Having secured software distribution deals with the likes of Dell, Google has now struck a hardware distribution agreement.

Google today announced a partnership with Ingram Micro to distribute its enterprise search boxes -- the Google Search Appliance and Google Mini -- around the globe.

"Just as you think of Google as a company that's able to deliver technology on a massive scalethe same holds true of our desire to do the same on the enterprise side," said Rodrigo Vaca, Google's enterprise product marketing manager. "We want to reach new markets. We want to reach new customers. And we're concerned about doing that through ways that can scale, through ways that are efficient both for us and our customers."

Google appears to be doing just that. The company today raised its customer base for search hardware from 7,000 to 9,000, in keeping with its habit of quarterly updates.

"By partnering with Ingram Micro, we can keep focused on building great products that customers want to buy," said Vaca. "And we rely on Ingram and on their core strength to help us sell and distribute our product through their distribution network."

Last week, Google said that it has chosen Dell as a manufacturing partner for its search hardware.

The Ingram alliance is about more than distribution, explained Vaca. "We're also engaging them in other ways, such as reseller recruitment, reseller marketing, and reseller enablement, to make sure that the channel is ready to sell our products," he said.

Google hopes Ingram will help it reach new mid-market and enterprise customers, particularly among government and education customers outside the United States.

The Google Mini is geared toward the needs of smaller organizations. The Google Search Appliance is intended for larger ones.