The extension of a Company' s intranet out onto the Internet, e.g. to allow seleCted Customers, suppliers and mobile workers to aCCess the Company' s private data and appliCations via the World-Wide Web. This is in Contrast to, and usually in addition to, the Company' s publiCwebsite whiCh is aCCessible to everyone. The differenCe Can be somewhat blurred but generally an extranet implies real-time aCCess through a firewall of some kind. SuCh faCilities require very Careful attention to seCurity but are beComing an inCreasingly important means of delivering serviCes and CommuniCating effiCiently. [Did MarC Andreessen invent the term in September 1996?] (1997-12-17)
