Day 3

WAN[Wide Area Network]
A variety of technologies used in WAN. WAN operations focus primarily on Layer 1 and
Layer 2. It describes both physical layer delivery method and data link layer
requirement.
Terminologies:
Customer Premises Equipment [CPE] – Customer devices & inside wiring located at
the customer premises , connected with a telecommunication channel of a carrier.
Data Communication Equipment[DCE] – DCE primarily provides an interface to
connect subscribers to a communication link on the WAN cloud also called data
circuit terminating equipment. DCE consist of devices that puts data on the local
loop.
Data Terminating Equipment [DTE] – Customer device connect to the local loop
through the DCE.
Local Loop – The Copper or Fiber cable that connects the CPE at the subscriber site to
the central office (CO) of the service provider. Local loop is also called last mile.
Demarcation Point – Demarcation point is the cabling junction point, located on the
customer premises that connects the CPE wiring to the local loop. It’s the point
where Service provider is responsible for connection.
Central Office [CO] - Service provider facility or building where local cable links to long
haul through a system of switches and other equipments.
WAN Devices
Modems – Modulates an analog signal to digital, and also demodulates the carrier
signal to decode the transmitted data. E.g. Cable modems, DSL.
CSU/DSU [Channel Service Unit/Data service Unit] – Digital lines such as T1, T3
carrier lines require a CSU/DSU. It’s a single device. CSU provide termination for
the digital signal and DSU converts T- carrier line frames to LAN frames and vice-
versa.
WAN Switches – These devices typically switch traffic such as Frame Relay, ATM, or
X.25 and operates at data-link. PSTN switch also used within cloud for circuit
switched connection such as ISDN.
Router - Provides internetworking ad WAN access interface port that are used to
connect to the service provider. These interfaces may be serial connection or other
WAN Interface. CSU/DSU modem is required to connect the router to the service
provider’s local point of presence (POP).
WAN Data-link protocols
Leased Line: Dedicated point-to-point link and fixed-bandwidth data

connection. It uses Cisco HDLC , PPP.
Circuit Switch Network: Network is established during data transfer and once
completed connection is closed. Data is transferred through single connection
Packet Switch Network: Use virtual connection for data transfer. Create
connection on first data transmission and used it as permanent connection.
X.25, Frame Relay, and ATM.
Circuit Switching
A circuit switch network is one that establishes a dedicated circuit or channel between
nodes and terminal before the user may communicate. If telephones are replaced
with modems, switch circuit can carry computer data.
PSTN(Public Switch Telephone Network) and ISDN[Integrated Service Digital

Network] are two types of circuit switching technology used to implement
WAN.
Packet Switching
To connect to a packet switched network, subscriber needs a local loop to the nearest
location where the provider makes the service available called Service point of
presence (POP).
POP carry several VC (Virtual Circuit) allowing it to provide connections to multiple
destinations. E.g X.25, Frame Relay, and ATM.
Dedicated Connection link

When permanent dedicated connection are required, a point-to-point link is used to
provide a pre-established WAN connection path from customer one office through
service provide to another office.
Point-to-point lines usually are leased from a carrier and are called leased line.
Leased Line Connection
WAN Connection Type
Evolution of WAN
Year WAN Technology
Mid-to-late 1970-1980 X.25 networks were used in many companies.

1980s Point-to-Point Old Telephone service [POTS]
Mid 1980s Expense but faster T1/E1 and T3/E3 connections become
available.
Early 1990s Frame Relay service Introduced, creating a cloud like service.
1990s ATM service were introduced but fail to make a meaningful

impression.
Mid to late 1990s IPSec VPN were introduced.
2000s MPLS successor to FrameRelay, provide IP based platform to

consolidate voice, video and data within same network
2010 Private and Public cloud service makes SD-WAN

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WAN[Wide Area Network]

Leased Line: Dedicated point-to-point link and fixed-bandwidth data

PSTN(Public Switch Telephone Network) and ISDN[Integrated Service Digital

Dedicated Connection link

Mid-to-late 1970-1980 X.25 networks were used in many companies.

1990s ATM service were introduced but fail to make a meaningful

2000s MPLS successor to FrameRelay, provide IP based platform to

2010 Private and Public cloud service makes SD-WAN

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