For years, wireless LANs having been supporting enterprise applications, such as warehouse management and mobile users

in offices. With lower prices and stable standards, homeowners are now installing wireless LANs at a rapid pace; in fact, the consumer market spends more money now on WLANs than enterprises. Wi-Fi the Easiest to Install It's much easier to install a wireless LAN at home than a wired network. A typical homeowner won't consider running cables throughout the house. It's time consuming and requires stringing wires through the walls, which can be tricky and frustrating. The installation of a wireless system, however, only requires the connection of a wireless LAN router to the broadband modem and the installation of Wi-Fi cards in the laptops and PCs (if they don't already have them). You'll be ready to start networking in less than an hour. Thus, installing a wireless LAN at home is much faster and easier than installing a wired network, the main reason why wireless in homes is flourishing. Flexible Access Makes Life Easier With a wireless LAN, employees can bring laptops home from work and continue working just as they do from their offices. For many professions, this makes it possible for people to work from home more effectively, whether it's to spend a few more hours researching stuff on the Internet or enable telecommuting on a daily basis. Of course with a wireless laptop, you truly can work from anyplace in the house. There's nothing tying you down to a desk in a particular room. You're free to use the Internet or access files on other computers while relaxing in a comfy chair in front of a TV, lounging on the patio breathing fresh air, or sitting at a desk in a quiet bedroom, just like you see in the commercials. As an independent consultant, I do much of my work from home. Without any defined work hours (a good thing), I tend to work off and on from morning to late evening (a bad thing). With this type of work schedule, I like the idea of working in the presence of family, which enables me to socialize a bit despite my work habits. With my wireless laptop, I can easily go back and forth to work. Wireless LANs at home are good for PCs as well. Unlike companies, Ethernet cabling in homes is nearly nonexistent. That makes wireless the best way to connect stationary PCs to the network. You'll have much more flexibility in locating a PC to any part of the house without being near the broadband modem. Internet Connection Sharing Many homes now have more than one computer. After purchasing a new PC, homeowners will generally hold on to the older PC. It may not be the best for running some of the newer games, but it still offers a good station for browsing the Web and interacting with e-mail. Of course some people will also bring a laptop home from work or purchase one instead of upgrading to a newer PC. With multiple computers, it's extremely beneficial to have them interface to the same Internet connection. Because of the ease of installation, a WLAN is the best solution for sharing the Internet service. Thankfully, for most, the days of dialup are over. Just be sure to install a WLAN router (not an access point) to ensure that you have Network Address Translation (NAT) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)services necessary for all of the computers to share a single, official IP address supplied by your Internet service provider. (You would use an AP just to get wireless access to an existing wired network.) Printer Sharing Increases Usability Without a WLAN, most home users must cable their printer directly to a PC or the Ethernet connector on the broadband modem. This limits the number of places that the printer can reside. Generally, it must sit within a few feet of the PC or modem. A Wi-Fi print server, however, enables the printer to be accessible over the network. This makes printer placement extremely flexible. For example, you may find it most useful to have the printer in the family room where you do most of your laptop computing. Or, it might make more sense to have the printer just inside the door that leads to your patio. You can also easily move the printer to new locations whenever you want to.

Definition: A local area network (LAN) supplies networking capability to a group of computers in close proximity to each other such as in an office building, a school, or a home. A LAN is useful for sharing resources like files, printers, games or other applications. A LAN in turn often connects to other LANs, and to the Internet or other WAN. Most local area networks are built with relatively inexpensive hardware such as Ethernetcables, network adapters, and hubs. Wireless LAN and other more advanced LAN hardware options also exist. Specialized operating system software may be used to configure a local area network. For example, most flavors of Microsoft Windows provide a software package called Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)that supports controlled access to LAN resources. The term LAN party refers to a multiplayer gaming event where participants bring their own computers and build a temporary LAN. Also Known As: local area network Examples: The most common type of local area network is an Ethernet LAN. The smallest home LAN can have exactly two computers; a large LAN can accommodate many thousands of computers. Many LANs are divided into logical groups called subnets. An Internet Protocol (IP) "Class A" LAN can in theory accommodate more than 16 million devices organized into subnets.

Why Outlook LAN Messenger ?

Outlook LAN Messenger is a Cross Platform (Windows, MAC, Linux) instant messaging software designed for use within Small, Medium and Corporate Offices. Intranet Office Messenger is an ideal replacement for Internet messengers in companies, having private and secure messaging and improving internal communications, business productivity and relationships between colleagues inside the office. Actually, a MAN is a hybrid between a LAN (Local Area Network) and a WAN (Wide Area Network). LAN technologies offer high data rates (such as Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gig Ethernet, etc), but are limited in distance (typically 100 meters or less) between nodes. WAN technologies offer greater distances between nodes (hundreds or thousands of miles/kilometers), but the data rates are low (typically 2 Mbps or less).

MANs fill the niche between having a LAN that goes fast for a very limited distance and a WAN that goes far, but at low data rates. A lot of service providers now offer MAN connectivity to allow a network to reach a distance of up to about 50Km, but at relatively high speed (usually up into the 100+ Mbps range). For an organization, the common use of a MAN is to extend their LAN connectivity between buildings/offices that are within the same city or urban area (hence the name Metropolitan Area Network). The organization can pass their Ethernet frames to the service provider MAN; the service provider will carry their frames across the MAN; and then deliver the frames to the destination site. From the customer's point of view, the MAN looks like one big (long) Ethernet link between their offices. The different sites could belong to the same IP subnet, and from the customer's viewpoint, no routing was required between their sites. The customer can also send their Ethernet frames to the service provider and the service provider can route the traffic off to the Internet through the MAN. Nowadays, a lot of providers are promoting MAN services to individuals as a high-speed Internet connection, but the speed is still going to be limited by the fastest technology available between the individual's location (maybe their house, so DSL, cable, or wireless) and the provider's nearest point of presence

Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is one of a number of types of networks (see also LAN and WAN). A MAN is a relatively new class of network, it serves a role similar to an ISP, but for corporate users with large LANs. There are three important features which discriminate MANs from LANs or WANs: 1. The network size falls intermediate between LANs and WANs. A MAN typically covers an area of between 5 and 50 km diameter. Many MANs cover an area the size of a city, although in some cases MANs may be as small as a group of buildings or as large as the North of Scotland. 2. A MAN (like a WAN) is not generally owned by a single organisation. The MAN, its communications links and equipment are generally owned by either a consortium of users or by a single network provider who sells the service to the users. This level of service provided to each user must therefore be negotiated with the MAN operator, and some performance guarantees are normally specified. 3. A MAN often acts as a high speed network to allow sharing of regional resources (similar to a large LAN). It is also frequently used to provide a shared connection to other networks using a link to a WAN. A typical use of MANs to provide shared access to a wide area network is shown in the figure below:

Use of MANs to provide regional networks which share the cost of access to a WAN
LAN Applications
The variety of applications for LANs is wide. To provide some insight into the types of requirements that LANs are intended to meet, the following sections discuss some of the most important general application areas for these networks.

Personal Computer LANs

A common LAN configuration is one that supports personal computers. With the relatively low cost of such systems, individual managers within organizations often independently procure personal computers for departmental applications, such as spreadsheet and project management tools, and for Internet access.

But a collection of department-level processors won't meet all of an organization's needs; central processing facilities are still required. Some programs, such as econometric forecasting models, are too big to run on a small computer. Corporate-wide data files, such as accounting and payroll, require a centralized facility but should be accessible to a number of users. In addition, there are other kinds of files that, although specialized, must be shared by a number of users. Further, there are sound reasons for connecting individual intelligent workstations not only to a central facility but to each other as well. Members of a project or organization team need to share work and information. By far the most efficient way to do so is digitally.

Certain expensive resources, such as a disk or a laser printer, can be shared by all users of the departmental LAN. In addition, the network can tie into larger corporate network facilities. For example, the corporation may have a building-wide LAN and a wide area private network. A communications server can provide controlled access to these resources.

LANs for the support of personal computers and workstations have become nearly universal in organizations of all sizes. Even those sites that still depend heavily on the mainframe have transferred much of the processing load to networks of personal computers. Perhaps the prime example of the way in which personal computers are being used is to implement client/server applications.

For personal computer networks, a key requirement is low cost. In particular, the cost of attachment to the network must be significantly less than the cost of the attached device. Thus, for the ordinary personal computer, an attachment cost in the hundreds of dollars is desirable. For more expensive, high-performance workstations, higher attachment costs can be tolerated. In any case, this suggests that the data rate of the network may be limited; in general, the higher the data rate, the higher the cost.

Back-End Networks and Storage Area Networks

Back-end networks are used to interconnect large systems such as mainframes, supercomputers, and mass storage devices. The key requirement here is for bulk data transfer among a limited number of devices in a small area. High reliability is generally also a requirement. These are some typical characteristics:

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High data rate. To satisfy the high-volume demand, data rates of 100 Mbps or more are required.

High-speed interface. Data transfer operations between a large host system and a mass storage device are typically performed through high-speed parallel I/O interfaces, rather than slower communications interfaces. Thus, the physical link between station and network must be high speed.

Distributed access. Some sort of distributed medium access control (MAC) technique is needed to enable a number of devices to share the medium with efficient and reliable access.

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Limited distance. Typically, a back-end network will be employed in a computer room or a small number of contiguous rooms.

Limited number of devices. The number of expensive mainframes and mass storage devices found in the computer room generally numbers in the tens of devices.

Back-end networks are commonly found at sites of large companies or research installations with large data-processing budgets. Because of the scale involved, a small difference in productivity can mean millions of dollars.

Consider a site that uses a dedicated mainframe computer. This implies a fairly large application or set of applications. As the load at the site grows, the existing mainframe may be replaced by a more powerful one, perhaps a multiprocessor system. At some sites, a single-system replacement won't be able to keep up; equipment performance growth rates will be exceeded by demand growth rates. The facility will eventually require multiple independent computers. Again, there are compelling reasons for interconnecting these systems. The cost of system interrupt is high, so it should be possibleeasily and quicklyto shift applications to backup systems. It must be possible to test new procedures and applications without degrading the production system. Large bulk-storage files must be accessible from more than one computer. Load leveling should be possible to maximize utilization and performance.

Obviously, some key requirements for back-end networks are the opposite of those for personal computer LANs. High data rates are required to keep up with the work, which typically involves the transfer of large blocks of data. The equipment for achieving high speeds is expensive. Fortunately, given the much higher cost of the attached devices, such costs are reasonable.

A concept related to that of the back-end network is the storage area network (SAN). A SAN is a separate network to handle storage needs. The SAN unties storage tasks from specific servers and creates a shared storage facility across a high-speed network. The collection of networked storage devices can include hard disks, tape libraries, and CD arrays. Most SANs use Fibre Channel, which is described in another article in this series. Figure 1 contrasts the SAN with the traditional server-based means of supporting shared storage. In a typical large LAN installation, with a number of servers and perhaps mainframes, each has its own dedicated storage devices. If a client needs access to a particular storage device, it must go through the server that controls that device. In a SAN, no server sits between the storage devices and the network; instead, the storage devices and servers are linked directly to the network. The SAN arrangement improves client-to-storage access efficiency, as well as direct storage-to-storage communications for backup and replication functions.

Figure 1

The use of storage area networks (SANs).

High-Speed Office Networks

Traditionally, the office environment has included a variety of devices with low- to medium-speed data transfer requirements. However, new applications in the office environment have been developed for which the limited speeds (up to 10 Mbps) of the traditional LAN are inadequate. Desktop image processors have increased network data flow by an unprecedented amount. Examples of these applications include fax machines, document image processors, and graphics programs on personal computers and workstations. Consider that a typical page with 200 picture elements, or pels (black or white points), per inch resolution (which is adequate but not high resolution) generates 3,740,000 bits (8.5 inches x 11 inches x 40,000 pels per square inch). Even with compression techniques, this generates a tremendous load. In addition, disk technology and price/performance have evolved so that desktop storage capacities in the gigabyte range are typical. These new demands require LANs with high speed that can support the larger numbers and greater geographic extent of office systems as compared to back-end systems.

Backbone LANs
The increasing use of distributed processing applications and personal computers has led to a need for a flexible strategy for local networking. Support of premises-wide data communications requires a networking service that's capable of spanning the distances involved and that interconnects equipment in a single (perhaps large) building or a cluster of buildings. Although it's possible to develop a single LAN to interconnect all the data-processing equipment on the premises, this is probably not a practical alternative in most cases. There are several drawbacks to a single-LAN strategy:

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Reliability. With a single LAN, a service interruption, even of short duration, could result in a major disruption for users.

Capacity. A single LAN could be saturated as the number of devices attached to the network grows over time.

Cost. A single-LAN technology is not optimized for the diverse requirements of interconnection and communication. The presence of large numbers of low-cost microcomputers dictates that network support for these devices be provided at low cost. LANs that support very low cost attachment will not be suitable for meeting the overall requirement.

A more attractive alternative is to employ lower-cost, lower-capacity LANs within buildings or departments and to interconnect these networks with a higher-capacity LAN. This latter network is referred to as a backbone LAN.

Factory LANs
The factory environment is increasingly being dominated by automated equipment: programmable controllers, automated materials-handling devices, time and attendance stations, machine vision devices, and various forms of robots. To manage the production or manufacturing process, it's essential to tie this equipment together. And, indeed, the very nature of the equipment facilitates this. Microprocessor devices have the potential to collect information from the shop floor and accept commands. With the proper use of the information and commands, it's possible to improve the manufacturing process and to provide detailed machine control.

The more a factory is automated, the greater the need for communications. Only by interconnecting all the devices and by providing mechanisms for their cooperation can the automated factory be made to work. The means for interconnection is the factory LAN. Key characteristics of a factory LAN include the following:

High capacity

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Ability to handle a variety of data traffic

Large geographic extent

High reliability

Ability to specify and control transmission delays

Factory LANs are a niche market requiring, in general, more flexible and reliable LANs than are found in the typical office environment.

WAN Applications

Wide area networks encompass an enormous range of architectures. Here we'll consider just a few which are likely to be of special interest to cable operators. In particular, we'll focus, first, on specialized applications where multiple long distance data transport is required in a secure and fiber efficient manner. One example of such an applications is the centralization of VoD servers at a single location and the need to provide multiple GigE drops to various hub locations hundreds of miles away from the headend. One cost effective solution for providing long haul transport of GigE, OC-3, OC-12 and OC-48 utilizes a DWDM transponder which accepts an optical input and places it in one of 40 DWDM wavelengths of a fiber. This Layer 1 optical signal can then be amplified using indoor as well as outdoor EDFAs to extend the reach of this WAN link. For extremely long distances exceeding 100 miles, dispersion compensators can be used to compensate for scattering effects of light as it travels over these longer distances within single mode fiber. This long reach DWDM transport solution is applicable for signals between 155 MHz to 2.5 GHz and is also suitable for Aurora's convergent digital return and Ethernet transport technologies. A second example is based on two cities, 100 miles apart, that have several companies which would like to employ secure private links between the cities. Due to their demand for high security this precludes the use of typical Layer 2 and Layer 3 solutions because of the existence of a broad range of potential software attacks and possible user errors that, due to a single malicious or false command at a switch, could take down an entire network or, worse, compromise the security of a link without the operator's knowledge. One option would be to lease a dedicated fiber to a single customer; however, this generally greatly limits the return on investment of that fiber's construction and maintenance. Another option would be to use a DWDM solution to provide 40 DWDM wavelengths, multiplying the potential commercial services WAN revenue by a factor of 40.

Yet a third approach would be to use Aurora's NI3030E Network Management Units (installed in CH3000 Chassis) that utilize 16 TDM channels per wavelength to deliver a highly secure Layer 1 pipe between any two locations. In this last solution, up to 640 highly secure Layer 1 Fast Ethernet links can be created across just two fibers and can straddle hundred of miles. This simple "bookends" approach (employing NI3030Es in chassis located in each city), in fact, makes bulk transport of highly secure Layer 1 FastE pipes a most effective solution that would be difficult to match in capex or opex. The advantage of all these solutions is that they are highly cost effective even at the outset of deployment, and capital expenses are recovered faster as more businesses sign up for this highly secure WAN transport solution. Wherever an operator needs to use fiber efficiently and possibly traverse long distances, Aurora provides a complete line of DWDM active and passive modules as well as optical amplifiers for both indoor and outdoor use.
Benefits of LANs to an Organization The benefits of LANs are: Resource sharing capability allows storage space and network peripherals, such as printers, to be shared by workstations, reducing hardware requirement, expenses and improving productivity. Standard PC hardware is used for network workstations and servers, which provide a great deal of design flexibility, easy maintenance and cost efficiency. Common applications are network aware, which significantly help in user transition time when relocating to different network environments. Additionally, network licensing is substantially less expensive than that of stand-alone licensing. Through file sharing, users can easily transfer files to one another, in order to improve productivity. Shared file access allows multi-user access to user applications. With centralized data storage, LANs offer the ability to place shared data on a single server within a central location. Network backups are easier and more reliable because all data resides on one physical location. This reduces the cost incurred by loss of any data during system failure. LANs support a number of fault tolerance features, such as disk mirroring, disk-duplexing, disk striping with parity (RAID5) and UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply). This improves reliability and minimizes network downtime. LANs offer centralized security, which allows control over access to the network and its resources. Depending on an organization's requirements, this functionality is customizable to help protect sensitive data from loss, destruction, theft, or unauthorized disclosure. Communication to other users is also provided through a messaging system. It is the basis for implementing sophisticated systems