An extranet is a controlled private computer network that allows communication with business partners, vendors and suppliers or an authorized set of customers. It extends

intranet An intranet is a computer network for sharing information, easier communication, collaboration tools, operational systems, and other computing services within an organization, usually to the exclusion of access by outsiders. The term is used in ...

to trusted outsiders. It provides access to needed services for authorized parties, without granting access to an organization's entire network. It can be implemented securely, either with dedicated links or as a VPN.

Enterprise applications

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, several industries started to use the term 'extranet' to describe centralized repositories of shared data (and supporting applications) made accessible via the web only to authorized members of particular work groups - for example, geographically dispersed, multi-company project teams. Some applications are offered on a

software as a service Software as a service (SaaS ) is a cloud computing service model where the provider offers use of application software to a client and manages all needed physical and software resources. SaaS is usually accessed via a web application. Unlike o ...

(SaaS) basis. For example, in the construction industry, project teams may access a project extranet to share drawings, photographs and documents, and use online applications to mark-up and make comments and to manage and report on project-related communications. In 2003 in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, several of the leading vendors formed the Network for Construction Collaboration Technology Providers (NCCTP) to promote the technologies and to establish data exchange standards between the different data systems. The same type of construction-focused technologies have also been developed in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

and mainland Europe.

Advantages

* Exchange large volumes of data using

Electronic Data Interchange Electronic data interchange (EDI) is the concept of businesses electronically communicating information that was traditionally communicated on paper, such as purchase orders, advance ship notices, and invoices. Technical standards for EDI exist to ...

(EDI) * Share product catalogs exclusively with trade partners * Collaborate with other companies on joint development efforts * Jointly develop and use training programs with other companies * Provide or access services provided by one company to a group of other companies, such as an online banking application managed by one company on behalf of affiliated banks *improved efficiency: since the customers are satisfied with the information provided it can be an advantage for the organization where they will get more customers which increases the efficiency.

Disadvantages

* Extranets can be expensive to implement and maintain within an organization (e.g., hardware, software, employee training costs), if hosted internally rather than by an

application service provider An application service provider (ASP) is a business providing application software generally through the. ASPs that specialize in a particular application (such as a medical billing program) may be referred to as providing software as a service. ...

. * Security of extranets can be a concern when hosting valuable or proprietary information. * Partner and customer access may result in contentious or controversial debates.

Enterprise applications

Advantages

Disadvantages

See also

References

Further reading