Comments on: Google needs to be more transparent about users of and usage of Google Apps in enterprises http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/ A member of the Gartner Blog Network Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:55:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Joseph http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Joseph Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:53:25 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/#comment-36 According to Dave Girouard, Google’s President of Enterprise, says that "If it weren’t for the reseller program, I can say for sure that we wouldn’t have put the cap on the free edition. The reality pre-reseller is that the vast majority of larger businesses opt for the paid version". See: http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/23/google-puts-the-squeeze-on-free-apps/ According to Dave Girouard, Google’s President of Enterprise, says that “If it weren’t for the reseller program, I can say for sure that we wouldn’t have put the cap on the free edition. The reality pre-reseller is that the vast majority of larger businesses opt for the paid version”.

See: http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/23/google-puts-the-squeeze-on-free-apps/

]]> By: Steve Berry http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Steve Berry Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:57:28 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/#comment-35 Surely much of this is driven by Google's creation of a reseller channel. It cannot get traction in enterprises because it's (small) sales force cannot handle the elongated sales cycles prevalent in large organisations. Hence the need to give a reseller model a chance; and they will not want to to handicap resellers by continuing to offer a free service to SMBs with up to 200 employees. Surely much of this is driven by Google’s creation of a reseller channel. It cannot get traction in enterprises because it’s (small) sales force cannot handle the elongated sales cycles prevalent in large organisations. Hence the need to give a reseller model a chance; and they will not want to to handicap resellers by continuing to offer a free service to SMBs with up to 200 employees.

]]> By: Guy Creese http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Guy Creese Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:58:51 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/#comment-34 Google Apps Premier Edition (GAPE) is SMB only, and will remain so until Google fixes the problems that enterprises have been telling them about for two years--lack of records management capabilities for documents, role-based administration, the ability to embed e-mail distribution lists within distribution lists, etc. In my view, Genentech as an enterprise client is a red herring; after all, the head of Genentech serves on Google's Board. However, to be fair, Google Apps is used by organizations with tens of thousands of users: universities. Arizona State uses the full range of services; however, many just use e-mail, or have rolled out GAPE only to students. As an IT industry analyst at Burton Group, I wrote a report 18 months ago saying GAPE would not do well in large enterprises--and I've been right. However, based on conversations with many clients, there is clear enterprise demand for such a SaaS suite if only the functionality were much closer to what enterprises have grown to expect from software. The question is whether Google finally gets its act together and delivers it, or is beaten to the punch by Microsoft, ThinkFree, Zoho, or someone else. Google Apps Premier Edition (GAPE) is SMB only, and will remain so until Google fixes the problems that enterprises have been telling them about for two years–lack of records management capabilities for documents, role-based administration, the ability to embed e-mail distribution lists within distribution lists, etc.

In my view, Genentech as an enterprise client is a red herring; after all, the head of Genentech serves on Google’s Board. However, to be fair, Google Apps is used by organizations with tens of thousands of users: universities. Arizona State uses the full range of services; however, many just use e-mail, or have rolled out GAPE only to students.

As an IT industry analyst at Burton Group, I wrote a report 18 months ago saying GAPE would not do well in large enterprises–and I’ve been right. However, based on conversations with many clients, there is clear enterprise demand for such a SaaS suite if only the functionality were much closer to what enterprises have grown to expect from software. The question is whether Google finally gets its act together and delivers it, or is beaten to the punch by Microsoft, ThinkFree, Zoho, or someone else.

]]> By: Tom Austin: Google Needs to Be More Transparent About Google Apps http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Tom Austin: Google Needs to Be More Transparent About Google Apps Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:01:27 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/#comment-33 [...] Read more… Share: [...] [...] Read more… Share: [...]

]]> By: Jeffrey Mann http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Jeffrey Mann Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:26:07 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/#comment-32 I don't have any real objection to Google changing their policies. Things change. However, silently changing 100 to 200 to 50 is more than just not transparent; it's sneaky. I expect more from a company that puts not being evil at number 6 of their ten points of guiding philosophy. I don’t have any real objection to Google changing their policies. Things change. However, silently changing 100 to 200 to 50 is more than just not transparent; it’s sneaky. I expect more from a company that puts not being evil at number 6 of their ten points of guiding philosophy.

]]> By: Toby Bell http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Toby Bell Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:15:23 +0000 http://blogs.gartner.com/tom_austin/2009/01/23/google-needs-to-be-more-transparent-about-users-of-and-usage-of-google-apps-in-enterprises/#comment-31 Great post, Tom You're absolutely right... this makes clear that Google isn't ready for prime time. Scaling back so soon undermines the quality of its strategic plan. Great post, Tom You’re absolutely right… this makes clear that Google isn’t ready for prime time. Scaling back so soon undermines the quality of its strategic plan.

]]>