Google Goes Mini Again

Google Goes Mini Again


Google's latest push to put its search tool on every corporate network is its smallest and cheapest yet.

The number-one Internet search provider announced another, smaller-capacity version of its Google Mini search appliance today. The latest is the fourth addition to the line and features its lowest retail price -- for $1,995, buyers can add Google search capabilities to their web site or internal network that indexes 50,000 web pages and documents.

The newest Mini shows Google's further focus on small- and medium-sized businesses. "The vision for the Mini is just that -- to get mini -- and to get Google search everywhere," says Rajen Sheth, product manager for Google's enterprise division.

While the company won't release specific revenue figures, a spokesperson says Google has more than 3,000 enterprise customers and that enterprise revenue doubled last fiscal year.

In January, marking the Mini's one-year anniversary, the company released two larger Mini devices, bridging the gap between the Mini and the higher-capacity -- and more expensive -- Google Search Appliance, which can track 500,000 pages and starts at $30,000.

Google's move comes as it finds growing competition in the enterprise search market. On Wednesday, Oracle announced a new push into corporate search with a product called Secure Enterprise Search. Google has not yet faced much enterprise pressure from Internet search rivals Yahoo! or Microsoft.