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Intranet
An intranet is a local area network (LAN) used internally in an organization that is sometimes access restricted.
Typically the term refers to the internal web site. The same concepts and technologies of the world wide web such
as web browsers and servers running on the internet protocol suite are used to build an intranet. Other internet
protocols are commonly used as well, especially ftp and email. There is often an attempt to use internet technologies
to provide new interfaces with corporate 'legacy' data and information systems.
Extranet
An extranet could be described as two or more intranets with network connectivity. Generally, and as with intranets,
an extranet will be based on Internet Protocols. The underlying network technology does not really matter, for instance
it may be that organisations use the internet for carrying data but restrict access to resources from the general public
via firewalls. A virtual private network could be set up over the Internet to achieve the same result.
An argument could be made that "Extranet" is just a buzzword for describing what institutions have been doing for decades,
that is, interconnecting to each other to create private networks for sharing information.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, several industries started to use the term "extranet" to describe central repositories
of shared data made accessible via the web only to authorised members of particular work groups. For example, in the construction
industry, project teams could login to and access a 'project extranet' to share drawings and documents, make comments, issue
requests for information, etc
Related Topics
Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS)
Today's Internet
Creating a Backup Plan
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