Google Workspace Extends Enterprise-Grade Security and Device Management for Hybrid Work with Okta and VMware

Google Cloud announced a series of new security alliances to bring more choice, capability, and simplicity to enterprise and public sector IT teams tasked with managing hybrid work at scale.

Google Workspace comes with industry-leading security built into its cloud-native, zero trust architecture. These capabilities combine threat defenses powered by Google AI, client-side encryption, data privacy controls, and simple access to Google Cloud cybersecurity products like BeyondCorp Enterprise and Chronicle Security Operations, to automatically stop the vast majority of online threats before they emerge-while also supporting customers’ regulatory and sovereignty needs. Through its ecosystem of cybersecurity partners, Google Workspace can extend these capabilities further by combining them with tools from the industry’s leading security companies, enabling customers to adopt comprehensive, secure collaboration solutions to meet their specific security needs as part of a single Google Workspace offering. 

“Global enterprises want to provide their workforces with more effective and secure ways of collaborating, with tools that increase productivity and avoid the vulnerabilities of legacy productivity solutions,” said Sunil Potti, VP and GM of cloud security, Google Cloud. “Through its growing ecosystem of security partners, Google Workspace offers the most enterprise-ready platform for hybrid work, providing organizations with confidence and flexibility to work securely.”

Securing Enterprise Workforces with Okta and VMware
Today, Google Cloud is extending the built-in identity, device, and access management capabilities of Google Workspace through new alliances with Okta and VMware, enabling large-scale businesses and public sector organizations to provide their workforces with FedRAMP-authorized collaboration and communication tools. Google Workspace works seamlessly with the enterprise-grade identity and access management capabilities in Okta Workforce Identity Cloud and the device and application management capabilities in VMware Workspace ONE, providing organizations with more choice and flexibility in how they enable safer collaboration for their workforce.

• Okta’s Workforce Identity Cloud brings Okta’s leading identity and access management capabilities to Google Workspace customers, securely connecting employees, contractors, and business partners from any device and any location. Workforce Identity Cloud’s flexible rules and policies ensure employees have just the right level of access they need to get their work done. With Okta, employees can use their Google Workspace credentials across more than 7,000 pre-built apps in the Okta Integration Network to reduce password sprawl for increased security.
• VMware Workspace ONE extends VMware’s industry-leading unified endpoint management and zero trust access capabilities to Google Workspace. IT teams can manage all Google Workspace apps through VMware’s comprehensive platform, which provides users with quick and easy access to business applications and makes it simple for administrators to onboard devices, change configurations, push automated OS updates, and more, without requiring a combination of disjointed third-party solutions. Workspace ONE administrators can also access a collection of device-health dashboards and reports, along with multi-tenancy for management across geographies, organizations, and use cases.

“Identity is the connective tissue between a business’s ecosystem of people and the technologies they need to be successful in hybrid and remote work,” said Arnab Bose, chief product officer, Workforce Identity Cloud at Okta. “This partnership allows us to bring identity-powered security to Google Workspace customers while giving them an easy button to optimize their employee experiences and increase operational efficiency.”

“The rapid shift to hybrid work has highlighted the need for IT teams to do more with less, while simultaneously balancing the increasing demands of security and productivity,” said Renu Upadhyay, VP of product marketing, End-User Computing, VMware. “This VMware and Google Cloud partnership unlocks a transformative approach to end-user computing by creating an automated, unified, and secure experience across all endpoints, apps, and enterprise services, no matter where employees work.”

Helping Small and Midsize Organizations Replace Legacy Directory Services with JumpCloud

JumpCloud Open Directory Platform provides customers with an alternative directory service to replace aging Microsoft Active Directory servers that is a modern, cloud-based solution. The platform works seamlessly with Google Workspace, enabling identity workflows and synchronization to thousands of applications, HRIS systems, and cloud infrastructure. It also combines these features with desktop and mobile device fleet management capabilities to ensure secure, frictionless access to applications and other resources from any operating system or location an employee chooses to work from.

“IT teams are looking for solutions that centralize access, device, and identity management. They need easier and more effective ways to secure how work happens,” said Greg Keller, CTO and co-founder, JumpCloud. “The Google Cloud and JumpCloud solution gives IT teams a modern and affordable option to securely manage today’s work on-prem, in the cloud or on the go. This offering provides IT teams, and channel IT solution providers, a more affordable, best in class alternative to expensive, legacy Microsoft packages.”

Google Workspace’s Flexible, Secure Ecosystem
Google Workspace is committed to offering more choice by providing organizations of any size with the ability to combine purpose-built security tools from its ecosystem of cybersecurity partners. New updates with JumpCloud, Okta, and VMware will build on existing offerings with CrowdStrike, which extends endpoint protection and Zero Trust through the CrowdStrike Falcon platform, and Palo Alto Networks, which extends endpoint protection and Zero Trust through Prisma Access and Cortex XDR. Over the coming year, deeper technical integrations with these partners will expand the joint capabilities available to Google Workspace customers, making it even easier to adopt Google Workspace for organizations with the most rigorous security and regulatory requirements.