The next time you log into your Google Workspace admin panel, you may see a new message to “Finish setting up Admin Console.” It instructs you to "Activate Gmail for (yourdomain.com)" to "route your emails to Gmail inboxes."If you click the “Activate” button, you will be prompted to update your mail exchange (MX) record to Google. An MX record specifies the mail server responsible for accepting email messages on behalf of a domain.
Why not to switch your MX record to Google
For our Paubox Email Suite Plus and Premium customers who rely on our inbound security solutions such as ExectProtect (to guard against domain name spoofing), and DomainAge to protect against email phishing scams), Paubox accepts email messages on their behalf—not Google. Although Google’s prompt to update an MX record to Google is helpful if Google is routing your email, it is not helpful for Paubox customers that rely on us to protect their inboxes from email threats.SEE ALSO: Global Surges in Ransomware Attacks in Q3 2020In fact, if you update your MX record to point directly to Google, you’ll completely bypass Paubox’s inbound security tools. Paubox can only keep you safe if you route your email through us.
The takeaway
Although Google’s use of the word “activate” in this prompt makes updating your MX record sound very urgent, it’s not. In fact, if you are a Paubox Email Suite Plus or Premium customer, you shouldn’t do it at all.