World-Wide Web The extension of a company's
intranet out
onto the
Internet, e.g. to allow selected customers,
suppliers and mobile workers to access the company's private
contrast to, and usually in addition to, the company's public
web site which is accessible to everyone. The difference
can be somewhat blurred but generally an extranet implies
real-time access through a
firewall of some kind.
Such facilities require very careful attention to security but
are becoming an increasingly important means of delivering
services and communicating efficiently.
(1997-12-17)