Vulnerabilities in WAN: A Security Concern

The Wide Area Network (WAN) is a network that covers a large geographical area and connects multiple Local Area Networks (LANs). WANs use telephone lines, radio waves, and satellite links to enable data transfer over long distances. There are two types of WANs: Point-to-Point and Switched. Despite its advantages, such as covering large areas and enabling software sharing, WANs have limitations like security issues and high setup costs. Besides LAN, WAN, and MAN, there are other types of networks like Campus Area Network (CAN), Personal Area Network (PAN), Storage Area Network (SAN), and System Area Network (SAN). These different network types work together to enable communication and data sharing between devices.

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NETWORK TYPES
August 6th, 2019
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORK
A computer network is being defined as the group of computer networks as well as
different hardware devices that are connected together with the help of some specific
communication channels in order to facilitate the communication. On the other hand, it can also
be said that a computer network is being defined as the set of computers that are linked together
with an aim to share some resources and information over the network. The computers that are
present over the network are being called by the name of nodes.
Herein, it can be said that before gaining the clarity about the network types it is very
much essential for the individual that it should have the proper idea about the computer network.
This is because lack of clarity in relation to the same will tend to lead the individual towards the
wrong direction in terms of getting understanding about computer network.
In accordance with the given context, it can be depicted that if a system is not connected
with the network then in this situation it cannot be communicated with the computer network.
Further, the internet itself is being regarded as a computer network. This is due to the reason that
it enables individuals with regard to sharing different types of information over the network in an
effectual way. In a computer network, network types have significant importance. This is
because; the speed of performing transaction over the internet totally depends on the specific
network types which are being selected by the individual. The given study will detail the main
forms of network. In addition to this, it will also give a description of other types of networks
that are not famous that much.
FEATURES OF COMPUTER NETWORK
Before knowing more about the network types, it is very much essential for the
individual that it should have some information about the computer network. This is because, it
is by gaining information about the computer network only, an individual is better able to
understand the concepts that are associated with network types in an effectual way. In this
regard, the detail about the feature of the computer network is given below:
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 Communication speed: The computer network enable an individual with respect to
communicating over the network is a fast and effective manner. Here, with the help of
the internet, a person can do video conferencing and it can also send a message via
email.
 File sharing: The computer networks aims to form the connection between two
individuals and thus it works in the same manner only. In this regard, it can be depicted
that with the help of a computer network an individual can share the files over the
network.
 It also enables software as well as hardware sharing: The individual can not only share
file over the network, but it can also share the software as well as hardware in the
network. For the given purpose, an application can be installed in the main server, thus
it is through this way the only user can access the application centrally. The given thing
will help in eliminating the individual task of installing the software on every machine.
Thus, it is through this way only hardware can also be shared.
 Security: The computer network will also assure the security of the individual. This is
because; here an individual cannot access all files over the network.
 Reliability: In case of any hardware failure, a computer network can also use another
form of data communication. Hence, these are some major features of the computer
network.
IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTER NETWORK
There is an importance of computer network and details about the same are given below:
 It allows resource sharing: Here, along with the file-sharing an individual can also
perform resource sharing in which different resources such as scanner, printers, and
copiers can be shared from one network to another in an effectual manner.
 It also helps in the task of enhancing the storage capacity of the computer: An individual
tends to access different types of files as well as media such as music and image etc.
These things can be stored by an individual in some other machines or the storage
system. Thus, it is very right to say that computer network helps in the task of raising the
storage capacity for the individual.
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 Improving communication: The individual who is living in some other country can easily
communicate with the people of some other nation. Thus, it helps in reducing the
communication gap between two people and it is through this way only it connects the
whole world into one single platform.
NETWORK TYPES
Now, it’s time to have a discussion about the network types. However, before explaining
the same it can be depicted that LANs, WANs, and MANs are the mediums that connect
computers over the network. In this section, we will not only discuss the meaning of these given
network types, but we will also explore the advantages as well as limitations that are related to
the given network types in an effectual way. These are all detailed below:
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LAN
It is called by the name of Local Area Network. The LAN connects the devices of
network in such a manner that both workstation and personal computers can share programs,
tools, and data. In this regard, here the group of computers is connected to each other with the
help of some devices like switches or the stack of the switches. In the local network, private
addresses are unique in relation to different other computers. In addition to this, here routers are
being found in the boundary of the local area network, and it will tend to connect them to the
larger WAN.
On the other hand, in the LAN the data transmission can be performed at very fast speed.
This is due to the reason that here a number of computers that linked together are very limited in
nature. Furthermore, the given network is basically used by the school, office building and home,
etc. These all generally contain single LAN. Moreover, sometimes one building contains a very
few and small LANs. Further, in the TCP/IP networking, sometime LAN is being implemented
as the single IP subnet. Apart from the feature that LAN operates in limited space, it also has a
feature that it is being controlled as well as managed by the single organization or firm.
Advantages of LAN
 It allows resource sharing: By using LAN, different types of hardware resources such as
printers, DVD-ROM, modems and hard disk can be shared with the use of the respective
network.
 Easy and cheap communication: The message, as well as data, can be easily transferred in
the networked computers. Thus, it saves time as well as money of individual.
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 Centralized data: The users can save their data on the hard disk of the computer server.
On the other hand, the given thing will enable user with regard to use any workstation
over the network in order to access the data in an effectual manner.
Limitation of LAN
 The setup cost is very high: Even though the LAN will help in saving the cost of
individual because of shared computer resources, but the initial cost in relation to the
installation of LAN is very much high.
 It violets the privacy: The administrator of the LAN can check the personal file as well as
data of each and every user who are using LAN network.
 Data security threat: If the centralized data repository is not secured then in this situation
unauthorized user can get access to the important information of the organization. Thus,
this could be proved as a big threat for the company.
MAN
It is called by the name Metropolitan Area Network. It basically covers a much larger
area in comparison to the LAN. However, the area which is being covered by it is smaller than
WAN. Herein, it basically connects two or more computers that are very much apart but resides
in the same or the different cities. On the other hand, MAN covers a very large geographical area
and it will also serve as the internet service provider. On the other hand, it is basically being
designed for the customers that needed very high-speed connectivity. The speed in MAN is
ranging in the form of Mbps. Further, it is very much difficult for the individual with respect to
design and maintain the MAN. It has also been identified that fault tolerance in metropolitan area
network is very much less. It also involves very much congestion in the network. It is very much
costly in nature and it may or may not be owned by a single firm. Additionally, it can also be
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entailed that the propagation delay of MAN and the rate of data transfer is moderate. Here,
modem or the cable is being used for the purpose to transfer the data from one place to another
place in an effectual manner.
There are advantages and limitations are also associated with the MANs. These are all given
below:
Advantages
 It is less expensive in nature: It is very much easy to manage the MAN data in a
centralized way. It also gives good speed.
 It sends local emails: By using MAN, an individual can send local email in fast and free.
 It also enables the sharing of the internet: In some MAN, an individual can also share the
internet connection. It is through this way only multiple users can get high-speed internet.
Limitation
 It is very much difficult to manage: For the individual, it will become very much difficult
to manage the MAN if it will become very much big.
 Hackers attack: In MAN, there are very high chances that hackers can attack the network.
However, the given thing can weed with the help of trained and highly skilled data
security people in an effectual way.
WAN
It is being called by the name of Wide Area Network and it extends over the large
geographical area. However, it is still being confined within the boundary of country and state.
Further, it can also be said that WAN could be considered as the connection of LAN that tends to
connect different other LAN with the help of telephone lines and radio waves, etc. Furthermore,
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it can also be said that there are two forms of WAN are available and these are Point-To-Point
WAN and Switched WAN. For the individual, it is very much difficult to design as well as
maintain the WAN. Just like a MAN, in WAN also fault tolerance is very much less. Further,
there is very much congestion is being found in the network. The satellite link, as well as PSTN,
is being used as the medium of communication in WAN. As it enables the transfer of data in
long-distance, noise and error are more in the Wide Area Network in an effectual way.
Advantages
 It tends to cover a very large geographical area: The WAN tends to cover the
geographical area of around 1000 km. For example, if a person has an office in some
other city then the braches of offices can be connected by using WAN.
 It enables the sharing of the software and applications: Just like LAN, here also an
individual can share software applications and resources such as hard drive.
Limitations
 It consists of different security problems: There are many technologies combined in
WAN and thus it has more security problem.
 The cost of set up is high: If a person is setting WAN in office for the very first time then
it will have to invest huge money. The person needs to purchase things like routers, extra
security software, and switches, etc.
OTHER TYPES OF NETWORKS
Apart from the main network types, there are other types of the network also that plays a
very important role in the process of sharing the data from one place to another. The detail about
the same is given below:
 Campus area network: The very first form of network types is the campus area network.
The given network tends to possess different LAN’s networks. In simple words, it can be
said that it is the interconnection of multiple local area networks. However, the LAN’s
network is very much smaller than the MANs network. The respective type of network is
used by universities and the local small companies.
 Personal area network: It is being regarded as the type of network which is surrounding
around an individual. In addition to this, the respective network tends to enable
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communication between the computer devices that are very much near to the person.
Herein, it can also be depicted that PAN network can be wired such as USB and
FireWire, etc. On the other hand, it can also be wireless in the form of Infrared,
Bluetooth, and ZigBee, etc.
 Storage area network: It is the form of network that basically forms the connection
between servers and the data storage devices. Here, with an aim to do the same it makes
use of the technology such as fiber channel in an effectual way. It is also being
considered as a very high-speed network that interconnects the storage devices to the
different servers. The storage area network is assembled with the help of three principle
components and these are switches, Host Bus Adapters, and cabling, etc.
 System area network: It is also being called by the name of cluster area network or CAN.
In this regard, it can be said that it basically links the high-speed computers with a high-
speed connection in the cluster configuration. Further, it can also be said that the system
area network consists of a group of devices that are linked with the high speed and the
high-performance connection. It uses internet protocol addresses which are being
assigned by TCP/IP to each SAN network. It is basically used by the Microsoft SQL
server 2005 for the high-performance connectivity with the help of virtual interface
adapters. Overall, it can be said that these are the other types of networks that are
related to the computer system.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the whole analysis that for the computer network, LAN, WAN,
and MAN are being regarded as the main form of network types. Herein, it is with the help of
these given networks only an individual is able to form communication between the two
networks of computers. Further, the given tools will also enable a person with regard to share
any type of information to others. Thus, it is the greatest evolution of information technology.
This is due to the reason that it has helped in making the distance between two people quite
smaller. On the other hand, the other networks which are explained above also performing
different type of activities in the computer network.
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