Users of Google-owned Postini will lose access to the firm’s email security offerings from 2013 unless they sign up for Google Apps.
The internet giant announced the move in a recent blog post, and claimed existing Postini users will still have access to “similar” email security, protection and archiving services within Google Apps.
However, the company confirmed the Postini Small Business Edition and its Message Filtering offerings will be phased out.
The company also revealed users will not be forced to switch to Gmail to use its email security services because the products will work with Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes.
Google has been offering Postini as a standalone offering since acquiring the firm in 2007.
End users will be contacted at least 60 days before their Postini contract ends to guide them through the transition to Google Apps.
“You will receive a new agreement that continues your Postini service until your Google Apps migration, and also provides you [with] Google Apps at the same price as your Postini services,” said the blog post.
“If you do not want to transition to Google Apps, we’ll include instructions to follow, and your Postini service will terminate at your contract end date.”
Speaking to Cloud Pro, Ian Moyse, sales director at cloud-based CRM firm Workbooks.com, said the move could prompt some users to switch providers.
“There are many vendor choices available to customers, [so] the loss of Postini’s services will be of benefit to the many other vendors still out there [in the email security market],” he said.
“It is unfortunate that some customers will be disrupted [by] having to change vendor, but [if they switch to another] cloud solution, the change is relatively easy and painless.”
Chris Bunch, cloud leader at Google Apps reseller Cloudreach, said the search giant has been gradually merging Postini with its online productivity suite for some time.
“For existing Postini customers, the move will hopefully be beneficial [and] they'll be able to migrate across to the Apps suite,” Bunch told Cloud Pro.
“Without the Postini product support overhead, Google can continue their efforts to develop the functionality further and refine and enhance the user interface, which looks a little dated in Postini these days.”
