| Abstract: | Once an office obtains several microcomputers, the purchase of a local area network (LAN) may be considered for a variety of reasons: sharing of hardware such as hard disks, printers, and back-up systems and sharing of information either in files or through electronic mail. The purchase of such a system requires a more specific analysis of needs than the decisions required for purchase of one's first microcomputer. This article outlines many of those considerations through a case study of the purchase and operation of a LAN in a university research setting. |
