Common data is stored in a central area, and online tools make timecard management and statistical analysis less time-consuming. This intranet marks Nissan's move to savvy, brand-boosting Web sites, beginning with its own employees. This slick site not only saves the company money by eliminating many paper printing and distribution costs but also gives employees fast access to a vast warehouse of corporate information while creating a new internal community. Northern Telecom Ltd. Access With 63,000 users and 1.1 million Web pages on 1,200 Web servers, Nortel boasts one of the world's major intranets.
Access offers designated users a safe, straightforward gateway to confidential documents.
Software house Open Text uses its intranet as a backbone for smoother workflow and secure document management. Time devoted to client support has dropped from 80 percent to zero. Since 1994, Sandia's intranet has offered employees online access to phone and service directories, manuals and legacy databases that track project budgets. Now the intranet is the primary source of company communication, and Sandia is developing engineering, workflow, parts-sharing and training applications for delivery on the Web. Engineers easily can reuse code while a push news service keeps staff better informed.