[EFM] Forward from Glen Kramer
Scott,
This is a good question and it goes beyond the copper track.
The 802 group is known as "LAN/MAN Standards Committee".
Yet 802.3ah defines a network which is neither LAN nor
MAN... The name we choose will be used not only in our
standard, but will find its way into marketing and research
literature.
Traditionally networks were classified by their geographical
span: Local Area Networks (LANs), Metropolitan Area Networks
(MANs), or Wide Area Networks (WANs). Following this
ideology, we would call our network something like
"Neighborhood Area Network" (NAN).
Alternatively we may emphasize the network purpose and call
it "Access Network" or "$ub$criber Access Network". In my
opinion "Access Network" is not descriptive enough, and as
you mentioned the abbreviation for "$ub$criber Access
Network" clashes with "Storage Area Networks".
The name "Storage Area Network" makes very little sense as
it combines purpose (storage) and area. Surprisingly, the
name caught on. By this analogy we may call our network
"Access Area Network (AAN)" or "$ub$criber Access Area
Network (SAAN)".
Are there any other suggestions?
Long live the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN/SAAN(?) Standards Committee!
Cheers,
Glen