Editing Intranet (section)

{{short description|Network of private resources in an organization}}
{{Distinguish|Internet}}
{{Essay|date=July 2023}}
[[File:Intranet.png|thumb|Schematic depicting an intranet.]]
An '''intranet''' is a [[computer network]] for sharing information, easier communication, collaboration tools, operational systems, and other computing services within an organization, usually to the exclusion of access by outsiders.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Scott |first=Judy E |title=Organizational knowledge and the intranet |journal=Decision Support Systems}}</ref> The term is used in contrast to public networks, such as the [[Internet]], but uses the same technology based on the [[Internet protocol suite]].<ref>[http://www.iorg.com/papers/iw/19981019-advisor.html "The Difference Between Internet, Intranet, and Extranet"], October 19, 1998, Steven L. Telleen, http://www.iorg.com/</ref>

An organization-wide intranet can constitute an important focal point of internal communication and collaboration, and provide a single starting point to access internal and external resources. In its simplest form, an intranet is established with the technologies for [[local area network]]s (LANs) and [[wide area network]]s (WANs).<ref>{{cite book|last=Luk|first=A.|title=&#91;1991&#93; IEEE Pacific Rim Conference on Communications, Computers and Signal Processing Conference Proceedings |chapter=Fujikama goes Unix |volume=2|pages=783–786|publisher=[[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]]|date=9 May 1991|isbn=978-0879426385|doi=10.1109/PACRIM.1991.160857|s2cid=61487882|quote=The internet and intranet Unix network provide a functioning email facility around the world.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Richardson|first1=C.|last2=Schoultz|first2=M.|title=IEEE/AIAA 10th Digital Avionics Systems Conference |chapter=Formation flight system design concept |pages=18–25|date=14 October 1991|doi=10.1109/DASC.1991.177138|s2cid=110893057|quote=The data transfer task is broken up into two network solutions: an intranet used for transferring data among formation members at high update rates to support close formation flight and an internet used for transferring data among the separate formations at lower update rates.}}</ref><ref>RFC 4364</ref> Many modern intranets have [[Web search engine|search engines]], user profiles, blogs, mobile apps with notifications, and events planning within their infrastructure.

An intranet is sometimes contrasted to an [[extranet]]. While an intranet is generally restricted to employees of the organization, extranets may also be accessed by customers, suppliers, or other approved parties.<ref>{{cite book|last=Callaghan, J|title=Inside Intranets & Extranets: Knowledge Management AND the Struggle for Power|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2002|isbn=0-333-98743-8}}</ref> Extranets extend a [[private network]] onto the Internet with special provisions for authentication, authorization and accounting ([[AAA protocol]]).