Google Message Continuity: Awesome idea, boring name
- TAGS:BPOS, enterprise, Exchange, GOOG, Google, Google Apps, Microsoft Exchange, postini
- IT TOPICS:Cloud Computing, Enterprise Apps, Security, Servers & NOSes, Web Apps, Windows
By Richi Jennings. December 9, 2010.
Google Message Continuity is the latest Google service to tempt Microsoft Exchange shops into looking at Google Apps. Basically, it helps protect Exchange shops from downtime. Why would Google do that? Surely it wants people to experience Exchange pain? Let's look into it, in The Long View...
A couple of hours ago, Google's Rajen Sheth blogged thuswise:
Organizations running on-premises ... Microsoft® Exchange, can run the risk of losing email access—or even worse, their email data—during a server outage. ... Google Message Continuity works by replicating [Exchange] accounts ... in the cloud, using Gmail.
...
If the ... Exchange Server fails, or requires ... downtime, all you have to do is log into Gmail and continue ... communication through Google. ... You can seamlessly switch from one email environment to the other. ... [We] ensure that your data won’t be lost at any point while being delivered to you with maximum efficiency.
Now that's what I call an interesting idea. Protect Exchange users from downtime (scheduled or otherwise) by allowing them to switch to a cloudy copy of their mailboxes. Using Google Apps., of course.
Horrible name, though. Instead of its official, long-winded pomposity, I'll just call it GMC. Hope nobody objects.
We're told that the Gmail replica is continuously synchronized, so everything should be up to date, within reason. I dare say there's a small window of opportunity for a transaction to get delayed when an unexpected outage happens, but presumably nothing major.
Hey, who knows, users may find they like Google Apps as a way to use their email. There's nothing to stop them continuing to use it when their Exchange server recovers.
I'm sure such an eventuality couldn't be further from Google's inscrutable hive-mind... ;-)
Â
Would you find GMC useful? Leave a comment below...
Â
 |
 | Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and security. A cross-functional IT geek since 1985, you can follow him as @richi on Twitter, pretend to be richij's friend on Facebook, or just use good old email: TLV@richij.com. |
You can also read Richi's full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
Free Insider Guide