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Items to consider when
choosing a Desktop Search Tool for something other
then personal use.
Security
Most of the Desktop
Search Tools on the market today are intended for
a single user in a non shared environment. It is
not recommended to put a desktop search tool on a
shared machine unless it is disclosed to all users
that everything is being indexed. This could
present an issue with PC's in public areas. The
reason is that with some Desktop Search Tools can
index all files, websites, and documents are
indexed and could be accessible by all of the
users of that PC.
If a PC is lost or
stolen then the thief can find a users information
more quickly unless access to the Desktop Search
Tool and the index is better secured,
Securing Desktop
Search Tools should be done by creating a policy
to educate users, creating protective around the
index, and managing the index properly.
Management
Desktop Search tools
should be managed by the same team that manages a
corporations other desktop applications. It is
important that organization do not let users
randomly download any desktop search tool
available today. Keeping track of version and
different releases of the desktop search tools can
present a problem so it is important to have
these application be part of an overall desktop
strategy.
Deployment
As with any desktop
application, deployment of Desktop Search Tools
should be organized and managed by the same
corporate standards and procedures in place today.
The deployment of the desktop search tools can be
easily automated with the application calling a
server to check for updates.
Organization
How to organize the
indexes of the individual, group, or entire
enterprise is something to consider. To prevent
multiple indexes and network slowdown it is
recommended that indexes be stored on the desktop
and server for management.
Integration
Desktop Search Tools
should be integrated with the overall workflow of
an individual or group process with integration
points into content management systems, imaging
systems, and other repositories depending on the
individual need.
Desktop Search Tools
can be used to harvest information assets from an
individual desktop or teams shared server.
Documents and other knowledge assets can be then
moved to the group or enterprise repository for
others to share.
Bottom Line
Only a few vendors
today offer Desktop Search Tools for the entire
Enterprise. The vendors that do charge real
dollars for their products and are stoved piped
into their Enterprise Search offerings.
The free Desktop
Search Tools can be integrated into an Enterprise
Desktop Search solution with security, management,
deployment, and the others consideration addresses
with some integration. Most vendors have
API's that make his process easier and we can show
you how to do it.
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