Google unveils Apps for Government

Apps for Government stores all data within the US

Google has launched new version of its Apps cloud services aimed specifically at the government market.

Apps for Government includes word processing, email and calendar functions, and web pages for intranets.

All data is kept separate from Google's commercial offering in server farms accessible only to government customers, according to the firm.

The service is the first cloud offering to win Federal Information Security Management Act certification following a review by the General Services Administration. Google already has the cities of Los Angeles and Orlando as customers.

"Google Apps for Government will continue to evolve to meet unique government requirements. Other applications will follow in the near future," said the firm in a blog post.

The service is aimed primarily at US government departments, and all data is stored inside the continental US. But the company is already bidding on overseas contracts.

Google guarantees 99.9 per cent uptime, which has been a bone of contention in the past. There are also no details of any contractual terms such as those insisted on by Los Angeles in the event of data being compromised.