TrendAlert: The Search For Intelligent Enterprise Search

Author: Marc Strohlein, Chief Agility Officer

This Briefing provides an essential guide to the limitations and the future of enterprise search, with advice for information managers on what to look for (and what to leave out) in a true enterprise search solution. At a time when many companies are pouring significant resources into search but getting relatively little in return, this research takes a step back to examine why search is just not working well. It identifies the search players and sorts them into three categories: pure or augmented enterprise search (Google, Endeca, Vivisimo, Entopia) search suites (Autonomy, Verity, Convera), and search development platforms (FAST, Intelliseek). It offers a model of the 'perfect enterprise solution,' which none of the current vendors is able to offer. A list of 'Imperatives for Information Managers' maps out recommendations for information managers who are responsible for making decisions about enterprise search products.