With careful planning and diligence, migrating data to Google Workspace shared drives can be a smooth process. However, large or complex folder structures can introduce unexpected issues. Knowing potential pitfalls ahead of time can help ensure a successful migration.
A Cautionary Migration Tale: Hidden Files and Unexpected Errors
A recent 85-user Google Workspace customer experienced significant issues while migrating a large folder structure from My Drive to a shared drive. Despite passing pre-migration checks, the process failed midway, resulting in duplicated folders with broken permissions and inaccessible files, impacting business processes.
Understanding Shared Drive Limitations
It’s essential to understand Google Drive’s limitations on what can and cannot be moved to a shared drive:
What Can Be Moved:
- Files and folders owned by the person performing the move
- Items where the person has editor or contributor permissions
- For admins, items with viewer permissions
What Cannot Be Moved:
- Externally-owned items without ownership transfer or copies
- Items with insufficient permissions
Additionally, Google Drive’s audit logs only go back six months, complicating the troubleshooting of older issues [7].
Troubleshooting Unmovable Files
The investigation process involves several steps:
- Restoring file visibility to minimize business disruption
- Addressing externally owned items by creating internally-owned copies
- Breaking down the migration into smaller chunks to isolate problematic subfolders
- Using drag-and-drop to identify hidden files flagged as inappropriate by Google
The Power of GAM: Uncovering Hidden Issues
GAMADV-XTD3, a command-line admin tool for Google Workspace, proved invaluable. It helped identify a hidden .DS_Store file generated by macOS, which was flagged as inappropriate and halted the migration. Deleting the file and performing a GAM sweep resolved the issue [7].
Beyond the Basics: Seemingly Benign Files Can Cause Problems
Common file types like .DS_Store files can sometimes be flagged as inappropriate by Google. It’s crucial to be aware of such issues during migration [8].
Key Takeaways
- Google Drive’s pre-migration checks can overlook issues, so don’t rely on them entirely.
- Become familiar with tools like GAM for troubleshooting hidden problems.
Questions About the Shared Drive Migration Process?
Have you faced similar challenges with Google Workspace migrations? Reach out and share your experiences with us!
