Silicus helps Cloud Migration Services Company enhance Google Apps User Administration Tool

About the Client

The client provides solutions to increase organizational efficiency through Google Apps based cloud-computing application implementation and customization. The client owns several Google Apps based software products/accelerators that simplify the adoption and transition of 3rd party business applications used by organizations towards Google Applications. The client’s software products facilitate adoption of Google Mail, Google Docs and other Google infrastructure within organizations.

Challenge

One of the client’s software was an application for Google Apps user management within organizations.  that have adopted Google Apps. The client wanted to enhance the existing software application with new functionality that would provide the ability to delegate some functions (viz. creating email groups, resetting passwords, managing domain shared contacts, managing labels)  to be managed by certain e groups of users e.g. helpdesk.

The client also wanted to develop a new module within the application that would represent a dashboard. This would allow system administrators to easily create different groups within the organization - helpdesk, sales, marketing etc and assign them the rights to manage sub-domain users.

The application was designed and developed on the Java platform. The team decided to go with Google Web Toolkit (GWT) and Google App Engine development for development for the following reasons:

• Application can be hosted on App Engine to free the client from the burden of hosting the application within their environment
• App Engine provides an inbuilt database i.e. Google BigTable, so the client doesn’t have to host a separate database server on their side
• GWT was chosen for its ability to create rich user interfaces

Silicus developed an application with enhanced functionality and including a dashboard that allowed administrators to manage Google apps domain users. Administrators could create user groups and assign them different rights such as:

• Creating email groups
• Resetting user passwords
• Managing domain shared contacts
• Create domain wide labels for the users

• Languages – Java
• Development platform - Java 1.6, Google App Engine
• Development toolkit - Google Web ToolKit (GWT)
• IDE – Eclipse 3.4
• OS – Windows XP
• Database – Google BigTable

Easier Google Apps user management

• Silicus delivered a product that contained powerful Google domain configuration tools for administrators and other users, with multiple options and role based securities running on the App Engine environment
• The application had a rich and appealing UI that was developed by the Silicus team in-house

Google Apps technology for managing IT Infrastructure

• Silicus expertise working on new and emerging technologies such as Google App Engine, Google Web Toolkit and BigTable ensured a quick turnaround for the client on their Google Apps development and enhancement requirements