Metropolitan Area Network

A Metropolitan Area Network ( MAN) is a broadband telecommunications network.

Usually connects a MAN numerous Local Area Networks and used a technology backbone that is usually implemented in fiber optics technology. A MAN is an extension of up to 100 km have.

MANs are often built from international telecom companies, which then connect that way wired cities again in a Wide Area Network ( WAN) or nationally in a Global Area Network (GAN ) even internationally again.

In Germany an appropriate power under the name of Datex -M was taken by Deutsche Telekom in 1992 in operation, used the so-called SMDS technology ( Multimegabit Switched Data Service). End of 2002, in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover, Cologne, Munich and Stuttgart Metropolitan Area Networks Deutsche Telekom in operation. At this time 26 German cities were already involved in pan-European GAN.

There are now even in almost all major German cities networks in other technology than the SMDS technology, the districts combine in various network topologies, which have a high density office. There are in addition to the former monopolists German Telekom about 20 (as of 2004), other network operators in Germany, who have relocated fiber optic networks for this purpose, meanwhile, preferably in the technology Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH ).

A special technique for fiber optic networks in the metro area is Metro Ethernet.

IEEE 802.16 has developed a standard for Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks ( WMAN ), which is established under the name of WiMAX ( Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ) and is employed.