Google Data Centers - IP Addresses Tools

Many times if you are doing a search in Google for a particular keyword the search results you see on one day (sometimes even minutes or seconds apart) will vary. Why? Because you are viewing a different Google IP/ Data Center. Google uses different Data Centers and IPs to test new ranking algorithms and to gradually “roll-out” update changes. Given the size of their database (billions of pages) one can imagine it might take a little while to update what the world sees in the keyword search engine results after changes are made.

Generally the keyword rankings will appear about the same with some minor fluctuations but during an occasional major Google update (often called a “Google Dance”) the Data Centers may show vastly different results.

During those types of major Google updates it’s nice to be able to check you rankings across the various Google Data Centers. Of course, this means that Google is in the middle of an update so these rankings will often shuffle (don’t panick or get to excited) and it usually takes days for things to settle. Lastly, Google now days uses a continuously updating index time schedule for ranking updates so usually there are more minor shifts that occur more often (less full-blown major shuffles).

Google’s search Data Centers use over 60+ different IP Addresses (here are some of them):

Below are some Data Center resource and tool websites. Let me know if you know of more.

Search the Google Data Centers all at once.
Google Data Centers Search Tool provided by Mcdar.net (this not the best looking site but it is the most popular Google Dance tool and works well.
Google Data Centers Search Tool provided by voide.be
Google Data Centers Search Tool provided by WebRankInfo.com
Google Data Centers Search Tool provided by PromotionWorld.com
Google Data Centers Search Tool provided by Google-Dance-Tool.com
Google Data Centers Query Site for Keyword and Domain provided by 123seotools.com (searches various Google Data Centers for keyword rankings of a particular domain. It does not use the Google API so I’d be cautious)

Google Data Center List Websites (no search tools):
Google Data Centers list provided by Vaughns-1-Pagers.com
Google Data Centers list provided by SearchEngineGenie.com

Interesting Articles about the Google Data Centers:
Google’s secret of success? Dealing with failure on CNET News
(this CNET article is rather old but still interesting)
Will Google Shed Light on Data Center? on eweek.com

By SEO Outline on 03-23-2006