Google is seizing the opportunity presented by the frequent outages of Microsoft 365 to promote its own suite of services to businesses. The tech giant has announced its new Business Continuity plan, which allows organizations to run Google Workspace in parallel with Microsoft 365. This approach enables businesses to seamlessly switch to Gmail and Google Meet in the event of a Microsoft outage, thereby minimizing disruptions.
The initiative is designed to address the concerns that many companies have regarding the reliability of Microsoft 365. Google is positioning its services as a safeguard against “frequent and severe” outages, which it claims are inevitable. The company points to a recent outage on October 8, shortly after a problematic configuration change impacted Microsoft mailbox connectivity. Google states, “it’s a question of when and for how long, not if,” Microsoft 365 experiences downtime.
In addition to the continuity solution, Google is introducing a Work Transformation Set aimed at Microsoft 365 customers who are considering moving away from Microsoft’s ecosystem. This package combines Google Workspace with the Gemini platform and can integrate with identity solutions like Okta, providing a comprehensive suite that seeks to entice businesses with concerns over security incidents and vendor lock-in.
The rivalry between Microsoft and Google is not new, with both companies frequently engaging in public skirmishes over their respective cloud services. Microsoft has previously accused Google of employing “shadow campaigns” to undermine its cloud solutions, while more than a decade ago, it targeted Google directly in its “Scroogled” campaign, which criticized the search giant’s data privacy practices.
As businesses increasingly look for reliable and secure solutions, Google’s push to highlight its offerings during times of Microsoft service interruptions could resonate strongly with organizations seeking alternative platforms to mitigate risks associated with reliance on a single provider.