The Metropolitan Area Network, abbreviated as MAN is a system in which a network of computers or other compliant devices which may be physically at different geographical positions are connected to each other. The limits or the peripherals are decided by the local municipal authorities. So clear is the point that as large as the city, the MAN will be wider and vice-versa.
The network under the said system can access an area between 5-50 kms of diameters. The Metropolitan Area network is ideally owned by a consortium of organizations or may be at times by a single network service provider. The nature of access to the services can be negotiated upon by the MAN provider according to the plans ordered by the client although some functions are by default guaranteed to the client.
It bridges the systems of Local Area Network (LAN) and the Wide Area Network (WAN) through a high speed network which are regional in nature. The network span of the MAN is exceptionally large in comparison to the LAN and WAN.