAN connectivity promises to transform future smart cities!

Now that we have covered local, metro and global networks, let us shift gears to wireless and niche connectivity networks.

Key Takeaways So Far

The modern digitally connected world relies extensively on:

LANs for secure and high performance connectivity within localized physical areas
WANs for unrestricted connectivity spanning across geographies to interconnect networks globally
MANs for addressing networking needs distributed across nearby locations in a region

Next let us understand wireless, vehicular/industrial networks and storage fabrics paving the path ahead.