What is an Intranet?

The Internet is a global network connecting thousands of independent computer networks around the world through high speed connections. World Wide Web sites can be accessed by anyone who has access to the Internet. An Intranet functions exactly like the Internet with one difference. It is only accessible to those people on your network -- employees, suppliers, or customers. With an Intranet, you control the content and the accessibility.

How can an organization benefit from an Intranet?

When designed properly, Intranets can reduce costs and increase productivity. Here are some ways an Intranet can benefit your organization:

• Intranets provide an opportunity for greater access to internal information.  You can provide one single user interface to access a wide range of information utilizing your existing network as the backbone.  This results in reduced training costs and a more efficient way of managing information within your business.
  

• Intranets decrease e-mail traffic.  By allowing you to post an announcement once, instead of sending the same information to dozens of people, an Intranet will save time and system resources.
  
• Intranets are perfect vehicles for the publication of corporate newsletters, job postings, corporate policies and procedures.
  
• Intranets will enable your company to provide online training materials.
  
• Intranets will allow you to post and maintain a searchable corporate telephone directory.
  
• In addition to benefits specific to your organization, an Intranet could provide links to the World Wide Web. Items such as the competitor's home page, stock market quotes and technical support could be made available to your employees through an Intranet.
  
• Automate business processes.  Automate a variety of internal business processes on your Web site for increased efficiency. For example, many organizations are using Intranet Web sites to automate the distribution and administration of internal documents, including   policies and procedures, benefit selections, financial information, telephone lists and job postings. Electronic distribution eliminates the high cost of updating and distributing paper documents every time an update occurs.
  
• Re-deploy client/server solutions. By re-deploying client/server solutions to Web sites, you provide universal access to information without the need to install and manage specialized client software. Users can access the information they need through their standard Web browsers. Many organizations are already re-deploying client/server applications in human resources, accounting, sales management and executive information services onto their Intranet Web sites. These Web-based applications are considerably less expensive to maintain and manage than traditional client/server solutions.
  
• Disseminate information. Through your Intranet Web site you can disseminate internal information to employees--and even to business partners, such as suppliers and contractors. You can use your Web site to present information in new and engaging ways, so your employees will be more apt to access the information.  Your business partners will also appreciate being kept "in the loop."
  
• Facilitate a collaborative culture. Because important information flows more freely through Intranet Web sites, it is easier for your employees to become more engaged, involved and interactive --within their own departments and workgroups as well as with other departments and workgroups.
  
• Increase employee satisfaction. Use your Intranet to keep employees informed and solicit their feedback on matters that are important to them. As a result, you'll build closer relationships with them.
  
• Intranet Web sites can plug into your existing network infrastructure. As a result, they leverage your network investment. Because they operate over your existing network, Intranet Web sites are easier to secure than those on the Internet.
  
• Any computer with a web browser can use the system if you choose to give them access. Users can be at any location, even other companies.  You control the access.

Some of the applications of this technology are particularly useful in proposal development, because it solves one of the biggest problems - it solves the problem of training people who do a proposal once every few years how to use your system, by making it as easy to access as any web site. 

The Internet is accessible anywhere on the planet, so everyone in your company can get to your virtual proposal center.  They can use any type of computer and software.

Search engine technology makes intranets searchable, and doesn't require manual steps to add files to the index. And because intranet pages are dynamically generated, you don't have to manually enter every item in your library.

What are some types of information typically managed through Intranets?

• Regulatory documents
• Company policies and procedures
• Interoffice memos
• Technical and engineering documents
• Legal and insurance documents
• Product catalogs and pricing information
• Proposals and other frequently accessed stock documents

The Opportunity

If an organization's lifeblood is information, and that information is contained within an organization's documents, then the finding and transmitting of those documents is crucial.   If you already have the infrastructure in place, it makes good business sense to consider the many benefits of an Intranet.

Infiniti Technical has a staff of dedicated professionals ready to provide you with Intranet solutions that will maximize the potential of your network.  Should you not have a network backbone in place; our certified engineers can build it from the ground up.