In Business , an is the use of an Intranet and associated Hardware and Software to obtain one or more organizational objectives. An ''intranet'' is an access-restricted Network used internally in an organization. An intranet uses the same concepts and technologies as the World Wide Web and Internet . This includes Web Browser s and Servers running on the Internet Protocol Suite and using internet protocols such as Ftp , TCP/IP , HTML and Email .
Intranets are generally used for four types of applications:
- send and receive e-mail, faxes, voice mail, and paging
- discussion rooms and chat rooms
- audio and video conferencing
- virtual team meetings and project collaboration
- online company discussions as events (e.g., IBM Jams)
- inhouse blogs
- develop and publish hyperlinked multi-media documents such as:
- ---policy manuals
- ---company newsletters
- ---product catalogs
- ---technical drawing
- ---training material
- ---telephone directories
- centrally administer all network functions including servers, clients, security, directories, and traffic
- give users access to a variety of internal and external business tools/applications
- integrate different technologies
- conduct regular user research to identify and confirm strategy (random sample surveys, usability testing, focus groups, in-depth interviews with wireframes, etc.)
- reduces printing, distribution, and paper costs - particularly on policy manuals, company newsletters, product catalogs, technical drawings, training material, and telephone directories
- easy to use - no specialized training required
- inexpensive to use (once it is set-up)
- moderate initial set-up costs (hardware and software)
- standardized network protocol (TCP/IP), document protocol (HTML), and file transfer protocol (ftp) already well established and suitable for all platforms
- can be used throughout the whole enterprise
- reduces employee training costs
- reduces sales and marketing costs
- reduces office administration and accounting costs
- ease of access results in a more integrated company with employees communicating and collaborating more freely and more productively
- it is an evolving technology that could require upgrades and could have software incompatibility problems
- security features can be inadequate
- inadequate system performance management and poor user support
- may not scale up adequately
- some media such as video is slow
- maintaining content is time consuming
- some employees may be without PCs at their desks
- The aims of the organisation in developing an intranet may not align with user needs (see: further reading)
- L. Tredinnick, Why Intranets Fail (and How to Fix Them), Chandos Publishing, 2004
- N. Cox, Building and managing a Web services Team, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1997)
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