Google Drive For Desktop
- Marc Miller
Contents
Purpose
This article describes a little of what Google Drive For Desktop is.
What is it?
Google Drive For Desktop is a Desktop Application to allow a PC or Mac to connect to your GSuite Account like it was a drive on your computer, allowing you to almost seamlessly backup and access your personal Google Drive like it was on your computer. It is specifically designed to allow you to backup your local computer's Desktop, Document, and other folders to your personal Connect Account (GSuite). It combines Google Backup and Sync for personal accounts with Google Drive File Stream for shared drives. Both of its predecessor apps are no longer offered independently by Google.
Requirements
- UCSB Google Connect Account (GSuite)
- Network Access (Must be on the network)
- Computer either does not have any other Google drive or stream or backup product installed.
Google Drive For Desktop supports personal Google Accounts as well as backup of protected Desktop and Documents folders. This may cause privacy concerns.
Google Drive For Desktop is not HIPAA compliant, may not be used to store "Export Controlled Materials", SSNs, Passports, driver's licenses and other restricted financial and personal information. It is not considered FERPA compliant if installed on a non UCSB owned computer. Google Drive For Desktop's FERPA Compliance requires that that software only be installed on UCSB owned computers.
see: https://www.connect.ucsb.edu/privacy-security/security-frequently-asked-questions
Pros
Seamless Access to files on Google Drive
What Google Drive For Desktop does is acts as a connection to both Google Drive like it was a network share.
Using Google Drive through the web browser would require downloading the document, editing it on your computer, then having to re-upload it back so it has the most recent information.
Working with documents with it does not take up space
Unlike Dropbox or Box Sync, you don't need to have a copy of the document on your computer in order to work on it.
Compatible with Catalina and newer Macs
Post Catalina, desktop and documents folders are protected by additional read/write restrictions at the account level. Bacula backup software does not work on Catalina and newer Macs
Easier data recovery
Unlike saving on the computer or on SAMBA share, recovering a file is a bit easier with Google Drive For Desktop.
Most computers aren't back up or have an easy way to recover data saved on the computer itself.
While SAMBA files are backed up, it is done on a nightly basis, so you can only get yesterday's data.
At the same time, it takes maybe a day or two before you get the data back when trying to recover a file that is backed up on a SAMBA share as you have to rely on an admin to restore it from backup.
With Google Drive For Desktop, you are working with the files on Google Drive itself, treating it like it was a SAMBA share with an additional benefit.
On Google Drive, you can recover previous version of the file or recover a deleted file from Google Drive by yourself through the Web Interface whenever you want.
Also, unlike SAMBA, you can recover a version of your file up to 30 days or 100 changes.
This means a document you were working on just today, can be recovered or an existing document that got worked on several times through the day can be reverted back to a previous version if an error was made without having to start from scratch.
Cons
Does require to be connected to the internet
In order to work with documents, you have to be connected to the internet.
Google Drive For Desktop does allow making a document available offline, but that also means you will have an offline copy on the computer.
This offline ability, however, will not work for Google App documents, like Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides.
Should only be used on non-shared UCSB owned devices if backing up student work or other FERPA protected data.
For FERPA compliance, it is recommended only to have it installed on UCSB computers and have limited access as it does use UCSBNetID credentials to connect to the respective Google Drive.
Relearning Best Practices
To get the full benefit of Google Drive For Desktop, following Best Practices like:
You should always save to your Google Drive Location.
By not doing so, you can't take advantage of Google Drive's data recovery ability.
This means, don't save on the Desktop or in your Documents folder.
By saving early, you ensure a point of recovering your file.
By saving often, you ensure another point to recover the file, and even better yet, a version to fall back on in case you make a mistake, especially on a large project.
How to get it installed?
At this time, we recommend contacting ECI Support (help@engineering.ucsb.edu) about getting it setup on desktops within the department and limited laptops.
Since ITS has posted guides on how to install this software, we are allowing its installation on ECI supported desktops, with the caveat that ECI takes no responsibility for use of said instructions and that the user takes full responsibility for making sure data is protected.
At this time, it should only be on UCSB Owned Systems that don't have shared access for security and FERPA compliance if being used to back up student work such as turned in homework or exams.
Google Drive For Desktop has the ability to sync to your personal google drive. If you enable that option, once it is linked to your personal google drive, any file not contained in a folder will automatically sync, all folders will also sync unless specifically told not to.