LAN

acronym (Science and Technology) Short for local area network, a computer network (see networkÜ) in which computers in close proximity to each other are enabled to communicate and share resources. Etymology: The initial letters of Local Area Network. History and Usage: The first local area networks were developed in the late seventies; by the early eighties, the acronym LAN was being used as a pronounceable noun in its own right. The LAN is most useful for inter-communication within a single business or department, giving a higher quality of service than the wider networks (see WAN) and at the same time enabling groups of computer users to share resources. LANs were therefore in extremely widespread use throughout the computerized world by the end of the eighties, sometimes linking electronic audio or visual equipment as well as text-handling computers. We've installed and continue to support a number of varied network environments--from LANS to WANS. New York Times 17 Oct. 1989, section C, p. 13 ETHERNET and Novell NetWare still dominate the local area network market. It seems IBM's Token Ring and Microsoft's OS/2-based LAN Manager have made little headway outside those bits of the corporate market with Big Blue-tinted glasses. Guardian 28 June 1990, p. 29