Dealing with IT

Defining the Internet system of organization by that which is enabled by IT.

Assuming you have spent some time on the Internet or perhaps none at all, here is a list of what parts are made up to define it on the whole. The Internet as a network connectivity application is made up 3 parts the Internet, Intranet, and Extranet. The term Extranet is relatively new if you have been online since the beginning but for those just getting involved it is growing enough that soon it will serve to define a third portion of the internet that facilitates as the 2nd component living both as a mediary or independent component between the 1st component (internet) and the 3rd (intranet). This will be more apparent as web services and web-based services evolve.

Internet Provides:

Email
Web browsing for on and offline browsing
Security, privacy, and encryption features the obvious presence of this is being redefined all the time.
Web publishing pages; content, text, documents, images, information building
Scripting languages designing codes, software, and database systems applications for creating, building, and adding to web published formats.
File systems – sending, receiving, transferring, and downloading files or software.
Online Storefronts – for purchasing, selling, auctioning or bartering products and services.
News groups
Discussion Groups
Search engine directories
Business Operations extensions to include banking and finance
Communities, Organization, Government
Collective Resources, References, Instruction
Education facilitators, implementation, and contributors
Intranet Provides:

Educational and University inter-connection for the purpose of aiding administration and research related requirements
Businesses for internal or inner department, office, or Enterprise data and file accessible requirements.
Government for inter-connection of departments, locations, and responsibilities.
Business 2 Business determining and connecting multiple enterprises with data relevant transfer requirements, exchanges, and adding.
Business 2 Consumer where the user-side requires access to business related data information in order to complete the service side requirements.
Peer 2 Peer where the ratio of many to one or many to many may access and relay data, based on common interests focus determined by the Webmaster. In this instance the Internet serves as a portal to access an intranet application or local server.
NEW Education! Where students may register via Internet connection to a private server belonging to institutions of instruction that offer extended learning opportunities and courses of study, which parallel the actual classroom experience.
Extranet, which actually belongs between Internet and Intranet applications resources will round out the trilogy. The Internet is the universally open access to the World Wide Web provided by ISP. The Intranet is a privately secured and maintained network that may only be accessed by individuals determined by the owner, manager, organization, or enterprise and does not have an open end or universal access like the Internet. Intranets may be configured to be accessed through a portal via the Internet, via web browser with a private or restricted URL, or from the desktop of specifically configured hardware.

Finishing Touches

Extranets are more of a buzzword or add on term to give the intranet and internet broader distinction by denoting the accessibility features for advanced security measures with the internet or intranet applications.

"Extranets" are typically intranets with greater accessibility and are at present not located behind a firewall. The core distinction is already evolving with web based businesses, web services, and securities development. This is still a new term, so for intensive purposes most often the extranet will be an adjective used to define a type of intranet application.

Good examples of Extranets taking on their own definition, would be advance features on blog software that enable multiple user interface and password protected access while maintaining accessibility from the internet, yet remaining either on the providers server or on private FTP servers.

Another more defined example would be online banking or Enterprise Edition services. That enable multiple user front end database access that is password protected by each selected participant which may be either public or private, displayed from the provider server or via html from and independent server and would provide the option of determining the security type relevant based on content and participation.

Firewall Explanations and Types

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/firewall.html

Extranet Information

http://www.intrack.com/intranet/extra.shtml