Google Public Sector, a division of Google LLC that launched in June to help U.S. public sector institutions accelerate their digital transformations, today announced a new continuity-of-operations offering for government entities under cyberattack.

The idea of continuity of operations regarding the U.S. government is far from new and dates back to the Eisenhower Administration, but the 1950s was a very different time. The concern then was the ability of the government to continue functioning following a nuclear war, but today, the No. 1 concern is cyberattacks.

From SolarWinds to attacks against defense contractors and more, the number of cyberattacks against the public and private sectors continues to be an issue. In this environment, reliable continuity plans in the event of an attack are vital, and that’s where Google steps in with its new offering.

Google Workspace is now able to help government organizations with their business and collaboration continuity needs. The offer ensures agency teams continue to work effectively and securely in the event of an attack, including having critical productivity tools like email, storage, document sharing and more.

The continuity-of-operations plan from Google allows federal, state and local agencies to consider what they may do in case a breach threatens their operations. In the event of an attack, continuous access to email, chat and videoconferencing systems is a top priority.

Google’s offering has both FedRAMP High and Department of Defense Impact Level 4 certifications, meaning that Google Workspace can offer federal agencies peace of mind.

“Federal and state and local agencies are aiming to increase security while maintaining trust and availability, a task that is unachievable without continuity,” Aaron Walker, research manager for World Wide Government Trust and Resiliency Strategies at IDC, explained in a blog post. “Google Workspace will help agencies utilize zero trust principles to ensure availability of document, email, and collaboration tools as incidents, breaches and attacks occur.”

Google Workspace provides access to communications and collaboration tools that organizations can use during and after an incident to keep work going. If one communication system goes down during an emergency, Google Workspace can keep collaboration and communication running smoothly.

For provisioned users, Google Workspace can be operational immediately to allow agency personnel to stay connected, access documents and collaborate securely across Google’s email and collaboration platform to assist customers in time of need. Using Google Workspace, agency personnel can access their emails, documents or current calendars from their primary providers and access the agency’s Active Directory.

As part of the offering, Google Public Sector is also offering workshops for government agencies to help them determine the best strategies for resilient communications and collaboration. Government agencies interested in the offering can sign up via Google Workspace for Government.

Photo: U.S. Army DEVCOM/Flickr