A MAN network has metropolitan scope, covering the surface of a city.
The concept of network , which comes from the Latin word rete , has several uses and meanings. It is correct to say that almost all its meanings are linked to the structure that has a characteristic pattern .
Network, therefore, is used in computing to name the set of equipment (such as computers ) connected to each other so that they can share resources , services and information .
The MAN network
There are several ways to classify a network: according to its scope, its functional relationship or the connection method, for example. In the first category (networks according to their scope), we can find the notion of MAN network .
MAN is the acronym for Metropolitan Area Network , which can be translated as Metropolitan Area Network . A MAN network is one that, through a high-speed connection, offers coverage in a large geographical area (such as a city or municipality).
Infrastructure for information exchange
With a MAN network it is possible to share and exchange all types of data (text, videos, audio, etc.) using fiber optics or twisted pair cable. This type of network represents an evolution of LAN networks ( Local Area Network ), since it favors interconnection in a broader region, covering a greater surface. On the other hand, there is the WAN network ( Wide Area Network ), which allows the interconnection of countries and continents.
MAN networks can be public or private. These networks are developed with two unidirectional buses, which means that each one acts independently of the other regarding data transfer. When fiber optics are used, the error rate is lower than if copper cable is used, as long as two networks of equal dimensions are compared. It is worth mentioning that both options are secure since they do not allow the reading or alteration of their signal without physically interrupting the link.
A MAN network favors the exchange of data over a large geographical area.
Uses of a MAN network
Among the uses of MAN networks , we can mention the interconnection of offices dispersed in a city but belonging to the same corporation, the development of a municipal video surveillance system and the deployment of VoIP services.
The acronym VoIP can be read in several ways, such as "voice over Internet Protocol", "voice over IP" or "IP voice" and it is a set of resources that make it possible to send the voice signal through of the Internet using an IP. In other words, if a MAN network is used to provide VoIP services, communication similar to telephone communication is possible but sending information in digital data packets, instead of using analog telephone networks, such as PSTN ( "public switched telephone network").
Advantages over the WAN network
* Once the necessary equipment has been purchased and the network installed, the maintenance costs of a MAN are considerably lower than those of a WAN network. One of the reasons for this difference is that in a MAN network it is possible to anticipate the maximum number of simultaneous users at all times and control it;
* offers greater security and protection of data and system integrity;
* is best suited for traffic that does not need to be allocated a fixed bandwidth;
* the bandwidth offered is greater.
Potential disadvantages of the MAN network
* For legal and political reasons, certain users may be forced to opt for a public MAN network instead of a private one;
* Its range, although very broad, does not exceed 50 km in diameter, which is why it may not be ideal in all cases.