Full-Text Search Comparison Tables

The tables on the following pages show a technology and feature comparison of the Microsoft products that implement full-text searching, including the following:

• SharePoint Portal Server
• Indexing Service
• Site Server
• SQL Server 2000
• Exchange 2000 Server
• Office XP

Technology Comparison

	SharePoint Portal Server	Indexing Service	Site Server	SQL Server 2000	Exchange 2000 Server	Office XP on Windows 2000	Office XP on Windows98 or Millennium Edition
Full-text search using proprietary query language		X	X			X	X
Full-text search using SQL full-text extensions	X	X	X	X	X
Boolean ranking algorithm	X	X	X
Advanced probabilistic ranking algorithm	X			X	X		X
Uses multiple data access protocols	X		X
Crawls:
File system	X	X	X			X Local only	X Local only
Web sites	X	X Local only, through file system	X
Lotus Notes	X
Exchange 5.5	X Public folders		X
Exchange 2000	X Public folders				X Public folders and private mail boxes
SQL tables	X Through ASP		X Through ASP	X
Share Point Portal Server workspaces	X					X	X
3rd party protocols	X
Best Bets	X
Categories	X
End user UI	Dashboard	Windows Explorer on Windows 2000 and custom	Custom	Custom	Outlook through Advanc ed Find, custom	Office search task pane	Office search task pane