EXTRANETS: CONCEPTS, STANDARDS AND COST ISSUES
Dr Algirdas Pakstas, School of Computing, Engineering and Technology, University of Sunderland

Abstract: This tutorial is devoted to the new emerging area of Internet use, namely, "extranets". This is often referred to as a third wave of the universal Internet. Definitions and examples of extranet are given. Extranets are compared with better known intergroupware and the concepts of Communications, Collaboration, and Coordination are illustrated. The notion of multi-extranet is introduced as a special case typically found in Science Park (SP) environments. Three types of organisations using SP facilities and having different relationships with its multi-extranet are distinguished: (a) "normal" firms which will have their own Intranets and access to the Internet either on their own or via SP facilities; (b) "small" firms, which will obtain access to the Internet via SP facilities and with the only Intranet, which will be actually extranet; (c) "large" firms which, perhaps, will not bother to connect to the SP facilities at all.

Open application standards are discussed and an example of the suite of standards supported by a consortium established by Netscape Communications is briefly presented. The roles of network management and security issues are outlined as crucial for the success of electronic commerce. Existing experience of running Intranets is discussed and accepted as applicable for extranets and criteria for choosing a planning strategy for building extranets are suggested. Based on existing experience the top 5 problems have been identified as Internal Information Exchange, Discussions, Line-of-business Applications, Collaborations and Link to Partners. Typical cost items are identified and cost models are discussed for cases such as cost of running Web-sites of various complexity, access expenses for mobile users/workers (via mobile telephones and ISDN connections) as well as losses caused by downtime. Two typical phases for building extranets are suggested: (I) focusing on the applications and standards which will help to solve the "top 5" problems mentioned above, and (II) devoted to future development of the extranet and "flourishing" of the links with customers as well as electronic commerce facilities.

This seminar was held at the Department of Computer Science, Royal Holloway, University of London on 5 June 2000.

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