What is a campus area network?

A campus area network, or CAN, is a large network that connects a number of smaller local area networks together in a limited geographical area. This type of network is commonly found on college and university campuses.

A campus area network allows the transfer of data between a large number of computer systems and is considered to be a cost-effective way to keep computer systems connected. Some examples of campus area networks are Stanford University's SUNet network and Project Athena, which is hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Campus area networks can also be adapted to share devices in large corporate environments.