providing a search object model on a computer to perform keyword-based and structured query language (SQL)-based searches of the relational database;

providing an abstract query class of the search object model defining an execute method for causing a query to be performed on the relational database and one or more query properties that specify a query string and the manner in which the query is performed;

providing a keyword query class derived from the abstract query class, the keyword query class defining a query request using keyword syntax and comprising an execute method which when called causes a keyword query to be performed on the relational database and one or more keyword query properties that specify how the keyword query is to be performed and how results from the keyword query are to be returned; and

setting the query string to specify one or more keywords to pass directly to a search service for performing a keyword-based search of the relational database.