Getting Everyone Together Applying Internet technology for an organization's internal information needs
From "Integration",  Access to Wang, August 1996
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As the initial wave of enthusiasm of business use of the Internet recedes, much of the information industry press is abuzz again with discussions of Intranet technologies: the use of existing Internet information technology to solve informational needs within organizations. In most cases, this means use of traditional network applications within the boundaries of an organization's information systems, but sometimes this information is intended to be shared outside as well. World Wide Web (WWW) technology is the most common technology mentioned for this purpose, but others are also relevant.

This article will review some of the possible uses for Internet tools within an organization and what you need to set them up. Despite the rise of interest in this area (and the corresponding advance of high-priced consultants!), the technical requirements for Intranet applications might be less rigorous than you think: if you have a Local Area Network of any type and use desktop systems (PCs, Macintoshes, etc.) you're already on your way. Read on for details.

Internet technology applied

Intranet technology exploits much of the best of the Internet, including low-cost client and server software, industry-standard protocols, and a design that does not presume specific equipment or capabilities. This egalitarian philosophy makes it especially attractive to those who have a variety of systems to support or who do not wish to arbitrarily limit access based on the user's architecture. Even users using text terminals can participate.

Internet technologies cover a broad range of disciplines, including applications, protocols and standards, and physical connections. The design is inherently client/server in that some of the application is provided by the server (e.g. text, references to graphics files, etc.) while some is controlled by the client (text presentation, methods for saving and processing files, etc.). Many of the tools are low in cost or free, and the skills required to manage Intranet services are now commonly available on the job market.

Some of the Internet technologies ripe for use within an organization include the following:

• The World Wide Web: A system for producing and displaying information that allows rapid movement to related areas through hyperlinks (jumps to other information). Besides text, Web applications can present images, sound, video, and other media, and the viewer can send information back through the use of electronic forms. Access to Web information is not limited to specific types of systems - even text-only terminals can be supported.

• FTP (file transfer protocol): Technically, a file transfer protocol (method of transferring information). In this context, I am referring to the storage of information in a central location with access across other systems.

• Electronic mail: Written communication between individuals or groups of individuals, sometimes including attachments. Most organizations of any size are already using e-mail, but most internal mail systems require specific platforms (VS, PC, Mac, etc.) and do not allow universal access to all types of systems. Internet mail systems, on the other hand, use standard protocols intended to work with all types of systems.

• Mailing lists: Mass distribution of mail to members of a list, where all messages submitted by members are read by all members. A means for members to discuss items of common interest and gather information. (Also known as LISTSERVs, after one of the first tools for performing this function.)

• News groups: Similar to mailing lists, but messages are posted within specific areas of the system rather than delivered into the electronic in-boxes of participating group members. Requires news reader software, which is typically built into most Web browsers. (Also known as USENET, after one of the original news distribution schemes.)

• Chat: An entire group of Internet applications that include Internet Relay Chat (IRC), and specific uses of Web servers and browsers. Allows participating users to post messages that all will see. This information is typically exchanged in real time.

• Conferencing systems: Emerging technologies that use a network to connect users with voice, video, or interactive visuals. Examples include simple video conferencing systems using cameras mounted on a workstation, "Internet phone" applications (voice communication), and systems that allow groups of users to simultaneous work on the same application. Requires specific software, sound and video equipment on the workstations, and a large amount of network capacity. Best used in larger organizations with distant offices connected by a single high-speed network.

I put these applications into two major categories: publishing and communication. Publishing tools allow groups of people to see and use information; communication tools allow individuals within groups interact. Examples of publishing tools include Web browsers, FTP archives, and mailing list distributions.

Communication tools include electronic mail, news groups, chat rooms, and some uses of Web technology to provide interactive chat and information submission. One of the chief benefits of Intranet communication tools over other organizational communication forms is they allow non-interactive communication between interested members, reducing the need for meetings and other schedule interruptions and allowing collaboration across geographic boundaries and time zones.

What you need to begin

Each of the Intranet tools described above has individual requirements, but there is one common requirement for all: an enterprise network or file-sharing system. In most cases, this will be the same network used to tie desktop systems (PCs or Macs) to a central server or host. If you do not already have a network or desktop systems, there are some Internet tools available for text-based terminals. For example, the Lynx Web browser is available for most Unix systems and VAX/VMS, allowing text terminals to be used for Web surfing. Naturally, there will be some compromises (no graphics, video, or sound), but the text is displayed appropriately and, thus, the essential usefulness of the application is retained.

As a client/server architecture, Intranet applications also require a server of some sort. If your needs are complex or high response rates are important, this might mean you need a separate computer system devoted to this purpose. Initially, though, you can make use of existing systems for many purposes. Here are some specific examples:

• World Wide Web access: The minimum requirement for use of Web technology is shared access to the Web files to be viewed by those interested in seeing them. Therefore, networks that allow users to share a common drive can be used for this purpose. More complicated uses (forms, information retrieval from data bases, etc.) require a Web server, but good products for desktop systems can be purchased for a few hundred dollars.

• Electronic mail: Most e-mail systems require some sort of server and the attendant administrative effort and cost. It's possible you can use existing enterprise mail systems for Intranet purposes, though you will probably sacrifice specific features such as file attachment support.

• Mailing Lists: Much of the need for mailing lists could be met using any electronic mail system and careful administration of mailing lists. LISTSERV and similar products usually require less maintenance effort, since users can subscribe or unsubscribe themselves, without the intervention of an administrator.

• News groups: More complicated to set up and typically require specific servers (Unix, NT, etc.). Most of the purpose of News can be handled through electronic mail techniques.

Conclusion

The Internet was created in the early 1970s to allow scientists to communicate with each other across distances, so it is not surprising that there tools also work well within organizations for similar purposes. While the World Wide Web is typically associated with discussions of Intranet benefits, there are also some other Internet tools that can be applied to solve organizational information problems.

Internet tools work best to solve organizational needs that require distribution of information or collaboration between individuals. While these needs are not universal, they are present in most businesses and government agencies, and the use of Intranets can significantly improve communication within an organization.

Next time we'll cover the use of the technology of the World Wide Web to distribute information within an organization.

Figure 1: Glossary of Relevant Internet Terms

Term	Definition
chat	Text-based systems that allow participants to type messages on a common screen to be viewed by all others. Some systems provide multiple "rooms" where readers can go to discuss specific areas of interest.
Intranet	The use of network tools traditionally associated with the Internet to provide internal communication within an organization.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol)	A standard transfer protocol for sending and receiving files. Available on most systems.
hypertext	Text information that contains links to other related information, allowing the reader to jump to other sections or documents related to that subject.
IRC (Internet Relay Chat)	Similar to chat applications, but allows transfer of binary information (files, applications, etc.) in addition to text.
LISTSERV	A mechanism for distributing electronic mail messages to a large number of users. Allows discussion between members of a group by distributing responses by any member to all other members of the group.
MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Enhancement)	A scheme for attaching files to electronic mail messages that allows users to receive and properly handle these attachments regardless of the capabilities of the system they are using.
News reader	Software that allows users to browse Internet news information, a list of messages between users with common interests. Most readers tie messages to a single subject together as a thread (discussion topic); this allows readers to skip discussions they are not interested in and concentrate on those they are.
World Wide Web (WWW)	A multimedia information architecture that allows the publication and distribution of linked text information. Information may also include graphics, sound, video, applications, and other types of data.