What is the Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)?
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is similar to a Local Area Network (LAN), but spans an entire city or campus. MANs are formed by connecting multiple LANs. Therefore, MANs are larger than LANs, but smaller than Wide Area Networks (WAN).
MANs are extremely efficient and enable fast communication over high-speed carriers such as fiber optic cables.
A MAN is ideal for many types of network users because it is a medium-sized network. MANs are used to create high-speed data connection networks for cities and towns.
The working mechanism of an MAN is similar to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), but an MAN does not belong to a single organization. Like a WAN, a MAN provides its users with shared network connections. A MAN works mainly on the data link layer, layer 2 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.
Distributed Queue Dual Bus (DQDB) is the MAN standard that is specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) as IEEE 802.6. With this standard, a MAN extends up to 30-40 km or 20-25 miles.
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