Explain Some Features Of Wide Area Network

Computer networks are very important for the smooth functioning of corporate and administrative affairs. It is very important to develop communication between the various computers and information technology devices. It is used for sharing hardware, files, data, information and software. They are classified into personal area network, local area network, metropolitan area network and wide area network.

Wide Area Network in very simple language, connects two or more Local Area Networks via devices, which are routers or function like routers. The users at many different locations of a Wide Area Network are connected to each other via one central server. This server can alone serve all the computers on a network.

A wide area network requires networking devices such as router, modem and switches. The router determines the route of data transmission. The transfer of data is based on two layers of the Open System Interconnection (OSI). The first layer is a physical layer; while the other is a data link layer which transfers data between two consecutive nodes.

There are four types of Wide Area Network connection options: leased-line connection, circuit-switching connection, packet-switching connection or cell-relay. The leased line is the most classic type of Wide Area Network, where there is a point-to-point connection between two computers. It is mostly used for small scale companies and colleges.

Wide area networks can also be designed by the internet service providers. Such a network is used to connect the local area network of an organization to the internet. It is designed through the leased lines. The leased line connects to the router on one end and to the core of the WAN on the other end. In a corporate setup, it enables the employers to work from anywhere in the world. It is essential for approaching the central data and applications. It helps them to share internal functions such as sales, production and development with their authorised locations.

The advancements in the LAN technology progressed to the development of WAN with the help of telephony technology. Fibre optics also have an effectual role as they create a strong link between the networks, thus WAN technology came into existence which has changed the complete scenario of the computer world. The main reason for its success and popularity is its cost effectiveness. Particularly, from small to big businesses, each is making really good use of wide area networks. There are also many others features and benefits of WAN; for example, it uses publication links and routers to create communication networks.

Wireless wide area network is a type of wide area network. It enables you to access information anytime and anywhere. It maintains a secure and reliable connectivity and many of these use USB modems. USB modems are special devices that act as serial ports. The connection is achieved through the radio frequency technologies that work efficiently even in the obstructing areas.

WANs can be designed by using leased lines. Since leased lines are very expensive, packet switching or circuit switching techniques can also be used as an alternative. This shows the quality of designing and flexibility of WANs. Similarly, through Network Protocols, transport and address functions can be delivered. A notable point is that improvements can be made in the performance of wide area networks through optimisation.

All you wanted to know about Call Routing.