Article

November 6, 2024

Internet vs Intranet: Understanding the Differences for Your Organization

Team LumApps

4 minute read

Finding the right digital communication solution is crucial for any business. Understanding the difference between an intranet and the Internet will help you make the right decision. Learn what you need to know in our deep dive into the Internet vs intranet debate.

What is the Internet?

During the Cold War years of the late 1950s, American scientists from the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) were tasked with creating a communications system that could survive a nuclear blast.

A computer scientist at ARPA named Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider came up with an idea in 1962 that he called the ‘Galactic Network’. Licklider’s vision was a global network of computers that could share data. This revolutionary concept was the seed from which the modern Internet grew.

In 1969, ARPA scientists Lawrence Roberts and Leonard Kleinrock developed the world’s first packet-switching network. Packet switching allowed data to be transferred between two computers that were not physically connected. They called their network of computers the ARPANET.

The next step happened in 1974 with the invention of transmission-control protocol or TCP/IP. Then in 1983, the Domain Name System (DNS) was developed. With TCP/IP and DNS technology, a basic version of the Internet was launched. In 1989, British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee came up with the World Wide Web which allowed users to access data via the Internet. By 1995, people across the world were using WWW browsers to access the Internet.

The invention of the Internet is one of the most significant developments in human history. We can now share information and stay connected with people throughout the globe at any time. This incredibly powerful tool has dramatically changed how we live and how we do business. Recent statistics show that there are now 5.18 billion internet users across the globe.

What is an Intranet?

As the internet became ubiquitous with private users, companies were also rapidly adopting this new technology. However, business users soon found that the very public nature of the Internet was causing security issues. Organizations required a platform where corporate data and internal communication could be kept safe and private. They needed a computer network that could be tightly controlled by in-house administrators and was available only to authorized users.

Inspiration for the solution to this problem was found in the early history of the Internet. Built by research scientists and used by the US military, the ARPANET itself was a shining example of a completely secure private network that could only be accessed by designated users. As the benefits of an intranet became apparent, Moderns intranets soon became the standard way that companies shared data and communicated internally.

The components of an intranet differ in some ways from the Internet itself. An intranet can be designed and provided to a firm by a third party. The exact components of an intranet can vary depending on the needs and size of the entity that it’s for.

Usually, an intranet will consist of a web server that hosts the company’s applications and web pages. An intranet will also have a Content Management System (CMS) that in-house IT admins can use to create and control the content.

Intranets can be built with various features and applications that can be used for everything from issuing company-wide announcements to providing employee support services or giving access to payroll information.

Most intranets feature:

customized communication and collaboration tools;
an employee directory;
specialized documents;
resource repositories.

There may also be an internal search engine that allows users to find information and resources quickly.

In some cases, a company may decide to allow intranet users partial access to the Internet. This type of system is known as an extranet. Extranets allow users to safely communicate with customers, suppliers, and vendors.

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What are the Differences Between the Internet and an Intranet?

There are major points of difference between the Internet and an intranet. These two tools differ significantly in how they operate, how they are accessed, and how they are used.

Access

The most obvious point of difference between the Internet and the intranet is access. The Internet is a public network that is open to any user. Any person anywhere in the world that has a device that is equipped with a WWW browser can connect to the Internet and access information.

An intranet, on the other hand, is much more tightly controlled. Intranets are private networks hosted on site-specific servers and local area networks (LANs). Intranets are usually protected by robust security measures. Only authorized users can gain access.

Security and Privacy

Data security and privacy are also major areas where the Internet and an intranet differ. Users of the internet must manage their data security and privacy themselves. For Internet users, the risks posed by viruses, hackers, or malware are considerable. To guard against data theft and loss of privacy, an Internet user can use:

firewalls;
authentication codes;
passwords;
encryption;

These tools, however, are not required and users can simply access the internet with no safeguards at all should they choose to.

Intranets are a different matter. The entire point of an intranet is to act as a ‘walled garden’ that prevents outside elements from entering. Data security and privacy protection are paramount. User access, passwords, and authentication protocols are mandatory. Often, highly sophisticated encryption tools are used to further safeguard sensitive corporate data.

Purpose

It’s difficult, if not impossible, to precisely define the purpose of the Internet. A loose definition of the purpose of the Internet could be that it is intended to be a publicly accessible digital tool used to facilitate global communication and the sharing of information.

Intranets, once again, have a completely different purpose. Intranets are often thought of as simply smaller versions of the Internet, but this isn’t entirely accurate. The purpose of an intranet is to encourage collaboration rather than simply just allowing access to information, although, of course, they do this, too. Intranets are more highly organized than the Internet. Information is often compartmentalized for specific users rather than being a random collection of data available to anyone.

Content

Content is a huge point of distinction between the Internet and a company-owned intranet. While the content on the Internet can be literally anything one can imagine, conversely, an intranet is purpose-built to include only content that is relevant to its users.

User Management

How users can interact with programs and utilize information is strictly controlled on an intranet. Some sites on the Internet may restrict what users can do because of copyright issues, but by and large, users are free to download data, store, and share it freely.

Users of the Internet may face country-specific restrictions on what type of data they can access, but in most cases, Internet users can search for and download any type of information they wish.

What data intranet users can access and whether or not they can download, store or share it is usually limited to their ranking in a company. Intranet users may also be monitored by IT admins to ensure that they are acting in a way that complies with company policies and security protocols.

Scalability

The Internet is a massive entity that is seemingly without end, like the universe itself. An intranet, on the other hand, can be built to suit a business of any size. It may consist of two computers or ten thousand. The Internet can have an unlimited number of users, intranets can place limits on how many users can gain access.

Connectivity

The Internet functions as a global network of computers connected via thousands of servers owned and operated by numerous corporations and entities. Intranets, by comparison, are much smaller highly localized networks. While a large company may link intranets in separate locations, an intranet will never have the worldwide reach of the Internet.

Performance and Speed

How fast an Internet connection is depends on where the user is physically located, what device they are using, how congested the network is, what the server load is, and exactly what type of Internet connection they have.

Intranets can be optimized to provide users with faster and more reliable connectivity. The speed and performance of an intranet are not hampered by external issues as they operate within stand-alone computer networks.

The Advantages of Implementing an Intranet in Your Organization

An intranet enables an organization to maintain complete control over the scale, speed, and breadth of its network. No matter the size or scale of your company, the features of an intranet can help your teams work together more efficiently.

Increase Staff Productivity

Employee productivity can be significantly increased with an intranet. Via an intranet, staff can quickly access crucial information, resources, and tools. The solutions they need to maintain productivity levels are right there at their fingertips.

Encourage Collaboration

Intranets allow staff members to share ideas and work on projects in real time, regardless of their location. Resources and information can be freely shared among colleagues over an intranet. Communication and collaboration become easier and much more secure.

Enable Secure Internal Communication

The security capabilities of an intranet are a major benefit for companies. Via an intranet, sensitive corporate data can only be accessed by authorized users and can be kept safe from possibly malicious third parties. Internal communications can be kept completely confidential.

Enhance Employee Engagement

Intranets can be used to effectively track employee engagement levels and gauge KPIs. Employees can be sent out regular surveys and questionnaires to judge their satisfaction levels. Employee engagement can also be enhanced with regular company-wide online meetings, newsletters, invitations to activities, or updates on important events within the company.

Lower Admin Costs

Using an intranet allows companies to lower admin costs. Costly and wasteful company-wide mailouts or printed documentation can be done away with. Ongoing ISP fees are eliminated. Employees can hold meetings via digital tools, saving time and resources.

Improve Performance Tracking

Intranets are ideal for tracking the satisfaction levels and performance levels of employees. Intranets can be equipped with specialized analytics tools that monitor content engagement, performance rates, KPIs, and other metrics.

Streamline Training

Traditional methods of staff training can be time-consuming and costly. With an intranet, training can be accessed via customized e-learning modules. New hires and existing employees can learn essential skills at their own pace and according to their work schedules.

Keep Management and Employees Informed

An intranet enhances in-house communications at all levels. Employees can be kept up to date with the latest company news and be provided with instant notifications and updates on projects. Senior management can be kept informed of critical developments immediately.

Create a Central Knowledge Base

An intranet creates a secure, centralized knowledge base that the entire company can access. Company policies, training manuals, documents, equipment manuals, and other relevant information can be stored in one space. This greatly improves efficiency and productivity as well as enhancing company culture.

Strengthen Company Culture

Used wisely, an intranet can act as the internal voice of your company and foster a strong sense of company culture. Regularly posting statements from the CEO, holding online meetings, and making mission statements and policies easily accessible are great ways to bolster company culture.

How LumApps Serves as a Leading Intranet Solution

Partnering with LumApps allows you to take full advantage of every aspect of your intranet. The LumApps Employee Experience Platform creates unique, branded experiences for your employees and streamlines every step of their journey. From the initial onboarding process to handling daily activities and marking career milestones, LumApps keeps your people informed, engaged, and excited.

With LumApps, you can design and implement a completely customized employee communication system. LumApps can be seamlessly integrated with your existing collaboration tools so you can start getting the benefits straight away.

Conclusion

Implementing an intranet will give your company greater control over its data, enhance security and provide your employees with a centralized repository of resources and tools. Intranets boost employee engagement, strengthen company culture, and dramatically increase productivity levels.

The LumApps Employee Experience Platform can help you to get even more benefits from your intranet. Explore our customized communication solutions today.

Employee Engagement

Time to start or overhaul an engagement strategy? Capitalize on Employee Engagement Opportunities.

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