Type of Network and The Explanation

Posted by Abirama on Monday, December 12, 2016 in Internet | No comments

In this article we're gonna explain all types of network. As we know, there are many ways in which different networks can be classified, such as their size, capabilities and the geographical distance they cover. A network is simply a group of two or more computer systems linked together in some way so that they can share data between them. Different types of networks provide different services, and require different things to work properly.

For historical reasons, the networking industry refers to nearly every type of design as some kind of area network. Common types of area networks are:

1. LAN (Local Area Network)
A LAN connects network devices over a relatively short distance. A networked office building, school, or home usually contains a single LAN, though sometimes one building will contain a few small LANs (perhaps one per room), and occasionally a LAN will span a group of nearby buildings. In TCP/IP networking, a LAN is often but not always implemented as a single IP subnet.

In addition to operating in a limited space, LANs are also typically owned, controlled, and managed by a single person or organization.

They also tend to use certain connectivity technologies, primarily Ethernet and Token Ring.

2. WAN (Wide Area Network)

This is another of the original categories of network, and slightly more complex in nature. WAN networks connect computers together over large physical distances, remotely connecting them over one huge network and allowing them to communicate even when far apart. The Internet is a WAN, and connects computers all around the world together.

LANs connect to WANs, such as the internet, using routers to transfer data and information quickly and securely. WANs are usually too large to be controlled by one administrator, and so usually have collective ownership, or in the case of the internet, is publicly owned.

3. MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
This is a network which is larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, and incorporates elements of both. It typically spans a town or city and is owned by a single person or company, such as a local council or a large company.

4. CAN (Campus Area Network)
A network spanning multiple LANs but smaller than a MAN, such as on a university or local business campus.

5. System Area Network
 (also known as Cluster Area Network) - Links high-performance computers with high-speed connections in a cluster configuration.

6. Storage Area Network
Connects servers to data storage devices through a technology like Fibre Channel.