A
new Product from Software Options
We are
delighted to announce the release of a new product from Iridescent
Information Technology to be sold through Software Options in the
north of England and Scotland. Indexer is the answer to the problem
which we all experience on modern computer systems – where
did we file that document or Internet address reference? Indexer
is a powerful database tool which keeps track of all your document
/ file / URL indexing and cross-referencing problems.
Indexer
Indexer is an
information-categorization and retrieval tool. It allows any number
of files and / or URL’s to be related to any number of criteria.
The database can then be easily searched, via a web browser, to
find files / URLs that relate to any given criterion or combination
of criteria.
Functionality
Indexer has
been designed to:
- Enable end-users
to find and view information quickly
- Support the
categorization of existing data stores (file servers, web sites
etc.) to ensure minimum data duplication and maximum return on
existing investment
- Enable non-technical
staff to administer the database of information.
- Prevent the
usage of out-of-date information that is frequently stored in
a paper-based format
- Enable new
information or new versions of existing information to be instantly
incorporated into the database for use organization-wide
- Provide a
single point of access to all of an organization’s documents,
all categorized in the same manner
- Allow the
creation of bespoke front-end applications to be created in a
very short period of time. This allows Indexer to act as part
of your existing intranet or internet site and adopt your corporate
look and feel.
With Indexer,
it is possible to categorize all the files on your existing file
servers and all the pages / files on your web and FTP sites in a
single place. Users, including your staff, your customers or even
the public, can query Indexer and find the information they need
wherever it is without having to navigate through a file system
or a web site.
Once a document or URL has been located, the user can view the information
or choose to email the URL or file to any email address. The management
interface supports controlling if a given piece of information may
be emailed.
Management
of Information
Administration
of the data in Indexer has been specifically designed to be carried
out by a non-technical business user. The management interface allows:
- Categories
to be added, renamed and removed.
- Criteria
to be added to and deleted from a category. Criteria can also
be renamed.
- Files and
URLs to be inserted, removed, hidden from searches and replaced.
- Files and
URLs to be associated to and disassociated from any number of
criteria.
- Multiple
Files or URLs to be uploaded in one operation to speed the implementation
of the product.
- Every URL
in the database can be automatically validated to check for ‘dead’
links.
Categorization
Overview
Categories are
high-level groupings of criteria. Files and URLs are related to
criteria.
For example, a Category could be a type of publication such as 'Newspapers'.
The criteria within the 'Newspapers' category would probably include
'The Times', 'The Daily Telegraph' and so on. The files and URLs
related to these criteria could be news items that appeared in the
particular newspapers, press releases that you have issued to the
newspapers, the public web sites of the papers or any conceivable
piece of information related to the publications.
Data
Overview
Two sorts of
data can be stored in the Indexer database - Files and URL's.
A file is a physical file uploaded to Indexer and stored in the
database. Any file type can be stored.
Any valid URL can be stored in Indexer. Valid URL's include those
that begin with:
- HTTP - The
URL is a reference to a web site address
- FTP - The
URL is a reference to an FTP Server used to download / upload
files
- MAILTO -
The URL is a reference to an email address
- FILE - The
URL is a reference to a file that exists on the network (such
as those on a file server)
Indexer itself
does not interpret the content of files or URLs in any way - Indexer
only categorizes the file / URL and then gives access to it through
a web browser. Therefore, if a Microsoft Word document is stored
in Indexer, accessing it will load the document into Microsoft Word
(or any other application registered to process the .DOC file type).
If a ‘mailto’ URL is accessed through Indexer then the
user's email program will be activated to handle the process.
Over time it is likely that a large number of files and URLs will
be added to the Indexer database. The database is a SQL Server 2000
database and is easily and affordably scalable to the largest requirements.
Benefits
- Centralize
the retrieval of all documentation / information
- Simple non-technical
administration
- Store files
or URL's
- Unlimited
number of items
- Search process
can be 'exact match' or 'percentage' based
- No end-user
software to install - all browser delivered
Architecture
- Database
- SQL Server 2000 running on Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. A
workgroup version is available that utilizes the MSDE database
system from Microsoft – this is scalable to five concurrent
users and 2GB database sizes.
- Web Server
- Microsoft Internet Information Services 5 running on Microsoft
Windows 2000 Server.
- All client
access is via a web browser. End users can use Microsoft Internet
Explorer or Netscape Navigator 4 or above. Administrators are
required to use Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or above.
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