14 DAY TRIAL // Google has announced the release of a new product from its Google Apps range aimed specifically at governments. Called Google Apps for Government, it slots next to the existing Google Apps for businesses and education. It offers the same range of applications as the regular products, but with increased security and policies adapted to the specific needs of the local or federal government and state agencies.
“Today we’re excited to announce a new edition of Google Apps. Designed with guidance from customers like the federal government, the City of Los Angeles and the City of Orlando, Google Apps for Government includes the same great Google applications that people know and love, with specific measures to address the policy and security needs of the public sector,” Kripa Krishnan, Technical Program Manager, Google Apps for Government, announced.
Google Apps for Government is a dedicated service separated from the other offerings. It will be run in a purpose-built data center, situated in the US, and will have additional security measures from the consumer level products.
At the same time, Google is also announcing that it has become the first cloud service provider to receive the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) certification and accreditation from the US government. This certification is required for all software solutions for used by the US government and agencies. The FISMA certification means that Google’s solutions have been reviewed and were found to be in compliance with the policies and requirements provided by the law.
For agencies looking to make the switch to Google, it means that they will be able to have a standard way of comparing Apps to other solutions that have also received the certification, allowing for a more informed decision. “[M]ost agencies we have worked with have found that Google Apps provides at least equivalent, if not better, security than they have today. This means government customers can move to the cloud with confidence,” Google said.