So how many of you are familiar with Enterprise tools such as Google Search Appliance? Google Mini Search Appliance for example, starts at $2,990 for searching up to 50,000 documents with a 300,000 max document capacity. Google Search Appliance starts at $30,000 for searching up to 500,000 documents with a 30 million max document capacity. (By the way, these are tools used for internal development of infrastructure and intranet and to enable maximum efficiencies between the internal world of information and the internet, among other things, for those of you wondering.)
It would seem that a couple of weeks ago, Microsoft announced the purchase of an Enterprise Search Specialist by the name of FAST Search. Earlier this week, Bill Gates announced the launch of Microsoft Search Server Express 2008 and Microsoft Search Server to rival Google's Search Appliance. Oh yeah...Microsoft Search Server Express 2008 is FREE.
It would appear that for all intents and purposes, Microsoft has been paying attention to Google more than they let on, and have built a model that lives on the web, no hardware, no packaged software, and lots of punch for those who need it, and at no charge.
Now last week, Google announced its website publishing tool called Google Sites for enterprise users (which is similar to Microsoft's Sharepoint) so it would appear that they are running in the same race and trying to outpace each other. I SOOO love a good match, don't you?
It's my belief that Microsoft is going to have a win with this "no expensive equipment required" and "online administration and features" offering among the small to medium sized businesses hands down. Without a doubt, this will also impact their search traffic which will also translate into ad revenue in the paid search arena, and that may just be the beginnings of the next "Clash Of The Titans"!
WOW!
The Doug
aka Doug Gebhardt
I’m a past sharepoint user and its a great piece of software. I think larger companies who already use windows and office would not consider the google alternative to this sort of product.
I love these global corporation tear-ups. As a fully paid-up cynic, it’s often good just to sit on the sidelines and wait to see who eventually slopes off to their mom with a bloody nose and tears in their eyes. Both parties have a fair-sized hate campaign behind them, but I think you’re right about the FREE bit tipping it for Microsoft.
Of course, if it handles like a brick…
It is a lot of money, but then you are using a tool that has been developed by the best guys in the ‘search’ industry.
Hey Make Money Blogging! I think you are right, and anyone who is a current Sharepoint user won’t be so easily converted to the Google alternative. Microsoft has definitely placed as firm a hand on office software as Google has on Search, so that’s just one of the things that keeps this interesting.
Nick! I SO love watching these events as well. Makes for such an interesting show and all kinds of speculation. At least there are almost always great usage benefits as a legacy from such fierce business titan wars in the software and internet industry.
Hi Shana! That’s a great great great point you bring up, but it has been my experience all throughout that going with something that costs a little bit less and can be made to do the same work (with a little more of my own work) has been the way that most companies go. Of course there are those ones out there that stay on the cutting edge as well, but I think that the general flow will be to the less expensive.