Delving into the Deep Web

The deep Web has gotten a lot of press these days. The Web is becoming a complex entity that contains information from a variety of source types. It is much more than fixed Web pages. In fact, the part of the Web that is not fixed, and is served dynamically "on the fly," is far larger than the fixed documents that many associate with the Web. Some people incorrectly refer to this content as the "invisible Web," for reasons that will be explained below.

"What is the deep web?" you say. When we refer to the deep Web, we are talking about the following:

The content of databases accessible on the Web. Databases contain information stored in tables created by such programs as Access, Oracle, SQL Server and DB2. Information stored in databases is accessible only by query. This is distinct from static, fixed Web pages, which are documents that can be accessed directly. A significant amount of valuable information on the Web is generated from databases. In fact, it has been estimated that content on the deep Web may be 500 times larger than the fixed Web. (Non-textual files such as multimedia files, graphical files, software, and documents in non-standard formats such as Portable Document Format (PDF).

The phenomenon of databases on the Web has been talked about for years, before the terms "invisible Web" or "deep Web" were coined. People sometimes referred to them as specialty databases, subject-specific databases, virtual libraries, and other similar terms. As Web technology develops and greater amounts of information are mounted on the Web, these databases take on primary importance as information finding tools.

Terminology

Why is this content referred to as the "invisible Web"? This is because the content of databases rarely shows up in a search engine result. Search engine spiders cannot or will not go inside database tables and extract the data. Database content is therefore "invisible" to them.

However, the term "invisible Web" is a poor choice for these reasons:

The term is very search engine-centric. It assumes that the only way to find information on the Web is to consult a search engine. If the information cannot be found on a search engine, you're out of luck. This is simply not the case.

There is no such thing as recorded information that is invisible. Some information may be more of a challenge to find than others, but this is not the same as invisibility.

Informational databases have been available for years. Many of us are familiar with a library's collection of CD-ROMs or Web-based research databases. We use online catalogs, which are databases of a library's holdings. No one has ever called this information a part of the "invisible library." These are simply databases whose content is available through user query. Just like a library, the Web contains information of different types that is stored and retrieved in different ways.

The content of search engines on the Web is itself stored in databases and available only through user query. Shouldn't we call this invisible, too? We're labeling as invisible something that is available only through user query (the invisible Web) because it isn't accessible from within something else that is also available only through user query (search engines). The logic of this terminology just doesn't hold up.

A company called BrightPlanet has coined the term "deep Web" to describe the phenomenon of searchable databases on the Web. (The static Web is referred to as the "surface Web.") This is much better since database content is visible with the appropriate search and retrieval technology.

A Few Tips for Dealing with the Deep Web

When dealing with the deep Web, keep these points in mind:

Information that is likely to be stored in a database is a part of the deep Web.. This can include large listings of things with a common theme. All directories are part of the deep Web.

Examples include:

phone books

"people finders" such as lists of professionals such as doctors or lawyers

patents

laws

dictionary definitions

items for sale in a Web store or on Web-based auctions

digital exhibits

multimedia and graphical files

Also, information that is new and dynamically changing in content will appear on the deep Web. Look to the deep Web for late breaking items, such as:

news

job postings

available airline flights, hotel rooms, etc.

stock and bond prices, market averages, etc.

A good subject directory will link to database sites on the Web. This is because many of these databases have Web sites of their own. For example, you can go directly to the NewsNow site and browse its data abase of current news stories. A directory, therefore, can link to the Moreover site from its news section. A good directory may be the most reliable way in which to access content on the deep Web.

Web sites of searchable databases can also be retrieved via search engines. For example, a Google search on "American newspapers" will retrieve the site of News link, a database of links to newspaper sites around the world.

Many search engine sites and commercial portals feature searchable databases as part of their package of services. This phenomenon may be referred to as converging content. For example, you can visit AltaVista and do separate searches for news, maps, jobs, auctions, items for purchase, etc., all things outside the purview of a spider- gathered index of a search engine. As another example, Google integrates searches of PDF files into its general search service.

Some search engines will search the deep Web for related content subsequent to an initial search. For example, try a search on Google for "World Trade Center" and select the Images tab. This will retrieve many pages of images of the World Trade Center. Look for this type of feature on other search engines.

Topical coverage on the deep Web is extremely varied. This presents a challenge, since it is impossible to anticipate what might turn up in a database. In addition, this coverage will be fluid as databases proliferate on the Web.

Some of the information stored on Web-accessible databases may not be substantive or useful to most searchers. As with all of Web searching, it is important to tailor the query to the tool. The deep Web is highly valuable to those seeking the kind of targeted information listed above. It is also important to know where to look for useful content.

Sources of Deep Web Content

As noted above, deep Web sites can be located in subject directories and search engines. In addition, deep Web content is available on search engine sites as featured content.

In addition, there are Web sites that specialize in collecting links to databases available on the Web. Not all of these services limit themselves to deep Web content. Also, the scope and usefulness of their holdings varies. Nonetheless, these sites provide an interesting look at the promise of deep Web searching.

A more complete list of deep Web collections may be found by clicking on the "More Databases" button below.