What Is the Intranet? Did We Spell Internet Wrong?<\/b><\/p>\n
An intranet is an internal or restricted access network similar to functionality as the Internet but only available to an organization internally.<\/span><\/p>\n Messages from the Intranet are transferred through a gateway, with a firewall, and with users authenticated and encrypted messages. These communications cannot be viewed by any other person that does not exist among the users within the organization. An intranet facilitates all communication routes: top-down, bottom-up, peer-to-peer.<\/span><\/p>\n The Intranet enables organizations to improve communication and collaboration among employees, increasing productivity and providing significant savings in time and money.<\/span><\/p>\n Intranet is a company\u2019s internal web<\/b><\/p>\n An intranet connects different parts of a particular company or organization. It is a network that shares information services and systems within an organization. Intranets utilize familiar internet protocols, so HTTP web services, email, and file transfer are found.<\/span><\/p>\n It can be thought of as a private extension of the Internet confined to one institution. And just as the Internet has changed the way the world works, intranets have changed the way corporations operate, especially regarding collaboration project management and customer relationship management, to name just a few.<\/span><\/p>\n Intranet benefits<\/b><\/p>\n The benefits of concentration on a now indispensable aspect of modern business are many. For instance, collaboration is enhanced because the Intranet makes data accessible throughout the organization allowing for easier teamwork.<\/span><\/p>\n Corporate culture is democratized because the same information is made available to every employee. The bottom line is enhanced since all the information needed for employee manuals, requisition forms, contact lists, and more can be accessed electronically through the Intranet.<\/span><\/p>\n This saves costs on printing and distribution time because data can be reached on an as-needed basis. Processes such as benefits enrollment are centralized and expedited, combined with all these assets and more.<\/span><\/p>\n Overall workplace productivity and operations are optimized, and it hasn\u2019t taken long for corporations to realize the true potential of intranets beyond simply storing central documents in one place. Intranets have become communication hubs for many organizations prompting some to hire companies that will socialize their Intranet and augment correspondence amongst the personnel.<\/span><\/p>\n Intranets let your organization manage internal communications and processes and achieve several objectives, including:<\/span><\/p>\n Cloud-Based Intranet<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cCloud\u201d has been a business buzzword since the term \u201ccloud computing\u201d was coined in 1996. As personal computers became more affordable in the 1990s, enormous numbers were being connected.<\/span><\/p>\n The Intranet has now progressed from on-premise intranet software to modern cloud-based applications. The customer has only to pay a licensing fee to the vendor who hosts, manages, and maintains the software.<\/span><\/p>\n Being hosted in the cloud, employees with secure access can avail of many tools and resources they need to work anywhere, anytime, or on any device. Many of the modern intranet solutions offered by vendors are cloud-based nowadays.<\/span><\/p>\n Are Cloud-Based Intranets Secure?<\/b><\/p>\n Although cloud Intranet has many benefits, they still bring concerns when it comes to Intranet security. A lot of business cites security as the main roadblock to using cloud-based Intranet. Still, many organizations are steadily moving into the cloud.<\/span><\/p>\n The use of the Intranet as internal information channels emphasizes the importance of information security. Assets held on internal Intranets may increase the interest of potential misusers. Therefore, protecting Intranets and the data and information transmitted via them against various threats endangering the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information is a significant consideration.<\/span><\/p>\n Using multi-factor authentication, authentication on mobile devices and strict password policies are some ways to ensure your cloud intranet is secure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Intranet-In-A-Box<\/b><\/p>\n The most common software used for Intranet is Microsoft SharePoint which is estimated to be half of all Intranets. But many companies are now turning to vendors that specialize in Intranet software.<\/span><\/p>\n In the past, Intranets were developed by IT professionals who developed customized solutions for particular companies, so mainly only large organizations had intranets. Microsoft launched SharePoint in 2001 as a base technology for Intranets, allowing those without advanced IT degrees to build their own Intranet.<\/span><\/p>\n The idea of SharePoint was to improve collaboration across an organization. However, it requires a lot of time and effort to achieve that goal. After the initial configuration, regular maintenance and upkeep are needed. Then to add other functionality, it has to be designed. As often happens with what is intended to be a simple solution, it can become a complex, unmanageable network.<\/span><\/p>\n SharePoint may be the solution that fits your business, but now many vendors offer alternative Intranet solutions. Solutions that require less development and better suit your specific needs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n