Companies to Bring Search-Centric Information Solutions to Major Enterprise Customers
A partnership announced between Google and professional services provider BearingPoint, formerly KPMG, aims to make searching across corporate and internal desktops and databases as easy as using Google’s Web search page.
BearingPoint and Google are working together to bring powerful but simple Google search solutions to complex enterprise environments. BearingPoint extends Google’s search capabilities by offering companies customized search technology tailored for specific business environments in industries such as pharmaceuticals, banking, brokerage, high-tech and aerospace.
We are enthusiastic about providing the marketplace with our new suite of solutions for Google’s search products and see a tremendous opportunity to address a significant and growing sector, said Harry You, CEO, BearingPoint.
BearingPoint has consultants trained to help companies–including many Global 2000 businesses–install, integrate and customize the Google Search Appliance and the Google Desktop for Enterprise software, Chris Weitz, managing director for BearingPoint, said.
The company also will provide software plug-ins for the Google hardware, as well as customized security integration, sales and support, he said.
Search technology is rapidly becoming a critical application in today’s business environment and BearingPoint is committed to developing the products, services and partners that keep us at the forefront of the information technology landscape.
The Google search appliance is used to let employees at corporations, federal agencies and other organizations search for documents in internal databases and other sources that may be spread across different locations and that tend to be unstructured data hidden from Internet search engines. The Desktop for Enterprise software lets people search for data on their desktops.
Search as an application is becoming more and more in demand from within the enterprise, Weitz said. Our research has shown that users already use Google all day long and they want to continue to use it in other ways. We are going to extend it into parts of the enterprise it currently does not go.
"Google’s enterprise business more than doubled in 2005, and we look forward to continued success in 2006," said Dave Girouard, General Manager; Google Enterprise. "As companies realize that search is critical to global business, we are pleased that BearingPoint is delivering the integration services, application plug-ins, and on-the-ground expertise that customers are demanding."
You continued, "Enterprise users expect the same level of functionality, simplicity and ease-of-use in the enterprise that they experience as consumers on the Internet. This is part of a shift we call ‘Consumerization’ of the enterprise and Google search products are at the leading edge of this trend."
The ability for employees to quickly and easily access corporate information accelerates collaboration and problem solving and reduces costs associated with redundant work. The new BearingPoint practice area will offer service, technology, and expertise to help unlock information stored across the enterprise.
BearingPoint Will Provide Customers With:
Ease and Speed of Integration — BearingPoint’s deep understanding of each industry, specific enterprise applications, heterogeneous platforms and legacy systems will help achieve rapid integration of the Google search technology into the most complex enterprise environments.
Extended Search Reach — BearingPoint provides proprietary technology plug-ins, customized search software, and integration services to enhance and improve the Google Search Appliance’s capabilities in specific enterprise environments, extending and tailoring search reach into targeted enterprise systems, making information more universally accessible to users, and providing high-quality search results.
Security and Access Control — Leveraging Google’s native support for basic authentication, SSO solutions and SAML interfaces, BearingPoint provides customized security integration for search solutions to the enterprise. BearingPoint brings the skills and expertise to address
difficult IT security issues in the enterprise search environment, such as single-sign-on and identity management, to enhance Google’s native security features.
Sales, Service and Support — BearingPoint’s large global team provides the depth of sales, integration services, and support that enterprises demand.
Bringing the Solution to Market
BearingPoint will also leverage its expertise in various vertical markets to address specific endemic needs. Currently, BearingPoint is working with several leading companies in pharmaceuticals, banking, brokerage, high-tech and aerospace to identify how search solutions can benefit their organizations.
The deal is expected to increase sales of the Google search appliances, the companies said. Google does not currently have a professional services team to work with companies, however it launched an Enterprise Professional Program in September, of which BearingPoint is the largest partner, said Girouard.
Under that program, services companies pay a $10,000 annual membership fee to receive training and developer consultation to learn how to install and customize Google’s search appliance and desktop search software and help their customers use it.
Other companies competing in the corporate search market include Autonomy, which is acquiring rival Verity, and Fast Search & Transfer of Norway. Meanwhile, Google competes with Microsoft and Yahoo, among others, on desktop search.