Until recently most corporations relied on proprietary hardware and software systems to network their computers, a costly and time-consuming process made more difficult when offices are scattered around the world. Thankfully, there are plenty of off-the-shelf intranet solutions and online Software-as-a-Service intranet providers, which make internal communication and collaboration much simpler. For a locally-housed intranet, you simply need a server and the appropriate hosting software. There are a number of solutions available, each with their own unique capabilities. Some center around Web-like content pages, while others specialize in wiki-based document collections, and still others aim to replicate the social networking experience at work. Before selecting an intranet for your organization, it is best to assess your goals and test a variety of solutions.