An Intranet software is a private network used by a single company to securely share information and computing resources among employees. It resembles the World Wide Web but uses a client/server model and Internet networking standards to allow easy access to information from many different types of computer systems.
Employees use the intranet to communicate with each other, work together on projects and access the files they need for their jobs. A company can also use its intranet to host and manage business applications such as forms, databases and teleconference tools. The intranet can include employee directories, news, company policies and organizational charts. It can also include a system for storing documents, videos and audio recordings.
A company’s intranet can be protected by firewall software that tracks incoming and outgoing data packets to confirm they do not contain unauthorized or suspicious content. This keeps the internal intranet from being invaded by malware and other malicious code.
The World Wide Web was the first to introduce the public to the idea of a global communications and information network. However, it was a tough row to hoe for many people back then. Getting connected to the Internet required expensive technology that was beyond the means of most consumers. In addition, the Internet was full of plain-vanilla text about academic subjects and didn’t come with a convenient software user interface that appealed to users.
Today, social media platforms are attracting consumers with their simple user interfaces and social elements that encourage collaboration and interaction. Some of these platforms can replace some of the functions of an intranet, especially for companies with distributed workforces that require greater flexibility and diverse enterprise applications that must be centralized.
But despite these advantages, a number of problems can still plague a company’s intranet. For example, low employee participation rates can reduce the amount of information and communication that an intranet can provide. Other challenges that can arise include the use of polarizing rhetoric that promotes filter bubbles, the spread of disinformation and mental health issues caused by overuse of social apps. Additionally, conversations on intranets and enterprise collaboration tools can veer off into non-work-related topics that can offend co-workers.
