1. A method of conducting a search in a computer system having a service broker, a repository, an authentication server, and a knowledge server including a search server, a crawl server, and a computer memory encoded with a set of crawler parameters defining a first set of objects to be indexed by the crawler server wherein the first set of objects includes structured data objects and unstructured data objects, wherein the computer system is configured for communication with at least one user through a network interface, the method comprising: processing each object within the first set of objects with the crawler server to generate index data; storing index data corresponding to the first set of objects in an information source within the computer memory of the knowledge server; receiving a request for access to the computer system from a user connected to the computer system with a browser program; transmitting the user's request for access from the service broker to the authentication server to determine a level of access to be given to the user; generating a session token corresponding to the user's request for access and transmitting the session token to the service broker from the authentication server; providing a level of access to the computer system for the user based upon the session token; retrieving a personalized portal page corresponding to the user from the repository, wherein the personalized portal page includes a display window and a portal object, wherein the portal object includes an input field for receiving at least one search term from the user; transmitting the personalized portal page to the user; receiving a search request from the user wherein the search request includes at least one search term provided by the user; processing the search request and the information source with the search server so as to generate a search result comprised of a second set of objects corresponding to the search request; converting the search result into a format readable by a browser program; transmitting the personalized portal page to the user with the converted search result displayed in the display window of the portal page.