Emilie Meyer
Computer networks are classified based on their purpose and size. A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a computer network used for data transmission among personal devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. PANs are limited by distance, covering a maximum of 10 meters. They typically use wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, infrared, and near-field communication, but can also use wired connections like USB cables. PANs are important in today's connected world, despite their limitations in bandwidth and potential interference from other wireless devices. On the other hand, a Local Area Network (LAN) is a group of devices, such as computers, servers, and printers, connected within a limited area like a home, office, or school. LANs are typically used for sharing resources and have faster speeds than Wide Area Networks (WANs). WANs, the largest type of network, connect multiple LANs and cover large geographical areas, enabling communication between distant offices. Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) are another type of network that covers a medium-range area, larger than LANs but smaller than WANs. Finally, Campus Area Networks (CANs) are used within a site to connect different buildings and departments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Controller Area Network |
| Type of Network | Vehicle bus standard |
| Purpose | Allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate without a host computer |
| Area Covered | Medium range, within a site |
| Connection Type | Wired, Wireless |
| Devices Connected | Computers, Mobile, Personal Digital Assistant |
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What You'll Learn
Personal Area Network (PAN)
A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a small network that interconnects electronic devices within a limited range of just a few meters. PANs are designed to enable devices in a small office or home office (SOHO) environment to communicate and share resources, data, and applications either through wired or wireless connections.
PANs typically consist of laptops, smartphones, tablets, wearables, personal digital assistants, printers, and entertainment devices. They are commonly used in the Internet of Things (IoT) to connect devices within an individual's immediate vicinity.
Wireless PANs (WPANs) are carried over a low-powered, short-distance wireless network technology such as Infrared Data Association (IrDA) protocol devices, wireless universal serial bus (USB), Bluetooth, ultra-wideband, or Zigbee. WPANs use close-range wireless connectivity protocols such as Bluetooth and are not efficient over distances larger than 5-10 meters.
A body area network (BAN) is a type of mobile computer network that moves with a person and is typically established when a person connects their smartphone and Bluetooth headphones. BANs are used for tracking or supporting biomedical functions, such as a pacemaker with wireless capabilities.
Wired PANs provide short connections between peripherals using wired technologies such as USB, FireWire, IEEE-1394 high-performance serial buses, or Thunderbolt.
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Campus Area Network (CAN)
A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a group of interconnected Local Area Networks (LAN) within a limited geographical area, such as a school, university, or corporate campus. It covers areas ranging from 1 to 5 km and can be wired or wireless.
CANs are typically used to connect multiple buildings within a large property, such as different academic departments in a university or various corporate facilities in a company campus. For example, a university's English department can quickly receive digital book copies from the university library without sending requests over the public internet, reducing latency. Similarly, corporate campuses such as Googleplex and Microsoft's campus use CANs to connect different buildings.
CANs are managed by an internal IT team, which has a high degree of control over the network. This team can easily apply security policies, install firewalls, manage access, and block unsafe devices. CANs are also cost-effective, requiring little maintenance while providing fast data transfer rates and multi-departmental network access.
CANs are smaller than Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN), which cover larger geographic areas. A MAN, for instance, can interconnect users within a city, while a WAN is the largest type of network, spanning multiple LANs, CANs, and MANs.
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Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a computer network that connects computers and other devices within a given geographical area—typically a large city or metropolitan area, but it could also be multiple cities and towns, or a large area with multiple buildings.
A MAN is larger than a Local Area Network (LAN) but smaller than a Wide Area Network (WAN). It is made up of interconnected LANs, and typically combines the networks of multiple organisations, rather than being managed by a single one. MANs are usually connected using high-speed connections, such as fibre optic cables, and can be more efficient than WANs as data doesn't have to travel over large distances.
The early MAN was used for public online services and data exchange channels for VIP clients. The IP MAN, meanwhile, has been used for public internet surfing, but is facing challenges as more services are expected to be carried over it, requiring guaranteed QoS and high security. The IP MAN has also seen significant investment and development, and is now used for public online access services, voice and video services, and VPN services.
The operation of the MAN presents some difficulties, with multiple networks coexisting, using diverse and outdated technologies, and old equipment that is costly to maintain.
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Storage Area Network (SAN)
A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a dedicated network for data storage. It is a high-speed network of storage devices that connects those devices with servers. SANs are primarily used to access data storage devices such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes. SANs are not affected by network traffic, such as bottlenecks that can happen in a local area network (LAN).
SANs are tailored to a specific environment, combining servers, storage systems, networking switches, software, and services. They are made up of hosts, switches, storage elements, and storage devices that are interconnected using a variety of technologies, topologies, and protocols. SANs may span multiple sites.
SANs are an extension of the storage bus concept, which enables storage devices and servers to interconnect by using similar elements, such as LANs and wide-area networks (WANs). They include a management layer that organizes the connections, storage elements, and computer systems, promoting robust data transfers.
SANs also provide automatic backup of data and monitoring of the storage and backup processes. They can be used to facilitate high-speed, low-latency, and high-volume communications.
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Wide Area Network (WAN)
A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a telecommunications network that covers a large geographic area, often extending across regions, countries, and even the world. WANs are used to connect multiple Local Area Networks (LANs) and other types of networks, enabling communication and data transfer between users and computers in different locations.
WANs are essential for businesses, schools, and government entities to relay data to their staff, students, clients, buyers, and suppliers worldwide. They allow organizations to access information securely, quickly, and reliably, facilitating business productivity and continuity. The Internet is an example of the world's largest WAN, connecting numerous international networks.
WANs can be established through leased telecommunication circuits or lines, which can be expensive. However, cost-effective alternatives such as circuit switching or packet switching methods are also used. Various technologies are available for WAN links, including circuit-switched telephone lines, radio wave transmission, and optical fiber. The choice of technology depends on factors such as speed, cost, and ease of implementation.
WAN architectures are based on the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, which defines and standardizes telecommunication networks. The OSI model visualizes computer networks as functioning across seven layers, with each layer utilizing different networking technologies. WAN protocols, or networking protocols, define the rules of communication across the network, ensuring efficient data transfer and interoperability. Examples of WAN protocols include Frame Relay, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and Packet over SONET/SDH (POS).
Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) is an innovative approach that simplifies the deployment, operation, and management of WAN architectures. SD-WAN utilizes virtualization, application-level policies, overlay networks, and onsite SD-WAN devices to improve data transfer efficiency. It also reduces networking costs and provides greater flexibility compared to fixed connections.
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Frequently asked questions
PAN stands for Personal Area Network. It is a small network used for connecting devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. PANs typically have limited bandwidth and are limited in terms of distance, covering a very small area, up to a maximum of 10 meters from a person.
Devices on a PAN network can connect to each other using wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, infrared, and near-field communication (NFC), or wired connections such as USB cables.
A LAN or Local Area Network is a group of devices such as computers, servers, switches, and printers located in the same building. A LAN typically relies on wired connections, whereas a PAN uses wireless technologies or wired connections such as USB cables to connect devices. A PAN also covers a smaller area than a LAN.
