Google launches the latest version of its popular search appliance

Search giant Google strengthened its push into the business market last week with the launch of a major new version of its enterprise search appliance, designed to provide greater reach into corporate systems and improved security.

Google Search Appliance version 5.0 extends the firm's enterprise connector framework to third party enterprise content management systems such as EMC Documentum, IBM FileNet and Microsoft SharePoint. This enables users to search across even more corporate content using the appliance, said Google.

Google has also sought to improve the security of file crawling and serving file system content, and the GSA also supports Windows Integrated Authentication for improved authentication of enterprise users.

Users of GSA version 5 will also have access to a new Google Enterprise Labs site, where they will be able to use beta versions of new functionality such as search-as-you-type, which will include suggestions and auto-complete as users type their queries.

David Bradshaw of analyst Ovum said the new features show Google is making a concerted effort to gain more ground in the enterprise search market, following as it does the firm's tie-up with Capgemini last month.

"Many organisations have problems with their internal search engines, often in the way they're set up and configured," he explained. "Google is pushing away at some of them, although security issues can be a problem, and they're not going away anytime soon."

Bradshaw added that Google may have a hard time winning over firms with its new Labs site, as access to free betas is usually met with more enthusiasm by consumers than corporates.