Google boosts corporate search product

Google has announced a new corporate search product, with a range of extensions to pick up searchable content from business applications.

The new Google Search Appliance includes Google OneBox for Enterprise, which has been developed in partnership with leading enterprise applications vendors, including Cisco, Oracle, Employease and Salesforce.com.

It allows users to search corporate information from any application in the enterprise through a Google search box, bringing up human resources data, sales leads, purchase order status or other business information.

The new version of Search Appliance also includes a Native File System crawler that can reach all content in Windows-based file systems and handle up to 25 queries per second on one server. Other new Search Appliance features include enhanced security and authentication systems and improved search relevance.

The extra features, including OneBox for Enterprise, are available as part of the new Google Search Appliance or as free upgrades to current customers.

Google has made the OneBox for Enterprise API open to the developer community, system integrators and independent software vendors.

It has also launched an Enterprise Developer programme, a community site where developers can get access to Google Enterprise software development kits and documentation, or post their work for sharing with other users.