Google Workspace Changes

Google launches a beta for a new cloud-based Directory Sync solution for Active Directory.

Google is introducing a beta for Directory Sync, a cloud-based alternative to Google Cloud Directory Sync (GCDS). This new solution allows admins to synchronize Active Directory user and group data with the Google Cloud directory without needing to manage on-premises hardware. It features a modern UI integrated into the Admin console, centralized reporting, and native support for multiple Active Directory sources.

Quick access to restore recently deleted users from Admin console homepage and User List page.

Admins can now more easily identify and restore recently deleted users. For organizations with fewer than 100 active users, a notification appears on the 'Users' card on the Admin console homepage showing the number of deleted users and the time remaining before permanent deletion. Additionally, all admins can now access 'Recently deleted users' via the 'More' menu on the User List page.

Streamlined Room insights dashboard in the Admin console.

The Room insights dashboard in the Admin console has been updated with new data visualizations regarding room usage (based on actual occupancy and capacity) and device usage (based on call activity). The dashboard now features separate graphs for booked and unbooked periods, helping admins make better space-planning and device purchasing decisions.

Updated user interface for the App Access Control panel in the Admin console.

Google has updated the user interface for the App Access Control section of the Admin console to help administrators more easily view trusted or blocked applications, see a list of all applications being accessed by users, and view Google Services within their organization. Additionally, the update provides faster loading times for the app access list.

New admin control to manage the display of user availability across Google Workspace products.

Google is introducing a new Admin setting that allows administrators to control whether a user's Google Calendar status, such as 'out of office', is visible across other Google Workspace products like Google Chat and Gmail. This setting is enabled by default and can be disabled at the domain or organizational unit (OU) level to provide greater control over user information visibility.

SAML Partial SSO is now generally available, allowing admins to assign SSO profiles to specific organizational units or groups.

The SAML Partial SSO feature is now generally available, enabling administrators to specify groups or organizational units (OUs) to authenticate a subset of users using Google instead of a third-party identity provider. This provides flexibility for managing authentication methods for different user groups, such as vendors or contractors, within a single domain.

New Product updates and Alerts cards added to the Admin console homepage.

Google is adding two new cards to the Admin console homepage to help administrators stay informed. The 'Product updates' card displays the latest posts from the Google Workspace Updates blog, while the 'Alerts' card shows recent account-specific notifications from the alert center (specifically those with 'Not started' or 'In progress' status). These cards centralize critical information, reducing the need for admins to manually navigate to the blog or the alert center.

Advanced context-aware access levels can now be configured directly in the Admin console.

Administrators can now configure context-aware access (CAA) custom access levels using advanced attributes directly from the Google Workspace Admin console. This includes the use of advanced signals such as time/date restrictions, credential strength, Chrome browser attributes, verified ChromeOS, and third-party signals via BeyondCorp Alliance partners to enhance security configurations.

VirusTotal integration now available in the security investigation tool for Gmail event logs.

Google Workspace administrators can now use the Security Investigation tool to view VirusTotal reports for Gmail event logs, providing deeper insights into potential security threats. The integration offers Standard reports (including file identification, threat reputation, and time spread) and Enhanced reports for paid VirusTotal subscribers (including multi-angular detection, IOCs, and interactive threat graphs). This allows admins to better investigate inconsistencies and malicious attachments to protect their users and data.

Control session length for Google Cloud Console and gcloud CLI is now generally available.

Google Workspace, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Cloud Identity admins can now set a fixed session duration for the GCP Cloud Console, gcloud command-line tool, and other applications requiring Cloud admin scopes. This feature, which is disabled by default and can be enabled at the OU level, requires users to re-authenticate once the session expires, reducing the risk of unauthorized access if a device is compromised.

Admins can now perform a domain-takeover to consolidate multiple Google Workspace Essentials instances on their domain.

Google Workspace admins can now use a 'domain-takeover' process to take control of all existing Google Workspace Essentials instances on their domain. This consolidation provides admins with centralized billing, additional management controls, and control over end-user access to services. The process ensures that users maintain uninterrupted access to their apps and services during and after the takeover. This feature is applicable to Google Workspace Essentials and Enterprise Essentials customers.

Admins can now view and manage smart displays and speakers in the Admin console.

Google has expanded endpoint management to include smart displays and speakers, providing admins with a more complete inventory of devices accessing work data. Admins can now view device type and user account information, sign users out of these devices, and for select editions, access device audit logs to monitor account registration changes, sync activity, and admin sign-outs.

View Alert Center notifications directly from the Admin console toolbar.

Administrators can now quickly access Alert Center alerts from anywhere in the Admin console via a new bell icon in the top toolbar. Selecting this icon surfaces the ten most recent alerts along with brief descriptions, allowing admins to click a specific alert to open it or select 'View all' to navigate to the full Alert Center.

Renaming 'whitelisted domains' to 'allowlisted domains' in the Admin console.

Google is updating the terminology in the Admin console, replacing instances of 'whitelisted' with 'allowlisted'. This change is intended to use more inclusive language and more accurately describe the action of allowing specific domains.

One-click recommended actions are now available in the Alert Center for Admins.

Admins can now implement recommended actions directly from the Alert Center with a single click, allowing for faster triage and remedy of incidents. Available actions include marking email messages as phishing, suspending or restoring users, and blocking devices, all without leaving the Alert Center interface.