For example, at Tex-Tube Company (A Houston based manufacturer of tubular products) has computers located in each department and in almost every office. Most of the Company's information is processed from the network server. A network server computer is used to coordinate telecommunications and resource sharing and manages large web sites, Intranets, extranets, and client/server networks. There are many other devices which can help an individual process and share information. Some of these devices include, PDA's (Personal Digital Assistants), Laptop computers, wireless web pagers and web accessible cell phones. .
The benefits of intranets to a small business -- even a home business -- do not substantially differ from the benefits reaped by larger firms. In fact, within large companies there often exist multiple smaller, segregated intranets. A small human resources intratnet, for example, will tend to feature extensively different content than an intranet for engineers. Whatever the scope -- organization-wide, departmental, or workgroup -- intranet services promise to grow institutional knowledge and increase employee effectiveness. Online news, secure document sharing, and email are just a few example of intranet applications. Building intranets using common web technologies can also dovetail nicely into an organization's external marketing and e-commerce strategies. .
Another resourceful form of information sharing is via an extranet. Extranets are transforming enterprise networking. Rather than using exclusive networks to exchange information, companies can now leverage their investments in intranet and internet technology and use extranets to exchange data and share applications with business partners, suppliers, and customers. Because extranets are all about letting third-party users into corporate networks, they need to be extremely secure, and access needs to be highly controllable.