• Technology -> Networks and communications

• 0 Comment

How does WAN differ from a LAN and what advantages does it offer?

Elbridge Whiffin

WAN and LAN are two different types of networks that offer varying advantages and disadvantages. A LAN, or local area network, is a network that is limited to a small geographic area, like a home, office, or building. WAN, or wide area network, on the other hand, covers a broader geographic area, such as multiple buildings, cities or even countries.

One of the primary differences between WAN and LAN is their geographical area of coverage. A LAN is a restricted network, offering a high level of privacy and security, whereas a WAN connects computers in different locations, providing a broader infrastructure for users to communicate across distances. WANs are typically used to connect geographically dispersed LANs, and this allows remote users to access the same resources as if they were working on the same LAN.

WANs provide several advantages over LANs. For example, a WAN enables organizations to access greater resources, including data, software, and hardware, regardless of where they are physically located. WANs are well-suited for large organizations because they allow for greater collaboration and communication options between employees in different locations. This centralized communication system provides better control and management of resources such as the Internet, which will offer faster speeds, better reliability, and high-performance over the network.

Another advantage of WANs is that they can be utilized to provide failover protection and redundancy. If any area of the WAN is disrupted, traffic can be automatically rerouted to a redundant connection, ensuring that the network remains available. This redundancy is essential for business-critical applications, as it ensures that critical services will remain active even if parts of the network go offline.

Moreover, WANs provide scalability to organizations in a cost-efficient way. WANs allow companies to gradually add new services and users as needed, and they can be quickly expanded if the organization needs to accommodate growing needs. WANs provide advantages in terms of reduced hardware, software, and maintenance costs, as companies can have centralized resources that are shared between several remote locations.

In conclusion, WANs offer a variety of benefits that LANs cannot match, such as scalability, security, redundancy, and superior resource access and management. In today's globally interconnected commercial spaces, organizations are increasingly using WANs to communicate and collaborate more effectively across multiple locations, whether it’s businesses, governments, or educational institutions. With advanced remote access technology, these wide area networks are now available to everyone, from small startups to multinational giants.