Google envisages Cloud Connect will provide a 'bridge' to help users make the leap to Cloud-based applications.

"Even though this 'sea change' is happening, it's going to take time to transition," Sabharwal said. "We are working on ways to ease the transition from the desktop to the cloud."

Many organisations are already using Sharepoint for business collaboration, but Sabharwal said many orgnanisations must move to Sharepoint 2010 to make the most of the functionality.

"[It[ requires a full rearchitecture onto 64-bit, which most organisations don't have, [and] Office 2010, which again, most organisations don't yet have," he said.

"What we're saying to organisatiosn that are still on [Office] 2007 or 2003 -- that's 99 per cent of the organisations we speak to -- is 'here is an opportunity for your to move towards a more inherently social environment but we recognise there is a bridge'. And we want to provide a way for Office users, and particularly 'power Office users' to gradually move into the platform."