Google launches User Managed Storage service

Google has launched a User Managed Storage service for business users of its Enterprise Apps packages, designed to scale up when additional space is needed.

Gaurav Jain, product manager for Google Apps, explained that the flexible service reflects an increased use of the cloud, and Google's desire to help users move onto hosted systems.

"User Managed Storage allows users to purchase more storage space when they fill the allotted quota on their personal Google account," said Jain in a blog post, adding that it can be used to boost space allocation on a range of applications.

"Over the next couple of days, we will roll this service out for users of Google Apps accounts as well, allowing the purchase of extra storage for Google Docs, Picasa Web Albums and photos from Blogger."

Jain said that any of these products that is over its storage quota can use the extra storage on a first come, first served basis.

Additional enterprise storage is enabled and disabled by domain administrators using a Google Checkout account, keeping all admin and payment information in one place.

However, storage cannot be pooled and can be used only by the worker in question. Jain added that the storage cannot be used for expanding Gmail email allocation.

Google's ability to run a smooth cloud service was questioned this week when a botched upgrade saw tens of thousands of Gmail accounts wiped. The company has since apologised and restored the content.

"Imagine the sinking feeling of logging in to your Gmail account and finding it empty," said Ben Treynor, a vice president of engineering at Google. "That's what happened to 0.02 per cent of Gmail users yesterday, and we're very sorry."