In-tra-net

Hello everyone! This blog is specially set up for one of my communication modules in school. Please bear with some of the dry or incoherent content but I will try to lighten it up with visual aids :)

I have been using the Internet for most of my life. When the question of “what is the internet” suddenly popped up, my mind just went blank right away. Before this module, the Internet simply served as a tool for me to gain access to a multitude of websites. I have never given much thought to the Internet as something that I have to learn about. It is like why do you need to know the theory when you’re already familiar with the practical. Most of us know how to use it, but we don't really know the mechanics behind it.

Instead of boring you with facts about the Internet, I would like to look into this little something called the intranet. It really stood out to me because it can be only used within an organization and "others" outside of that organization will not be able to use the internal network. I became curious about the use of the intranet. Why can't organizations use the internet like the rest of us?

So what exactly is the intranet? 



It is a term for a batch of private computer networks within an organization. Intranet itself uses standard network technologies (such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi or even web servers) to serve as a tool to “facilitate communication between people or work groups to improve the data sharing capability and overall knowledge base of an organization's employees.” It basically isolates itself from the general internet base. An organization's intranet includes Internet access but is protected by firewalls so that its computers cannot be reached directly from those on the outside.

The basic intranet package would consist of your own internal email system and a message board service. If you want the comprehensive package, it includes the databases containing company news, documents, forms, and personnel information on top of the basics. As more features are added, an intranet can become essential to the operation of an organization. It eventually becomes a portal that provides access to all the things employees need. Because of the fact that the intranet is protected by firewalls and by the need to log on with a secure password, employees working outside the organization are only able to access the intranet by using a virtual private network, also known as VPN in short.

Why do we need the intranet?

It all boils down to one main purpose: time! As you know, time is money. The intranet has the special ability to save you, your colleagues and superiors' precious time. Organizing your documents, information, data and other digital media in ways that can be found quickly is a tremendous benefit that any organization can use in a jiffy. We do not have to spend late nights to recreate something that has already been done before. Matters regarding a client or a special project can be referenced in an accessible manner. When an employee leaves, the knowledge, data and documents created by that person will stay within the virtual and physical walls of the organization. What happens in the organization, stays in the organization.

Here are 5 ways on how the intranet can improve the way we work:

1. Allows documents to be stored by categories 
2. Keeps project history with files, documents and many others in one place 
3. Limits information access to those who need to see it 
4. Encourages collaboration between different teams in the organization 
5. Provides employees with portals to keep track of their projects, meeting schedules and many more 

So there you go! It is not entirely meaningless to learn about the intranet. Sooner or later, you will find that the intranet takes on a whole different meaning from the internet itself once you enter the working world. In a way, I suppose organizations have their own secrets and the intranet is a useful tool for them to keep the outsiders/business spies away.