Google adds the Self-Learning Scorer to its Google Search Appliance 6.0. The tool analyzes the clicks and behavior of users searching an intranet, then improves the relevance for later searches. The GSA(n) architecture also features a new log-in tool that synchronizes user credentials with any of the back-end systems in a company, reducing the number of log-ins users have to do when searching across their companies' systems. The GSA also now has native integration for SharePoint out of the box, speeding up the rate at which SharePoint collaboration content is indexed.Google enhanced its Google Search Appliance enterprise search box with some
new features Oct. 20, including an analysis tool that looks at employee
behavior to improve results.
No need for the creepy meter to go to 10. Created to help support the GSA(n)
architecture
the company launched with Google Search Appliance 6.0 in June, the
Self-Learning Scorer analyzes the clicks and behavior of users searching an
intranet, then improves the relevance for later searches.
"For instance, if most users click on the fourth result for a given
query, the GSA recognizes that and automatically boosts its placement—without
any intervention from an administrator," wrote Cyrus Mistry, product manager for Google Enterprise
Search. "More relevant search results mean more employees utilizing the
tools of their trade."
When internal search results improve, IT administrators can focus on more
important tasks, while employees will search more and find more information
with which to do their work.
That's good for the workers and for Google, which is trying to make its
enterprise search reliable, relevant and valuable for workers hunting down
content from human resource repositories and other nooks and crannies in a
corporate intranet.
The scorer, detailed in this video demo along
with other features, complements Google's Google's existing biasing features and Ranking Framework for
boosting relevance.
The GSA software also features a new universal log-in tool that synchronizes
user credentials with any of the back-end systems in a company. Employees need
only log in once to search across their companies' systems. This is a useful upgrade
because businesses of a certain size may have several "single
sign-on" systems.
The GSA also now has native integration for SharePoint out of the box,
speeding up the rate at which SharePoint collaboration content is indexed.
It also now connects with IBM Lotus
Notes, the second-largest business e-mail platform behind Microsoft Office
Outlook. There is also greater support for file shares—CIFS (Common Internet
File System), DFS, NFS
(Network File System)—and databases, and a broader connectors program in Enterprise Labs.
"Getting IT admins away from the tuning knobs and back to their real
jobs will be a major benefit to our customers. More importantly, it will make
employees across the company more productive," Mistry wrote.
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