Internet, intranet, extranet

The network in each of our network application examples was the Internet. We can distinguish between the Internet, which you use daily, and an intranet or an extranet.

Type Definition Example
Internet a global, public TCP/IP network used by over a billion people Sending email to a friend
intranet a TCP/IP network with access restricted to members or employees of a single organization Accessing your record in the employee personnel file
extranet a TCP/IP network with access restricted to members or employees of a two or more organizations Checking availability of inventory from an outside supplier

Note that all of these use the same technology. They are all client-server applications that use the TCP/IP communication protocols. That means the same development tools and techniques can be used regardless of the scope of the application.

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