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The IT Strategy That Makes Google Work

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the lots-of-gnomes dept.

savio13 writes "InfoWeek published an article on Google's IT Strategy, which can be summarized as: 'Use customized open source where possible, custom build where necessary , and buy if it's not related to something that will give Google a competitive advantage.' The author interviewed several senior IT folks at Google and the article is surprisingly thorough considering how closely Google guards information about their actual IT environment." From the article: "Google managers tend to be reticent on the subject of IT strategy, they're loath to talk about specific vendors or products, and they clam up when asked about their servers and data centers. But a day spent with some of the company's IT leaders reveals there's more to Google's IT operations than a search engine running on a massive server farm. Behind the seeming simplicity is a mash-up of internally developed software, made-to-order hardware, artificial intelligence, obsession with performance, and an unorthodox approach to people management."

3 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Special sauce... Google HR / recruiters by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll
    I interviewed with them earlier this year. I wasn't impressed by their questions, and I made my contempt clear (verally, eyes rolling, and the occasional wanking motion). I wouldn't have hired half the people that I talked to there.

    They offered me a job but I declined because the salary wasn't enough.

  2. There's only so many smart people in this world... by Pleb'a.nz · · Score: 0, Troll

    .. and when you run out, you start employing idiots and they become management, then they rename the company to Micro* to reflect their micromanagement skillsets.

  3. Why Yahoo is better than Google by LionelHutz1 · · Score: 1, Troll

    I, personally, cannot understand Google's rise to prominence. Sure they have a neat technology, but are they the "best"? Hardly. Here are my top reasons why Yahoo is better than Google: 1. Yahoo's search technology is superior: When comparing searches, I consistently find what I want quicker on Yahoo than on Google. 2. Yahoo actually has its own content: Unlike Google who just links you to other sites and their tools, Yahoo has its own content in areas like Business, Finance, News, and more. Outside of the Google Map feature, Google relies completely on other sites for its content. 3. Yahoo gets more traffic: Surprise - Yahoo gets more traffic on its site than Google. 4. Yahoo's Mail service actually works: Unlike Gmail, Google's mail service, Yahoo Mail actually works. Gmail has been in BETA for years. Literally. 5. Google is a hypocrite: Despite their "Dont be evil" mantra, and their promise to not let their IPO turn them into evil capitalists, Google did just that. They folded to China's demands that their web results be censored in that country. 6. Click Fraud: Google does not have a real plan to prevent unscrupulous websites from fraudulently clicking on Google ads, and in the process funneling money from unsuspecting advertisors to the rogue website. 7. Yahoo isn't kidding themselves: Google wants to put Microsoft out of business. Dont laugh. As I predicted about 3 years ago, Google is using their IPO money to build business applications like Word Processing, Spreadsheets, etc to compete with Microsoft Office. Too bad that they dont work if you arent on the web. 8. Stock Price: Google is trading at a 600% EPS premium over Yahoo. This is what happens when emotions trump logic in the stock market.