Business software maker Oracle on Wednesday challenged Google with new search software for sifting through corporate databases, email systems and document created by other software, reports Reuters. Oracle chief Larry Ellison announced Secure Enterprise Search in Tokyo, saying it would fill a gap left by Google - the searching of private data. He described the software, which will be available in May, as "one of our biggest products in years."

A day later, Google announced that to better meet the needs of smaller small businesses, it is releasing a version of its Mini search appliance for searching 50,000 documents at just under $2,000, essentially halving the price, reports InternetNews.

Google says the Mini can index more than 220 file formats. In January Google announced that it had extended the reach of its search appliance for corporate intranets from 100,000 to 300,000 documents.