LAN vs WAN Network Design: Key Differences and Design Best Practices
In the current era, businesses have different needs and require solutions that suit their goals. Enterprise networking is a crucial infrastructure for businesses as it connects data and applications, a major part of business operations in the modern era. Some businesses need a limited network for a single building, while others need a network distributed across multiple locations and remote teams. They are interconnected throughout all departments, systems, and people, and businesses must constantly support and evolve with market needs. The network built allows the sharing of resources and provides specific connectivity with applications that the companies require. The networks may often differ in scale as business needs differ. Therefore, it is important to understand the difference between LAN and WAN network design.
What is WAN and LAN?
WAN: A wide-area network that connects offices, data centers, and computers over a large area. Large businesses often use WANs to connect their network; each office has its own LAN.
LAN: A local area network is a collection of devices in one physical location. This location can be a home with a single individual or an office with a large number of employees.
Key Differences Between WAN and LAN
Coverage | |
LANs connect users, devices, and applications in a limited area and are located in close proximity (the same building). | WAN connects users, devices, and applications in a wide area and in broad proximity (anywhere on the globe). |
Speed | |
LANs are faster and have a higher data transfer rate than WANs as they are close in proximity and connected through routers or switches. They also have a lower number of users than WANs. | WANs have a low data transfer rate as they are connected over various geographical points, which can lead to congestion and traffic. |
Infrastructure | |
LANs use infrastructure that includes Wi-Fi Networks or Ethernet cables. | WANs use infrastructure such as satellite links or fiber optic cables. |
Ownership and Management | |
LANs are owned by a private organization, which gives it control over accessibility. | WANs are owned by third parties and organizations and may include multiple organizations, which means that they have less control over them. |
Security | |
LANs are generally more secure than WANs, primarily because the number of users, devices, and applications and the geographic location proximity are small. | WANs are more vulnerable to external threats primarily because they cover large areas and have a wider reach and exposure. |
Cost | |
LANs are less expensive to set up than WANs. They require fewer cables and hardware, making them easier to install. | On the other hand, WANs are costly as they cover expansive areas and require hardware that supports and suits their needs, including securing the network. |
Design Best Practices
Identifying your needs
Before starting and designing, know whether you want WAN or LAN. Assessing an organization’s needs is essential. Find the right equipment and balance it with your enterprise networking organizational needs.
Take Planning into Account
As it includes a lot of wiring and cabling equipment, consider whether you’d want to use the current network infrastructure in the future. Planning ahead will give you a better idea of the costs, future upgradation, adding new locations, integrating devices, and increasing bandwidth.
Maintain Redundancy
If a core component or multiple components fail, the network should provide multiple paths for working. Ensuring the availability of multiple paths and redundancy is essential to reduce downtime. However, it is essential to plan redundancy while keeping the complexity of enterprise networking balanced. For that, make sure to duplicate the systems in the key spots.
Implement Strong Security Measures
Strong authentication methods are essential, especially for WAN, where a large number of users, devices, and systems are interconnected over a large number of LANs. Network segmentation can also help in isolating and segmenting the traffic. Regular updates of all devices can secure them. Monitoring traffic and regular assessments will help in developing a plan. Data encryption is essential for sensitive information. Incident response is also essential in case of any potential attack on the network.
Assess and Monitor The Network
Conducting regular audits and tests helps identify the needs. Monitoring will assist in improving the network’s performance, scalability, and management by implementing a hierarchal structure, redundancy, and segmentation. Different tools are designed to ensure the optimal performance, availability, and security of the network, as they will identify the gaps in the LAN and WAN network design.
Final Thoughts
LAN and WAN network design cater to different business needs. Therefore, businesses can choose the best network that suits their needs. Implementing the design best practices for business and operational continuity is better. Securing the networks is important as there are security concerns that the network designs need to address, and whether LAN and WAN network designs can make all the difference in achieving reliability and performance.