Samuel Chiltern answered
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is normally composed of a number of smaller Local Area Networks (LANs), which will typically be linked together using high-bandwidth technology such as fibre-optic cable.
Advantages of MANs
The biggest advantage of MANs is the bandwidth (potential speed) of the connecting links.
This means that resources (such as databases and files) shared on the network can be accessed extremely quickly.
Some installations allow multiple users to share the same high-speed Internet connection, thereby sharing the cost of the service and securing a better quality of service through collective bargaining and economies of scale.
Disadvantages of MANs
The key disadvantage of MANs is the cost of the cutting-edge technology employed. Also, this equipment generally has to be installed for the first time, as the copper traditionally used for the phone network is generally considered to be too slow to be annexed for this purpose.
The cost is what inhibits the geographical reach of MANs, which is also another drawback.
Practical Applications
Usually, you will find MANs installed on university campuses, where all academic buildings and halls of residence are linked together, and this network is in turn linked up to a Wide Area Network (WAN) for access to the wider Internet.
Digital cable television and cable broadband are considered to be MANs too, since they link up many buildings within a local geographical area such as a city.
There are a variety of technologies which can be used to create a MAN. Traditionally, they were constructed using fibre-optic cable, but this is gradually making way for Ethernet-based connections as the quality of Ethernet cable now allows for higher transfer speeds and greater operating ranges.
Advantages of MANs
The biggest advantage of MANs is the bandwidth (potential speed) of the connecting links.
This means that resources (such as databases and files) shared on the network can be accessed extremely quickly.
Some installations allow multiple users to share the same high-speed Internet connection, thereby sharing the cost of the service and securing a better quality of service through collective bargaining and economies of scale.
Disadvantages of MANs
The key disadvantage of MANs is the cost of the cutting-edge technology employed. Also, this equipment generally has to be installed for the first time, as the copper traditionally used for the phone network is generally considered to be too slow to be annexed for this purpose.
The cost is what inhibits the geographical reach of MANs, which is also another drawback.
Practical Applications
Usually, you will find MANs installed on university campuses, where all academic buildings and halls of residence are linked together, and this network is in turn linked up to a Wide Area Network (WAN) for access to the wider Internet.
Digital cable television and cable broadband are considered to be MANs too, since they link up many buildings within a local geographical area such as a city.
There are a variety of technologies which can be used to create a MAN. Traditionally, they were constructed using fibre-optic cable, but this is gradually making way for Ethernet-based connections as the quality of Ethernet cable now allows for higher transfer speeds and greater operating ranges.
