Federated Search

ALSO CALLED: Meta-search, Distributed Search, Metasearch
DEFINITION: Desktop search (sometimes called integrated search) is the ability to simultaneously search multiple data sources -- typically including the Internet and corporate intranets and databases as well as hard drives and removable storage on the user's computer -- from a search term entered into a text box on the desktop. Desktop search programs create an index of files stored on the computer, which enables  … 
Definition continues below.

FEDERATED SEARCH DEFINITION (continued): …  fast and fairly comprehensive searches. The user can search local hard drives, Web sites, e-mail, and other sources without having to minimize the current document or open a browser, e-mail client, or other application. HotBot and some other search engine companies offer basic desktop search tools; Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google are among the major vendors offering or developing their own versions. Apple is reportedly working on a desktop search tool limited to local drives.Here's how the Google desktop search works: After the search application is installed, the program creates an index of user …