"Cloud computing" is currently the hottest topic in Information Technology, and Google is one of the major players in this new technology paradigm. With its premier product Google Apps for Business Suite, Google is challenging traditional software providers - most notably Microsoft - in the delivery of productivity and communication software online - over the internet. Google Apps offers small businesses many benefits over traditional IT desktop solutions and software. In this past year, Google and their software partners have provided many enhancements to the Google Apps offering, including integration with Microsoft Office and Outlook/exchange email. Below is a brief overview of Google Apps for Business, highlighting Gmail and Google Docs, identifying the many benefits that small businesses can achieve using this online suite of applications.
Google Apps is a collection of applications: Gmail, Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sites, and Google Groups. What differentiates Google's applications from traditional software suites is that all of these applications can be accessed with just a web browser - using an internet connection. Additionally, all of these applications are fully integrated and provide collaboration capabilities not only for your network users - but users and clients outside of your network as well. Google offers the Google Apps Suite in two (2) versions - Standard and Premier (also referred to as Google Apps for business). Both versions include the same applications - the difference is storage limitations, advertisements, and security. The Google Apps Standard edition is free, however there are limits on data storage, advertisements will appear when using the applications, and keywords can be scanned for targeting your area of interests. Google Apps Premier edition is $50 per year per user, and data storage limits jump up considerably (25GB for Gmail) - no advertisements are presented, and keywords are not searched for in content.
Gmail, Google's flagship application, comes with 25GB of storage (premier edition) and provides a solid e-mail platform. At $50 per year this application alone is priced considerably less than hosted Exchange or other traditional e-mail solutions. By using Gmail, small businesses can easily tie their domain name to their e-mail accounts - so instead of: yourname@gmail.com , your e-mail address is: yourname@yourcompanydomain.com. With the 25GB of email storage per premier user, Gmail surpasses (by far) all hosted e-mail storage limitations. Google recently purchased Postini, a leading provider in e-mail spam protection. This product filters spam before it gets to your mailbox and is included with a Google Apps Premier account. Additionally, the free product "Outlook Sync for Google Apps" allows the Gmail user to keep Outlook as a desktop e-mail application, while Gmail provides the back-end and easy access to the Gmail interface from any web connection.
Google Docs is a web-based suite for word processing, presentation building, and spreadsheets. As with all applications Google provides, the work is done within the internet browser, and the data is saved in the Google storage cloud. One of the most impressive features of this suite is the ability to collaborate in real time on any document, spreadsheet, or presentation. Multiple users can simultaneously view and edit documents, and the Google user can set different permissions (view only, view and edit) on their documents for other network users and outside collaborators. Although these applications are not as mature and robust as their Microsoft Office counterparts - Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, they do provide good functionality and are far superior in the collaboration features. Additionally, a 3rd party product called "OffiSync" (available for $12/per year) fully integrates Microsoft Office with Google Docs. This enables users to take advantage of document creation and collaboration, leveraging the best of both software offerings.
Google Apps provides compelling benefits to small business customers - a cost effective e-mail solution, a fully integrated suite of applications that enable collaboration, integration with Microsoft Office and Outlook, and all of this available anywhere, anytime, from any Internet connection. If you're interested in trying Google Apps you can start a free Google Apps standard account and begin testing this software suite.
Coming next month, I'll provide additional information on this application suite and the many advantages and capabilities it provides.
Additional Information Links:
http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/details.html
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gappssync
http://www.offisync.com/