Why Google Apps?
Google Apps are a set of web applications designed to encourage co-operation and collaboration among users. Google Apps consists of Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Talk, and many additional services. Google's web-based messaging and collaboration apps require no additional hardware or software and need minimal administration, creating tremendous time and cost savings for the College.
Google guarantees that Google Apps will be available at least 99.9% of the time, so students, faculty, and staff can be more productive and worry less about system downtime. Google's information security team, including some of the world’s foremost experts in information, application and network security, are focused on keeping private information safe. Please take a moment to learn about the many advantages Google Apps offers Prescott College by reviewing the sections below:
Q: Can Users Sync Mobile Devices?
A:
The Google Sync (Active Sync) tool which syncs mail, contacts, and calendars with mobile devices like iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets is a feature of of Google Apps.
Q: Does Google Apps Work with Outlook?
A:
Google has a tool called Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook. This tool allows users to access their Google Apps mail, contact and calendar through the familiar interface of Microsoft Outlook. This tool is like “training wheels” for those who are reluctant to move to a web-based email system. This tool is especially useful with administrative assistants and other heavy calendar and email users.
Q: Does Google Support Enchanced Security?
A:
Google Apps (free and paid versions) is the first cloud based messaging and collaboration suite to achieve FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act) certification. Google Apps for Education offer the additional security features of SSO integration, 2-step user verification, forced SSL, and custom password strength requirements.
Q: How Much Storage Will Users Have?
A:
Google Apps for Education users have a quota of 25GB of email storage space.
Q: What About Reliability?
A:
Security is not the only consideration when choosing a collaboration, productivity and messaging solution. The other important factor is reliability; the service must be available and have very few service disruptions. Google Apps for Education guarantees a 99.9% up-time in the Service Level Agreement. This works out to be no more than nine hours of downtown per year.
Q: What About Support?
A:
Google Apps for Education administrators have access to 24-hour phone and email support. A real person actually answers the phone or replies by email. Free Google Apps subscriptions do not include phone or email support.
Q: What is Google Video?
A:
Google Apps for Education users can activate the Google Video service. Google Video is like a private YouTube within your company. Users can upload videos, which become searchable and streamable online. The videos can only be shared within the company. Videos provide amazing training opportunities as well as communication tools for virtual or global companies.
Q: Why are Google Groups for Education Important?
A:
This service is a necessity for email communication. Groups allow administrators and/or users to create groups which can be used as distribution lists, shared mailboxes and internal announcement lists. Groups also provide a searchable web-based archive of all group communications.
