A system for searching a data set to identify data elements with the data set that meet user defined criteria. The system comprises a network file system server, a data search engine server communicating with the network file system server, and a query distributor configured to send search queries to the data search engine server. An old data set and a new data set are stored on the network file system server in a manner such that said data search engine server may selectively access and transfer portions of the old data set and the new data set to a data storage memory of the data search engine server, where the data search engine server identifies data elements within the accessed portions of the old data set and the new data set that meet the user defined search criteria.