Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

A metropolitan area network, or MAN, connects multiple sites within a city or metropolitan region and thereby bridges the gap between local area networks and wide area networks. Typical coverage ranges from a few kilometres up to around one hundred kilometres. MANs are predominantly implemented using fibre optic links, often in ring or mesh topologies to ensure resilience. Technologies deployed include carrier Ethernet, DWDM and MPLS. Such networks are operated by municipal utilities, regional carriers, universities, public authorities and larger organisations with multiple properties. Typical applications include interconnecting data centres, campus locations, hospitals and administrative buildings, as well as redundant internet connectivity. High bandwidth, low latency and clearly defined quality of service parameters are decisive.