Intranets as Part of an E-Business Strategy

Summary form only given. This paper provides an overview of one the fastest growing segments of the Web environment - the Intranet. Discussions include what an Intranet is (definition), its uses and benefits (both general and specific), its challenges and critical issues (both organizational and technical), as well as future trends (both short-term and mid- to long-term). In addition, throughout this paper the position and vital role the Intranet plays as part of a company´s e-Business strategy is highlighted. The same concepts and technologies of the Internet, such as clients and servers, are used to build an Intranet. HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) and other Internet protocols, especially FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), which is often used for email, are commonly utilized as well.