What does WAN mean in UNCLASSIFIED

Uses of WAN

A WAN is typically used for connecting multiple sites together in order to allow users in different locations to access data anywhere in its entirety. This makes it possible for businesses with branches in different cities or countries to access shared services, resources, applications and data while remaining connected over the internet. Some common uses of WAN are Voice over IP (VoIP), Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) which enables secure connections between sites, Distance Learning using the Internet to connect teachers and students geographically spread out, Telemedicine providing healthcare remotely from a distance among many other uses.

Advantages of WAN

WAN offers several advantages when compared to other types of networking solutions. Firstly, it provides greater flexibility allowing users at different remote locations the ability to connect to each other without having to physically travel from one place another. Secondly, it has greater bandwidth capabilities due to its vast size which allows for faster transfer speeds than a traditional LAN connection. Finally, it offers increased security as the packets sent through this type of network are encrypted making them more difficult for attackers intercepting them in transit.

Disadvantages Of WAN

Although there are several advantages that come with using a WAN there are also some disadvantages associated with it too. The most notable being that setting up a large-scale WAN requires significant capital investment due to costly infrastructure setup costs such as leased line charges and router costs leading to high operational expenses long term Additionally larger networks tend have higher latency rates due slower connection speeds which could affect the performance if realtime applications are needed Lastly smaller networks do not require specialised hardware therefore any troubleshooting will require additional training and expertise forming part maintenance cost.