Metropolitan Area Network is a large computer network that spans a metropolitan area or campus. Its geographic scope falls between WAN and LAN. They typically use wireless infrastructure or optical fiber connections to links their sites. Cable TV network is a good example of such network.
Features of Metropolitan Area Network:
- Network size generally ranges from 5 to 50 km. It may be as small as a group of buildings in a campus to as large as covering the whole city.
- Data rates are moderate to high.
- In general, a MAN is either owned by a user group or by a network provider who sells service to users, rather than a single organization as in LAN.
- It facilitates sharing of regional resources.
- They provide uplinks for connecting LANs to WANs and Internet.
Use of Metropolitan Area Network:
- Digital cable television
- Used in government agencies
- University campuses
- Cable broadband
- Used to connect several branches of the local school
- In hospital (for communication between doctors, research offices, labs)
- A network of fire stations
- In airports
- Networking between community colleges within the country
- Used in public libraries
Advantages of Metropolitan Area Network:
1: Less Expensive:
It is less expensive to attach MAN with WAN Network. MAN
gives you good efficiency of data. All data on MAN is easily manageable in a
centralized way.
2: Sending Local Emails:
You can send local emails fast and free on MAN.
3: High Speed than WAN:
The speed of data can easily reach 1000 Mps, as MAN uses
fiber optics. Files and database transfer rates are fast.
4: Sharing of the Internet:
With the installation of MANs, users can share their internet connection. In this way, multiple users can get the same high-speed internet.
Disadvantages of Metropolitan Area Network:
1: Difficult To Manage:
It is very difficult to manage if the size and number of
LANs network increase. This is due to security and extra configuration
problems.
2: Internet Speed Difference:
As it cannot work on phone copper wires. Copper wires
affect the speed of MAN. So high cost is needed for fiber optics.
3: Hackers Attack:
In this network, there is a high risk of attacking
hackers as compared to LAN. So data may be a leak. Highly security staff is the
need in MAN.
4: Need more wires:
In MAN more than LAN network, cables require. As you
know, it is a combination of two LANs.
Thank You
