Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
to-end transport encryption may be mandated for communications
and data access of sensitive data types.
• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)—Large-scale networks sup-
porting a limited extended area of coverage, such as a university or
corporate campus, may be categorized as a MAN. This level of con-
nectivity is more nonspecific, in that both WAN and LAN protocols
may be mixed within the same MAN. Organizations with suffi-
cient scale to employ this mixture should plan high-speed WAN
backbone paths with branching LAN connections covering the “last
mile.” Network devices should be included in planned upgrades,
and require regular review for firmware updates.
• Storage Area Network (SAN)-WAN protocols have been adapted
to storage systems, producing very-high-speed connections between
nodes and remote (though often physically proximate) storage
devices. These dedicated networks allow external storage to be con-
sumed as if connected directly to the consuming host. I will discuss
this function in greater detail later in this topic, when looking at
virtualized storage and backups.
Obviously, there are many more types of connectivity, from personal
a rea net work s (PA Ns) comprised of a l l interconnec ted de v ic e s worn or c a r-
ried by a particular individual to wireless local-area networking (W LAN)
connectivity for mobile devices and in locations where wired connectivity
is difficult to arrange or otherwise undesirable. Any time wireless solu-
tions are employed, data transfer should include encryption and strong
authentication mechanisms to protect against inadvertent data disclosure
or compromise of the connection.
Internet
Simply put, the Internet is the collection of all TCP/IP-based systems con-
nected to the public address space that has emerged via the World Wide
Web. Internet connectivity makes use of publically routed addresses iden-
tified by DNS services supporting a limited number of root domains that
are directly controlled by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers (ICANN). In late 2009, this agency was separated from
U.S. government control and made an international body to reflect its
scope in the global Internet. Whenever referring to the globally accessible
public network, the term Internet can be applied.
