At a time when there seems to be a specialized search engine for every possible topic, Paglo today launched a new beta search engine service designed specifically for the IT environment.

Based on the popular Web 2.0 infrastructure, Paglo's software-as-a-service (Saas) was first introduced to the public in November, but today marks the first day it is available for public use. The service will be available for free until the fall, when Paglo says it will implement a paid model.

Users must first download and install the Paglo Crawler, which is able to crawl a company's network and collect data and information relevant for an IT administrator. Rather than collect images or news articles like Google or Yahoo, Paglo collects data on devices, users and their activities, software used on the network, and the types of devices used on the network.

Once the information has been saved to the Paglo index server, users then have the ability to look at the data online using any computer connected to the Internet. Paglo lets IT workers, for instance, identify the number of PCs in the network have certain software installed, or how many routers or hardware is being used in one office. Searching for "Open Office" will provide search results that include the number of computers with OO installed, and what versions the computers are using.

The customizable Paglo Dashboard allows users to implement widgets and other technologies to make the Dashboard as user friendly as possible. Once admins find a query that works, they can use a built-in "Share-it" feature to distribute it directly to other admins.

Users also can search for information using a keyword search or a notification system that mimics the Google Alert system, which allows administrators to quickly see if a computer server is having technical problems.