Enterprise content search through searchable links

A computer-readable program non-transitory storage device embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer that prepare a user's computer for an enterprise content search, which instructions, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of:

• receiving, at the user's computer, from a remote content repository at least one metadata portion in response to a request, the at least one metadata portion corresponding to at least one content file stored in the remote content repository;
• the at least one metadata portion corresponding to the at least one content file, the at least one metadata portion comprising (a) one or more keywords regarding the corresponding content file and (b) a network location of the corresponding content file;
• converting, by the user's computer, data of the at least one metadata portion from a first format to a second format;
• storing, by the user's computer, on a local filesystem of the user's computer, at least one searchable metadata file that conforms to the second format,
• the at least one searchable metadata file comprising (a) the one or more keywords regarding the content file that corresponds to the at least one searchable metadata portion, and (b) the network location of the content file that corresponds to the at least one metadata portion, wherein the at least one searchable metadata file is stored in a manner that allows a desktop search engine running on the user's computer to index the contents of the at least one searchable metadata file;
• creating, by the user's computer and in response to receiving the at least one metadata portion, an index file on the user's computer, the index file including an index of the contents of the at least one searchable metadata file stored on the local filesystem of the user's computer;
• creating a searchable link from the at least one searchable metadata file wherein the searchable link is an HTML document and includes code and metadata of the corresponding content file;
• and
• clicking on the searchable link to execute the code in the searchable link to retrieve credential data and to redirect the user's computer to the corresponding content file's location by creating a launchable link to the corresponding content file's location wherein the launchable link is a URL and includes the credential data.

A computer system for preparing a user's computer for an enterprise content search, comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;
• a processor;
• means for receiving, at the user's computer, from a remote content repository at least one metadata portion in response to a request, the at least one metadata portion corresponding to at least one content file stored in the remote content repository;
• metadata portion corresponding to one content file, the at least one metadata portion comprising (a) one or more keywords regarding the corresponding content file and (b) a network location of the corresponding content file;
• means for converting data of the at least one metadata portion from a first format to a second format;
• means for storing, on a local filesystem of the user's computer, at least one searchable metadata file that conforms to the second format,
• the at least one searchable metadata file comprising (a) the one or more keywords regarding the content file that corresponds to the at least one searchable metadata portion, and (b) the network location of the content file that corresponds to the at least one searchable metadata portion, wherein the at least one searchable metadata file is stored in a manner that allows a desktop search engine running on the user's computer to index the contents of the at least one searchable metadata file;
• means for creating an index file on the user's computer in response to receiving the at least one metadata portion, the index file including an index of the contents of the at least one searchable metadata file stored on the local filesystem of the user's computer;
• means for creating a searchable link from the at least one searchable metadata file wherein the searchable link is an HTML document and includes code and metadata of the corresponding content file;
• and
• means for clicking on the searchable link to execute the code in the searchable link to retrieve credential data and to redirect the user's computer to the corresponding content file's location by creating a launchable link to the corresponding content file's location wherein the launchable link is a URL and includes the credential data.