A Call for Answers to SharePoint Mystery
July 10, 2013
SharePoint pro Marc D Anderson believes Microsoft has some explaining to do, he asserts in his blog post, “SharePoint 2013’s Search Continuous Crawl: an Enigma.” While updating one intranet system, he was working with the continuous and incremental crawl settings. He describes his confusing results, complete with screenshots, so see the write-up for the technical details. He summarizes:
“Continuous Crawl seems to be working, but at some underlying schedule which isn’t visible. There have been some suggestions that the Continuous Crawl schedule is set to every 15 minutes by default, and the evidence above seems to support that since the second piece of content showed up in 12 minutes, about 15 minutes after the last crawl that was visible in the logs. There is some PowerShell you can use to get at properties of the Continuous Crawl, but it’s not totally clear what impact they have on the schedule. . . .
“Another thing that’s not clear is how many Continuous crawl threads might stack up if things get backed up. One person has suggested an unlimited number and someone else told me there’s a maximum of 8 threads.”
Anderson calls for Microsoft to put out documentation that will clear up the confusion. He does list a few links that may be of some help to some SharePoint users, and calls for readers to share any information they have in the comments section. If this enigma might be of concern to your organization, you might want to check back there for more answers.
Cynthia Murrell, July 10, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Poor Puffer
July 10, 2013
Columnist Scott Kirsner has found the perfect symbol for the disruptive cultural shifts that take place when a large company acquires a smaller one; Boston.com posts, “Firing Nemo: Endeca, Oracle, and the Cultural Aftershocks of an Acquisition.” Much like a new homeowner who razes a lovingly-tended, decades-old flower bed to make room for a gravel driveway, new corporate overlords can impose heart-aching changes that end up devaluing the property they just bought.
The symbol that embodies this unfortunate tendency is one lovely fish named Puffer, who for a decade enjoyed the plum position of Endeca mascot. However, because Oracle maintains a no-pets provision for all of its properties, Puffer was forced into retirement. I find it amazing that large organizations, even ones run by smart people, tend to produce bureaucracies unable to distinguish between a puffer fish and a Great Dane. But I digress; the issue here is changing corporate culture, not that red tape smothers common sense. (Right?)
Kirsner writes:
“All the employees loved Puffer. They put her picture on posters that promoted companywide parties. And when she puffed up — which was not very often — people took pictures and e-mailed them to their co-workers. The employees who helped take care of Puffer, feeding her krill and algae, loved her even more. She would follow them whenever they walked past her tank, sometimes bonking into the glass.
“But one day in 2011, one of the richest men in the world decided to buy Endeca. . . . And that’s when things changed for Puffer and her friends.
“This is the story of Puffer, but it’s also the story of those thousand tiny changes that big companies often make when they acquire smaller ones. And about how those changes often lead to the loss of the very same talent the big company hoped to bring on as part of the deal.”
How big a problem is this loss of talent through such tone-deafness? Well, Kirsner for one says he knows far more folks who have left Endeca than stayed since the Oracle deal. That is just one example, but I can think of one or two others. Is this sort of shake-up necessary, or could more common sense and sensitivity be applied? It seems like a low-cost way to maximize the ROI on corporate acquisitions. (The good karma is an added benefit.)
Cynthia Murrell, July 10, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
The Search Circle Subscription Service
July 10, 2013
In the increasingly complex world of enterprise search, particularly open source enterprise, good information flow is essential to staying on top of the latest trends and updates. New information services are popping up to help keep developers and enterprise managers in the know. The Search Circle is the latest on the market. Read more about the service:
“The Search Circle is the first subscription information service for managers and developers with responsibility for enterprise search and website search applications. It was launched on 1 July 2013. The annual subscription is £250 plus VAT, €300 plus VAT or $400. Payment can be made against an invoice or by credit card. For an application form email membership@thesearchcircle.com.”
The service is based in the UK, but there are other means of obtaining similar information in the states. For instance, Steven E. Arnold produces The Honk, a free weekly opt-in newsletter focused on online search and analytics. Or, users can go another route by choosing an enterprise solution that builds in support and training, like LucidWorks. Their support and services mean that users will never be behind the curve.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 10, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Beyond Search
MBA Thunderbird Stress: Cash Lifeline and Dissention
July 9, 2013
I don’t think too much about MBAs. In my experience, I have found the exercise somewhat troublesome. I suppose I should be more open minded, but learning to do business and then getting a job telling folks how to run a business is not my cup of tea.
I prefer folks who are frustrated scholars of medieval literature or even a home economics major. These backgrounds offer some intellectual traction. I have learned a great deal by watching Martha Stuart, for example. I also enjoy working in references to the Analecta Hymnica Medii Aevi into my analyses of search, analytics, and content processing.
I read with considerable interest two stories about the financial challenges facing the esteemed Thunderbird School of Global Management. The first item was a Businessweek story titled “Board Members Quit after Thunderbird Vote on For-Profit Partnership.” The notion that a team could not reach agreement on the hook up with an institution called laureate Education was fascinating. I thought the notion of rational decision making and consensus were part of the MBA tool kit. Since I am not an MBA, I am delighted my misunderstanding has been corrected by this case example.
I then noted the hard copy Wall Street Journal story in Marketplace called “Struggling Thunderbird Business School Finds a For-Profit Lifeline.” The July 8, 2013, was online here on July 9, 2013 but may not be soon.
The point of this story is that management of the world class institution seems to have suffered from the winds of change in the economic ecosystem. Enrollments are down so Thunderbird hooked up in a joint venture which will yield $13 million in cash and involve some pretty fancy forward looking cash. The number is pegged at $100 million.
Cornered in a Nook in Book and Toy Store
July 9, 2013
Yesterday evening I stopped at the local Barnes & Noble store. I wanted to ask a couple of the workers about the resignation of the Barnes & Noble CEO. I learned about this development in the story “Barnes & Noble CEO Resigns.” The main point of the story is that Barnes & Noble has not been able to make headway in a tough market. The article focused more specifically on the Nook eReader, pointing out:
Barnes & Noble has largely failed to adapt to the growing tablet and e-reader market. And although its Android-based Nook tablets have received decent reviews, they haven’t been selling very well.
When the Nook hit my radar, I wrote “The Nook Hook: Not Knowing What You Do Not Know.” I based my observation on my experience with manager from one business assuming that their expertise applies to another business. Technology often throws curve balls at folks who see nothing special about creating a high-tech gizmo or a software program.
Now back to my on site data collection. I asked the Nook sales person who was standing in the New York Times best seller section (not at the Nook counter), what do you think about the management shake up? The response, “What management shake up?” I moved to the check out lane to pay for a watch magazine I snagged. I asked, “What do you think of the management shake up?” The person responded, “What? Hey, are you a member of the discount club?” I replied, “Nope, I don’t need a toy store discount.” The young clerk looked confused. “Toy store?” he queried. I paid and left.
I concluded from this quite shallow research:
- News of the shake up did not reach the workers at my Barnes & Noble store
- I did not purchase a Barnes & Noble discount card because my local stores are more like card and knick knack shops than book stores I recall from my youth
- I was the only customer buying reading matter. There were several people in the snack shop looking at books and magazines.
Here in Louisville, Kentucky, the Nook has not sparked much interest in me. I fear for the future of my local Barnes & Noble. I am not sure an expanded book light section and a dwindling stock of actual books will kindle sales. Oops. Kindle is not a pun. No, really.
After the failure of the publisher of my New Landscape of Search, I have decided to make my monographs available directly from Xenky.com under the Beyond Search “brand.” Too bad that book stores and publishers assume that the old content world is easy to manage. MBAs are so darned confident. Perhaps a listen to the Harvard Business Review podcast will bolster the management acumen.
Stephen E Arnold, July 9, 2013
Sponsored by Xenky
Endeca Does SEO
July 9, 2013
Web services firm Thanx Media reveals, within their Site Search solutions menu, the existence of a product we find quite interesting: apparently, Endeca has entered the search engine optimization (SEO) space. The description tells us:
Oracle Endeca’s Search Engine Marketing (SEM) technology provides a proven method for accelerating the optimization of websites and improving natural search results. The technology automates the process of exposing your content to Web search engines in a highly consumable and search engine friendly format.
Your business can boost the value of your Oracle Endeca investment and benefit from:
- Higher website traffic.
- Increase the number pages indexed by search engines by more than 500%.
- Improved quality of indexed pages.
- A 60% reduction in development hours spent optimizing landing pages for SEO.
- Improve Natural Search sales by as much as 50%.
A curious move from Endeca. The module generates sitemaps as well as optimizing and redirecting URLs. Even before it was snapped up by Oracle in 2011, the company was at the fore of the faceted search field, with hundreds of customers in areas from ecommerce to intelligence. Endeca was formed in 1999, and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Cynthia Murrell, July 09, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
HP Offers Autonomy Powered Legacy Data Solution
July 9, 2013
What happens when old data meets new technology? The result is not always pretty. Now, reports ITProPortal, “HP Autonomy Launches Legacy Data Cleanup Software for Improved Info Governance.” The software, called Legacy Data Cleanup, is underpinned by Autonomy’s ControlPoint and hauls outdated information into the light where it can be accessed, classified and, if appropriate, safely deleted. The write-up tells us:
“Legacy data is sometimes called ‘dark data,’ as it is effectively wasted space on limited storage, forcing organisations to buy more storage and hindering the modernisation of infrastructure and the transition to the cloud. This data includes obsolete SharePoint sites, old email stores, and a variety of other files that no longer serve any function.
“The Legacy Data Cleanup solution helps businesses identify this unnecessary data and remove it responsibly, leaving an audit trail behind to meet company data retention policies. It can also help with the establishment of a records management system, which offers improved access to and more efficient legal holds on old data.”
The write-up asserts that most organizations have a legacy data problem, though for many the issue has not yet become prominent. It also notes that it is best to address the issue before an eDiscovery demand or a security breach rears its head. True enough; is HP‘s new software the solution?
Cynthia Murrell, July 09, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Lumrix Open Source Search Engine
July 9, 2013
We have run across a search system great for use with Wikiquotes, at the open-source clearinghouse Ostatic. The OS-independent, web-based Lumrix is aimed at developers. The description states:
“LuMriX is a search engine that exploits XML and XML Topic Maps. In contrast to other retrieval methods, it does not relate single items to resources, but combines given items into meaningful associations (concepts), which are in turn linked to resources. XML Topic Maps allow an intelligent mapping of relations between terms and pages. The meaning of the query is captured by transverse joint relations between the search items. LuMriX is also able to auto-extend its thesaurus and create new relations between failed search items and information resources.”
The Java-implemented system can use distributed algorithms to span many servers. It uses standardized interfaces like TCP, SOAP, HTTP, XML, and XTM. The software is an open source project from Lumrix (the company), which builds its commercial offerings around XML technologies. Lumrix was founded in 2003, and makes its home in Bern, Switzerland.
Cynthia Murrell, July 09, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Liferay Symposium 2013 Set
July 9, 2013
The Liferay Symposium for 2013 is set for San Francisco October 20th through 22nd. Portals, content management, and web experience will all be featured in this yearly meeting of the expert minds.
The overview of the event states:
“The Liferay Symposium offers solution-focused sessions featuring industry experts and leaders. The event will focus on equipping the Liferay community of developers, technical leaders, and business managers with knowledge and insight into the latest portal technology and use cases.”
The website also provides a really fantastic Justification Toolkit that allows an attendee to calculate their return on investment for attending the event. A call for papers is open as is early registration and team registration. Read more about the agenda and see if attendance would enhance your work with your organization’s enterprise. LucidWorks has been sponsoring events like this throughout 2013, even presenting at many. They understand that training and continuing education is one of the most important steps to staying on top of the latest open source enterprise technologies.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 9, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Beyond Search
Searchdaimon Goes Open Source
July 8, 2013
We learned this morning that Searchdaimon, an innovative developer in Trondheim, Norway, has released its flagship search product as open source. According to “Searchdaimon Enterprise Search Now Open Source Under GPL V2”:
Searchdaimon today announced its flagship enterprise search product is now available as open source software. The Searchdaimon solution, highlighted at http://www.searchdaimon.com, is the only enterprise-grade alternative to Solr available. Searchdaimon offers comprehensive for-fee engineering and consulting services to licensees wanting carrier-class support at highly competitive prices. The software will be released under the free GPL v2 license. For more information about this open source license, visit http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html.
In October 2012, Runar Buvik, one of the senior executives at Searchdaimon told Search Wizards Speak:
The functions are comparable to the features and functions available from HP Autonomy, Endeca, Exalead, and other aggressively marketed systems. For example, Searchdaimon offers filtering, sorting, content federation, search suggestions, spell checking of user queries, stemming and lemmatization, a graphic interface for the administrative services, logs, statistics, and the other components of a modern enterprise information retrieval system. The ES is a fully featured enterprise search solution that can index different content types scattered across multiple servers and storage devices. The system offers full text search to end users.
In the story which appeared this morning said that Searchdaimon is the result of an evolution of academic research at the same university that developed the original Fast Search & Transfer search system. The company goes beyond Fast Search, delivering high-speed content processing and concept identification in an innovative package. There is no practical limit to the number of Searchdaimon virtual servers that can be clustered together. Therefore, Big Data presents no particular problems. The system, whether for a few users or thousands, provides site search and search in internal corporate data.
Searchdaimon is a leading provider of enterprise search solutions, that aims to transforming the way organizations tap their knowledge and access their information. Their cornerstone product, the Searchdaimon Enterprise Search, is one of the best solution for conducting search and getting information from inside the business. For specific contact information, visit http://www.searchdaimon.com/about_us/. Details about the company’s for-fee support options are available at on the commercial support page.
Worth a look in our opinion. Open source options continue to put pressure on many commercial vendors. Some of these firms are like Oracle Endeca showing more flexibility in pricing.
Donald Anderson, July 8, 2013
Sponsored by Xenky
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