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Google Launches Enterprise Software
Solution
by Ross Dunn, CEO and Founder,
StepForth Seach Engine Placement Inc.
» Click here for  PDF &  Word Versions
Google launched a free packaged business solution for enterprises
today including online chat, email, calendars, and hosting.
Called "Gmail for Your Domain" (a
ghastly name that is only slightly better referred to as "Google
Apps" within the actual admin area) this application package
will allow a business owner or administrator to create a separate
account per employee.
Each Google Apps account comes
complete with the following Google applications:
 Gmail: Google's email program is the central offering
of this set of applications; it acts as the main portal where
the Talk and Calendar functions are provided. Each user has
2 gigabytes of email storage complete with some robust email
management tools that allow automatic email filtering, POP email
access, SPAM management, and contact management.
Required Setup Procedure: Requires that
you shift all email protocol from your domain (i.e. http://www.stepforth.com/) to Google so that email can be
sent and received using your domain (so that your email correctly
displays it came from your domain).
 Google Calendar: Probably the most feature rich
application within this entire package, Google Calendar provides
users with the ability to share appointments or entire calendars.
It also has a basic event management option that allows you
to manage RSVP lists and invite associates to meetings. Check
out the full Google Calendar feature list here.
 Google Talk: An instant messaging and voice
chat application, Google Talk automatically allows access to
the contact list within Gmail making connections to business
associates and employees simpler. Here is the official description
on Talk from Google: " a downloadable Windows application from
Google that enables Gmail users to quickly and easily talk or
IM with their friends for free. Google is focused on developing
innovative technologies that enhance people's lives, and Google
Talk encourages and simplifies instant communication across
the web."
Required Setup Procedure for Google Calendar and
Google Talk: The only requirement is that you prove
you are the legitimate owner of the domain you setup your
account with. The activation process is simple; just upload
a specific html file to your website for Google to verify
and voila, both Calendar and Talk are enabled.
Google Web Publishing: This is a free hosting
and page creation system (Page Creator) that allows you to create
and publish your enterprise site. The site is hosted on Google
servers and can only be a maximum of 100 pages in size.
Required Setup Procedure: You must add a
CNAME to your domain management configuration (usually by
asking your hosting provider) which will setup a subdomain
(i.e. http://site.yoursite.com) that you can upload and administer
through Google Apps.
 Account
Administration
The account administrator using a central online Dashboard
can administer all Google accounts. Within the Dashboard, the
administrator can do the following:
- setup domain aliases,
- setup email catch-all
addresses,
- create internal
email lists (i.e. staff@yoursite.com would go to. list all
in-house recipients)
- make minor cosmetic
(color) customizations to the company sign in page,
- customize your
Google Apps system with your company logo,
- enable or disable
contact sharing; which when enabled provides a central contact
list that all users will have access to.,
- create and update
multiple user accounts at once by uploading a spreadsheet
with username and password information,
- centrally configure
individual user privileges, alternate email addresses and
passwords,
- view access, and
email quota statistics for each user.
My Take on Google Apps
I setup an account to see how this new offering works
and I think it has some real potential as long as the needs
of an organization are basic. I say this because the majority
of companies that I know of would not be comfortable switching
their vital communication and scheduling systems to an online
model that is not under their control. After all, I do not
expect there will be anyone to bark at if Google Apps experiences
problems; one of the significant minuses of using a free system
(never mind one in beta).
Additionally, a couple of the applications are definitely in
their infancy. For example, Google Calendar doe not offer any
synchronization capabilities for handhelds or PC's, so if you
make the switch there is no way (currently) to update your handheld
with your Google Calendar schedule. This chink alone is enough
to keep me from making the switch. Oh and I must not forget
Google Page Creator and the free hosting service; it is, well,
pointless in its current state. After all, there is no way to
upload a website other than using Page Creator, which is a website-publishing
tool in its extreme infancy. I can only assume that the web-publishing
facet of Google Apps was included as a frill.
Will Websites Hosted on Google
Have an Advantage?
Perhaps but the advantage is minimal; Google states in the Google Apps help area that new sites within
their system can expect to be indexed within "a few hours of
publication"; an impressive turnaround. Hosting on Google will
also likely lead to faster indexing of updated content. After
all, faster updating would be a considerable tease if (make
that 'when') Google wants to make a bolder step into the web
hosting industry and provide more advanced hosting packages.
It is truly a brilliant plan, I mean, how could other search
engines compete with a rival search engine that merely has to
look to its own network to index a sizable portion of the Internet.
At any rate, this basic hosted solution has been around for
a while so I don't want to waste your time with information
you may already know (here is more
info on Page Creator).
How Long Will Google Apps Be Free?
If you signup during
the Beta test of this program you will get use of Google Apps
for free indefinitely according to the Google Apps Terms & Conditions but after the Beta Period
you "may not" get the benefit of newly added technologies without
paying. The following is relevant snippet from the T&C:
No Fees . Provided
that Google continues to offer the Google Hosted Services
to Customer, Google will provide a version of the Google
Hosted Services (with substantially the same services as
those provided as of the Effective Date) free of charge
to Customer indefinitely; provided that such commitment
(i) applies only to End User Accounts created during the
period when the Google Hosted Services are considered a
beta service (the "Beta Period") by Google
(such Beta Period determination at Google's sole discretion)
and (ii) may not apply to new opt-in services added by Google
to the Google Hosted Services in the future.
Will There Be a More Advanced Version
of Google Apps Soon?
"For sake of clarity, Google reserves
the right to offer a premium version of the Google Hosted Services
for a fee." (Excerpt from Google Apps Terms & Conditions)
. In fact, the answer appears to be a resounding yes since Google
wants you to notify them
if you are interested in a premium version so that they can
let you know when it comes available.
What Else May Be Coming to Google
Apps?
I fully expect that following apps will be included
in the near future, just click on them to see their formal description
at Google:
- Google Notepad (more info)
Share important notes with your staff and allow them to search
notes company-wide.
- Personalized Home Page
Okay, I cheated here, Google has already posted that this will be coming and they even have a help menu setup for this already. Essentially this
option will allow you to customize the home search page for
your employees to a limited degree locking certain areas of
their Google start page.
- Google Reader (more info)
This is a free RSS viewer that allows you to subscribe to
and label RSS feeds such as The SEO Blog. I believe
this application will be added to Google Apps, or at least
should, so that Administrators can keep their employees
up to date on their own company's blog as well as their
competitors'. In addition, RSS feeds are a great venue
for continued education for anyone in a company; I constantly
use them to keep up to date on the latest website analytics
tutorials and upcoming web technologies. Ultimately, it
would be great to enforce the viewing of certain RSS feeds
for employees; much like locking areas of their personalized
Google home page.
- Google Spreadsheets (more info)
Create your spreadsheets online and share them across your
enterprise.
- Google's Writely (more info)
Create documents online, share them and publish them to your
website.
So You Have More Questions About
Google Apps? Well!
I tried to cover a lot in this article but I likely
missed something so here is a direct link to Google's help/FAQ area for this new service.
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