Evolution of Digital Data Networks

Digital Data Networks are foundation layer of the Digital world. A digital data network is set of computers and devices connected to each other either through wire (fiber optics) or wireless router (WIFI). The connectivity helps ensure computers and devices are able to connect and communicate with each other digitally.?

The devices connected are able to send and receive data in secured manner using specific data communication protocols using OSI model or TCP/IP model communications. The devices can be computer, laptop, tablet, smart phone, camera, printers etc. The connection between devices can be done using wire (fiber optics) as well as wireless (WIFI routers using radio frequency).

The devices can be connected using various topologies and for various spaces various types of networks can be setup. Each device is assigned a unique label and/or Ip address to be able to identify each while connecting and communicating.?

The network data signal route through various layers of software and hardware to translate, encrypt, decrypt and divide data into packets, frames, bits with speed and accuracy. The devices use protocols like HTTP (for web), SMTP (for email).

Digital Data Network Types

Digital Data Network types may be defined using various aspects, like the transmission medium used to carry signals, bandwidth, communications protocols, network size, network topology, traffic control mechanism, and usage intent.?

Let’s look at a high level overview of the various types of networks,

1.?????Home Area Network (HAN) –?The home area network (HAN) is what we use at our home for connecting devices either through wire or wirelessly through the home broadband router.?

In HAN there is one device that acts as a centralized device for the function of Network Address Translation(NAT).

The purpose is purely to connect and share devices within home network for ease of use like printing, smart tv, tablets, smart phones, camera etc.

2.?????Personal Area Network(PAN) –?The personal area network is the smallest of all network and it is generally used by just one person.?

In general the HAN can be also PAN if its only used by one person in the home.?

The PAN can be both wired as well as wireless type. The reach of PAN can be 10 meters to 30 meters.?

3.?????Local Area Network (LAN) –?The local area network (LAN) connects computers and devices over a limited area like office, industry, hotel etc.

The local area network (LAN) is a connection of multiple devices using cables, hub, switches and fibre optics.?

The local area network (LAN) mostly uses the Ethernet technology to connect devices. There?are also other methods possible using power cables, telephone lines etc.

The local area network (LAN) can connected to wide area network (WAN) for further sharing the data and connecting devices across branch offices around multiple geographies.

The local area network (LAN) has high connection speeds of up to 100 Gbps with the network.

4.?????Wide Area Network (WAN) –?The wide area network (WAN) is used to connect a large number of geographies. E.g., connecting multiple offices of an organization across a city or even country.?

The wide area network (WAN) works in conjunction with LAN as branch offices would have LAN and their LAN is connected to WAN to be able to communicate across.

The wide area network (WAN) is formed using LAN, telephone lines, fibre optics and other possible communication methods to seamlessly transmit data from one location to other like satellite links.

5.?????Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)?– The wireless local area network (WLAN) is much like the local area network except that it is wireless.?

The home area network (HAN) can be easily termed as WLAN for home. The difference is WLAN is much bigger than HAN and is used in commercial setups like offices, industry, shops, warehouses etc.

WLAN allows mobility within the premises and users connections auto switch between various wireless routers ensuring seamless connectivity.

6.?????Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) –?The?metropolitan area network (MAN) as the name suggests, connects devices across metropolis (city).?A good example of MAN would be multiple airport terminals network.

The metropolitan area network (MAN) is used to interconnect multiple local area networks in a metropolitan area through the use of point-to-point connections.

7.?????Storage Area Network(SAN) –?The storage are network (SAN) is used for connecting large storage devices that can communicate using large consolidate blocks of data.

The storage are network (SAN) is a separate network and not connected to LAN and WAN due to its special data traffic needs.

The storage are network (SAN) is used for large data backups and retrieval facilities, tape libraries, large audio and video data storage.

8.?????System-Area Network (S-AN) –?The system area network (S-AN) is a high performance network connecting clusters of computer systems requiring high performance connectivity for data retrieval and storage. E.g. SQL servers hosting multiple databases across cluster of services.

The system area network (S-AN) are in many ways same as storage area network(SAN) except that S-AN has much faster data storage and retrieval need.

9.?????Passive Optical Network (PON) –?The passive optical network (PON) are used as a last mile connecting networks between the customer space and internet service provider (ISP).

The passive optical network (PON) is a fibre optic communications network for enabling broadband network access to consumers.

The passive optical network (PON) is implemented using a point to multipoint topology in which a single fibre optic serves multiple endpoints (consumers) using splitters to divide the bandwidth.

10.??Enterprise Private Network (EPN) –?The enterprise private network (EPN) is a private and protected data network used by organizations.

The enterprise private network (EPN) are used for connecting multiple sites of an organization like offices, industries, retail outlets, warehouses etc.

11.??Virtual Private Network (VPN) –?The virtual private network (VPN) is a private network we use to connect and use public networks (internet).

The virtual private network (VPN) ensure a secure tunnelling or virtual point to point connection.?

The virtual private network (VPN) encrypt the internet traffic and safe-guards online identity ensuring no tracking and leaking of data.

Above are the known types of data networks that are heavily used. In addition to the above there are some more network types,

1.?????IoT Nanoscale Network (INN)?– The IoT nanoscale network emerged with use of internet of things smart devices and smart sensors. These sensors work with their own communication protocols and low frequency network. These are generally used for getting data and sending updates to the sensors and smart devices.

2.?????Campus Area Network (CAN)?– The campus area network (CAN) is used to connect multiple local area networks with in a campus of an organization.

Generally campus area networks are used in big universities that span across multiple acres of land with number of departments and divisions of study and research.

The campus area networks can be also used for large hospital campus, government agencies etc.

3.?????Backbone network (BN)?- The backbone networks connect multiple local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) and even metropolitan area networks (MAN).

The backbone networks are setup and used by large enterprises, telecoms and countries.

4.?????Global Area Network (GAN)?- The global area network (GAN) is a network of wireless LANs across a large space using satellite coverage to ensure the network is working and accessible with desired speed.

Digital Data Networks are foundation of digital business. Digital Data Networks are evolving faster, as we move towards the use of 4G / 5G mobile data networks for accessing and communicating with speed. New technologies like Software Defined (SD) Wide Area Network (WAN) are making it effective and efficient to use the digital data networks.