INTRANET

Intranet

An intranet is a private network that can only be accessed by authorized users. The prefix "intra" means "internal" and therefore implies an intranet is designed for internal communications. "Inter" (as in Internet) means "between" or "among." Since there is only one Internet, the word "Internet" is capitalized. Because many intranets exist around the world, the word "intranet" is lowercase.

Some intranets are limited to a specific local area network (LAN), while others can be accessed from remote locations over the Internet. Local intranets are generally the most secure since they can only be accessed from within the network. In order to access an intranet over a wide area network (WAN), you typically need to enter logincredentials.

Intranets serve many different purposes, but their primary objective is to facilitate internal communication. For example, a business may create an intranet to allow employees to securely share messages and files with each other. It also provides a simple way for system administrators to broadcast messages and roll out updates to all workstations connected to the intranet.

Most intranet solutions provide a web-based interface for users to access. This interface provides information and tools for employees and team members. It may include calendars, project timelines, task lists, confidential files, and a messaging tool for communicating with other users. The intranet website is commonly called a portal and can be accessed using a custom intranet URL. If the intranet is limited to a local network, it will not respond to external requests.

Examples of intranet services include Microsoft SharePoint, Huddle, Igloo, and Jostle. While some services are open source and free of charge, most intranet solutions require a monthly fee. The cost is usually related to the number of users within the intranet

How Intranets Are Used

Like the Internet itself, intranets are used to share information. Secure intranets are now the fastest-growing segment of the Internet because they are much less expensive to build and manage than private networks based on proprietary protocols.

The Difference Between an Intranet, Internet and Extranet

An intranet is designed to allow a company to share information and resources with others in the company, for group projects and teleconferencing. This is in contrast to the Internet, which is public access

When a company allows access to any part of its intranet, for example, parts are accessible to customers or suppliers outside the company, it is called an extranet. Outsiders are granted access to the extranet part of the company's intranet with a valid username and password, which determines which parts of the extranet  viewed.

Intranet Applications

Intranet applications are basically software that is used on the intranet. Most applications are similar to Internet applications such as browsers, instant messengers, and document publishing software. Unlike Internet applications, however, intranet applications reside on the local server.