Google adds Postini security to its Apps

Google Apps Premier Edition now boasts email security and compliance services, thanks to the company's acquisition of Postini.

Although many businesses have started using Google's web-based application suite, some have held back due to security concerns. Google is hoping that its Postini acquisition, announced in July, will overcome these fears.

"With Postini, we saw the potential to deliver a more complete hosted solution for businesses of all sizes," said Google's vice president and general manager of enterprise, Dave Girouard. "We are quickly adding Postini's market-leading security and compliance capabilities to Google Apps Premier Edition to give businesses more control over the administration and security of these applications."

The addition of Postini's technology to Google Apps Premier Edition (GAPE) means that users can now better configure their spam and virus filtering and implement various policies, including a centrally managed outbound-content policy. The technology will give administrators access to all intra-organisational emails and allow users to restore messages that have been accidentally deleted in the last 90 days.

Storage has also been increased from 10GB to 25GB per user, and a new email routing feature lets users run the system alongside existing email applications.

Both new and existing Postini users are being offered a free, extended trial of GAPE, and Google says it will continue to offer Postini's services on a standalone basis.