Google touts corporate desktop search

Google has released a version of its Desktop Search tool that targets enterprises.

The software allows corporate users to look for information on their networks in several file formats such as emails, PDF documents, spreadsheets and word processing documents.

"Finding information quickly in businesses is more than a convenience, it's a necessity," said Dave Girouard, general manager of Google's enterprise business.

"With the addition of Google Desktop Search for Enterprise, businesses of all sizes can offer their employees a one-stop Google search for the desktop, internet or web."

The enterprise product is similar to Google's Desktop Search, version 1.0 of which was launched in March.

The enterprise version offers increased security along with configuration and deployment tools, and searches the full text of messages in Lotus Notes, a popular email client for enterprises.

Google Desktop Search has faced criticism from privacy and security advocates because it takes a snapshot of every webpage a user visits and stores some information even after a file has been deleted.

This could lead to a loss of confidential information such as credit card details in a situation where employees share computers.

The enterprise and consumer versions are available from Google's website.