#google-workspace

#google-workspace

Most organizations using Google Workspace start with an environment built for collaboration, not resilience. Shared drives, permissive settings, and constant integrations make life easy for employees-and equally easy for attackers. The good news is that Google Workspace provides an excellent security foundation. The challenge lies in properly configuring it, maintaining visibility, and closing the blind spots that Google's native controls leave open.

Google Workspace is the modern business world's de facto productivity suite, and it's only gotten better over the years. There's the centralization of Google Docs, Drive, and Gmail, of course, but Google has bolstered its productivity suite with an AI infusion via Gemini, as well as simplified its offerings to work for massive corporations all the way down to individual users.

The contract has a total ceiling value of up to $89 million and will ultimately provide the department - which has more than 50,000 employees across the country - access to Google Workspace's cloud-native apps like Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Meet and more, as well as popular AI tools Gemini and NotebookLM. Google declined to comment for this story and the Transportation Department was unable to comment due to the government shutdown.

Google is trying to capitalize on what it calls "frequent and severe" Microsoft 365 outages by offering up services like email, storage, and videoconferencing to businesses in the event of a Microsoft outage. The search giant's new Business Continuity plan runs a Google Workspace in parallel with Microsoft 365, so if there's an outage then businesses just switch over to Gmail and Google Meet instead of Outlook and Microsoft Teams.

For proper functioning, ensure DNS records are consistently configured in both MXToolbox and Google Admin Toolbox. Disparities may indicate misconfigurations affecting email delivery.

Google's new Gemini AI features for Workspace users enhance file summarization for PDFs and Forms, facilitating easier information retrieval and task execution.

"A big UX paradigm that we're driving is - how do we bring Gemini thoughtfully into the places that users are already working... just practical help in the moments that matter."

The new Inbox Cleanup feature lets users simply ask Gemini to clean their inbox, significantly speeding up email management for Gmail users.

The new Inbox Cleanup feature allows Gmail users to request Gemini to delete specific unread emails instantly, greatly improving email management efficiency.

The deal struck between GSA and Google for a 71% discount on Google Workspace represents a significant move towards centralized procurement in government.