Today we release an update to our Search & Information Access subscription service. (You can download a free sample here.)

After spending the past two months looking at the latest search offerings from twenty-three vendors, we see a distinct move towards more specialized search services. Sometimes search vendors are focused on particular environments (Microsoft, SAP, Oracle) whereas others are vertically-focused (such as Recommind in the legal sector). These orientations have always been there, but in 2009 they grew ever more distinct as vendors struggled (or simply chose not to) break out of their historical niches. We believe that will continue into 2010.

As we also point out in the accompanying press release, search is proving more challenging than ever. While many content managers get pushed to deploy a search offering from a large vendor that's specialized for a particular environment (like SharePoint or SAP), they've learned those tools don't necessarily extend well to other environments or repositories.

In the latest edition of our research, we explore each vendor's specializations more deeply, and also assess which vendors have more rapidly developed tools to connect to diverse document types and repositories.

As always, our subscribers will automatically receive their updates.  You can purchase this research immediately via our storefront, or inquire with our customer support team about alternate payment options.