The Google Search Appliance is a rack-mounted device providing document indexing functionality that can be integrated into an intranet, document management system or web site using a Google search-like interface for end-user retrieval of results. The operating system is based on CentOS. The software is produced by Google and the hardware is manufactured by Dell Computers and is based on Dell's PowerEdge R710.[1]
The device is supplied in three models: a model capable of indexing up to 300,000 documents (Google Mini), a 2U model (GB-7007) capable of indexing up to 10 million documents, and a 5U (2U plus 3U storage) model (GB-9009) that is capable of indexing up to 30 million documents.[2] Later versions of the software allow the connecting of multiple appliances to offer searching "millions or billions" of documents.[3] Sales are operated on a licensing scheme which starts as a two-year contract for maintenance, support and software updates.
Contents |
The Google Search Appliance contains Google search technologies and a means of configuring and customizing the appliance. The appliance also comes with a T-shirt.[4]
Other features include
The Google Mini is a smaller and lower-cost solution for small and medium-sized businesses to set up a search engine that allows them to index and search up to 300,000 documents.[5]
The Google Search Appliance can be purchased in two separate versions based on the number of documents being indexed. Model GB-7007, a 2U appliance, can index up to 10,000,000 documents. The GB-9009 5U appliance[2] can index up to 30,000,000 documents. Software version 6.0 was released in June, 2009. This software runs on some hardware versions of the GB-1001 model (all units with an "S5" prefix in their "Appliance ID"), and all GB-7007 and GB-9009 models. New features available in this software include:
Google used to sell a 2U appliance (GB-1001) capable of indexing up to 5,000,000 documents, a half-rack cluster (GB-5005) of five 2U nodes capable of indexing up to 10,000,000 documents, and a full-rack cluster (GB-8008) of eight and later twelve nodes capable of indexing up to 30,000,000 documents.[2] Some models were based on Dell PowerEdge 2950 2U rackmount servers.
Minimal support infrastructure / admin staff is needed as quoted on their web site “…doesn’t need a tech support baby-sitter. You simply plug it in, configure it, and let it run…”. The device does come with a web based admin console that can be used to make configuration changes where needed. Additional customisation is possible through a Representational State Transfer (REST) based admin API that allows for automation of tasks. There are also existing admin modules that can be used for customization.
The Google Search Appliance is available in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, parts of Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and South America. If a person is interested in using the Google Search Appliance in another region, they can deploy the Google Search Appliance at a location or data center in the US, Canada, or Europe.