Why It’s Time to Go Google

It might appear as though everyone, and everything, is moving to the cloud these days.  So why not join the pack?  But if you’re seriously considering migrating to the cloud – and you should be – it’s also time to start seriously considering going Google.

What’s all this hype about Google Apps?  Google’s cloud computing service has been a market leader since it was launched in 2006, boasting authority, reliability, mobile access, increased collaboration, and cost-cutting measures.

Google is definitely in authority in the cloud computing world.  Since Google Apps entered the scene in 2006, the service has grown to offer a wide variety of platforms including Google Apps for Business, Google Apps for Education, Google Apps for Government, and Google Apps for Non-Profit.  And of course there’s Gmail, the version of Google Apps that countless people use for their personal email.  The fact that many people are familiar with Gmail from personal use makes navigating the Google Apps suites even easier.  However, Google Apps is rather intuitive to use, so those who don’t already use Gmail won’t have any problem catching up.  With success in both the professional and personal spheres of cloud computing, it is clear that Google serves as an authority in the industry.

In addition to offering authority, Google Apps also offers its users a reliable service.  Google Apps run on a 99.9% uptime guarantee, meaning that users are guaranteed access to their accounts whenever they need it.  Customers can also rely on the security of Google Apps, with all platforms verified in third-party SAS70 Type II audit.  This verification ensures that all information stored in Google Apps accounts is completely secure and as private as each user desires.

Along with the promise of being able to access their accounts at any time, Google Apps users can also access their accounts wherever they want on any web-enabled device.  Because Google Apps is hosted entirely in the web browser, it runs without any additional hardware or software, which allows users to have mobile access to their information.  This mobile access feature makes traveling and working outside the office easy, as people no longer need to carry a specific computer or be inside a certain network to access their emails and files.

Another key reason to go Google are the collaboration capabilities that come standard with all Google Apps platforms.  Tools like Google Docs and Google Sites make collaboration easier than ever and the Gmail and Google Groups features allow users to better communicate with one another.  With Google Docs, users can create a variety of files and then choose to share these files with as many or as few people as desired.  Once a file is shared, which is done with the click of a button, multiple users can edit the same document in real-time.  With Google Sites, users can easily create websites or intranets to easily organize team projects by adding files, calendars, responsibilities, and more to one location.  Gmail and Google Groups enable users to quickly communicate with others in an organized and easy-to-use fashion.

With all of the benefits that Google Apps has to offer, it’s hard to believe that going Google can save you money, but it can – and will.  Google Apps for Business is priced at $50/user/year, and all other platforms cost even less.  But this simple pricing structure is just the beginning of Google Apps’ cost-saving measures.  Since Google Apps runs without any additional hardware or software, and because Google automatically sends system updates to all accounts, migrating to Google Apps will also cut down on the time and money you spend on IT demands.

Now that you’re aware that it’s time to go Google, its equally important to know how to do this.  Those looking to move to Google Apps can purchase the appropriate platform through Google or through an authorized Google Apps reseller for the exact same price.  Unlike Google, authorized resellers can offer customers more training in Google Apps during the migration period, a migration plans that fits the specific needs of your company or organization, and custom ongoing support after migration.

Cloud Sherpas is a leading cloud service provider and was named the “Google Enterprise 2011 Partner of the Year.” As one of the first Google Enterprise partners, Cloud Sherpas has migrated over one million users across a variety of industries from legacy, on-premise messaging systems to Google Apps, helping organizations adopt cloud computing to innovate and dramatically reduce their IT expenses. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cloud Sherpas has regional offices in locations including San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Austin and Sydney, and has more Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialists than any other partner in the world.