WAN Structure: Advantages and Protocols - Term Paper Example

CNG101 PROJECT Selected Topic: Wide Area Network (WAN) Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 2. Networking: An Overview 3 2.1. Local Area Network (LAN) 3 2.2. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) 4 2.3. Wide Area Network (WAN) 4 3. History of WAN 5 4. WAN Connections 5 4.1. Dedicated Connection: 5 4.2. Switched Connection: 5 4.2.1. Packet Switching: 6 4.2.2. Circuit Switching: 6 5. Technology protocols and standards 6 6. Technology Use 7 6. Conclusion 7 Bibliography 8 Introduction A computer is brilliant device that facilitates people keep and maintain information as well as perform operations on massive amounts of data quickly. Additionally, approximately every company at the present utilizes computers to manage the business processes for instance bookkeeping, track inventory, generating reports, decision making, and store documents. However, when the size of a company grows, it often needs many personnel to enter and carry out operations on data at the same time. Consequently, to achieve the benefits from the computers, those personnel must be able to use the data each person enters. In this situation, computer networking becomes essential for the company. However, a computer network is basically a set of computers connected through cable or other media so that they can share resources, communicate, and distribute information. Normally, a computer network is categorized into three categories: local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), and wide area network (WAN) (Nash 5; Kimbleton and Schneider). However, selection of a network structure depends on the corporations needs. This paper presents a detailed analysis of wide area network (WAN). This paper will outline WAN structure, its uses, advantages and protocols. 2. Networking: An Overview To understand the structure of wide area network it is necessary to know about other two categories of networks: (Nash 25-27; Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat 471; Hutchinson and Sawyer 4.25; Forouzan and Fegan 14-15) 2.1. Local Area Network (LAN) A local area network is implemented to connect computers and devices within a small physical area for instance, school computer laboratory, home, office building or closely located set of buildings. In view of the fact that LANs cover limited geographical area thus high-speed media such as cables can be utilized to connect the computers. Additionally, since the high class media is used to connect the computers thus only some or no problems are emerged on the network. Moreover, since the LANs take small area thus the prices of equipment are somewhat cheap. 2.2. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) Second class of networks is metropolitan area network (MAN), which is a high-speed network that is used to establish connection between local area networks in a metropolitan area for instance, a city or town and deals with the communication activity within the area. Since, MANs cover more wide area as compared to LANs thus they are slower than LANs however typically have a small number of errors on the network. Moreover, a MAN requires special equipment for connecting the different LANs together, thus its price is relatively high. 2.3. Wide Area Network (WAN) Third class is Wide Area Network (WAN), which is a biggest network range because it can connect any number of LANs as well as WANs. In addition, a WAN can link networks within town, cities, states, countries, or even the world. However, when a network links all the LANs and WANs inside a whole corporation that network is acknowledged as enterprise wide area network. Moreover, WANs usually employ connections that move all the way through country or world. As they cover wide area thus they are usually slower than MANs and LANs and contain more errors. They also need various equipments therefore their price is also high. Figure 1Wide Area Network, Image Source: http://chauncy-ict.pbworks.com/f/WAN.PNG 3. History of WAN Whitman (2009) stated that wide area network technology has been sophisticated over an age of some decades. However, it initially appeared in the mid-twentieth century through the advent of networks similar to ARPAnet. After the developed of the Department of Defense in 1969, the network technology of the ARPAnet as well as numerous other networks ultimately developed into the internet, which is the biggest WAN in the world (Whitman). 4. WAN Connections A WAN facilitates corporations to make use of widespread resources to facilitate business or corporate operations. For instance, a lot of retail drugstores use a WAN as part of their business to maintain customers who fill directions with one of their stores (The Computer Technology Documentation Project). Normally, a WAN connection is a long length wire between sites, which gives users unlimited and dedicated bandwidth. However, the major issues and challenges with WAN are certainly, its high cost and feasibility. Therefore, in place of buying a dedicated cable, corporations purchase or rent connections from some kind of service provider. The examples of these service providers include a long distance provider or a regional telephone company. In addition, there are two types of leased connections dedicated or switched: (Nash 198-200; Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat 471; Hutchinson and Sawyer 4.25; Forouzan and Fegan) 4.1. Dedicated Connection: A dedicated connection offers a complete utilization of the connection to the users similar to a physical cable. However, the dissimilarity is that only the service provider has rights of managing the cable. Thus, the line could be used by the user who has leased it. Furthermore, the price of a dedicated connection typically is high because users pay the same cost whether they make use of the bandwidth or not. 4.2. Switched Connection: Other type of connection is switched connections. It permits a number of users to make use of a connection straight away. In addition, switched connections employ special equipment to handle the connections however offer the advantages of less price for the connection. One main benefit of switched connections is that users simply have to pay for the bandwidth they have used, not the entire bandwidth that has been offered to the users. However, there is a problem with this connection that is the bandwidth would be inadequate because of the large number of users using the connection. Moreover, there are two types of switching, packet switching and circuit switching. 4.2.1. Packet Switching: Packet switching divides the received message into a number of pieces. After that these pieces are transmitted all the way through the network the most excellent mode possible to arrive at the target or receiver. In addition, the packet switching can also make use of the virtual circuits, which are some kind of logical circuits established between devices. However, there is no actual physical link, only there is an open channel between the devices. 4.2.2. Circuit Switching: The second type of switching is circuit switching, which is a very commonly used switching. For instance, each time when a person makes a phone call, a virtual circuit between those two callers is established dynamically. However, just one person can use the circuit at that specific time. When the call is ended the circuit is closed, which then can be employed by other users. The main benefit of circuit switching is that the features of a dedicated service can be obtained without paying the cost for that. 5. Technology protocols and standards Wide area network is developed under the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards. In addition, the WAN is operational through the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards those can be 100 Mb/s, 10 Mb/s, or 1 Gb/s. However, WAN network uses protocols to move data or messages within a huge internetwork. In addition, they do not restore or change the above layer protocol sets for instance TCP/IP or IPX/SPX. They maintain these protocols through the internetworks for distributing or sending the data. Moreover, a number of WAN protocols for instance X.25 have been used for several years as well as are up till now used, on the other hand, remaining are new and still developing. Following are some commonly used examples of WAN protocols: (Nash 198-200; Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat 471; Hutchinson and Sawyer 4.25; Forouzan and Fegan 14-15) Public switched telephone network: It is a well-known technique to establish connection because of its low cost SLIP: It was an old dial-up networking protocol that could only be utilized with TCP/IP. This protocol was having no error checking or flow control PPP: It is a latest dial-up networking protocol that can be utilized along with approximately every protocol obtainable. Moreover, this protocol has flow control and error checking to uphold an excellent connection position X.25: It was emerged in 1970 and has been used as a packet switching network protocol ATM: ATM is an innovative packet-switching technique and it offers high speed up to 622Mbps 6. Technology Use Wide area networks are implemented for carrying out a range of functions. For instance, a corporation having offices in numerous locations can implement a wide area network to structure an intranet. Sometime, the individual offices utilize their own local area networks for things similar to data processing functions, internal messaging as well as hardware and software sharing. When these local area networks are jointly linked to structure wide area networks (similar messaging facilities and data sharing that turn out to be probable across a much wider geographic area). In addition, the businesses desiring to connect with their distributors or suppliers can produce a wide areas network as a means of setting up an extranet. For instance, an extranet could offer a sales representative through electronic access to data and information regarding the time it might obtain to deliver a product, or the accessibility of a business product. A number of wide area networks bring jointly a variety of communications, like that video, data, and voice. A number of businesses including universities, companies, hospitals, research centers and libraries, make use of wide area networks to connect to the Internet (10GEA). 6. Conclusion This paper has presented a detailed analysis of the wide area network (WAN) technology. In this research paper I have tried to present detailed aspects of the wide area network (WAN). In this paper I have outlined the wide area network technology emergence, main standards, technology structure and uses in the real world. I hope this research will offer a deep insight into the wide area network technology structure and its working arrangement. Bibliography 10GEA. "10 Gigabit Ethernet Interconnection with Wide Area Networks." n.d. 10 April 2010 . Forouzan, Behrouz and Sophia Chung Fegan. Data Communications and Networking, 4th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Hutchinson, Sarah E. and Stacey C. Sawyer. Computers, Communications, Information A users introduction, 7th Edition. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2000. Kimbleton, Stephen R. and G. Michael Schneider. "Computer Communication Networks: Approaches, Objectives, and Performance Considerations." ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR) Volume 7, Issue 3 (1975): 129-173. Nash, Jason. Networking Essentials, MCSE Study Guide. California: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc, 2000. Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat. Discovering Computers 2005. Boston: Thomson Course Technology, 2005. The Computer Technology Documentation Project. "Wide Area Networks (WAN)." 2009. The Computer Technology Documentation Project. 11 April 2010 . Whitman, Margaret. "Wide Area Network (WAN)." 2010. HostIP.info. 10 April 2010 . Read More