Multi-Site Networks: A Quick Overview
Like all networks, a network that spans multiple sites – or at least the section that interconnects the sites – can be wired or wireless. There is no magic there, but the technology isn’t the same one that you know from short-distance, office networks.
Over reasonably short distances – ranging from “across the street” to “a few hundred of meters or a few kilometres”, it is usually possible to run your own data infrastructure, whether wired or wireless. For a comprehensive understanding of point-to-point wireless links and their applications, you can refer to our detailed guide here. The most important challenges are strictly technical in nature – running cables outdoors and/or over distances higher than 100 meters, or operating wireless equipment.
Over medium and long distances – several streets apart, or across the city – the waters are considerably murkier.
Fully private cables are prohibitively expensive to run over very long distances, or outright impossible to do if you are not a telecom operator. VPN over regular data connections are the most cost-sensible choice.
But companies with strenuous bandwidth and latency requirements will usually need to run a VPN connection over a dedicated line. Wireless options are also available, and they are very flexible and efficient to deploy, but they shift the maintenance burden to the user.