RJS’ WebDocs Gets Google-ized

August 5, 2008 Alex Woodie

System i and Power Systems shops that use RJS Software Systems‘ WebDocs to capture, store, and manage documents originating from i OS or other sources will soon have the capability to search those documents using Google‘s popular search appliances. The new integration is the result of a partnership unveiled last week between Google and the Minnesota software company.

WebDocs is a native i OS application that acts as an “electronic filing cabinet” of sorts. The software, which is also available on Windows and as a hosted service, is used to capture, store, manage, and route all kinds of electronic documents, including i OS spool files, invoices, work orders, faxes, reports, and video and audio files. Users can print, e-mail, or fax documents in WebDocs, or just view them from its Web-based interface. A built-in routing engine also enables it to keep the work flowing among people or departments.

Full-text indexing within WebDocs provided users with the capability to find a specific document if they knew something about the contents of the document. However, the WebDocs indexing capability apparently didn’t offer the same sort of depth or familiarity that Google could offer, so RJS jumped at a chance to be included in a new business partner program the Web search giant recently launched.

“It’s like having a corporate information rolodex at your fingertips,” Don Giacchetti, RJS’ new CEO, said of the Google appliances. “The ability to connect the Google appliances to WebDocs will be an important advantage for organizations wanting to expand information access across all their corporate databases.”

Under the new program, RJS customers will install either the Google Mini or the Google Search Appliance (GSA) behind their firewall. RJS will provide customers with consulting services to integrate the Google appliances with WebDocs or any other back-office application.

The Google Mini is designed for small and midsize businesses (SMBs), and enables users to search and retrieve up to 300,000 documents (of more than 220 file types) from their desktops, corporate networks, and the Web. The GSA is designed for enterprises, supports up to 30 million documents, and also searches relational databases, content management systems, Microsoft SharePoint, Lotus Notes and Domino, and other applications built by partners like RJS.

Interestingly, the Google appliance deal comes about two years after RJS executives floated a plan to begin selling their software pre-loaded onto appliances. That plan, which was discussed at the Fall 2006 COMMON, is still on the books, according to an RJS spokesman. “The Google deal does nothing to deter that,” he says.