Retrieval of data from lower-level base servers for a query directed to a consolidated index server must work correctly. The server must work with at least one backend database engine other than Oracle, with minimal customizing. The current server software, Digger 1.0.5, does not meet the first three criteria at all. It meets the final criterion only partially. Digger 2.0 alpha was made available to UC Davis two days ago.
Preliminary tests are encouraging, but many issues are unresolved.
Multipart queries don't work at all with 1.0.5, but are completed in less than one second with 2.0a. This apparent anomaly is probably due to the way indexing of the database is implemented in 2.0a. Performance with the original full template was in the range of six minutes to complete a simple query using 1.0.5. The full template has not yet been tested with 2.0a. Under version 1.0.5, index servers do not properly query base servers and return the results to the requesting client.