N-GEN Communications Web-based Seminars ©NGCS

Seminar - An Overview of Communications Technologies

Module 7 - LAN, WAN, VPN, WLAN, MAN, FDDI and Optical MANS                                                      Slide 30 of 45 _________________                                                                                  __________

                                                A MAN Architecture

                                            Network Scalability

                                            Multi-Protocol Support

                                            Signal Format Transparency

                                            Fast Provisioning

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Metropolitan Area Networks are evolving. Recently more attention isbeing paid to the MAN. More focus has been on the evolution of LANs and WANs. A Metropolitan Area Network must channel traffic within the metro-domain as well as to and from long-haul POPs ( Points - of - Presence) The metro-domain traffic will be generated by inter-business, inter-office and metropolitan connectivity. The network has to be robust to handle all the metro-customers' service needs.

Network Scalability - The metro-area traffic is very difficult to predict due to changing customer application-driven requirements. As a result , network topological flexibility is a must. One of the proposed approaches is a mesh-based provisioning.

Multi-Protocol Support - The network should be able to handle a variety of protocols on a single platform. Most service providers will offer services to customers with different applications.

Signal Format Transparency - It is closely tied to multi-protocol support. This capability is essential in isolating service providers from the constant evolution of newer data-formatting standards.

Fast Provisioning - A software-based MAN should be capable of providing rapid networking solutions. It should automatically provide "Just-in-Time" bandwidth provisioning to meet the ever-decreasing provisional interval requirements.