Intranet

An intranet is a private computer network that uses Internet protocols, network connectivity to securely divide part of an organization's information or operations with its employees. Sometimes the term refers only to the most perceptible service, the internal website. The same concepts and technologies of the Internet such as clients and servers running on the Internet protocol suite are used to make an intranet. HTTP and other Internet protocols are commonly used as well, such as FTP. There is often a challenge to use Internet technologies to provide new interfaces with corporate legacy data and information systems.

Intranets can help users to locate and view information faster and use applications related to their roles and responsibilities. With the help of a web browser interface such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, users can contact data held in any database the organization wants to make available, anytime and - subject to security provisions - from anywhere within the company workstations, increasing employees' capability to perform their jobs faster, more accurately, and with confidence that they have the right information. It also helps to improve the services provided to the users.

With intranets, organizations can make more information accessible to employees on a "pull" source rather than being deluged indiscriminately by emails.
Intranets can serve as influential tools for communication within an organization, vertically and horizontally. From a communications standpoint, intranets are useful to communicate strategic initiatives that have a worldwide reach throughout the organization. The type of information that can easily be conveyed is the reason of the initiative and what the initiative is aiming to achieve, who is driving the initiative, results achieved to date, and who to speak to for more information.