Google Cloud and Box have extended their strategic partnership focused on cloud content management, with the storage provider also proving another customer win for Google.

The two companies are extending their alliance, based on improving the experience for users of G Suite with Box, which was first announced in December 2018. Since then, several new features have taken place, including greater native sharing, and reciprocal transfer for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides between Box and Google Drive.

The partnership will see Box ‘leverage Google Cloud and its advanced capabilities to enhance the scale, performance, and the intelligence of its cloud content management platform globally’, the companies said.

Bubbling underneath this, however, is Box’s additional usage of Google Cloud as a customer. Citing companies’ increasing move to cloud-based remote work, Box is ‘significantly expanding’ its usage of Google Cloud to enhance its core infrastructure. Alongside this, Box will leverage Google Cloud as a ‘key provider for data storage’, combine on machine learning integrations, and add Google Authenticator for future single sign-on and two-factor authentication plans.

Aaron Levie, Box CEO, said in a statement that Google Cloud was an ‘incredibly important partner’ in the company’s move towards global scalability, while Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud, added that Box was a ‘key global cloud infrastructure partner… enabling more seamless integrations between Box and G Suite environments.’

Google Cloud launched its virtual Next OnAir event last week, the first of several weekly updates across the company’s portfolio. This publication analysed the main keynote announcements, from which G Suite was conspicuous by its absence. Yet this week was the collaboration tool’s turn to shine. Google unveiled a raft of updates, from new security features to a developer platform.

Among other recent customer wins for Google Cloud are RenaultDeutsche Bank, and Telefonica.