Intranets and extranets

Internal and external browser-based information resources.

Intranets

An intranet is a browser-based company resource, similar in style to a web site, to which only your own employees have access.

Intranets facilitate the sharing of any electronic information across departments and are accessed through a standard web browser such as Internet Explorer.

Any organisation of any size can benefit from a centrally held information pool containing, for example, procedures, workflow, corporate documentation, standard letters, marketing materials, sales tools, product information and prices.

Users access this data through the PC on their desks and access levels can be assigned accordingly.

No more paper based copies of price lists and product data, no opportunity for your sales personnel to quote customers old company information and no-one can tell you they don�t know their colleagues� procedures for dealing with specific company issues.

Planning and implementation

If your company has taken the decision to implement an intranet you will initially need to brainstorm all the areas your business would benefit from if information was available at the touch of a button.

ICG will help you assess what you really need from a central data resource.

Once you have decided the information to be contained within your intranet, ICG will co-ordinate all of your data into a format accessible through a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.

This is the time when your security requirements for certain information comes into play and ICG will work with you to ensure your data is safe and secure at all times.

ICG will then consult with your organisation to establish a graphical look and feel for your company or organisation�s intranet. This might reflect your line of business or indeed your target audience.

Once you are completely satisfied with the design of your new intranet, the content and the resources it contains, ICG will roll out the intranet across your organisation.

This involves installing all the pages and relevant files on your network (if you have one) or indeed onto a host computer and connect all users to the intranet file location.

ICG will also be able to monitor and manage the traffic your intranet receives so that you can assess network performance against the quick delivery of intranet information to your staff�s desktops.

Extranets

An extranet is part of a company�s intranet that is extended to users outside the company such as suppliers, vendors, partners, consultants, customers or other businesses.

You can also use an extranet to allow your own mobile employees to log into your intranet while out in the field.

Extranets provide a secure, managed environment which allows the exchange of business information outside of the company's intranet — including business-to-business (B2B) transactions.

Extranets are based on internet technology. This enables a company to use all the benefits of the internet (including ease of access, continuous availability and low cost) along with reliable and secure communications to interact with other businesses.

For further information, please call ICG on 0870 871 2606 or email sales@icguk.biz.