Re: Web vs. web?

[Beth Agnew <bagnew -at- INSYSTEMS -dot- COM>]

Jeanne A. E. DeVoto [jaed -at- BEST -dot- COM] wrote:
>  Lani Hardage wrote:
>  >Well put for the Web and adjectives. But what is the difference
between
>  >Internet and internet? I believe there is only one; local
"internets"
>  >are actually intranets.
>
> An internet is a network of networks. It may use any protocol and be
of any
> size and extent, although typically internets are WANs (if you have a
LAN,
> it's usually simpler to make it a single net). The Internet that we
all
> know and love is one specific internet. Sort of like the difference
between
> "a parliament" and "THE Parliament, the one in England".
>
> "Intranet" is not really a term with a precise technical definition;
I've
> usually seen it used to mean an in-house TCP/IP network that provides
> typical Internet services (mail service, web service) and is connected
to
> the Internet via a firewall or other security barrier. As far as I can
> tell, most intranets aren't internets; they're single networks.

Almost.

The (THE) Internet is a world-wide, extended network of computers. It is
accessible by anyone with the technology and know-how to do so. There
may be other internets, but these are limited networks of computers that
may or may not allow access by the public. (Do I have to define "public"
for you, or are you with me?)

An intranet is a closed system. Whether it's based on a LAN or a WAN, it
has no public access. It is usually an exclusive, enterprise-wide
version of the services and functionality provided by the Internet.
Users of an intranet may have outgoing access to the Internet or other
internets through a security barrier (firewall) but there is no incoming
access apart from the specialized procedures that can be set up for
remote access by an insider.

An extranet is a network of computers that provides limited public
access, usually to specific users, such as clients. It is an intranet
with an exposed interface that allows incoming access by approved users.
It is not connected to or accessible via the Internet.

The Internet = the ocean
Internets = lakes
Extranet = river with a system of locks
Intranet = swimming pool

--Beth

Beth Agnew
Senior Technical Writer, InSystems Technologies Inc.
65 Allstate Parkway, Suite 100  Tel: (905) 513-1400 ext. 280
Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 9X1        Fax: (905) 513-1419
mailto:bagnew -at- insystems -dot- com    Visit us at: http://www.insystems.com

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