Unless you can completely lock down everyone's workstation, home PC, and laptop, users will inevitably start installing their own desktop search tools — they are just too convenient to avoid. So, you should be prepared either with policies regarding their use or an enterprise strategy for deployment.
"You should evaluate the enterprise versions first before opening the door for the consumer desktop search downloads," advises Helwig. "I don't want users installing Google desktop search and searching drives they shouldn't be."
One of the main concerns is controlling who has access to what data.
"You can use the MSN tool bar to search your own local resources without running into too much trouble," said Matt Rosoff, an analyst for research firm Directions on Microsoft. "But it is not suitable for use in a corporate setting."
He also points out that MSN lacks other enterprise features including setting group policies, coordinating indexes of multiple users, controlling access to files, or managing updates.
Helwig notes that only the Google tool at this time has the ability to lock down access to the network drive, as well as allowing separate profiles for multiple users who use the same computer on different shifts.
One other concern is security. Depending on how the engine is configured, it may capture and index files such as log-in pages on the intranet or internet, or other pages with confidential information. For example, if a user accesses his salary information using the HR employee self help system, or goes online to check their bank account balance, that could then show up in the search engine.
Looking to Longhorn
While desktop search engines are currently a hot item, this may not last for long. Many feel this should be a part of the operating system. Microsoft clearly agrees since it includes this function as part of Windows Explorer.
Because its first attempt was a relatively poor tool, the door opened for other vendors to move in.
Microsoft has since said that Longhorn will include greatly improved search functionality. Originally that was supposed to be a part of the Windows File System (WFS), but the new file system has been delayed, so what exact form the search functions will take remains to be seen.
Rosoff believes it may be based on the work the MSN search team is producing.
In the meantime, Microsoft advises enterprises to use Sharepoint, rather than the MSN desktop tool. How that will play out once Longhorn is released, however, is still uncertain.
"The official Microsoft line on enterprise search is to use the Sharepoint portal, which indexes all the resources on the network," says Rosoff. "The question is, how is Sharepoint going to interact with desktop search and how are they going to keep the indexes synchronized."
