IBM announced on Friday it would be adding Google Desktop for Enterprise in the form of a plug-in for its enterprise search technology. This marks a major step for Google and Google’s quest to sit at the table with the adults.
No one question’s Google’s ability and the search engine is certainly well known but they hadn’t really been accepted into the old guard yet as a major player. This deal with IBM may well be just that. IBM is part of the old guard of tech companies and has a long history. IBM embracing Google means Google may have a strong ally in the future.
“Google Desktop for Enterprise helps users navigate the growing sea of information on their PC, including their overflowing inbox, documents, presentations, PDF files, and web pages they’ve visited,” said Dave Girouard, general manager, Google Enterprise. “We’re pleased IBM is integrating its search solution with Google Desktop for Enterprise, enabling its customers to use multiple software solutions to reach a broader set of enterprise data sources.”
This announcement will enable customers using IBM WebSphere Information Integrator OmniFind Edition to search and retrieve various types of content located on their personal computer using the Google Desktop for Enterprise interface.
Earlier this year, Google announced that Google Desktop for Enterprise can search the full text of IBM Lotus Notes mail messages stored on a user’s local computer. This feature provides Lotus Notes customers the capability to search all Lotus Notes databases and mail servers in addition to local mail files.
“With this announcement, we are providing IBM enterprise search customers additional tools to help them more easily find information wherever it is, now including the desktop,” said Jon Prial, vice president, content management and discovery, IBM.
“WebSphere Information Integrator OmniFind Edition is the first mainstream, enterprise scale solution that enables users to search based on concepts and facts, not just keywords, to find the exact information they are looking for across the enterprise. This, coupled with Google Desktop for Enterprise, creates a powerful search combination across the desktop and a variety of enterprise sources.”
Whether this move signals anything more significant is unknown. It does make Google a bigger player though because IBM is certainly one of if not the most dominant force in enterprise. This will give Google a strong place in that market.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
