10 replies to this topic

[vijay.gupta]

Can anyone please let me know the difference between intranet and extranet (with examples from real world, if possible? I have read their definitions on wikipedia but i am not able to understand them and also, i am not able to understand the difference between them. I am writing what i understood about them. Please let me know if i am wrong anywhere or if there is something that i am missing. "intranet is basically a website hosted by an organisation for internal communication between employees (in form of internal forum etc) and at the same time, giving information and updates about company to them and employees are given access to the website through any type of authentication" "extranet is a form of intranet in which access to the specific part of intranet website is given to external users (suppliers,customers etc of that company) for b2b purposes through any form of authentication" please let me know if i am not clear anywhere. Also, i have more questions (or you may say, confusions) about this topic. I will ask them as well after i get response to this query as my further queries depends on the responses that i would get for the above query.

[Doug]

Hi vijay.gupta, You have used the correct words to describe each of these terms accurately for general understanding.

[vijay.gupta]

Thanks Doug for replying. My confusions are: I understand the intranet and extranet as websites which you say is correct. Now, on wikipedia, following definition of intranet is provided: An intranet is a private computer network that uses Internet Protocol technologies to securely share any part of an organization's information or operational systems within that organization. The term is used in contrast to internet, a network between organizations, and instead refers to a network within an organization and the definition of extranet is: An extranet is a private network that uses Internet protocols, network connectivity. An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's intranet that is extended to users outside the company, usually via the Internet What still confuses me in this is: how can the intranet be a network. Can the local computers on the organisation be accessed through intranet? Suppose, I work in a XYZ company and that compny has a intranet. Now, can I access my workstation from my home through intranet? Is VPN (virtual private network) an example of intranet? Another confusion: Suppose, there is a company that sells the logins of its web based application (basically, application service provider). Then, would that web based application/website/URL used to access that application be called extranet as access is provided to the customers? Can anyone please clear these doubts?

Edited by vijay.gupta, 27 February 2010 - 10:19 PM.

[Doug]

Can the local computers on the organisation be accessed through intranet? Yes

Suppose, I work in a XYZ company and that compny has a intranet. Now, can I access my workstation from my home through intranet?
Yes, if you have the address username and password

Is VPN (virtual private network) an example of intranet? yes

Another confusion: Suppose, there is a company that sells the logins of its web based application (basically, application service provider). Then, would that web based application/website/URL used to access that application be called extranet as access is provided to the customers? Yes/maybe

___________________

vijay.gupta,

Your questions cause me to wonder if:
Maybe this is a classroom assignment question?
Maybe you work for such a company as in your examples and you are trying to figure out how to work with their system.

If a classroom assignment, you should be asking your instructor.
If work related, you should inquire with your IT department.

"Real answers" to your questions will be different, depending upon the hardware, software, TCP/IP configuration, and purpose of the various intranet, extranet, vpn systems.

Best Regards

[vijay.gupta]

Doug, Thanks for replying. This is not a classroom assignment although it looks like. I was reading on wikipedia about Computer Networks and just come to know about these terms. I wasn't able to clearly understand these terms. That is why, I asked this in the forum.

One last query:

Can the local computers on the organisation be accessed through intranet? Yes. If you have user name and password

Is there any other way, to access local computer on intranet other than VPN as you have said yes to above question?

Also, can you please let me know if there are other examples of intranet other than VPN and internal website?

Edited by vijay.gupta, 28 February 2010 - 09:29 PM.

[Doug]

"Intranets" don't necessarily have to have a a "website", though it is often a feature. Intranet does not have to be a vpn which is only one way to set up with hardware/software. To gain access to an intranet, the user will need to have login username and password.

[Doug]

Another example of "intranet" would be the collaboration of work stations in a small company with one or more physical sites. They would primarily rely upon email for correspondence between desks, but may also have mapped drives and shared printers and not all work stations would necessarily have access to all drives. Or some work stations might have access to "read" from various server drives but not "write"(save new file) (or modify and save file). Other addresses might be accessed only by top level employees, or only by folks in the same department. e.g. financial, direct services, sales, administration, etc.

[vijay.gupta]

Thanks Doug for clearing this!!! Appreciate your help!

[maxcreigs]

There is a lot of difference between intranet and extranet. Intranet is basically a private computer network that uses network connectivity and internet protocols within an organization. On the other hand an extranet is also a private network but it involves the organization as well as its partners like suppliers, vendors, partners, customers etc. The differences are: - Intranet does not use Public telecommunications system - Extranet is extended to specific users outside a company, unlike intranet - Extranet is a good B2B and B2C tool whereas intranet is not.

[vijay.gupta]

Hey Max, Can you please explain with example "Intranet does not use Public telecommunications system"? what do you mean by the term public telecommunication system here?

[asim2010]

An intranet is the generic term for a collection of private computer networks within an organization. An extranet is a computer network that allows controlled access from the outside for specific business or educational purposes. Intranets and extranets are communication tools designed to enable easy information sharing within workgroups.