Fast
Ethernet Switch
Fast EthernetSwitch 19
User’s Guide
Appendix B
–
Introduction to LAN & Ethernet
Technologies
In the last ten years, as communication and business
applications become increasingly complex, computer network
has evolved as a very important part of the enterprise
infrastructure. Communication systems like Local Area
Network (LANs) have grown into a sophisticated, powerful, yet
flexible technology today. Among different types of Local Area
Networks, such as FDDI, ATM, Token Ring and Apple Talk,
Ethernet strikes a good balance between speed, price, ease of
installation, and supportability.
This primer helps to explain this most popular technology and its
associated products such as Ethernet hubs and switches.
LAN
In order to reduce the expense on computer hardware and
software and to easily share information, LAN technologies
were developed for people to share distributed computing
resources. LAN connects independent computers, file servers,
printers, etc. together within a confined geographic area,
usually a single building or a college campus. As LAN
expands to link hundreds and thousands of computers, various
network protocols and media have developed to meet the
organization
’
s different requirements. At times, multiple LANs
that are geographically dispersed may need to connect
together and become so called Wide Area Network (WAN).