Requirements and deploying Faceted Search

Introduction

Before deploying Smartsite iXperion Faceted Search, make sure the target Smartsite iXperion instance meets all the requirements for this module. Some minimum requirements are also needed on the server(s) the targeted Smartsite instance depends on.

License

Since Faceted Search is a proprietary module copyrighted by Seneca B.V., a proper license file must be used for the targeted Smartsite instance. Please contact Seneca B.V. for licensing and purchasing information.

Database text indexing technologies

For Faceted Search to function fully and efficiently, SQL Server 2005's Full Text Search or SQL Server 2008's integrated Full Text Search should be installed correctly. Please refer to the manuals of the corresponding database for more information on installing FTS/iFTS.

Although Smartsite iXperion release 1.3 does not yet offer support to Oracle's Oracle Text (previously known as interMedia Text or Oracle ConText even before), after successfully installing Faceted Search on an Oracle database driven Smartsite instance will result to usage of native technologies for search queries.

Faceted Search is capable to use native queries for both SQL Server and Oracle databases but using database indexing technologies (like FTS/iFTS and Oracle Text) will boost performance dramatically. Furthermore these indexing thechnologies adds language-specific interpretations to search queries and results. Techniques like stemmers, thesauri, stoplists and word breakers are used in order to enhance the interpretation of the user's intent of a search query.

More information about SQL Server's FTS/iFTS can be found here and beyond.

Smartsite iXperion Publication Server Setup

In order to install Faceted Search to a Smartsite iXperion instance, make sure that this instance is at least version 1.3 build 3 or updatable to version 1.3 build 3.

When running the utility Smartsite iXperion Publication Server Setup, it should be clear whether or not the setup can be applied to the targeted Smartsite instance.

As the screenshot shows, check the Faceted Search checkbox for the chosen Smartsite instance. If the setup can be applied, no errors or warnings will appear.

Physical files

Since Faceted Search depends on specific binaries and site files (e.g. javascript files and DataEditor xmls), it is highly unrecommended to check the option to not update physical files in the setup. Of course, when made absolutely sure these files are already copied, this option can be checked in order to skip the copying and proceed to the database scripts.

Database scripts

On the next screen, the setup already determined the best check-configuration for the database scripts. It is recommended to accept these configurations and click OK to proceed.

If no errors occur during the database scripts, Faceted Search is successfully installed on the Smartsite instance.