Also known as content indexing service, this process is part of Windows operating system, and it is supposed to index the files on the drive(s), which should provide faster file search and access using the indexing service catalog.
Instead of speeding up your machine, it sometimes slows it down, which is probably because some dummy Microsoft programmers coded it and in some cases it is confused!
It should simply run when the machine is idle; and when is that on a server ?!
Maybe, it is programmed to work based on mouse and keyboard events, and when there is none, it thinks it is idle?!
Servers are always busy. That is the reason they exist. For example, since 2000, many companies have websites with database applications, open to customers and visitors from all parts of the world. I could otherwise say, during the day it is busy selling products, during the night it is busy backing up itself!
Nowadays, people use laptops to connect to their PCs or servers at work from the sofa at home! Loads of virtual/terminal sessions on a server kills it! You would not use a Windows Server to host 100 concurrent Remote Desktop sessions, would you?
Anyway, I am wondering when Microsoft will stop assuming their users are stupid, and let them choose which services/applications to enable.
For example, I am using an old PC with a bare Windows XP Pro (without antivirus), which uses around 80MB of memory when “nothing” is running on it, ready to use.
Also, I am using another x64 PC with Vista Home Ed (with antivirus) and it consumes around 900MB already when it is just started.
I recommend to use Linux or BSD variants for servers.
Future is open (..source)!