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 public website 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)