Capterra Glossary
WAN (Wide-Area Network)
A WAN (wide-area network) is a communications network accessible across a large area, even globally. Whereas a local area network (LAN) is limited to one building, WANs are networks that large enterprises use to communicate, send data, and provide resources to individuals and groups worldwide. WANs can be accessed through a virtual private network (VPN), a leasing arrangement, a wireless network, or a cell phone network. A type of WAN that’s virtual or cloud-based is called an SD-WAN, which uses specific software (software-defined or SD). The internet is also considered a WAN.
What Small and Midsize Businesses Need to Know About WAN (Wide-Area Network)
By utilizing a WAN or SD-WAN, SMBs can reduce IT issues and increase their agility and growth capabilities. A WAN can lead to more reliable remote access to information, enhanced application performance, speed, and security, increased productivity, and reduced IT costs.
Related Terms
- Synchronous
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Intranet
- Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR)
- Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Managed Service Provider (MSP)
- Haptics
- Service-oriented Architecture (SOA)
- Augmented Reality (AR)
- Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Service-Level Agreement (SLA)
- Scalability
- Data Center
- Authorization
- Multitenancy