Think about how much time we spend searching for stuff. Whether it be trying to locate something in the junk drawer at home, searching for misplaced car keys, googling a web search on an unfamiliar topic, or querying an important document at work, we spend too much time trying to find things we need every day. While wasted time searching for items in our personal lives can lead to increased frustration, businesses experience more serious consequences in the form of diminished productivity, increased operational costs, and compromised decision quality when critical information remains elusive.
Navigating the Modern Data Maze
Today’s workplace presents a fundamental shift in data storage. Unlike the past, when employees could find everything on a local NAS server, information now resides across multiple environments including local storage, cloud platforms, SharePoint, CRM systems, Microsoft 365 applications, SQL databases and various third-party SaaS solutions. This fragmentation has eliminated the convenience of “one-stop shop,” often requiring employees to navigate through scattered repositories to locate that one critical piece of information they need.
We often hear the phrase, “garbage in, garbage out” when it comes to data analytics. Good decision making depends on clean data that is unbiased and timely. Additionally, ineffective search capabilities can lead to incomplete information resulting in suboptimal decisions and missed opportunities. In essence, the power of your data is directly proportional to your ability to access and utilize it efficiently.
Empowering Every Employee to Use Intelligent Search
This is why organizations need to implement intelligent search systems into their enterprise. Intelligent search harnesses advanced technologies such as natural language processing, machine learning, and semantic understanding to interpret user intent and comprehend context. It enhances productivity by minimizing the time employees spend hunting for information.
Every organization has power users who excel at searching for information, whether it’s mastering the art of Google searches or wielding complex SQL commands. However, businesses shouldn’t depend on a select few with specialized skills to access critical information. Intelligent Search democratizes this capability, making effective information retrieval accessible to all employees, regardless of their technical expertise. This technology allows users to conduct simple searches using natural language, eliminating the need for specialized query syntax or deep technical knowledge. Once a plain language query is initiated, the system then:
- Interprets the user’s intent
- Identifies relevant data sources
- Constructs and executes appropriate API queries
- Aggregates and presents results in a user-friendly format
Thanks to intelligent search, you don’t need to know the specific technical APIs to conduct the query, and you don’t have to know where to go. This makes for quick access to relevant information for everyone, improving productivity by reducing time spent on complex searches.
From Fragmented to Seamless
A foundational feature of modern network system management and security solutions is the “single pane of glass” approach that provides administrators comprehensive visibility across all infrastructure areas using a single interface. Intelligent search extends this concept to end users, offering a powerful, centralized query capability that spans the entire network ecosystem.
Even when users know where to look, they find themselves navigating through different interfaces, repeatedly logging in, and adapting to various search mechanisms across today’s hybrid enterprises. Smart intelligence on the other hand seamlessly integrates with backend connections to various systems, eliminating the need for multiple logins to provide a consistent user experience regardless of the underlying data source.
But streamlining the query process does not short-cut the need for security. Smart search utilizes role-based access to filter search results based on user roles, departments, or other attributes to ensure that users only see the information relevant to their position.
Intelligent Search Support with Keyva
At Keyva, we have worked on how to democratize data queries for years. A few years ago, we did it through the use of middleware that leveraged APIs for all the endpoints we needed to integrate with, and the translation intelligence was built there. We utilized tagging strategy for documents with weighted relevance, to ensure the most appropriate data was returned to users.
Today, the landscape has evolved dramatically with the advent of AI technologies. These advancements have significantly reduced the complexity and setup requirements that were once necessary for effective data integration and retrieval. The role once played by our custom middleware has been superseded by advanced AI algorithms that can adapt to individual user needs and behavior, and continuously learn and improve based on user interactions. AI now serves as the cornerstone for connecting disparate data sources and indexing them into a unified system for seamless discovery across the enterprise.
We are indeed living in exciting times. At Keyva, we’re at the forefront of this data revolution, and our position allows us to guide our clients through this transformative era in data management and accessibility. Find out how a smarter search can garner smarter decisions for your business.
 | Anuj Tuli, Chief Technology Officer Anuj specializes in developing and delivering vendor-agnostic solutions that avoid the “rip-and-replace” of existing IT investments. He has worked on Cloud Automation, DevOps, Cloud Readiness Assessments, and Migration projects for healthcare, banking, ISP, telecommunications, government and other sectors. He leads the development and management of Cloud Automation IP (intellectual property) and related professional services. During his career, he held multiple roles in the Cloud and Automation, and DevOps domains. With certifications in AWS, VMware, HPE, BMC and ITIL, Anuj offers a hands-on perspective on these technologies. Like what you read? Follow Anuj on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujtuli/ |