Microsoft Adopts Google Model with Search Server 2008

Bill Gates will today announce the launch of Search Server 2008 to rival Google’s Search Appliance. The software allows users to search files and documents inside their corporate network. However unlikely the expensive Google Appliance which is a box with software, Microsoft will offer the service as a free software download. Yes, you heard that right! No hardware, no packaged software. It will be a web offering featuring online administration, reporting and provisioning features.

Essentially, Microsoft is beating Google at it own game with this web offering. Today’s announcement targets Google’s weak spot – Enterprise. It is also interesting to note that for the Search Server Microsoft’s has adopted Google’s traditional sales model, that does not require customers to buy expensive hardware, lock-ins and Google has adopted Microsoft’s style tactics with the Google Appliance.

Google has expanded their reach among common people and have established themselves in almost every aspect of Internet usage through its wonderful offerings ( Gtalk, Gmail, Googlepages etc ) all of which came free to the end users and all these have virtually helped in enhanceing its monopoly on search and search advertising . While these free services helped establish the Google brand to large extent, they adopted the Micro$oft model with their Search Apps and it seems Microsoft has actually picked that as an opportunity to offer free services to the enterprise segment with their Search Server 2008. Now it is to be seen if this Search server 2008 actually helps Microsoft to gain some more of the market share for their Live.com