Internet, Intranet, & Extranet

Web sites are employed in a variety of places. Although the most widely used and well known is the Internet web site, organizations are increasingly finding uses for private web sites to serve their information to the people that need it. XI Interactive has designed and developed intranets and extranets for some of our clients to meet these needs. These are private sites so we don't display them, but you can see some of our public Internet sites here.

Internet Web Site

Definition: The Internet is the worldwide, publicly accessible network of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It is a "network of networks" that consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and government networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked Web pages and other documents of the World Wide Web. (from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet)

Intranet Web Site

Definition: An intranet is a private computer network that uses Internet protocols, network connectivity, and possibly the public telecommunication system to securely share part of an organization's information or operations with its employees. Sometimes the term refers only to the most visible 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 build an intranet. HTTP and other Internet protocols are commonly used as well, especially FTP and e-mail. There is often an attempt to use Internet technologies to provide new interfaces with corporate 'legacy' data and information systems. Briefly, an intranet can be understood as "a private version of the Internet", or as a version of the internet confined to an organization. (from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intranet)



Extranet Web Site

Definition: An Extranet is a private network that uses Internet protocols, network connectivity, and possibly the public telecommunication system to securely share part of an organization's information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers or other businesses. An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's Intranet that is extended to users outside the company (eg: normally over the Internet). It has also been described as a "state of mind" in which the Internet is perceived as a way to do business with other companies as well as to sell products to customers. Briefly, an extranet can be understood as "a private internet over the Internet". (from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extranet)

When you need to provide information or applications to your customers over the web, but that information is just for your customers - not just anyone on the Internet, then an extranet is what you are looking for.