Google has announced a new suite of tools called Chrome Enterprise, giving companies a cost-effective solution that gives them the flexibility and control to keep their employees connected.
Chrome Enterprise offers a host of features, including access to enterprise app storefronts, deep security controls, 24/7 support, as well as integration with cloud and on-premise management tools, VMware Workspace ONE and Microsoft Active Directory.
A lot of businesses haven’t moved to the cloud yet and for these businesses, a Chrome Enterprise license will include support for Microsoft’s Active Directory. This will centralize management of Chromebooks without a business needing to be 100% in Google Cloud.
On-premise integration trials have been simplified allowing admins to sign up and get going quickly in under two minutes with new simple setup flows.
Chromebook Enterprise will also allow businesses to centrally manage all of their devices through VMWare Workspace One. IT administrators will be able to build and deploy a single application to handle all of the virtualization needs for Chromebooks, including Android apps and a virtual Windows environment.
VMware Workspace ONE powered by VMware AirWatch will be the first third party solution provider to manage Chrome devices. Workspace ONE will provide a centralized approach to managing corporate-owned or bring-your-own device. This collaboration combines the speed, simplicity and security of Chrome with the cloud-based unified endpoint management of VMware AirWatch.
Sumit Dhawan, senior vice president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware explained,
“The consumerization of the enterprise has left IT managing multiple operating systems on a variety of devices—some provided by the business and others brought in by employees. As Chrome OS continues to gain momentum, our customers are eager to manage these devices consistently along with all other endpoints including mobile devices,”
“Using Workspace ONE, our customers will be able to securely manage the lifecycle of Chromebooks along with all their other end points giving them better security and a consistent user experience across all devices.”
Chromebook Enterprise will also let administrators manage which Google Play applications an end user can install on their Chromebook, as well as managing which Chrome extensions the user can install. As more and more Chromebooks gain the ability to run Android apps, it’s great to see businesses get options to manage which applications are allowed.
Finally, Chromebook Enterprise will feature managed OS updates so administrators can test new version of the operating system before it is rolled out to end users.
Chrome Enterprise will cost a flat $50 per device, which still keeps Chromebooks cost effective for businesses. Google will be hosting a question and answer webinar on August 23 for those interested in learning more about Chromebook Enterprise.
