Internets, Intranets and Extranets, Oh My!

Some of you are already familiar with these terms. Perhaps you’ve been introduced to them through your place of employment or maybe you’re just more informed than the average Joe. In either case, most of you have probably never fully understood what all of these terms mean and in what ways they can differ. This article is purposed to remedy that lack of understanding and to give you some ammo to impress your coworkers with at the next company BBQ.

Internet(s)

While most of us are familiar with the term “the Internet”, few of us recognize that the Internet (also known as the World Wide Web) is simply the largest in its class. Actually, an “internet” is just a “network of networks” where computers are connected to each other through the transference of data. For instance, an internet could be set up such that only two corporate networks were in contact with each other outside of “the” Internet.

Intranets and Extranets

A website can take many forms. Nowadays, many companies and organizations are finding it more and more important to segment the structure of their website to provide two additional forms: the semi-public (extranet) and the private (intranet).

An extranet is that section of a website which is made available only to a limited crowd outside of the organization itself. Extranets are often created to offer secured environments to suppliers, vendors, partners, or other exclusive-rights customers. For instance, you might setup an extranet for your company’s website to allow affiliated businesses access to semi-private data. Or you might create a section of your site where suppliers can view your current inventory levels and respond with shipping you a new order. In either case, these sections are often highly secured and restricted in access.

An intranet is almost the same as an extranet but with a different group of users. Instead of making itself available to outside members, an intranet is often used to connect internal staff. A growing trend in web development these days is the rise in demand for company intranets. More and more businesses are recognizing the value of connecting their employee base across departments and/or branch offices. Intranets can offer employers a platform through which company announcements can be broadcasted, where employees can connect on work and extracurricular topics in a variety of ways, and where secured internal business processes can be conducted. Some aspects of a company intranet might include forums, staff profile sections, and secured file transfer. The intranet is essentially the “staff room” of the public-facing website.

Cascade Web Development has felt the rise in demand for both intranets and extranets and has responded by producing successful solutions for a variety of company objectives.

One of the leading causes of merger and acquisition failure is the inability to reconcile differing cultures. This observation lead AKT to pursue a solution that would allow its employees—both new and old—to make their merger and acquisition transition as seamless as possible. From the installation of an employee directory, complete with staff profiles and photos, to the staff highlight section where exciting news about recent birthdays, staff events, and new births were reported on a daily basis, AKT and Cascade Web Development worked together to overcome the obstacle of cultural incompatibility.

If you think your company could benefit from this type of web-based communication and coordination, contact Cascade Web Development today to discuss creative ways to handle your specific company situation.