The Search Server is one of the thee Commerce Engine web applications (Commerce Manager, Search, Storefront). The Search server is responsible for:

• Handling search requests from the Storefront and the Commerce Manager.
• Indexing searchable entities in the Commerce Manager and the Storefront. Entities are (categories, customers, products, promotions, CM Users, Shipping Service Level, and SKUs).

The Elastic Path Search server is comprised of three technologies: Solr, Lucene, and Quartz.

Solr - Is an HTTP server that handles search requests from the Storefront and the Commerce Manager. Solr's Major Features:

• Caching queries for faster responses
• Web-based administrator interface
• XML configuration files
• Spell checking for alternative query suggestions
• Follows distributed server model, so Solr can support large scale deployments

Lucene - Is the Search server's core technology. Lucene is an open source, high-performance text search engine library. Lucene's Major Features:

• Text-based inverted indexing
• Text analyzers that transform text strings into searchable terms
• Syntax parsers for breaking up queries and matching them to documents
• Query spellchecking based on indexed content
• Supports Luke to graphically analyze Lucene indexes

Quartz - Is an open source job scheduling service. Quartz schedules index building. Quartz's Major Features:

• Light-weight and configured with XML files
• Fault-tolerant so scheduled jobs still run after a system restart

• Solr and Lucene are open source
• Solr and Lucene are written in Java
• Solr is highly scalable
• Solr is easily configured through XML files
• Solr and Lucene are proven technologies used successfully in large implementations