LAN and WAN

WAN

(WIDE AREA NETWORK)

Disadvantages

Security is a real issue when many different people have the ability to use information from other computers.

Setting up the network could be expensive.

Maintaining a network is a full-time job which requires network supervisors and technicians to be employed.

Protection against hackers and viruses adds more complexity and expense.

Advantages​​​​​

It covers large geographical area therefore networks can be made between long distances.

Everyone on that network can access the same data. This avoids problems where some users may have older information than others.

LAN

(Local area network)

Advantages

Workstations can share peripheral devices like printers. This is cheaper than buying a printer for every workstations.

• Workstations do not necessarily need their own hard disk or CD-ROM drives which make them cheaper to buy than stand-alone PCs.

• User can save their work centrally on the network’s file server. This means that they can retrieve their work from any workstation on the network.

• They don’t need to go back to the same workstation all the time.

• Users can communicate with each other and transfer data between workstations very easily.

• One copy of each application package such as a word processor, spreadsheet etc. can be loaded onto the file and shared by all users.

• When a new version comes out, it only has to be loaded onto the server instead of onto every workstation

Disadvantages

Special security measures are needed to stop users from using programs and data that they should not have access to;

• Networks are difficult to set up and need to be maintained by skilled technicians.

• If the file server develops a serious fault, all the users are affected, rather than just one user in the case of a stand-alone machine