Microsoft to acquire FAST enterprise search IT
1 min read
Microsoft is to acquire Norwegian enterprise search software firm Fast Search & Transfer ASA (FAST) for $1.2 billion, with the objective of building out its cross-system search functionality, currently based on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server.
“Enterprise search is becoming an indispensable tool to businesses of all sizes, helping people find, use and share critical business information quickly,” says Jeff Raikes, president of Microsoft Business Division.
“Until now, organisations have been forced to choose between powerful, high-end search technologies or more mainstream infrastructure solutions. The combination of Microsoft and FAST gives customers a new choice: a single vendor with solutions that span the full range of customer needs.”
“This acquisition gives FAST an exciting way to spread our cutting-edge search technologies and innovations to more and more organizations across the world,” says John Lervik, CEO of FAST. “By joining Microsoft, we can benefit from the momentum behind the SharePoint business productivity platform to really empower a broader set of users through Microsoft’s strong sales and marketing network.”
Raikes makes the point that, in addition to bolstering Microsoft’s enterprise search efforts, this acquisition increases the company’s R&D presence in Europe, complementing existing teams in Cambridge and Copenhagen.
