| Information technologies have long settled in the | | | | dtSearch companies, developing corporate search |
| corporate sector. Its a rare thing for the company not | | | | systems, make a good example. |
| to have a well-organized local network and various | | | | Solutions |
| specialized software that would provide a proper | | | | Modern search technologies are based on two root |
| control of information flow, document storing and | | | | processes: indexing of available information and query |
| information structuring with convenient reports about | | | | processing followed by display of results. What |
| the work process. | | | | concerns the former, any program creates its own |
| Information Diversity | | | | area of search. That is, it processes documents and |
| Any companys information can be roughly divided into | | | | creates the index of those documents (an organized |
| three types depending on its virtual/ physical location | | | | structure that contains information on the processed |
| and its use in the work process. Starting with files from | | | | data). Later on this created index will be used by the |
| the user disk (plus electronic mail and logs of various | | | | program for quickly getting the list of documents |
| instant messaging programs, like ICQ or MSN | | | | relating to the query. |
| Messenger) and on to the corporate information, the | | | | Latest tests of software from dtSearch, ISYS, Verity, |
| documents of different file types & electronic mail (MS | | | | SearchInform and others have shown their capacities |
| Exchange, for instance), or a file information archive on | | | | to be quite amazing. The indexing speed was quite |
| the company server. And finally the data in various | | | | high (in some search tools it even reaches 30 |
| information systems: DMS, PDM, CRM, etc. This may | | | | Gigabytes an hour) while the size of created index |
| include everything from the system objects found in a | | | | remaining small enough not to take up the whole of |
| file archive or in the database like MS SQL to external | | | | your drive space (SearchInform, for instance, makes |
| electronic messages and documents used in the work | | | | 15-30% of clean text information volume). |
| of the system. | | | | Yet the requirements dont stop there. As weve |
| Search? | | | | already figured out, one of the critical requirements is a |
| Considering such a vast variety of information, the | | | | precise and smoothly-running work with the local |
| conclusion follows that the problem of information | | | | network. In this case the corporate version of such |
| search has lately become that of high priority. | | | | tools as SearchInform, dtSearch, ISYS, Google can |
| Common problems with information search are | | | | offer a client-server architecture, indexing files from all |
| physical data volume, lack of proper organization of | | | | accessible (and if theres administrators permission in |
| data and a vast variety of file types containing the | | | | all) folders on all the computers in the local network as |
| needed data. As a result the demand for perfect | | | | well as indexing and subsequent search on all the |
| search and information processing tools keeps | | | | connected network disks, and user access |
| growing. However besides search management | | | | management system based on NTFS authentication. |
| (whether its a file archive, corporate electronic mail or | | | | That way the user can only search in the network |
| document management system), there is quite a | | | | resources that he has permission to access. Of |
| number of other requirements that the corporate | | | | course its possible that when functioning in a big |
| software has to comply with. This, obviously, includes | | | | enterprise certain laps will occur from time to time, but |
| working with local networks, which implies client-server | | | | from the technical point of view there are no |
| software architecture; compliance with information | | | | complaints. |
| security policies and user access management; as well | | | | The third main requirement concerns working not only |
| as working not instead of some already installed | | | | with the information on discs, but also with other |
| system, but rather with it, without violating previously | | | | sources of data. Standard packages of SearchInform |
| set business processes. Let us look more carefully at | | | | and Verity for instance, include ability to index and |
| these requirements. | | | | search in MS Access databases. At that, the |
| Critical requirements to the corporate software | | | | procedure of connecting this data source is just as |
| Ability to work with the local network implies | | | | simple as, say, work with the electronic letters or mail |
| client-server software architecture, flexible network | | | | clients: you only need to select the data source (in this |
| policy settings, different types of operating system | | | | case it would be MS Access database and show the |
| support, etc. One of the latest trends is having a | | | | program which fields should be indexed or simply |
| web-interface for the client part of the corporate | | | | leave that to the program and itll index all the fields |
| software it rids of the problems of additional | | | | automatically). The example with Access is only a |
| workstations when extending the information structure. | | | | single case. Its more than enough for any enterprise to |
| This version may be more expensive because when | | | | organize the search in all its information under the |
| using web-interface the number of workstations is | | | | management of one program. |
| unlimited. Yet the choice between web-interface and | | | | Now lets look at the search capacities and functions. |
| an independent client program depends solely on the | | | | First of all its the number of supported file formats: |
| needs and problems to be solved by the software | | | | most search engines index standard formats like txt, |
| being purchased. | | | | doc, rtf, html, CHM, Open Office etc.; a few also |
| The next critical factor of search softwares work | | | | support multimedia files (audio and video), various |
| within the company is compliance with the information | | | | specialized programmers formats, a dozen archive |
| security policies and access management. Any | | | | types and in logs of instant messaging programs (MSN |
| information system should be a structure with clearly | | | | Messenger, ICQ, Trillian). |
| defined channels of information exchange both | | | | Standard phrase search usually includes search with |
| between the users and with the outside world. Thus | | | | due consideration to stemming and synonyms, fuzzy |
| any corporate software must measure up to the strict | | | | search (with mistakes) and phrase search or search |
| requirements of information security: user access | | | | by separate words that the phrase contains, search |
| differentiation, multi-level access to different sorts of | | | | by attributes, etc. In reality the main features that |
| information, authorization system and a flexible | | | | should be used are, of course, stemming search and |
| structure of the security policies adjustment depending | | | | search in found. |
| on the clients query. | | | | However in each search tool there are some |
| Another factor is the feature of corporate software | | | | peculiarities that shouldnt be left without due attention. |
| that lets you work with companys previously installed | | | | Copernic, for instance, offers an interesting search |
| software products of various types. As it has already | | | | system where the user can select the type of file |
| been mentioned, the information in any organization | | | | (graphics, audio, video etc.), enter search query and |
| can be stored in files both on disc or in DBMS and in | | | | pick the features common only for that particular file |
| various information systems (whether its PDM, CRM | | | | type. For instance, for audio files it might be the |
| or an accounting program). That is exactly why the | | | | features of mp3 tags (singer, album, data etc.), for |
| third feature of any information system is the ability to | | | | graphics you can choose their size (by extension). |
| function not instead of an already existing in the | | | | Afterwards quite an extensive list of information |
| company software, but rather simultaneously with it. Its | | | | appears in the result window and if files of types |
| even more crucial for the corporate search engine | | | | different from your specification also happened to fit |
| because organization of search from all companys | | | | the query, you can open them as well by clicking on a |
| information resources is the main goal of the nominal | | | | certain link. |
| search software application. | | | | ISYS Desktop offers templates for creating index by |
| Search Functions | | | | folder: My Documents, Mail, Specific Folder, Folder with |
| Besides the listed requirements, which put various | | | | the choice of file types etc. and if when creating your |
| search systems on the same level with the corporate | | | | index you checked Folder with the choice of file types, |
| software, there are also requirements to the functional | | | | you have an option of choosing types of files for |
| capacities of this software. That is, directly to the main | | | | manual indexing (by extension). The program also lets |
| functions of the program, responsible for that very high | | | | you sort documents by certain criteria (by default they |
| speed and efficient search, the demand for which only | | | | are sorted by relevancy) and look thought already |
| grows. | | | | found files selecting separate folders (especially |
| Firstly, the old generation of straight search (simple blind | | | | convenient when the result displays a big number of |
| search) and search strictly by document attributes is | | | | documents). |
| replaced by the full-text search with a prior indexing. Its | | | | A unique feature of dtSearch is sound search, which is |
| more than convenient as its faster even when the | | | | something totally untypical even for professional |
| search process is a dozen times more complicated. | | | | search engines. The main catch is that the program will |
| Secondly, its the support of different file formats (both | | | | look for words that sound similar to the query |
| widely used and specialized ones) as well as flawless | | | | exceptionally useful when searching in recorded calls |
| work with various types of DBMS, information | | | | database. |
| systems etc. This list shouldnt neglect irreplaceable | | | | SearchInform is known for its search for documents |
| means of electronic mail (TheBat! or MS Exchange, for | | | | similar in their content to the query text, so to say |
| instance) and instant messaging programs like ICQ or | | | | similar search. This type of search is a lot more |
| MSN Messenger. Another must-have attribute of a | | | | intellectual than simple phrase search. In actual practice |
| quality program is a set of search features: various | | | | it helps solve quite a few problems, like those related |
| types of search (by phrase or by separate words), | | | | to the duration of the search session, for example |
| search with due consideration to stemming and | | | | (continuously having to pick new keywords, looking |
| synonyms and so on and so forth. And, of course, | | | | over and over and comparing all the documents |
| specifically for the corporate sector with its gigantic | | | | already existing in the companys database to see |
| volumes of information, high performance speed (both | | | | whether there are duplicates, etc.). The practice shows |
| in data indexing and in the search itself) are not just | | | | that combining simple phrase search and similar |
| wants, but needs. | | | | document search allows you to successfully and with |
| Progress looking for compromise | | | | a greater benefit apply the full-text search software in |
| Now that we are clear on the requirements imposed | | | | information systems from DMS to ERP and PDM. |
| on corporate search software, the only thing left is to | | | | All in all, tools like dtSearch and ISYS mostly target the |
| actually find a program/system that would meet these | | | | average business, while SearchInform and Verity find |
| requirements. Obviously, its impossible to satisfy all the | | | | their market namely in the corporate sector. Copernic |
| needs without exception therell always be black | | | | doesnt quite suit the corporate sector and is best put |
| wholes, lack of functions, bugs, which will either have to | | | | to use on the home PC, so a speaking name of |
| be dealt with or covered with add-on programs. Thus | | | | Desktop Search reserves the field of desktop search |
| we can forget about the ideal, nothing stands still...that | | | | engines for it. Google is also a player on the market, |
| which seemed perfect yesterday may very well be | | | | although its developers do not prioritize the corporate |
| discarded before tonight is over. | | | | sector and their key area of development is still the |
| In general, developments in the field of full-text search | | | | Internet search. |
| are in full bloom these days: Internet leading (Google | | | | Thus there are quite a few solutions to choose from |
| being the evidence) while the corporate sector is | | | | when solving the essential today problem of corporate |
| catching up. All these developments are mainly | | | | search. Most of the mentioned tools are able to live up |
| conducted either by companies that have recently | | | | and satisfy at least the nominal demands of the |
| developed into popular online search engines or by | | | | corporate user; the game here depends on what it is |
| search-based pages that started working on this | | | | you are looking for. |
| technology 15-20 years ago. Verity, iSYS and | | | | |