Intranet's are based on Internet access belonging to an organization, usually a corporation, accessible only by the organization's members, employees, or others with authorization. An intranet's Web sites look and acts just like any other Web sites, but the firewall surrounding an intranet fends off unauthorized access. Like the Internet itself, intranets are used to share information.

Secure intranets are now the fastest-growing segment of the Internet because they are much less expensive to build and manage than private networks based on proprietary protocols. This allows for easy and inexpensive distribution of internal corporate information - an essential ingredient in today's fast-moving competitive environment. No more running to the file room to pick up a form, or putting in a call to customer service to find out where some hapless phone-callers' nearest distributor is located!