Local+area+network

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= Local Area Network: =

LAN stands for Local Area Network. A LAN is a small network covering a single site, e.g.  Home network  School network  A network in an organisation that covers a single office building and or a set of nearby buildings on a single site.

//**How a LAN Works**//
 A LAN has a network file server (or just server) that holds all the programs and data. Depending on the size of the network, they may also have other servers that handle different functions, e.g. an email server.  A server is a computer with a very fast processor and a large storage capacity. Some ‘servers’ are actually banks of servers connected together sharing the workload.  A user can logon to the network at any workstation (or client) to access their files, and share the available resources.

 Most LANs are connected by wire cables or fibre optic cables, however home networks are usually wireless.  Sometimes networks use a combination of both types of connection, e.g. the server may be physically connected to each workstation, but there may be local wireless hubs (communication devices that transmit and receive radio signals) allowing access to portable laptops.  Wireless hubs make a network much more versatile, e.g. in a school, laptops can be taken into a classroom that does not have a set of workstations and be used just like ordinary workstations.

 On a LAN, the software is located on the server so when a user opens an application, the application data is sent to the workstation by the server and stored temporarily in the RAM of the workstation.  Similarly when a user opens a file saved on the server, the file data is sent to the workstation and is stored in the RAM of the workstation, whilst being used.  The workstations are configured so that users cannot store anything on the hard drive of the workstation. Workstations usually have their own operating system. The operating system of the workstation runs underneath the network operating system.