A Local Area Network (LAN) refers to the infrastructure that enables networking capability locally for devices to communicate with each other for sharing resources and information. Typically designed for a small geographic zone like office space or commercial establishment.

Key Characteristics

Some typical attributes of a Local Area Network are:

– Spans small physical area allowing nodes to connect over cables directly.
– Facilitates high network speeds and low latency for better efficiency.
– Does not require expensive interface for connectivity like a WAN.
– Centralized administration allows easier management.

Relevance for Managed Services

Designing, installing and managing reliable LAN infrastructure is a core delivery area for managed service providers. It involves:

– Audit of usage requirements and capacity planning.
– Selecting wired/wireless hardware like switches, routers, WiFi access points.
– Configuring Quality of Service for traffic prioritization.
– Setting up monitoring and access controls securely.
– Maintaining infrastructure performance efficiency.