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Google Launches Enterprise Software Solution
By Ross Dunn, CEO, StepForth Search Engine Placement Inc. (c) 2006

Google launched a free packaged business solution for
enterprises today including online chat, email, calendars,
and hosting. Called "Gmail for Your Domain
(https://www.google.com/a/)" (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. 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
   (http://www.google.com/googlecalendar/overview.html).

      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 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."

   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 does 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
(https://www.google.com/support/hosted/bin/answer.py?
answer=45686&topic=9204) 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 (http://pages.google.com/) ).

How Long Will Google Apps Be Free?
If you signup (https://www.google.com/a/) during the Beta test
of this program you will get use of Google Apps for free
indefinitely according to the Google Apps Terms & Conditions
(https://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/admins/terms.html) 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 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 (http://www.google.com/a/interestPremium) 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 (http://www.google.com/notebook))
     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 (https://www.google.com/support/hosted/bin/
     answer.py?answer=45693&topic=9193) and they even have a
     help menu (https://www.google.com/support/hosted/bin/
     topic.py?topic=9203) 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 (http://www.google.com/reader/))
     This is a free RSS viewer that allows you to subscribe to
     and label RSS feeds such as The SEO Blog
    (http://news.stepforth.com/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 (http://spreadsheets.google.com/))
     Create your spreadsheets online and share them across your
     enterprise.
   * Google's Writely (more info (http://www.writely.com/))
     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
(https://www.google.com/support/hosted/bin/topic.py?topic=9201)
for this new service.
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Ross Dunn is the founder and CEO of StepForth Search Engine
Placement Inc. (http://www.stepforth.com/) Based in Victoria,
BC, Canada, StepForth has provided professional search engine
placement and management services since 1997. Ross is a search
engine optimization and placement expert with over 9 years of
marketing experience and is a Certified Internet Marketing and
Business Strategist (CIMBS).  Blending his experience in the art
of web design and search engine optimization, Ross offers a
unique and informed perspective on obtaining top search engine
placements. Ross can be reached at ross@stepforth.com
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