Google has significantly increased the number of sites and ISPs it uses to serve search requests according to a study by researchers at the University of Southern California.
The study reports Google increased the number of locations serving search requests from less than 200 to more than 1,400 between October 2012 and July 2013. In addition, they have also expanded the number of ISPs used from just over 100 to more than 850.
As reported in the study:
Over the past 10 months, Google search has dramatically increased the number of sites around the world from which it serves client queries, repurposing existing infrastructure to change the physical way that Google processes web searches, according to a new study from USC.
Most of this expansion is simply Google using client networks that it already relied on for hosting content like YouTube videos and repurposing them to deliver faster responses to user requests for search queries.
The study’s lead author and USC PhD student Matt Calder explains it by saying:
Google already delivered YouTube videos from within these client networks, but they’ve abruptly expanded the way they use the networks, turning their content-hosting infrastructure into a search infrastructure as well.
Why Is This Important?
While you may be reading this and asking, “Why is this news?” it’s important because it shows that search is still a high priority for Google while it expands in different directions.
Google still values the search experience of its end users, otherwise they wouldn’t be making this kind of investment if search wasn’t still a critical component of their business.
The strategy seems to have benefits for webusers, ISPs and Google, according to the team. Users have a better web browsing experience, ISPs lower their operational costs by keeping more traffic local, and Google is able to deliver its content to webusers quicker.
Rest assured that Google hasn’t forgotten where they came from. Delivering the best search experience to users is still a top priority, as this study indicates.
Have you noticed an improvement in search Google search lately? Let me know what you think in the comments section.
