Are TLAs Getting Out of Control?

First I guess I need to define what TLA is for those that don’t know - and something I have come to learn over many years is that there is always someone who doesn’t know and I hate for folks to walk away not knowing. Especially if I can give the answer. So:

• TLA = Three Letter Acronym e.g LOL = Laugh(ing) Out Loud

For this post I want to discuss the usage of LAN, WAN, MAN and CAN and again definitions are in order, so:

• LAN = Local Area Network

• WAN = Wide Area Network
• MAN = Metropolitan Area Network
• CAN = Campus Area Network

Unfortunately for these TLAs, or at least two of them, their definition is not fixed. Nowhere that I have found provides an empirical definition of all of them and in some cases the definitions contradict one another or even share the same definition. Confused? Well I am and I work in the industry. What I have found is that when I visit a customer I find I have to adapt my thinking to their usage of the terms - I know this isn’t too taxing a job but it can be distracting. From my experience I find that if a customer is using the term MAN and he in reality means a WAN then it is easier for me to adapt and keep the customer happy than it is for me to debate the point or continue to confuse them by using my understanding of the term. Is this adapting where the phrase ‘the customer is always right‘ comes from I wonder?

So, to add to the confusion, I offer up my definitions of the terms.

LAN - Local Area Network
A LAN is a network that is confined to a limited area such as a a floor, an office or even a building. It inherently uses short-range technology (e.g. ethernet, token ring, etc) and is usually under the control of the company or organisation that utilises it.

WAN - Wide Area Network
A WAN is a network that interconnects LANs typically by use of a third party provider, usually your telecomms company (BT, NTL, AT&T, etc). As an example this would be used to connect offices in different parts of a country or even the world.

CAN - Campus Area Network
A CAN is a network that interconnects LANs in a specific area and like the LANs it connects is usually controlled by the company or organisation that uses it. A typical example of this would be building owned and interconnected by a college or school utilising fibre via underground conduits.

MAN - Metropolitan Area Network
A MAN is similar to a WAN and a CAN (and this is perhaps where some of the confusion arises) and is a network that interconnects LANs where the connection is outside of the direct control of the company or organisation that uses it and requires a third party to provide that connection. An example would be a company having multiple offices in one town and not having control of the surrounding locale in which to be able to place connections.

Ultimately what is important here is that as a techie providing a service I need to be aware of my customer’s definitions and not get all hung up about their usage of the terms when doing so could endanger my relationship with that customer.

I offer my definitions not to be a pedant, and I have also read better definitions elsewhere, but provide them to formally state my usage of them and to invite discussion on my usage. Am I correct? Am I totally off kilter? Or have I just added to the confusion?

[tags]TLD, LAN, WAN, MAN, CAN, Network 101[/tags]

** Now edited TLD to TLA with thanks to Neal C for spotting my idiocy ….