Google Takes a Big Step Forward to Bring Chrome OS to the Enterprise

dreamstime m 46268649

It was only a matter of time before Google officially went upstream with its desktop OS but Chrome OS for the enterprise is here and the company is partnering with Dell. While enterprise features were first launched back in 2017, Google is moving deeper into this space and is gearing up for a long fight with Microsoft.

Announced today by Google, along with Dell, are the first Chromebook Enterprise devices. These new pieces of hardware include an improved admin console, developer-focused features, and other updates to ChromeOS that should make the hardware and software a bit easier to manage for large deployments.

The first devices that are arriving as Chromebook Enterprise devices the Dell Latitude 5400 and Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1. With up to 8th gen, Core i7 processors and available 32GB of RAM, the new Dell devices should have solid performance and battery life but it’s likely the software components that will be more appealing for those looking to move to a fully Google-based environment.

Listed below are the new enterprise options Google is adding to ChromeOS Enterprise:

  • The improved Google Admin console for Chrome OS provides 10x faster load times.
  • Admins can now enable managed Linux environments on Chromebooks (beta), with tools to determine who has access, VPN support for internal files, and containers for maximum protection.
  • For customers currently using Chromebooks, they can optimize for business usage by adding the new Chrome Enterprise Upgrade to any Chromebook device.

But on the Dell side, the equation gets a bit more interesting as the company is backing the new hardware with their same enterprise-grade 24/7 support servicing and the devices will also integrate natively into Dell’s Unified Workspace platform.

msedge 2019 08 26 09 56 17

Even though ChromeOS lacks features that some enterprise IT Pros may prefer, such as Active Directory and integration with Office 365, you can’t ignore that ChromeOS is quickly growing-up and becoming a viable alternative to Windows 10.

With Dell joining Google by pushing these devices into the corporate space, there is little doubt that ChromeOS is here to stay. Sure, you can argue that Windows 10 still makes sense for a much wider audience in this segment, but if Google even finds a small amount of success, it should send cold chills down the spines of Microsoft who has long dominated this space.

ChromeOS enterprise is not a direct threat to unseat Windows in the corporate world at this time but there was also a point, not too long ago, when ChromeOS had zero penetration in the education space and today, they have a sizeable footprint in schools around the globe.