What is MAN
by Yogi P - September 3, 2023
What does MAN stands for?
MAN stands for Metropolitan Area Network.
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a large computer network that covers an area larger than a Local Area Network (LAN), but smaller than a Wide Area Network (WAN). It typically spans an area between school and university campuses, towns, and cities, and allows multiple networks to communicate within the area.
A MAN is built from several interconnected LAN’s in order to identify and utilize additional resources within its larger borders. A MAN can use a variety of transmission media, such as fiber-optic, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi; and technologies, such as FDDI and ATM. With its high-speed data transfer capabilities, a MAN can serve as a backbone for large organizations, such as universities, hospitals, and government offices.
MANs are used to provide services such as citywide video conferencing, multimedia applications, remote access to the central file server, and internet access. Each individual LAN or network within a MAN has its own computers and servers that are locally connected. The MAN interlinks them with one another; allowing users to move data quickly between computers, servers, and networks.
A Metropolitan Area Network is often administered by a single organization, such as a telecommunications company. MAN networks can also provide advanced services, such as Quality of Service (QoS), which prioritizes network traffic and is used in videoconferencing or streaming applications.
Though MANs are less common now with emerging technology and more flexible networks, they are still in use in many large scale organizations and geographic areas. If you’re part of a large network, it’s likely that a MAN is connecting you to the other users in your network.
Key Takeaways
- MAN is the acronym of Metropolitan Area Network.
- It is a computer network larger than LAN but smaller than WAN.
- It interlinks several local area networks to allow users to move data quickly between them.
- It is typically administered by a single organization.
- It provides advanced services such as QoS.
