Verity enhances search platform with Web services interface

Verity has released version 2.0 of its Federator software, a universal search platform that provides secure and unified access to content sources across an organisation, to further improve the return on intellectual capital assets.

Highlights of the new release include a versatile Web services interface for heterogeneous and multiple search applications, as well as enhanced security capabilities.

"The release of Verity Federator 2.0 marks another advancement in intellectual capital management," says Garth Wittles, district manager for Verity in South Africa. "Verity is delivering on its promise for a Web services interface in response to the needs of its global customers, as well as validation by industry analysts, such as Yankee Group, whose recently issued 2004 US Enterprise Web Survey found 72% of respondents believe Web services will improve an organisation`s access to information."

A Java infrastructure with a public application programming interface (API), the latest Federator release includes new and enhanced features that allow users to enjoy unified access to content quickly and accurately, while allowing customers to avoid the labour-intensive consolidation of Web sites, applications and other information sources.

The product`s key features and benefits include:

* Web services interface that seamlessly brings together multiple search systems, including Verity`s K2 and Ultraseek enterprise search products, as well as third-party search mechanisms;
* The ability to apply, in real-time, Verity K2`s advanced capabilities, such as summarisation, classification and recommendation to any vendor`s search products;
* Enterprise-strength security to ensure that the existence of documents and their contents are made known only to designated individuals;
* Dynamic filtering, merging, and re-ranking of search results with multiple viewing options; and
* Easy installation via simple, fast download and easy management.

Verity Federator comes equipped with pre-built "Workers" to instantaneously access Verity Ultraseek indices and Verity K2 collections, enhancing search relevancy in applications powered by Verity. In addition, the product`s open architecture and Java client API allow developers to easily build custom applications as well as Workers to access virtually any application or repository.

"In today`s global business environment, document security is a crucial factor in the minds of executive decision-makers and IT managers," says Wittles. "Federator is designed to ensure that the existence of documents and their contents are made known only to designated people. It leverages the advanced capabilities of Verity K2 to enforce internal authentication models for repositories, proprietary applications as well as third-party access management software."

* To experience Verity Federator`s capabilities and ease of deployment, Verity is offering a first-time free 60-day evaluation of Verity Federator at its download centre (www.verity.com). Customers can create a universal search platform in minutes by downloading and installing Verity Federator.