Handbook of Local Area Networks, 1998 Edition:LAN-based Application Development Issues and Solutions Click Here! Search the site:   ITLibrary ITKnowledge EXPERT SEARCH Programming Languages Databases Security Web Services Network Services Middleware Components Operating Systems User Interfaces Groupware & Collaboration Content Management Productivity Applications Hardware Fun & Games EarthWeb sites Crossnodes Datamation Developer.com DICE EarthWeb.com EarthWeb Direct ERP Hub Gamelan GoCertify.com HTMLGoodies Intranet Journal IT Knowledge IT Library JavaGoodies JARS JavaScripts.com open source IT RoadCoders Y2K Info Previous Table of Contents Next People Challenges Defining the type of users in a corporate intranet and their needs is critical to the success of its implementation. Through various user surveys independently conducted by Persoft, Sun Microsystems, and IBM, the average Fortune 1000 corporation includes four types of workers: •  Data-entry users (50% of all users) update client databases, fulfill orders, or access client records as a customer representative. This type of person is keyboard intensive, and generally accesses only a single host for their daily work. •  Information-driven users (10% of all users) need current information fast, and it needs to be accurate. This type of user is an executive or is in sales or marketing, may be on the road or on the phone regularly, and wants information quickly. This type of user also may access one or two hosts for information, and he or she is considered a software user who does not want to waste time shifting among multiple software packages. •  Office users (30% of all users) perform light processing, do ad hoc queries on corporate databases, and use applications such as spreadsheets and desktop publishing. This type of user is an administrative assistant, financial analyst, or marketing researcher—a strong Windows application user, for example. Access to hosts is not important, except when host access is needed for electronic mail. •  Power users (10% of all users) are involved in product development, engineering, quality assurance, and manufacturing. This type of person uses intensive processing, many applications, and is a software guru. In examining the needs of the software community, the network manager will be assessing Web-to-host solutions that can best support the variety of users. Implementation is easier when users see change as something that benefits them directly in their work. Technology Challenges Being aware of technological pitfalls that can affect intranet implementation is the best defense. Most of these challenges are new because of the three-way communication of Web browser to Web server to host. They can be grouped into the following three categories: •  Browsers and hosts don’t speak the same language, so software is needed between Web clients and hosts, which is where the Web server acts as translator. Server-to-host access is already part of most emulation software currently on the market to date, so going the extra measure to provide assured access is within reach. Additional solutions include HTML protocol converters that reside on the host. •  Platform independence makes keyboard support difficult for users that require data-entry type access. This type of support allows users to press keyboard keys to navigate within host-based applications. This type of access is completely opposite to the hypertext links and point-and-click navigation provided with current Web browsers. One solution is to provide fat clients (with minimal installation on client workstations) for those users requiring keyboard support. •  Web-to-host synchronization can be a problem when bandwidth use reduces response time between the client running the Web browser and the Web-to-server connection to the host. The effect is similar to a movie that’s been dubbed when the timing gets out of sync: the words start falling behind the motions of the actors in the movie, and the movements and sound get more out of sync as the timing error continues. SUMMARY Corporate intranets provide a link to the client/server technology that is already in place in many organizations. The advantages of client/server/Web connections are lowered hardware and software costs, central management, dynamic disbursement of corporate information, and a common user interface using Web browsers. Intranets, today, already provide access to static corporate information (i.e., personnel policies and employee directories) and Web-to-host access. The new challenge for intranets is to provide new Web/browser applications that support and enhance corporate access to legacy applications and data. Web-to-host access to data and applications will dramatically increase as vendor solutions that include new Web/browser applications continue to mature. Previous Table of Contents Next Use of this site is subject certain Terms & Conditions. Copyright (c) 1996-1999 EarthWeb, Inc.. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of EarthWeb is prohibited. Please read our privacy policy for details.