Question: What is an “internal Internet?†I have heard some people talk about this but I haven’t been able to find out what it means. And what is an Extranet?
The IT Guy says:
An “internal Internet†is generally referred to as an “intranet.†Intranets can have different uses, but basically they mean a part of your computer network that is accessible just within your campus building or school district. Confidential documents or other files not approved for public distribution are often shared on a secure intranet, but not on the public Internet.
Then there’s an “extranet,†which usually means an intranet accessible from locations physically outside the school building or district. This can be done through user-id/password login authentication, and/or a VPN (virtual private network) configuration.
One very practical use of a school intranet is to publish photographs of students and student events which may not be approved for public Internet publication. For example, photos with captions including student first and last names can be shared on an intranet, but not on the public Internet.
Some additional details and further references about school intranets are available at “Towards the Intranet: Schools Following the Trendâ€.
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