Implementing Enterprise Search with Elasticsearch

Elasticsearch powers search across many enterprise applications. Here's how to implement it effectively.

Index Design

• Understand your query patterns first
• Denormalize for query performance
• Choose appropriate field types
• Plan for index lifecycle management

Query Optimization

• Use filters for exact matches
• Queries for relevance scoring
• Multi-match for searching across fields
• Function score for custom relevance

Relevance Tuning

Default relevance is rarely optimal. Analyze search patterns, collect feedback, and iterate on scoring.

Operational Considerations

• Cluster sizing and sharding strategy
• Snapshot and restore procedures
• Index aliases for zero-downtime updates
• Monitoring and alerting setup