Google Mini Signals Maxi Change
May 16, 2008
In San Francisco earlier this week, I spent some time with one of my tech pals. In the course of the conversation, we talked about the lousy margins on hardware, even the flashiest gear from HP, IBM, and Sun. He said, “Too much cost, not enough fast cash.” He also told me that Google was going to trim its line of Google Search Appliances.
Yesterday, TechCrunch–an information life support device for my aging self in rural Kentucky–said much the same thing. Mark Henderson’s “Rumor: Google to Launch Hosted Site Search, Ditch Mini” appeared on May 15, 2008. One point that jumped out at me was:
It’s not exactly clear what this decision means for the enterprise search industry, but it won’t be surprising if Google does indeed come out with a cloud-based solution.
The comments from my friend and Mr. Henderson’s blockbuster mesh with what I have learned from people using Google’s custom search. Custom search is a no-charge way to get Google search for your Web site. We use it as one search option for ArnoldIT.com’s Web log, “Beyond Search”. We’ve tested the function and found that it works with near-zero latency and spiders tirelessly, often picking up changes to test custom search pages in less than 15 minutes.
Why do we think this “mini” change signals a “maxi” shift? There are three reasons:
Google isn’t in the hardware business. Google’s wizards love hardware, and the company has patent applications that are stuffed with fans, racks, and other gizmos. Hardware equals support, and if there’s one thing less exciting to a Googler than attending a lecture on ancient Greek pottery, it’s dealing with a a flesh-and-blood customer
Google moves in surprisingly small, incremental steps for a giant company. Any shift to a cloud-based service is no casual decision. Folks, we have a signal.
The Google Search Appliance is a beast of burden. To get the most out of the OneBox API and deliver the functionality that customers are discovering is possible, more robust devices are needed. The “blue” Mini was a black sheep compared to the “yellow” GB (Google Box) siblings.
Companies that dismiss Google’s enterprise ambitions are certainly free to continue emulating ostrich. The more strategically-minded may want to increase their fly-bys of the Googleplex. The enterprise market with its billions appeals to Google’s financial officer.
Stephen Arnold, May 15, 2008
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