You can set up a routine that runs through the directory and reads the files,
without index server, but you will end up using an account that has at least
the right to read, so be careful where you place the information, as it could
give a hacker rights you do not want him to have.

I would consider setting up a routine that reads and caches when the app
boots, as you can use the cached information (stored in XML, for example),
much faster than searching all files every time someone searches.