If adding a new layer (gmail) creates a new point of failure without creating any new resilience against failure, you're putting yourself into a bad position.

If adding a new layer (gmail) creates a new point of failure without creating any new resilience against failure, you're putting yourself into a bad position. Think about failure like resistance. Points of failure in parallel gives less overall risk of failure. Points of failure in serial (like adding a front-end) gives greater overall risk of failure.