Intranet and Extranet

Advantages and disadvantages of Intranet

   Definition of intranet : An intranet ( intra means within) is an internal network that uses internet technologies. Network which only available inside an organization or a company. Intranet generally make company information accessible to employees and facilitate working in groups. Simple intranet applications include electronic publishing of organization material such as telephone directories, event calendars and employee benefits information.

                         AdvantagesADVANTAGES

•Commercial or confidential data is kept secure within the organization

•Email remain private and may also be encrypted

•High bandwidth.No connection limits unlike the Internet.

•Reliable. The company will have dedicated IT 

personnel to keep things running smoothly.

     Disadvantages

•High financial cost incurred by the company when initially 
implementing the intranet

•Connections between an intranet and the Internet potentially
 compromises security, by allowing virus infections or system hacking.

•Staff needs training to ensure workers know how to use the system effectively.

•Information overload is another disadvantage because it reduces productivity. 

Advantages and disadvantages of Extranet

Definition of extranet: An extranet is the portion of a company’s network that allows customers or suppliers  of a company to access parts of an enterprise’s intranet. An extranet provides a secure, physical connection to the company’s network.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Exchange large volumes of data using electronic data interchange (EDI)	Extranets can be expensive to implement and maintain within an organization (e.g., hardware, software, employee training costs), if hosted internally rather than by an application service provider.
Share product catalogs exclusively with trade partners	Security of extranets can be a concern when hosting valuable or proprietary information.
Collaborate with other companies on joint development efforts
Jointly develop and use training programs with other companies