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A network based on the same technical
standards as the internet but designed for use within a single organisation.
Intranets are replacing proprietary networks in companies because they are
generally simpler and cheaper to administer. Indeed, it is possible to build
an intranet without paying for any software at all by running free
e-mail, browsers web servers on top of the tcp/ip software
supplied with all major operating systems. In practice, most
organisations use commercial software from networking companies such as
Novell and Ibm to build and administer their networks.
Intranets
are extremely flexible and used to create everything from simple employee
directories (much cheaper than printing 1,000 copies) to complex database
and groupware applications. The open technology on which they are
based makes intranets much easier to customise than proprietary products
like Lotus Notes. Unfortunately, it also makes them more open to attack from
the outside, so intranets must be carefully protected by a firewall and a
solid security policy. This is particularly important once the logical leap
to an extranet is made. Despite their general usefulness, a report by the
Office of National Statistics showed that just 10% of UK companies were
using intranets at the end of 2001. |
