Google Mini Search Appliance - Peripherals - Hardware - Reviews - ZDNet Australia
Breaking News: Interpol defends voluntary filter

ZDNet / Search / Review

Google Mini Search Appliance

By Rex Baldazo, CNET.com on August 9th, 2005 
Submit

Overview

Aimed at small to medium-size enterprises (SMEs) that need a search engine without the hassles, the Google Mini is capable and flexible. We just wish the upgrade path was more affordable.

 

Google Mini Search Appliance Aimed at small to medium-size enterprises (SMEs) that need a search engine without the hassles, the Google Mini is capable and flexible. We just wish the upgrade path was more affordable.

The Google Mini lets you set up a custom search engine in minutes, allowing you to index and search up to 100,000 documents in more than 220 different file formats, including HTML, PDF and Microsoft Office file types. We definitely recommend the Google Mini if you need an easy-to-use way of indexing and searching a relatively small collection of Web pages. It's almost trivial to set it up and get started -- much easier than having to set up your own separate hardware and search software.

The hardware is simple enough: a bright blue 1U-height rack-mount box with a big Google logo painted on top. Connect a network cable (included) and the power cable, then wait for the happy tone that tells you it has finished booting up. There's no separate power switch -- once you've plugged it into a wall outlet, it begins the boot-up process. At this point you have to do the network configuration. That means giving the Mini its IP address for your network, telling it what email server to use when it sends out status alerts and so forth. To do this, you must plug a notebook into the Mini or lug the unit over to a desktop PC.

There are two RJ-45 ports in the back of the Mini -- a network port that connects it to your regular network and a configuration port designed specifically for the initial configuration tasks. Google provides a special crossover cable that lets you plug your notebook into that configuration port, and the company has thoughtfully put a tag on that cable telling you what the config IP address is. You simply fire up a browser on the notebook and point it at the Mini's config IP address. At this point, your Mini needs to be told how to use the network port -- what IP address it should be, what DNS machines to query, what SMTP server to use and so on. The Mini's administration console is essentially a series of Web forms where you enter this information.

The Google Mini can obtain some of the needed configuration info from your network's DHCP server. However, you will need to give the Mini a static IP address (provided by your network admin) and a SMTP server address, which isn't delivered via DHCP.

Test functions built into the admin console help you confirm whether you've input valid addresses and names. We may have been lucky, but the time from the moment we first plugged in our Mini to the time the initial configuration was finished was about 30 minutes. Our one complaint is that the configuration port is at the back. In theory, you'll probably never need to change the network configuration, but we would like to see a configuration port in the front just in case. Depending on your rack space, it could be a little complicated to get a notebook reconnected to that rear configuration port.

Once you've configured the network, you can unplug the notebook and perform the actual search configuration from any browser on your network. The simplest configuration is to just specify a name for your collection, give it an initial URL where it should begin the crawl, then accept all of the other default parameters. If you go that route, you could have it beginning the crawl within a few minutes.

However, you'll probably want to use at least a few of the other search options. The Mini can index a maximum of 100,000 documents, so the most likely parameters you'll want to control are the URL patterns you want it to crawl. That way you don't waste any of those 100,000 documents crawling URLs that you don't need. For example, if your site provides printer-friendly versions of all Web pages, you'll probably want the Mini to ignore them. You do all this through the Google Mini's browser-based console. The UI is a bit bare, but it's also self-explanatory. One helpful item for those of us who don't live and breathe regular expressions: there's a test button that lets you see whether a specific URL will fit the patterns you've input.

Once the Mini has finished the crawl, it builds an index from all the documents, and then copies that index out to be served from a query interface. The query interface looks, of course, an awful lot like Google. If the Mini is running as part of your intranet, you can stick with the basic customisations, such as using your company logo instead of Google's at the top of the page. If you'll be using the Mini to serve up a public search page, you'll want to use the built-in XSLT editor to really customise the pages so that they look like the rest of your site.

We also like the Synonyms feature. If, for example, you have a lot of Macintosh content, you can specify the word 'Macintosh' as a synonym for 'Apple'. When users search for 'Apple', they'll see a hint at the top of the search result page telling them they can also search for 'Macintosh'. Click 'Macintosh', and the Mini will carry out the search.

One irritiation is that Synonyms are strictly one-way. If you need a pair of words to be synonyms in both directions, you have to explicitly set up both. Google says this is for maximum flexibility, and that's probably true, but it's still a little annoying for those of us who expect synonyms to work automatically in both directions.

Another search option we like is KeyMatch; for a specific search word or phrase, you can specify a URL and text to display at the top of the results page. It ends up looking and working a bit like the keyword ads on Google. If you're having a special sale on 'soap', for example, you might set up a KeyMatch so that whenever users search for 'soap', they see a short note at the top of the page and a link that takes them to the sale page.

Unfortunately, the upgrade path poses problems. If the Mini's 100,000-document limit ever becomes an issue, you could buy a second Mini. But that means having to find a way to configure the two machines so that they crawl separate sections of your site, and it means users would have to query both interfaces to search your site. Your other option is going for the big Google Search Appliance, which can index anything from 500,000 documents on up. But it starts at a US$30,000 price point, a substantial jump from the Mini's more reasonable US$2,995.00 price.

Google Mini Search Appliance
Company: Google
Price: US$2,995

(Back to top)

Talkback

Add your opinion

In order to post a comment, you need to be registered. (Sign In or register below)

Post your comment

Terms of Service - As a ZDNet registrant, and by using this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understand our Privacy Policy.

Resource Centre Useful content from our premier sponsors

ZDNet Australia Live

Good article and some good comments guys. The lazy, monopolistic bullies that are bleating about this (TA, AFL, NRL, CA etc) need a reali...

3 minutes ago by Progressive on More TV Now may mean less TV later

Lax data privacy laws hurt Australia: Australia may be setting a bad example and limiting its ... http://t.co/0OTpy0W7 #Data #Protection

The Raseberry has a great role in automating heating and cooling systems, and in process control. Just get a few termisters along with an...

7 minutes ago by lsatenstein on Why a $25 computer means revolution

Ethical iPhone protests hit Apple stores http://t.co/Tg87lxA1

Why a $25 computer means revolution http://t.co/KoA6Mfnu

HRM/HCM is heating up with Oracle buying Teleo. Where's MSFT in all this?http://t.co/urUaTHc5

Lax data #privacy laws hurt Australia: Australia may be setting a bad example and limiting its options when it c... http://t.co/18CvSbms

Lax data #privacy laws hurt Australia: Australia may be setting a bad example and limiting its options when it c... http://t.co/35xWEgB2

News: Malware's the next nuclear bomb: Kaspersky - Security - News - ZDNet Australia http://t.co/MqfyXzJS

Lax data privacy laws hurt Australia - Australia may be setting a bad example and limiting its options when it comes... http://t.co/F7HQTvVy

Google readying #cloud storage service: Google is reportedly getting ready to take on Dropbox with its own cloud... http://t.co/GTFIbQC7

Lax data #privacy laws hurt Australia: Australia may be setting a bad example and limiting its options when it c... http://t.co/6q6L9DOG

Ethical iPhone protests hit Apple stores. Love your iPhone? Love it more if it is made ethically? http://t.co/LkKm9StB via @zdnetaustralia

Lax data privacy laws hurt Australia: Australia may be setting a bad example and limiting its options when it co... http://t.co/sGjo2Y6w

Ethical iPhone protests hit Apple stores http://t.co/LkKm9StB via @zdnetaustralia

RT @SecMash: Lax data privacy laws hurt Australia - ZDNet Australia http://t.co/NaFCw4Xr #InfoSec

Lax data privacy laws hurt Australia - ZDNet Australia http://t.co/NaFCw4Xr #InfoSec

Apple app developers may have copied your address book, despite it being against the rules which Apple has ignored http://t.co/C6PgoMQd

Lax data privacy laws hurt Australia: Australia may be setting a bad example and limiting its options when it co... http://t.co/f9CnwmTy

by http://t.co/vmlQ0Ecb: Lax data privacy laws hurt Australia: Australia may be setting a bad example and limitin... http://t.co/G0fEMhs7

LinkedIn posts strong Q4 earnings, up in after hours trading http://t.co/TJSBmtlT

Twitter now available in emergencies with satellite providers: Twitter is being pumped up to save the day with t... http://t.co/Oz2xsX0K

Microsoft plans to release a flavour of Windows 8 on ARM chips http://t.co/10rKSoAs

RT @zdnetaustralia: Why a $25 computer means revolution http://t.co/ufWQdLzT

Senator Conroy imposes limits on amount of spectrum telcos can buy at Digital Dividend auction: http://t.co/PD7DNr4r

RT @Timothy_Hughes: Windows 8 Consumer Preview due February 29: why it's not called beta http://t.co/sbPX5RwT

http://t.co/JaYhkJjV

Armageddon of War 1.5 (Mobile): Top Hit Game for everybodyIdea is simple,Collect red items, Avoid green objects,... http://t.co/BqJhQRiO

Court agrees to speed up case over #Google's privacy policies http://t.co/hCf5CbQT | RT @ZDNet | #privacy

RT @ZDNet: Facebook admits it needs to fight scams more efficiently http://t.co/O7DvYt87

Twitter now available in emergencies with satellite providers http://t.co/dZUPbpj1

RT @zdnetaustralia: Why a $25 computer means revolution http://t.co/ufWQdLzT

RT @ZDNet: Twitter now available in emergencies with satellite providers http://t.co/ZKibHIsQ

Facebook: 60 million users access apps via mobile: By Emil Protalinski | February 9, 2012, 10:01am PST Summary: ... http://t.co/Nq0TvzJY

New website hopes to improve the Federal datacenter consolidation process: New website hopes to bring together I... http://t.co/5yeK9VMO

iPhone commands better resale value than Android or Blackberry: @danjames2012 I find it hard to believe that som... http://t.co/GryjHpQZ

RT @ZDNet: Twitter now available in emergencies with satellite providers http://t.co/ZKibHIsQ

invention these appreciate Every using after Numerous Not well ordering customer any custom route do make these current can consider of N...

1 hour ago by gurbapagnonna on Abetz shifted in reshuffle

I'd say a reasonable amount of it would be. In the Queensland Department of Education's case, it said it was trying to make as much of it...

2 hours ago by suzanne.tindal on The application nation

Great article, Suzanne—couldn’t agree more. It is only logical for organisations – private or public-- to take a long, hard look â€...

3 hours ago by kashe on The application nation

Every example of action against child molesters in this story related to internet protocols other than the www. This filter then achieves...

3 hours ago by Bob.H on Interpol defends voluntary filter

Soooo... it's okay for Apple to demand use of technologies and designs falling under competitors patents (considered "standards"), but on...

11 hours ago by MoWeb on Apple wants new rules for mobile patents

But I am having an intelligent conversation young fibes, my point is the lofty goal that all are equal is unfortunately not so. That is w...

13 hours ago by Doubt on NBN Co inks $620m satellite deal

May be so, but we do need to lighten up some of these people who are so serious. poor old fibretech nearly brings tears to the eyes and j...

13 hours ago by Doubt on Turnbull decries 'Rolls-Royce' satellites

The latest MS Windows update for XP tries hard to persuade you to update. For those machines that already have IE8 loaded it tries to re-...

14 hours ago by brak on Windows XP clings on as dominant OS

Will be interesting to see if he drives the qld gov political IT agenda or looks to address the IT challenges being faced by qld gov agen...

14 hours ago by Flly on Queensland's CIO returns to the post

So angry! NOKIA has forgotten the main purpose and the user function, and instead prioritised their industry level concerns. I bought my...

15 hours ago by spaceagesoup on Nokia skips Australia in Symbian Belle roll-out

I get what you mean in your context, meski. If the filter is like speed cameras, then people can alternately take side streets and back r...

16 hours ago by techkid on Interpol defends voluntary filter

Remind me again how people can get to a leadership position with absolutely no practical knowledge? I would ask Alexander how he intends...

17 hours ago by cleversoap on Internet won't always be anonymous: ITU

I was reading about DMARC at http://www.unlocktheinbox.com/resources/dmarc.aspx, perhaps they should try to implement something like this...

18 hours ago by wpfn on Phishing scam causes Telstra email woe

As you can tell, I'm a big follower. For AFL read NRL.

18 hours ago by phildobbie on The TV Now aftermath

Im not sure if David Gallop realises he now works for the AFL.

18 hours ago by katerich on The TV Now aftermath

That assumes that people see the stop sign. If you're using proxies, or whatever *all* the time, then these stop signs will never be obs...

19 hours ago by meski on Interpol defends voluntary filter

The advanced remote controlled machines reduce the human working rate from hazardous environment.

19 hours ago by Manasy on Robotic mining worth its high cost: Rio

Internet connection rate tremendously increasingly a lot.

19 hours ago by Manasy on Optus unveils NBN small business plans

This story has been voted 20 times in the last 24 hours!

2 days ago, Symantec confirms hacker extortion

This story has been voted 10 times in the last 24 hours!

2 days ago, Symantec confirms hacker extortion

Facebook Activity

Keep up with ZDNet Australia

LinkedinLinkedin Join our network

RSS FeedsRSS Feeds Subscribe now

NewslettersNewsletters Subscribe today

AlertAlertsSubscribe now

ZDNet Events Calendar

ZDNet Events Calendar

Plan Comparison

Prev Next
Loading...
Deals powered by WhistleOut

Sponsored resources