Will Infosys Become the De Facto Expert on Fast ESP?
April 24, 2010
I read “Who’s Buying Microsoft’s Outsourcing Excuses?” and interpreted the write up in the context of my interest in search and content processing. As you know, Microsoft purchased Fast Search & Transfer, dumped the Linux/Unix business, and positioned Fast ESP as the solution to search challenges in SharePoint. Good idea, but the implementation is complex, even for those familiar with search and retrieval system set up. The main point in the write up, in my opinion, appeared in this passage:
Here’s a part of an Infosys press release announcing the deal that is especially telling: “This agreement provides Infosys with a unique opportunity to partner with Microsoft IT and gain deep and early expertise in the implementation and management of the latest Microsoft technologies, and thus enhancing Infosys capabilities to help other customers leverage Microsoft’s innovation and adopt these technologies.” Translation: The $100 million deal with Microsoft will help Infosys land even more outsourcing jobs at the expense of U.S. workers. Talk about adding insult to injury — and Infosys is hardly hurting.
Quite a few companies exist to handle implementation challenges of Microsoft Fast ESP. Will this deal put Infosys in the catbird seat? If Infosys does get insight others do not, the search integration companies (which I won’t name to keep the legal eagles at bay) may find that their core business faces a significant challenge. Microsoft is in an ideal position to bundle advanced search with almost any other Microsoft sale. When the customers can’t get these systems to work as hoped, Infosys may be the first port of call. Result? Lots of pain for the specialists who depend on customers to hire an expert in search remediation. Why hire those outside the tent? Go for those who are on the inside and used by Microsoft itself.
Stephen E Arnold, April 24, 2010
Unsponsored post.
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