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Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 1
Office Automation & Intranets
BUSS 909
Lecture 7Internet, Intranets and Extranets:
Definition, Analysis and Design
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 2
Agenda
Basic DefinitionsCommunicative DefinitionsStructure in CommunicationDesign Issues
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 3
Basic Definitions
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 4
Basic Definitions (1)Origins of the term ‘Intranet’
the term ‘intranet’ was used by Amdahl to describe their own internal network:
“An intranet is a private computer network uses Internet standards and protocols to enable members of an organisation to communicate and collaborate more efficiently with one another thereby increasing productivity.” (Hills 1999 in Greer 1998, 2)
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 5
Basic Definitions (2) Internet versus Intranets
Intranets employ net-aware technologies within organisations- the prefix ‘intra’ means ‘within’
confusingly, the prefix ‘inter’ means ‘between’ yet the Internet provides net-aware technologies to entities in the environment
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 6
B: Organisational
Organisation
Organisational Boundary
Public or Marketplace
C: Applied Technology
Intranet
Internet
A: System Theoretic
Boundary
Environment
System
Basic Definitions (3) Physical Boundary between Inter/Intranets?
this suggests that a physical boundary is being used to distinguish between these realms (see SL-00.PPT)
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 7
Basic Definitions (4)Inter/Intranets: Zone not Physical Boundary
even this simple view can be disrupted by considering firewall deployment to protect intranets from internet attack
A: Applied Technology
Intranet
InternetInternal Firewall
Large number of internal requests
Some requests are rejected at IF ‚but others are passed onto EF ƒ
Trusted Requests from EF enter the Intranet via IF „
External Firewall
Large number of external hits …
Many requests are rejected at EF †, but some are passed onto IF ‡
Trusted Requests from IF enter the Internet via EF ˆ
B: Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)
DMZ
IF
EF
‚
ƒ„
…†
‡ˆ
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 8
Basic Definitions (5) Communicatively defined Zone ...
intranets are usually separated from the internet by a Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)- not a single ‘physical’ boundary: although the DMZ concerns technical issues
(IP packets etc.), it is defined communicativelyit involves a telecommunications security
policy executed using hardware and software (firewalls and proxy servers
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 9
Basic Definitions (6) … Communicatively defined Zone
but behind this technical policy is a social process which decides about audience classification- who constitutes an
appropriate organisational member (exclude messages from unknown agents)
if a message is sent by an external known agent can it be judged as trusted or useful
should specific organisational members have access to particular sites
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 10
Basic Definitions (7) Intranet/Extranet Relationships
from a technical point of view you need all the functionality that intranets provide in order to set up an extranetin this way extranets are thought of as an
extension or option to an intranetthe difference is ultimately about
recognising that an individual or group has special privileges compared to the rest of the public or market
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Basic Definitions (8) Extranets are communicatively defined ...
extranets are communicatively defined- relating to audience with respect to their membership to the organisationin addition to audience, trustworthiness,
usefulness etc...the very definition of what is inside or outside
the system is defined according to the kind of communication agents do or can enter into at a particular point in time
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 12
C: Internal ClientB: External Entity
Organisation
External Entity
Organisation
A: Traditional System
Organisation
Environment
A': Applied Technology
Intranet
Internet
C': Active Extranet
Internet
Extranet
B': Passive Extranet
Internet
Extranet
Basic Definitions (9) … Extranets are communicatively defined
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 13
Basic Definitions (10) Extranets: Significance of the Definition
the issue of how to correctly theorise internets, intranets and extranets by means of communicative distinctions between them- is very important
this issue is becoming more important for information economies with the rise of virtual organisations- these can only be sensibly defined in terms of human communication
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Basic Definitions (11)Similarities between Extranets and EDI ...
EDI is limited to B2B transactions, however extranets and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) share many similarities:extranets are now becoming the main way of
implementing EDI and as most EDI is conducted using SGML, extranets and EDI share some technical similarities as well
analysis aspects of establishing extranets are very similar to those of EDI
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 15
Basic Definitions (11)… Similarities between Extranets and EDI
Commonwealth of Australian (1992) Speaking EDI- Video 2 : Case Studies ISBN 0642 176558 6view a case studies video of successful EDI
implementation in Australian businessremembering that today EDI (that is B2B
transactions) are very likely to be conducted using extranets and associated technologies
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 16
Communicative Definitions
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 17
Communicative DefinitionsSignificance
the case studies reveal not just the importance of standardising data for its exchange between organisations, but also ...
... the importance of human communication, during development of these technologies, and for specific types of organisational purposes
we can use human communication as a means of defining the terms intranet, extranet and internet
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 18
Communicative DefinitionsPrinciples, Features, Application
we will first consider some principles of human communication as distinct from machine communication
then describe some features that can be analysed in human communication,
attempt to tentatively apply these to determining what is an intranet, an extranet and the internet
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 19
Communicative Principles (1)Communication is about meanings
communication is about meanings (social positioning of sender and receiver, information- statements about the world, cultural attributes)
need to look at actual or expected patterns of communication (production and consumption of meanings)
communication never involves ‘just’ individuals expressing their meanings (always socially and culturally formed)
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 20
Communicative Principles (2)Not about sharing- its about differences
communication is not just about sharing- societies and organisations always consist of multiple social and cultural groupings
interactions between them involve contradiction and contestation as much as sharing
therefore, the processes of communication are likely simultaneously to be based on difference and the ‘resolution of differences’
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 21
Communicative Principles (3)Communicative Practices, Cultural Literacy meanings associated with human communication
must be understood as being produced in specific national and /or organisational cultures
communicative practices : the ways in which these systems of meaning are negotiated by users in a culture
cultural literacy: knowledge of meaning systems and an ability to negotiate them in different contexts
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 22
Communicative Principles (4)Traditional IS theory inadequate
the (above) principles are completely absent from the Shannon & Weaver model of communication used in IS:the relationship between communication
and culturethe idea that meaning and communicative
practices are context specificthe existence and importance of cultural
literacy
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 23
Communicative Principles (5)
if we want to understand the differences between Intranets, Extranets, and the Internet, weneed to look at the communications that are occurring between and within the organisation
we cannot understand these communications or conduct an analysis without being familiar with organisational cultures that make certain meanings possible of impossible
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 24
Communicative Features (1)
the unit used here to define organisational communication (within/between) is confusingly called a text a product (document)- in that it is an output, or object
with an analysable structure a process- social and interactive writers/readers and
speakers/listeners are interpreting meanings completed act of communication in any medium (exhibit,
rock concert, films etc) defined in relation to its social context- must do so in
order to make any sense
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 25
Communicative Features (2)
two types of context recognised by the theory (after Malinowski) Situational Context which
provides secific situational ‘values’ to the text
Cultural Context which provides a pattern or template that is portable across different situations within a national or organisational culture
Language
Cultural Context
SituationalContext
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 26
Communicative Features (3)
situational context (register) includes the following features which can be analysed in a text: field: social actions and activities- the topic or focus of
an activity- lexical items or indexical lexical items (reception, priest, bands, ‘I do’)
tenor: social role relationships played by interactants affects how language is used (customer/slaesman)
mode: the role language is playing in the interaction these features influence each otherand also influence
the genre
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 27
Communicative Features (4)
cultural context (genre) : describes the structural arrangement of a text
type according to genre elements which are functional linguistic categories used to describe the purpose of a stretch of a text (see in T909-02).
genre elements do nor represent an IS process- closest to this social activity defined by field; nor do they represent data- closest to this is mode; not do they represent turn taking because they are functional not personal
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 28
Communicative Application (1)
defining the differences between Intranets and Extranets using this theory is straightforward, but: conducting an analysis of these technologies,
involves analysing actual texts associated with there use
in the case of designing new extranet functionality need to identify the kinds of communication that are likely, treat these as texts and analyse them appropriately
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 29
Communicative Application (2)Defining Extranets
new activities will be given new indexical lexical items
where the same workpractice exists using different names a new common naming convention may be adopted by both organisations/units, or
the more powerful organisation/unit may insist on there existing naming convention
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 30
Communicative Application (3)… Defining Extranets ...
changes may occur to the naming of job positions, and shifts in role relationships between two organisations and units
shifts in the kind of language used to accommodate external members in the environment who are now part of the organisation
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 31
Communicative Application (3)… Defining Extranets
more explicit descriptions of tasks, functions etc.:
because external extranet members/organisations will not share the same cultural literacy as members of an organisation!
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 32
Social Context and LanguageIn General...
every text refers to its social context- it must do in order to make any sense
must do so in order to be meaningful that is to communicate something to someone
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 33
Social Context and LanguageRealisation
in order to show the relationship between language and social context we use concentric ovals (see next slide)
one semiotic system (language) is a realisation of another more abstract one (social context)
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 34
Structure in CommunicationExample 1: Buying Bread in Australia
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 35
Contextual Configuration (CC)
specifies the values or options of the field, tenor and mode for a given context of situation
using CC you can ‘predict’ (Hasan) what is likely to occur (in general terms) in the text
need to specify CC before collecting texts
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 36
Contextual ConfigurationBuying Bread
Field (economic transaction) purchase of retail goods, perishable food
Tenor (agents of transaction)hierarchic: customer superordinate and
vendor subordinate; social distance near maximal
Mode (language role)ancilliary; channel: phonic; medium:
spoken with visual contact
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 37
Example 1: Buying Bread (1)Hypothetical Transcript (Australia)
This type of text is so familiar to us that we can even tell who said what and when
Buying Bread Text
Who’s next?I think I amCan I have a loaf of bread please?Yes, anything elseYesI’d like a cinnamon donutWill that be all?Yeah, thanks.That’ll be $1.850 [hands over $2.00 coin]10 and 5 is 15, thanksHave a nice dayThanks
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 38
Example 1: Buying Bread (3)Turn Taking
In this text their areonly two participants,a Buyer and a Seller of Bread
The numbers indicate turn-taking between the participants
Buying Bread Text Buyer Seller
1: Who’s next?2: I think I am
Can I have a loaf of bread please?3: Yes, anthing else4: Yes
I’d like a cinnamon donut5: Will that be all?6: Yeah, thanks.7: That’ll be $1.858: 0 [hands over $2.00 coin]9: 10 and 5 is 15, thanks
Have a nice day10: Thanks
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 39
Example 1: Buying Bread (4)Linguistic Stages in the Text
But there is more than just participantstaking turns. Their is a familiar linguisticstaging of events in the transcript.
Each stage is called agenre element. Each genre element is functionally defined.
Buying Bread Text Buyer Seller
1: Who’s next?2: I think I am
Can I have a loaf of bread please?3: Yes, anthing else4: Yes
I’d like a cinnamon donut5: Will that be all?6: Yeah, thanks.7: That’ll be $1.858: 0 [hands over $2.00 coin]9: 10 and 5 is 15, thanks
Have a nice day10: Thanks
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 40
Example 1: Buying Bread (5)Genre Elements
Buying Bread Text Buyer Seller Genre Element
1: Who’s next?2: I think I am
Can I have a loaf of bread please?3: Yes, anything else4: Yes
I’d like a cinnamon donut5: Will that be all?6: Yeah, thanks.7: That’ll be $1.858: 0 [hands over $2.00 coin]9: 10 and 5 is 15, thanks
Have a nice day10: Thanks
Sale Compliance (SC)
Sale (S)Purchase (P)
Finis (F)
Sales Initiation (SI)
Sale Request (SR)
Sale Request (SR)
Sale Compliance (SC)
Purchase Closure (PC)
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 41
Example 1: Buying Bread (6)Genre Elements
are functional linguistic categories used to describe the purpose of a stretch of text
created as needed and should represent a unique purpose for a text
created when there is a change in field, tenor or mode
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 42
Example 1: Buying Bread (7)Genre Elements
do not represent a process as per IS- closest analogy is social activity as in field
do not represent data as per IS- closest analogy is that of language mode
do not represent turn taking because genre elements are functional not personal
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 43
Example 1: Buying Bread (8)Genre Elements
are negotiated between participantstherefore there is no guarentee of the
successful completion of an elementalso embody ‘error correction’
protocols in language
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 44
Example 1: Buying Bread (9)Genre Sequence
The sequence of genre elements forms the genre sequence for the ‘activity of buying bread in Australia’
it is an example of a service encounter genre (just like buying a railway ticket, buying a shirt etc..)
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 45
Design Issues
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 46
Designas a ‘Black Art’
the design of actual Intranets and Extranets is a black art- there are no hard and fast rukes
generally the web-based components are incrementally added as the scale or size of increases: web servers discussed last week firewalls and proxy servers described next
week
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 47
DesignSmall Internet S/W Company (1)
small company = <1000 employeesfirewall is loose- does not restrict any outward bound
connectionsinbound connections blocked except for incoming e-
mail, news feeds, web
Requirements:proxy server is used to conserve bandwidth to the
external networkfiltering of requests is not required because the
firewall is loose
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 48
DesignSmall Internet S/W Company (2)
users can unset proxy server in the client software and bypass the proxy server
as a consequence no authentication needed
Implementation:single proxy server (128MB RAM; 2 GB cache)cron job rotates logs once per weekno secondary failover proxy as organisation is
encouraging open use
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 49
Links
Amdahl Corporation http://www.amdahl.com/
Clarke, R. J (2001) L909-07: 50
Readings
Relevant readings are provided in the BUSS909 Reader (#24 & 25): Lodin, S. W. and C. L. Schuba (1998) “Firewalls
fend off invasions from the Net” IEEE Spectrum February 1998, 35 (2), 26-34
Oppliger, R. (1997) “Internet Security: Firewalls and Beyond” Communications of the ACM May 40 (5) 92-102
Recommended