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Communication between different computer networks, through the Internet, is something that is not new to companies of any size and segment, but did you know that it doesn’t have to be that way?
If for any reason you need intensive and frequent communication with branch networks or even partners and suppliers, LAN to LAN connections may be the most suitable solution.
What is it, advantages and for which companies are LAN to LANs, that’s what you will find out in this post.
What is LAN to LAN?
LAN to LAN is a type of connection that dedicatedly interconnects two LANs.
Depending on how layman you are when it comes to computer networking and related issues, this brief explanation may not have cleared things up.
Well, the term LAN (Local Area Network) is used to designate local area computer networks.
So, suppose you have two laptops, three smartphones and two smartTVs in your home, all connected by Wi-Fi to your Internet service provider’s modem or a router, this is said to be a LAN.
If in the property where the company you work is located, there are some notebooks and desktops, half a dozen servers and as many printers, all connected to a network, both for exchanging information between employees and managers, as well as for printing and access systems on the servers, there is also a LAN.
What the two examples have in common is that these hypothetical networks constitute Local Area Networks, insofar as possible data exchanges, such as when sending something for printing or accessing a system on the server, occurs through protocols exclusively intended for the local scope.
Although some may resemble various Internet protocols, it is not necessary that it is the same as accessing a server in the cloud or a dedicated one in a data center and which in these cases represent access using the WAN (Wide Area Network), that is, wide-ranging networks.
These and other possible accesses most often occur using an Internet access service, the same access that allows you to browse websites, send or download e-mails, listen to or watch streaming audio and video.
If also hypothetically you have five – or more, or less – stores spread across the city and that need to issue invoices, update stock, payroll transactions and time control, among other things, most do it all using , the same connection used for other Internet access, correct?
But what if, instead, there was a connection exclusively destined to everything that is restricted to the company’s internal processes – headquarter and the 5 stores – and that does not depend on conventional Internet connections?
Well, know that there is and are precisely LAN to LAN connections and whose name means a connection from a LAN directly to another LAN.
As in the case of the ISP, there are companies that provide this type of service.
Hopefully at this point you are wondering…
What is the difference between LAN to LAN and Internet connection?
The main difference between LAN to LAN connections and Internet connections is that there is an infrastructure – from the service provider – specially designed to just connect two – or 6 in our example (1 matrix + 5 stores) – LANs mutually, in such a way so that all data traffic between the networks involved will occur exclusively through this connection.
Transporting this situation to an analogy with the real world, think about the streets and the physical path necessary to go from the headquarters to any branch / store. For that, you have to use the streets and avenues that are used by different people and with the most different purposes.
It’s what you do when you access a server or video conference using the Internet connections of two branch offices, for example.
But what if there was a single street or avenue that made this direct connection, which could only be used by the people who work in the company?
No other person, no other vehicle could travel on this street that connects both!
That is, if you are suspecting that this fictitious street between headquarters and branch is LAN to LAN, you are right!
A connection of this type, in practice, ends up functioning as a means of interconnecting two or more LANs, which, once in this condition, start to function as if they were just a single LAN.
Everything that happens in the headquarters or in the stores, will become as if they were all connected to a single local network.
Advantages of LAN to LAN connection
The most hasty must have already foreseen that there are advantages in making use of this technology, because if it were not so, there would be no reason for its creation, which is reasonably recent.
1. LAN to LAN connection performance
Performance is one of the main characteristics that justify its adoption.
Improvement in performance is normally achieved by a combination of factors:
- By dedicating an exclusive connection to the internal data exchange, instead of sharing it with the other actions that are typical of the Internet;
- MPLS is used (Multiprotocol Label Switching) which is a high-performance telecommunications technology taking into account the particularities of LAN to LANs and which, by its very name (multiprotocol), has characteristics that are more suitable for transmitting data of different natures (audio, video, data, etc.);
- Lower latency, which is a measure of how much time associated with each event in the transmission of data from one point to another;
- Depending on the service, it is possible to have an appropriate bandwidth for the demands;
- Other technical aspects, such as less buffering (temporary storage of network data) and less packet queue, also determine performance.
2. Cost reduction
It may vary depending on the pre-existing infrastructure and what LAN to LAN manages to eliminate, but generally speaking, there is usually an interesting reduction in costs.
If, in our hypothetical example of the head office and 5 more stores, all the stores have Internet connections only because of the communication with the head office and each one with a server to host eventual systems, this is the reduction obtained, since the connection leaves to be needed and the systems can be accessed directly on the head office server.
Any costs of updating and maintaining hardware and software (licenses) that are no longer needed must also be included in the accounting of the savings achieved.
3. Productivity gain
There is generally greater availability and less fluctuation in data transfer rates (speed) compared to traditional connections. This, added to the better overall performance, means that the more processes that depend on connectivity, the greater the productivity gains, as the tasks will require less time.
In addition, depending on what standard operating procedures exist at the head office and branches, they can be simplified, as everything that previously involved and depended on the Internet, with LAN to LAN will occur as in a local network, as backup routines or even an intranet. .
4. Greater security
By not using connections from a more susceptible and exposed environment (the Internet), there is already an important gain in terms of security.
It must be remembered that the exchange of data takes place in the same way as in a local network and, therefore, is solely dependent on the security of each point of the network / user.
In other words, security concerns are similar to those that need to be considered locally and can be addressed with good company policy and monitoring by IT management, which is easier to do LAN to LAN.
Which companies are LAN to LAN connections suitable for?
When we see the real advantages that technology can provide, it is natural that everyone wants to adopt.
However, not everyone can benefit in the same way.
If we were happy in the explanations, the first premise to be observed is the existence of at least two physically different points of the same company, such as head office and branch. In addition, other factors should be considered:
- Quantity and frequency of data exchange between the different units of the company. The higher these numbers, the more justifiable their adoption;
- Even with higher speed in most cases, if the volume of data exchanged is not significant, or if the connectivity you have is sufficient to meet the demand, it is necessary to assess whether the gains are sufficient to motivate the implementation;
- How important is the security aspect? Of course, security is always relevant, but what kind of data is exchanged, what is the need for secrecy and privacy, protection against leaks is what needs to be considered;
- Finally, it is necessary to put it at the tip of the pencil and be sure how much it is possible to save, remembering that if on the one hand some points of the infrastructure can be eliminated, there will be a new service whose value depends precisely on the size and needs.
Whatever the case, keep in mind that there are already different companies that provide this service and each one has different particularities and plans, to meet different demands.
Conclusion
LAN to LAN is a technology that can provide better performance, cost savings and security to some companies with two or more physical offices.
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