• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
TechPoint Cloud

Google Doubles Down on Enterprise by Re-Branding Its Cloud

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 29, 2016, 5:24 PM ET
Google senior vice president Diane Greene
Google senior vice president Diane GreeneAndrew Weeks AndrewWeeksPhotography©2015

If there’s one thing that drives Google’s head cloud chief Diane Greene bananas, it’s the idea that the search giant is not serious about becoming a big business technology provider.

Since joining Google last fall, Greene, speaking Thursday at a press event in San Francisco, said she’s talked to over 200 customers and partners about Google’s various enterprise services, from its work document tools to its cloud computing business in which companies can buy computing capacity on demand.

Greene said that Google (GOOG) would “blow customers away” with the amount of tools and services they have to sell. Yet after each discussion, the companies would inevitably ask “Is Google really serious about the enterprise?”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“It was kind of driving ourselves crazy,” Greene joked to the crowd of reporters, analysts, and business representatives.

Of course, Google has long tried to make a healthy business selling workplace software services like spreadsheets and email to companies. Although those services are popular, most people still consider Google to primarily be an Internet search and advertising company.

Greene wants to change that perception and part of that has to do with a re-branding, which technology news site The Information reported in September was in the works.

Now, Google will group together its business apps like Gmail and Calendar under the brand name G Suite, replacing the Google Apps for Work branding. G Suite will also fall under the overarching Google Cloud branding, which is an umbrella term that covers all of the search giant’s various business services like its data analytics tools, Chromebook laptops and Android phones, and cloud computing business.

“When we said this to everybody at Google, there was no question,” Greene said about the rebranding. “Everyone feels that we are Google Cloud.”

ah remember when Google PRs used to correct reporters for calling Google Cloud Platform just Google Cloud? Ah. good times.

— Barb Darrow (@gigabarb) September 29, 2016

Greene and other Google executives like senior vice president of technical infrastructure Urs Hölzle spent the morning bragging about Google’s various technical prowess when it comes to cutting edge technology like machine learning, data center networking, and a popular technology called containers that helps developers and IT operators more easily and efficiently build and manage apps.

Greene said Google powers around 30% of the world’s Internet and reaches many places in the world like Saudi Arabia.

She also compared Google’s cloud computing service to current market leaders Amazon Web Services (AMZN) and Microsoft’s (MSFT) Azure, saying that the three cloud providers currently have about 5% of the total available IT market, which she said was valued in the trillions of dollars.

Last week, Oracle (ORCL) CEO Larry Ellison said that Amazon Web Services is the number one competitor of Oracle’s cloud computing service and he largely ignored discussing Google and Microsoft as competitors. Google did not mention Oracle during its Thursday event.

Echoing similar statements made this week by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Greene also said Google is excited to “democratize” machine learning, a subset of artificial intelligence that helps computers absorb large amounts of data and learn from the information.

The Problem With Google’s New Messaging App, Allo

Besides announcing several new updates to its various business-related tools—like a feature that automatically predicts what work document you might be looking for and preemptively sends you the file—Google executives talked about how much money they are spending on improving and building new data centers. “In 2015, Google spent $9.9 billion dollars, just shy of Amazon and Microsoft if you add them together,” Greene said.

The business of cloud computing requires enormous data center facilities that can accommodate automatically distributing computing resources in times of high demand from customers. Google executives said that Google’s investments in its data centers have resulted in the company being able to upgrade their facilities behind the scenes without impacting customers.

However, it should be noted that Google, like other cloud providers, occasionally suffers from cloud outages, like two that occurred in August and April, due to unforeseen software bugs resulting from routine maintenance.

Hölzle said that Google plans to open new data center regions (essentially multiple data centers connected together) in several countries in 2017. He said that new data center regions would be built in places like the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, India, Singapore, Brazil, and Northern Virginia.

Global expansion for Google Cloud. 8 new multi-zone regions announced, all connected by Google's backbone. pic.twitter.com/EQqBbmsWiD

— William Vambenepe (@vambenepe) September 29, 2016

The goal is to open “roughly one new region per month,” Hölzle said. “We will keep that pace for a while”

 

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Bridgit Mendler speaks on stage at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026 in Aspen, Colorado.
Startups & VentureBrainstorm Tech
The space economy’s next frontier is in ground infrastructure, Northwood Space CEO says
By Sebastian HerreraJune 10, 2026
4 hours ago
Digital sovereignty isn’t the same thing as digital isolation. Asia’s governments should be careful
Commentarydata sovereignty
Digital sovereignty isn’t the same thing as digital isolation. Asia’s governments should be careful
By Leonard LimJune 10, 2026
8 hours ago
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates (C) arrives for a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 10, 2026.
LawBill Gates
Gates testifies on Epstein: previous Fortune investigation reveals payments to his ex-girlfriend, $1M Microsoft deal
By Eva Roytburg, Joey Cappelletti, Hannah Schoenbaum and The Associated PressJune 10, 2026
9 hours ago
How the World Cup is a high-stakes stage for Big Tech’s AI push
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
How the World Cup is a high-stakes stage for Big Tech’s AI push
By John KellJune 10, 2026
10 hours ago
Anthropic accused of ‘secret sabotage’ as Claude Fable 5 silently limits capabilities for AI researchers and developers
AIAnthropic
Anthropic accused of ‘secret sabotage’ as Claude Fable 5 silently limits capabilities for AI researchers and developers
By Sharon GoldmanJune 10, 2026
12 hours ago
A 5-week course and a guaranteed job: Meta commits $115 million to solve the skilled-trades shortage stalling its AI build-out
Future of WorkMeta
A 5-week course and a guaranteed job: Meta commits $115 million to solve the skilled-trades shortage stalling its AI build-out
By Jacqueline MunisJune 10, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
11 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
3 days ago
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Innovation
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
A ‘MAGA Warrior’ Texas ag chief is publicly blasting the USDA over a flesh-eating pest threatening America's beef supply
North America
A ‘MAGA Warrior’ Texas ag chief is publicly blasting the USDA over a flesh-eating pest threatening America's beef supply
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 10, 2026
20 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 10, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 10, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 10, 2026
16 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.