Microsoft Search using Graph API
As a Microsoft 365 user, it is obvious that one might wonder why Microsoft has introduced a new search endpoint in Graph API when every Office 365 product has its own in-built search. I have provided a detailed explanation of this newly introduced endpoint here.
Also, you will see a demo of a React JS app extracting search results from Outlook using this endpoint.
In my earlier
session, I had explained the Microsoft Graph API. As we are familiar now, this service is designed to provide a gateway to data and intelligence in
Microsoft 365. It delivers a unified programmability model that a developer can use to access the tremendous amount of data in Office 365, Windows 10 and Enterprise Mobility + Security.
Extending this functionality, Microsoft have announced Microsoft Search endpoint in Graph API. Microsoft Search is an intelligent, enterprise search experience from Microsoft that applies the artificial intelligence
(AI) from Bing and deep personalized insights surfaced by the Microsoft
Graph, to make search more effective.
Reasons why Microsoft Search endpoint in Graph API is introduced:
- A unified API that will support different Microsoft 365 products.This is an elevated provision to search across different overloads
- Utilize business Intelligence power of Microsoft Graph
- Enable Multi search across Office 365 products
- Search using entities e.g.: OneDrive, FileShare, LOB application etc.
- Provide search relevant filtering capabilities
Connectors
As an enterprise user, we all will agree that data is always not be available in Microsoft 365 products. There is always a need to find the content across multiple sources such as LOB applications, SaaS products etc. Also, user expects the same search experience across these multiple content sources. Considering these requirement connectors are introduced.
Currently Microsoft provides six connectors (number might increase in future) and there are also Partner provided connectors.
Summary
To summarize, Microsoft Search is designed to provide a single view of
information across your organization and beyond. Microsoft Search endpoint in Graph API will help to extend this beyond Microsoft 365 world not only in terms of search results but also in terms of content sources as well.