While Microsoft has been failing to outfox Google in the web search and ad game, Google has - apparently - swiped a few of Redmond's customers away from MS Office.

The Mountain View Chocolate Factory gloated on its corporate blog that 25 million people worldwide had switched to Google Apps in the past year.

In a separate blog post, the world's largest ad broker bragged about a backroom server tool it had cooked up that made it "easier for customers of Microsoft Exchange to go Google with Apps".

The company's tool, which can banish Microsoft Exchange 2003 and 2007 versions into the stratosphere, is intended for biz customers brave enough to shift their entire document estate onto one of Google's data centres.

Google is punting the ditch-Exchange-feature to would-be Apps Premier and Education Edition customers for free.

It's also encouraging current Apps customers to "spread the word" about its service. Presumably, Google is hoping for positive remarks. Sadly, a quick look at the firm's Apps Status Dashboard reveals the reality of hosting documents remotely.

In the past two days alone Google has had problems with Gmail and spreadsheets. ®