A Network enables several computers to speak with each other through emails, file transfer, instant messaging and many other ways. The simplest network is a LAN or Local Area Network which can be classified into Peer to Peer and Client Server networks. The first type of LAN is used simply to communicate among a few computers. There remains no dedicated server. In a Client Server LAN all the computers are connected through a central computer, the server. This type of LAN is more reliable and fast. Here computers are not affected if one of them goes down except the server. Even then the client machines are able to work independently.

In a WAN some LANs or even some computers are connected together to form a greater computer network. It requires much more hardware and software than a LAN. Internet is probably the most remarkable example of a WAN.

The need of network management arises when there is a network to manage. Small LAN management is not a very difficult work. One who can configure NOS (Network Operating System), hubs and routers, network cables and a few little things will be able to manage a small LAN. But when there is a MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) or WAN there needs a great deal of skill and enterprise to manage it.