The Elements of a Corporate Intranet
Depending on the size and needs of your business, an intranet can consist of little more than email service and file sharing or can include full-fledged document management and videoconferencing. Regardless, all intranets are made up of the same basic parts:
- The network: Modern intranets use a foundation of common Internet technologies, such as point-to-point protocol (PPP) and transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP). If the software you want to use supports these Internet standards, it should work fine on your intranet. Increasingly, intranet applications are designed to be viewed and used through a common Web browser.
- File sharing: It's as simple as it sounds. File sharing lets you store electronic documents in public folders so other people can see them and � in some cases � modify them. More advanced intranets let you create folders that can be opened only by certain groups of people, such as members of the accounting or sales departments. While it's easiest to share files between the same type of computers (PC-to-PC or Mac-to-Mac, for instance), you can buy software that lets dissimilar machines share files as well.
- Communication: Email is the most common form of communication on an intranet, but some companies add other options, such as discussion groups accessed via a Web browser, instant messaging to chat with clients, and/or videoconferencing. It's also possible to run an internal Web server so workers can post personal Web sites for other employees to view.
- Group collaboration: By combining several tools on an intranet, groups can share calendars, take part in "virtual workspaces" that contain public messages and files, and log into private chat areas dedicated to specific business projects. These group collaboration features are ideal if you have employees in several branch offices who need to work together on a project.
- Internet access: It's not mandatory, but many companies also use their intranets to provide Web access for employees. Since the base technologies are the same, it's generally quite easy. Some all-in-one intranet servers come with built-in support for sharing a connection to an Internet service provider.
- Security: An intranet is generally intended for employees only � you don't want the rest of the world reading everything on it. So security is a big issue, especially if you also use your intranet to connect to the Internet. A firewall is software or hardware, or both, designed to prevent unauthorized access to your intranet by blocking outside connections. Of course, employees who spend too much time looking at sports or pornography sites will hurt your business, too. Proxy servers and network monitoring tools help make sure that your employees use the Web for real work by blocking unauthorized sites or tracking where people browse.
