It would not have been possible to have internet if intelligent switches, satellites, fibre optic cables, and LAN cards were not invented. Internet is a very common example of wide area network, because everyone is familiar with it now. In order to have better understanding of wide area network (WAN), it is very important that you must understand local area network (LAN).
As the name shows, local area network is one, which is built in a limited area with the help of LAN cables, switches and LAN cards. The most common example of a local area network is the network of a university, or a business office. A network switch is used to connect all the computers in a local area network. It is up to you, you can make this network a workgroup (share limited resources), or you can make it a domain (share all kind of resources, and services). If you make it a domain, then you will have the benefit of controlling the use of services by the users. LAN has one restriction that it can work in only small distances. For connecting institutions and offices in different location, WAN is used.
With the help of devices, like routers, two or more LANs are connected to form a WAN. A wide area network can be built in many ways. It is possible to lay down your own cables between two or more locations, or you can also use leased lines. Majority of the companies use leased lines, as only a few companies can afford the cost associated with this.
Most of the businesses and institutions get leased lines from different service providers, and make the payment on monthly basis. With the advancement in technology, many companies are setting up Virtual Private Network (VAN) by using leased lines. It is very easy to form a VAN by buying live IPs from the service operator, at two or more different locations. A network administrator secures this network by using routers, and firewalls.
On WAN, the users at different locations are connected to a central server. The name of this computer is server because it is there to serve all the computers on the network. All the computers on the network are connected to central database on the server. These computers save data at real time, send queries to server and fetch reports at the same time. The banking system is a very good example of a WAN network.
There are unlimited benefits of a wide area network. People in two different countries can work as if they are sitting in offices next to each other. It has become very easy to share documents, reports, prints, query databases, search through thousands of records in just quick seconds, monitor distant location offices by using digital cameras, and do much more. There is no limit to the benefits of a wide area network, and you can take whatever benefit you desire from it. The more sophisticated technology you use for a wide area network, the more costly it would become for you.
Apart from the advantages, there are many disadvantages as well, but they can be handled easily with the help of the advanced technologies. The biggest concern in WAN is security. Your system can easily be hacked by anyone when you connect to the internet using the Live IP. Therefore, firewalls, and routers are used to enhance the security of the network, but they are undoubtedly very costly. Although the latency period on a WAN is high, but it can easily be overcome by the using high-speed internet connection. Irrespective of the benefits that WAN has, every institution, and business who wants to set up a WAN, needs to have a lot of money, as all the equipments, and the technology needed for it are very expensive.
As the name shows, local area network is one, which is built in a limited area with the help of LAN cables, switches and LAN cards. The most common example of a local area network is the network of a university, or a business office. A network switch is used to connect all the computers in a local area network. It is up to you, you can make this network a workgroup (share limited resources), or you can make it a domain (share all kind of resources, and services). If you make it a domain, then you will have the benefit of controlling the use of services by the users. LAN has one restriction that it can work in only small distances. For connecting institutions and offices in different location, WAN is used.
With the help of devices, like routers, two or more LANs are connected to form a WAN. A wide area network can be built in many ways. It is possible to lay down your own cables between two or more locations, or you can also use leased lines. Majority of the companies use leased lines, as only a few companies can afford the cost associated with this.
Most of the businesses and institutions get leased lines from different service providers, and make the payment on monthly basis. With the advancement in technology, many companies are setting up Virtual Private Network (VAN) by using leased lines. It is very easy to form a VAN by buying live IPs from the service operator, at two or more different locations. A network administrator secures this network by using routers, and firewalls.
On WAN, the users at different locations are connected to a central server. The name of this computer is server because it is there to serve all the computers on the network. All the computers on the network are connected to central database on the server. These computers save data at real time, send queries to server and fetch reports at the same time. The banking system is a very good example of a WAN network.
There are unlimited benefits of a wide area network. People in two different countries can work as if they are sitting in offices next to each other. It has become very easy to share documents, reports, prints, query databases, search through thousands of records in just quick seconds, monitor distant location offices by using digital cameras, and do much more. There is no limit to the benefits of a wide area network, and you can take whatever benefit you desire from it. The more sophisticated technology you use for a wide area network, the more costly it would become for you.
Apart from the advantages, there are many disadvantages as well, but they can be handled easily with the help of the advanced technologies. The biggest concern in WAN is security. Your system can easily be hacked by anyone when you connect to the internet using the Live IP. Therefore, firewalls, and routers are used to enhance the security of the network, but they are undoubtedly very costly. Although the latency period on a WAN is high, but it can easily be overcome by the using high-speed internet connection. Irrespective of the benefits that WAN has, every institution, and business who wants to set up a WAN, needs to have a lot of money, as all the equipments, and the technology needed for it are very expensive.
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