Intranet & Extranets

Web Based Intranets/Extranets

An extranet is a private network that uses the Internet protocol and the public telecommunication system to securely

share  part  of   a business's  information  or  operations   with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers, or other businesses.  

An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's intranet that is extended to users outside the company. It has also been described as a "state of mind" in which the Internet is perceived as a way to do business with other companies as well as to sell products to customers.

Companies can use an extranet to

Exchange large volumes of data using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Share product catalogs exclusively with wholesalers or those "in the trade"
Collaborate with other companies on joint development efforts
Jointly develop and use training programs with other companies
Provide or access services provided by one company to a group of other companies, such as an online banking application managed by one company on behalf of affiliated banks
Share news of common interest exclusively with partner companies

An intranet is a private, secure space on the web which all members of your group can easily access and use to share documents, calendars, and event information.

Simply put, an intranet is a company-wide software and information distribution system that uses Internet tools and technology. It could be a simple HTML file linked on a LAN, a full-blown sophisticated system with dedicated server hardware, or anything in between.

Most small to medium-sized enterprises and government or non-profit organizations in the US believe that having an intranet is important, according to Modalis.

Almost three-quarters of those polled said having an intranet allows their staff to work more efficiently and more productively and 72 percent said an intranet improves collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The other major perceived benefits of having an intranet were: reducing stress and confusion, improving the quality of work, enabling better decision-making, improving communications with suppliers and customers, enabling speedier production, and reducing costs.

The biggest barrier to developing an intranet was the cost of producing and maintaining it. Other barriers included lack of internal resources, a lack of management awareness of the benefits, and the lack of internal skills and knowledge required to develop an intranet.

Modalis also found that 58 percent of those organizations surveyed used email to communicate with employees, but only 21 percent wanted to continue communicating in this way in the future.
 

business gain ?

You will be able to quantify some benefits such as savings in operating cost, reduction in paperwork. The other benefits of an intranet solution like improved customer service and faster and better access to up-to-date information.