Index Engines to Test Search Appliance

Index Engines is seeking beta testers to evaluate a plug-and-play hardware device that is designed to perform network file indexing during the data backup process. Network file indexing is synonymous with enterprise desktop search and it has become common knowledge that many applications exist for that purpose.

But Index Engines takes an uncommon approach in its implementation: Instead of a centralized server deployment, data passes through the appliance and is indexed.

When customers are running the prerequisite Legato, Veritas or Tivoli software, the appliance's indexing occurs in conjunction with scheduled backups. Since the process is not real-time, Index Engines refers to the index's contents as "historical information."

"Real time is not critical as the current information that you or your colleague has generated is easy for you to find. It is the historic information that is much more difficult," said an Index Engines spokesperson

The index is updated only when new files are identified. The company says that its approach is a better way to find files and e-mails because it does not load "unnecessary processes" that "crawl" the LAN and desktops looking for ways to order unstructured data.

Index Engines is a start up that will manufacture, sell and ship the device, which is Linux-based. The product, which is still unnamed, will be widely available in the first quarter of 2005.

Prospective early adopters may sign up for the beta on the Index Engines Web site by selecting the beta program menu.