Page 61 - DCAP306_DCAP511_E-COMMERCE_AND_E-BUSINESS

E-Commerce and E-Business

3. Web services
4. Audio services
5. Video services

The e-mail services must be provided from a standard-based server, i.e., SMTP mail server with the
client using the browser to retrieve mail from the mail server. The easiest way for setting up a server is
by installing a UNIX system which has built-in free SMTP mail server software. UNIX is available for
free, and Linux comes complete with a SMTP mail server. The essential components of an intranet
include a network, TCP/IP on servers and clients, hardware for hosting intranet services, software for
the Web server hosting Web pages, mail servers, and browsers. The optional components include
HTML editors, e-mail Remote User Agents, proxy servers, and CGI. The productivity tools include
Web-aware, Java and ActiveX.
The essential components make the intranet operational and the optional elements make it useful by
delivering most of the intended intranet services. The tools facilitate Web services, database linkages,
and graphics.
An organization can obtain the following benefits by using an intranet:
1. Easier and faster access to information

2. Reduced costs
3. Easier and faster access to remote locations
4. Latest research base
5. Easier access to customers and partners
6. Increased accuracy
7. Timeliness of information

El Dorado Holding Company purchases auctioned homes, remodels them, and sells
them. El Dorado Holding Company had an existing PHP Web application that
included a customer Web site and the intranet. They required a company with good
programmers to pick up where their previous developer had left off. Inspironix
stepped in and helped them expand their public Web site to allow visitors to easily
see the homes on sale.
The management analyzes the business problems or the issues that are being addressed through the
intranet. The focus must be on business needs that drive the intranet. Thus, the intranet provides the
organization with the essential tools for operational efficiency, enhanced knowledge base, and more
productivity to survive in the market.
Intranets have a number of advantages over the traditional network communications. Intranets provide
a common communication platform for the sharing of private corporate information. They give the
business the opportunity to take advantage of all the functions that the Web performs such as e-mail,
chat, mailing lists, experts systems, calendars and searching, and discussion forums. The information
can be given in multimedia format that increases the communication power and effectiveness of
intranet. Intranets also provide a communication channel for e-commerce by connecting to the Internet
thus, making it an extranet.

Sikorsky Aircraft Manufacturers designed a single electronic interface to facilitate the
250-member design team to share resources and work interactively on the design and
development of the new Comanche helicopter for the US Army. Thus, intranet
ultimately reduced the design time by 30 percent.

The major application of intranets is the sharing of expert information inside the company. Over the
years, most businesses have collected valuable data about their processes, customers, products, and

54 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY