Virginia M. JankowskiToday, about half of the world uses the Internet for daily use. People from small businesses to large corporations use the Internet to stay connected, and intranets and extranets are used to provide secure connections to these online communities.
intranet:
Intranet is a tool for sharing information within an organization and is owned by that entity. It can be used to improve the daily operations of your business. Intranets enable everything from simple chats to information and file sharing, as well as company news feeds, calendars, and collaboration forums.
This is a type of internet that is used for personal purposes only. Since the intranet is a private network, no one can access it without a valid username and password. Compared to the Internet, intranets have fewer connected devices. The intranet is very secure with only a few visitors.
extranet:
An extranet is owned by an organization or group of organizations. It is a platform for the exchange of information between internal and external members, managed on a contractual basis between organizations. This is intended to facilitate the exchange of information and files as well as fast communication and smooth cooperation with external partners. All customers, suppliers, franchisees and vendors can stay connected. Extranets are often used by businesses to increase efficiency and improve customer and supplier relationships.
An extranet, like an intranet, is a private network that can only be accessed by people with a valid username and password. Extranets are used, among other things, to inquire about status, access data, send messages, and place orders.
Difference between intranet and extranet:
Think of an intranet as a private employee network that uses common Internet technologies but is isolated from the rest of the Internet. An extranet is similar to an intranet in that it is an extension of it. It’s still safe, but in this case it’s a personalized platform, only available to certain external groups of people who want to collaborate. Intranets and extranets will increase productivity, streamline processes and improve communication. Intranets, on the other hand, are internally focused while extranets are externally focused.
In terms of privacy and security, there are some differences between an intranet and an extranet. Intranet facilities use passwords and data encryption to meet the privacy requirements of internal groups and companies. Extranets often use additional layers of security to protect external access to sensitive data and tools such as firewalls to keep certain data off the public network. Authentication and access and authorization management can be implemented as an additional layer of protection. However, these two internal systems are fundamentally different and each requires a different strategy.
Advantages of intranets:
Intranets support your business by increasing employee engagement, collaboration and productivity. A well-designed intranet makes it easy for employees to do their jobs and simplifies the process of navigating between the various websites and applications that most people use every day. Instead, all the information employees need to do their jobs is stored centrally and up-to-date in one easily accessible place. Intranets can be hosted on-premises, in the cloud, or on external servers.
Intranet serves as a one-stop solution for all company information. Employees can easily search for information using the self-service method. The intranet is the organization’s only source of truth, whether it be product specifications, marketing plans, or SOPs. Post-Covid-19, remote work is the new norm and intranets offer endless opportunities for collaboration. Teams can use online forums and projects to brainstorm, share ideas, solve problems, and collaborate. Embed Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 apps to edit and save documents in real time securely.
Extranet benefits:
Many of the benefits of an intranet can be extended to your partners or other external organizations via the extranet, while maintaining security and control over who has access to what. Consider the following scenario: Your partner wants to collaborate on a project, but they need access to confidential customer information that you store. For people outside the organization, extranets can take advantage of intranet collaboration while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information within the organization.
Extranet software allows you to securely transmit large amounts of data to outside parties. In addition, exchanges occur in real time. Extranets simplify processes and improve the customer experience, whether it’s inventory management, customer ordering, or knowledge sharing.
The extranet is available 24/7. Data, tools and information are available to customers and clients at all times. Extranets help fill gaps created by time zones, working hours, and geographic locations. As a result, customers will have a better and happier experience. Extranets can also be used to track and resolve issues with Company products and services.
Intranet and Extranet Integration:
As you analyze and determine the differences between an intranet and an extranet for your organization, consider integrating the two for a more secure environment, with the intranet responsible for internal security and the extranet for external security.
Modern intranet solutions provide a secure cloud platform that allows team members to collaborate with third-party tools to make everything accessible from one place on a secure network. Cloud-based intranets, such as the development of the SharePoint intranet portal, are the next generation solution for businesses to maintain mobility in the workplace. By allowing internal and external users to access documents and information within company-controlled boundaries, the use of extranets in addition to intranets enhances corporate security.
