Google Apps Sync for Outlook offers choice; Need for Exchange significantly diminished.

On Sunday, PC World claimed that IT decision-makers were still reluctant to leave Microsoft, and writers for BusinessWeek.com scoffed Monday that Google Apps is still not a threat to Redmond, but a stunning announcement from Google on Tuesday has propelled Google Enterprise past what was arguably the most common excuse for Microsoft shops not to use it.

In an unprecedented resolution between SaaS advantages and legacy product familiarity, Google Enterprise has developed the Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook. Now, IT departments reluctant to abandon the familiarity of Outlook can offer users a choice — they can either continue to use Outlook or adopt Gmail, while Google Apps, behind-the-scenes, eliminates the Exchange server and floats the former infrastructure into the cloud. The impressive end result boasts two considerable advantages:

1. High capital expenses associated with purchasing Microsoft server licenses and hardware disappear, as do the operating costs of maintaining this legacy, on-premise infrastructure.

2. End-users determined to stay on Outlook now have that option, although Google is confident that the majority of employees, especially those already familiar with Gmail, will choose Google Apps over the Outlook interface once they experience what Google Apps has to offer.

For an employee like Sherry Arp, though, this option to remain on Outlook is invaluable. Sherry Arp, an Avago Technologies employee that transitioned to this Outlook-Google Apps system, describes the process as “seamless” and adds in this interview that, “It was just like Outlook. I didn’t have to learn anything new.”

For Bob Rudy, vice president and CIO of Avago, Google Apps Sync for Outlook “eliminates the last hurdle or mindset for letting go of [Microsoft] Exchange or the Exchange mentality.” In the clip below, he firmly advocates the product, stating that it saves the company $1.6 million a year.

Dave Girouard, President of Google Enterprise, also mentioned on Tuesday’s announcement that Google has more than 1.75 million businesses and 15 million users already benefiting from its expertise in cloud computing. The plug-in for Microsoft Outlook has eliminated what was perhaps the largest remaining deterrent to the switch from expensive Microsoft Enterprise Agreements (EAs) to Google Apps, and the impending growth now seems virtually limitless.

Google’s own explanation of the product:

If you’re still reading, what are you waiting for? Capitalize on this breakthrough. As a authorized reseller and leading Google Enterprise deployment partner, our job as Cloud Sherpas is to help your organization seamlessly make this transition.

Let’s talk about the switch. We’re ready when you are.

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