Sound the Alarm: Reliable Enterprise Services Are Not Free
December 14, 2012
Sound the alarms! Information Week’s article “Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses” announced dooms day news to those looking for a free ride including perks on the Big G. After 6 years, Google is finally pushing their premium business apps by eliminating upkeep and new availability for the free version.
Google does have a heart, as they will allow existing free users to continue utilizing the bare bone services with limited customer service and no new upgrades:
“You get what you pay for because you can’t get what you didn’t pay for. That is, unless you already have it: Companies currently using the free version of Google Apps can continue to do so under the same terms. Individuals will be able to continue using Google’s Web apps, like Drive, Gmail and Docs at no cost through their Google Accounts. Businesses will be expected to pay for Google Apps for Business.”
The only surprise is that Google waited so long to push the remaining ‘free app’ businesses over to the premium side. When it comes to quality there is no such thing as free, and businesses who think they can get free, high performing enterprise solutions may be better off to invest in a tried, true and dedicated technologies. The Intrafind search technology is mature, feature rich and offers a worth return on investment – retrieving data when, where and how it is needed.
Jennifer Shockley, December 14, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Companies Need Reliable Results Not another Plug and Play Experiment
December 10, 2012
The name Google instantly brings internet search, Android and mobile apps to mind, but that is just not enough for the Big G anymore. TechWeek’s article “Google Enterprise: More Than Just Apps” talks about a new device that Google representatives feel will take the enterprise by storm.
So, what is the next big step for Google? World enterprise domination via plug and play technology:
“This involves something called the ‘Google Search Appliance’ – a yellow box that can be plugged into the data center to look through and index business data. Recently launched Commerce Search is a similar project, but based in the cloud and focused on retail. A different part of the Enterprise department deals with geospatial products: Google Maps, Google Earth and the brand new Google Coordinate – the company’s first geo app to provide not just asset tracking, but the workflow management too.”
Of course this updated Google technology will be compatible with Chrome, Android and existing Google apps, but is this plug and play devise the right answer for sophisticated enterprise needs? What happens when a changes is needed to match unique enterprise requirements? We have found that the mature solutions and dedicated customer service from Intrafind often meets the needs of enterprises with sophisticated requirements. Perhaps a commercial solution, built on open source can better match unique enterprise search needs than a plug and play appliance.
Jennifer Shockley, December 10, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
High Quality Research Surrounding Enterprise Search
November 13, 2012
Enterprise search requires companies to tap into their internal knowledge, and it has to be done in a way that makes the process quick and accessible for users. Some high-quality research is being done surrounding the capabilities and necessary features of search applications.
Research article “Designing for Enterprise Search in a Global Organization,” authored by the growing search consultancy Findwise, focuses on design concepts surrounding the company’s attempt at a search application. The company’s goal was to create a search application that provides quick access to all internal information, help users find and discover information, and create possibilities for collaboration.
The second attempt at an application focused on simplicity and design:
“The result was an application that seemed very simple at first glance, but still included all the different functionality needed in order to fulfill the information needs of the organization’s different user groups. The new design was evaluated through usage test and though it included the same functionality as the old search application the results were completely different. Users found it not only easier to use but also easy to discover new information.”
Intrafind was based upon open source technology that was developed in a similar fashion. The advantage, of course, lies in age and wisdom after years of business with well-qualified leadership such as that provided by the Director of Research at Intrafind, Christoph Goller. Goller’s experience in artificial intelligence research, as well as machine learning and neural networks, carry over into his work in scalable information retrieval and search-based applications at Intrafind.
Andrea Hayden, November 13, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Intrafind Offers Tagging Service Among Other Enterprise Tools
November 12, 2012
We have been increasingly aware of software publisher Intrafind, and decided to take a self-directed tour of the company’s Web site to see what features and tools were offered. We were immediately impressed with the sleek look and easy-to-navigate menus, steering us from products, solutions, case studies, and consulting links.
Our team noted the clear explanations of Intrafind’s products to be particularly useful. The company’s Tagging Service, for example, detailed the types of tagging that are provided as well as how the system could be incorporated into a business’s existing infrastructure. Here’s the description from the product page:
“The IntraFind Tagging Service includes an automated generation of metadata / tags based on the processed content. The generated tags can be either inserted into a leading system or can be incorporated into a workflow of any customer-specific use case. The Tagging Service can be provided as an on-premise or cloud solution.
The service consists of different standardized tagging-types that can also be configured if needed: uncontrolled tagging, controlled tagging, the extraction of named entities and the generation of topic metadata.”
The enterprise data specialist company is located in Germany and has been operating since 2000. The team consists of 25 experts specializing in file systems, databases, document and content management, and Internet content. Intrafind provides everything from introductory analysis to maintenance and support. For more information, steer your browser to the company’s homepage.
Andrea Hayden, November 12, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Reliable Vendors Offer Customized Enterprise Search
November 7, 2012
Companies utilizing reliable data management software have been reaping the benefits of Big Data but developers are now scrambling to one up each other. It seems some software designers are making unrealistic promises while others proudly announce claims of software reinvention that stem from simple modifications offered by longstanding developers as a given.
SC Magazine’s article “Splunk Claims Speedier Reports with Enterprise 5” stresses how Splunk plans on winning the Big Data race by improving report speed renders:
“Splunk Enterprise already provided the ability to search, analyze and visualize machine data on tablets, smartphones, laptops and non-flash browsers. In Splunk Enterprise 4.x., skilled users could refine searches to save time, but “most users didn’t have the skill set required. An ad hoc report on ‘Web Errors broken out by URL and WebServer over the Last Month’ in a large multi-data center web environment across multiple terabytes of data might take 30 minutes to run. With report acceleration in Splunk Enterprise 5, that same report would render in less than two seconds.”
Faster does not necessarily mean better and big claims in Big Data should be swallowed with a grain of salt. Intrafind offers businesses enterprise search that is tailor made to fit specific enterprise information needs. The ability to define requirements, tweak criteria and customize search solutions increases efficiencies and provides a better ROI thanks to more targeted relevant results.
Jennifer Shockley, November 7, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Social Content Proves Valuable to Enterprise Search Solutions
November 5, 2012
Enterprise search is a rapidly evolving area of technology in the corporate world and businesses are wise to learn to collect and reconcile related information quickly. As multiple search capabilities evolve across platforms in the enterprise and online, people need to learn how to make use of each specific capability that is available. A recent article on CMSWire titled “Social Reconnects Enterprise Search” tells us of the need to integrate social search into enterprise search technologies.
The article explains the importance of the addition of social context in addition to an existing enterprise search solution:
“Enterprise search can tap into employee profiles, internal networks, other work-related interactions, and systems usage to personalize search and extend context in order to return the most relevant results. Beyond the usual ‘systems of record,’ social networks and activities provide a great deal of contextual information, especially in terms of topics. The composite of all of these attributes can indicate each person’s professional purview and work focus, which can better connect that person to the right information.”
As social content increases in importance to businesses, reliable and secure enterprise search solutions such as those offered by Intrafind will grow in importance to the overall capabilities of organizations. Be sure to harness all of the tools that are available to fully take advantage of the information at your hands.
Andrea Hayden, November 5, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Google Search Appliance Updates for the Enterprise
November 2, 2012
The shiny new 7.0 version of Google Search Appliance has been updated for the enterprise, now allowing administrators to add information to the cloud, various social media outlets, and other online storage sites. According to the article “Enterprise Tools Added to Google Search Appliance” on PC Advisor, the upgrade includes a new Entity Recognition feature with auto suggestions for searches as well as a document preview feature.
The article tells us why the need for such an update is necessary for the enterprise:
“IDC analyst David Schubmehl said users would like enterprise searches to be as easy as Web searches, noting that slow searches can hurt productivity. A 2009 IDC study found that the time spent searching for data averaged 8.8 hours per week per employee, at a cost of $14,209 per worker per year.”
We believe Google Enterprise offers some great features, including the option for employees to add their own search results to existing results. However, if secure search and access is an enterprise priority for your corporation, then we would recommend a careful examination before opting for Google Enterprise. A company such as Intrafind offers a secure option for searching structured and unstructured enterprise data.
Andrea Hayden, November 2, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
IBM PureData Systems Provide Powerful Big Data Solution
November 1, 2012
Big Data woes are being addressed in a big way by IBM, with the introduction of three new systems for information management and analysis. We learn about IBM Pure Systems in the CloudTimes article “IBM Introduces PureData to Address Big Data Challenges.” The article tells us about the category of systems which focuses on simple cloud functionality and easy-to-use features, helping companies tackle the increasing global data volume.
The article informs:
“Pure Systems helps companies reduce the time and money to spend on IT maintenance and focus more on business innovation. The new PureData helps companies meet the challenge of managing these large volumes of information as it is able to perform complex data analysis in minutes rather than hours.
[…] The IBM PureData Systems allows working in a cloud model and is able to consolidate more than 100 databases into a single system. Like other members of the initial PureSystems offering, PureData is capable of implementing web applications in less than 10 days.”
The IBM Pure initiative is supported by enterprise search leader Intrafind, which is one of the first certified application providers of this new family of expert integrated systems. Intrafind’s cloud solutions and their partnership with IBM Pure make for a powerful option in cloud enterprise search applications.
Andrea Hayden, November 1, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Enterprise Search Continues to Adapt
October 31, 2012
Technology either evolves or it dies, and enterprise search is evolving in the face of technological innovations. One might be compelled to believe differently if reading CMS Wire’s article “Contextualized Computing and the Death of Traditional Enterprise Search”, but alas it will be a simple case of misdiagnosis.
The enterprise will be undergoing some new treatments of sorts, one of which is comparable to Social therapy:
“Search is not a separate technology or program; it must integrate with business processes and corporate initiatives as vital infrastructure. Search for all employees aligns with communication, connectedness and collaboration — bringing us into Social constructs. Social can serve to fine-tune or filter search by leveraging additional information about the Searcher, as a valuable enhancement. This includes tapping into employee profiles, internal networks and other work-related interactions to return relevant data. Social interactions also enable valuable “serendipitous or accidental acquisition of information or knowledge.”
The death of search will come when humanity rejects all technology and returns to the caves but that doesn’t seem realistic considering today’s thriving market. Instead, some enterprise search software is getting smarter, becoming more adaptable and ultimate will increase efficiency. Intrafind has been offering enterprise search solutions for over a decade and providing secure, enterprise wide access to relevant information quickly and efficiently while implementing targeted data towards the directed task at hand. Enterprise search is alive, well and best of all… adaptable.
Jennifer Shockley, October 31, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Enterprise Search Requires Speed and Security
October 29, 2012
Enterprise search platforms are constantly developing and changing to fit the needs of the enterprise, and a new release from DtSearch is attempting to fill some of those needs. We learn about the update in “DtSearch 7.70 Adds Document Filters, Increased Multi-Level Search” on CMSWire, which states the newest version includes enhanced document filters and APIs for OEMs to assist in data management.
The article tells us more about the benefits of the product:
“The search products’ spider can search local/remote content and static/dynamic web content, and it can reach across public/private sites, including support for log-ins and forms-based authentication. More than a terabyte of text can be covered in a single index, including directories, databases, online data and emails, and an unlimited number of indexes can be created and searched. According to dtSearch, that indexed search time is under a second, even across terabytes.”
While the new version does a great job responding to current issues in the enterprise, we believe security in search should be a priority when updating platforms. For a choice that provides high-performance full text search across various content sources while still focusing on access rights and secure search, we recommend Intrafind’s iFinder for enterprise search solutions.
Andrea Hayden, October 29, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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