The n-Phased deployment is the least common Google Apps deployment approach as it is essentially a custom deployment based on the specific logistical or political requirements of an organization. Deploying Google Apps in grouped phases by location, department or position within the organization are the most common choices in an n-Phased deployment. The amount of phases can be any number greater than 1 (hence the name), and is driven by the unique requirements of the organization.

Advantages in this approach

The primary advantage to an n-Phased deployment is it is custom to your organization and will ideally fit the needs required to make the deployment a success. Organizations have unique needs and will not always fall into a set deployment methodology.This when an n-Phased approach can ensure your deployment makes the most sense for your company.

Disadvantages in this approach

Because of the custom nature, unexpected issues may arise where in more proven deployments the more common issues have already been recognized and can be avoided. Consultants may not be as familiar or comfortable with the deployment structure that is unfamiliar to them. Your team as well as consultants will have less resources available to help plan and execute the deployment. You will run into the same time and resource intensive issues as mentioned in the Enterprise Deployment, also with the same technical complexities that can be potentially even more difficult in this type of deployment.

Considerations in this approach

This deployment approach can be the most difficult to manage given its custom structure and the extended presence of the co-existence period. However the idea behind this approach is to make it easier for your organization to deploy Google Apps based on your unique requirements. If the unique requirements outweigh the convenience of deploying a proven methodology then this approach will likely be the best fit for your organization.

The custom approach of n-Phased can be useful for unique organizations but should be avoided if you can use more conventional Google Apps deployment approaches. Our Google Apps Deployment Guide can help you examine the more conventional approaches to assist you in deciding whether you need to use a custom approach.

This article is Part 6 of Google Gooru’s Comprehensive Guide to a Google Apps Deployment. To access the entire guide for FREE, please fill out the form located here.