I am trying to make a kind of 'faceted search' in ASP.NET and am looking for good ways to filter data. That's why I have the following question:
Is it possible to use FAST search on a SQL database using Microsoft Search Server 2010 without using SharePoint? (in other words: can a SQL DB be a content source for the search?) I can't seem to find a definitive answer to this anywhere. I have found this on the MS website:
The following connectors come out of the box in Search Server 2010 Express and SharePoint Server 2010:
SharePoint sites Windows file shares Exchange public folders Lotus Notes Web sites IFilters for additional repositories Structured content in databases Federation object model
I would like to be sure that it 'can' work before I start messing around with it.
You will need to install SharePoint Foundation (free version), as well as install the cumulative updates/service packs to install and configure the Secure Store Service. From there, you can use Business Connectivity Services to model your database and present it to Search Server Express. FAST Search is another product altogether and would require additional software installation and configuration.