FAQs - Migration from Dropbox to Google Drive

We are committed to providing our users information and updates to make this transition as smooth as possible. We encourage you to reference this article often as we will continue to update it as we move forward with the migration.

When is the migration from Dropbox to Google Drive scheduled?
The migration will be scheduled for late spring/early summer (shortly after commencement, 2021.)

Do I have to move my own Dropbox data?
No. T&I has contracted with a Google partner to migrate Davidson College’s Dropbox data. We’ll contact you with more information and next steps well in advance of your data migration. You'll continue to have read-only access to your Dropbox files and links for a limited time after the migration.

What type of training will be provided? 
Our migration partner will provide general 1-hour training to all users just after their data migration is complete. T&I will also provide additional workshops that cover basic features and functionality, such as uploading, creating, and sharing files and folders in Google Drive, as well as new features like shared drives, search, and file stream. Review our Google Drive Training Resources for more information and tutorials. Training and workshop information will be posted on the Dropbox Migration Project page. 

Should I start moving files now?
No. T&I will manage the migration to ensure file-sharing permissions and folder structure are maintained for all institutional and department team folders. 

What steps should I take to prepare for this change? 

• Start cleaning up files now. Get ready by deleting unnecessary files, and remove yourself from shared files or folders that you no longer need access to.
• Remove any personal content.  If you have personal photos, videos, or other data stored in your Davidson College Dropbox account, now is a good time to move them to another cloud storage provider, your personal Dropbox, or an offline storage solution. This article provides details on how to move personal Dropbox files from your Davidson College Dropbox account to your personal account.
• Identify files linked on public web sites. Since you’ll need to update these links after migration, now is a good time to review files or folders linked from public web sites to minimize disruption. We will provide a Dropbox link report to each user to aid in this process.
• Export Dropbox Paper documents, if needed. If you've created any documents using Dropbox Paper documents and want to retain them, you'll need to export them manually. Dropbox offers an option to export all Paper documents in bulk.  Instructions on exporting Dropbox Paper documents can be found here.

Will this change impact files and folders stored in OneDrive?
No. You can continue to use OneDrive, part of our Microsoft Office 365 license, for file storage, sharing, and collaboration.  Keep in mind that access to department team folders will be available in Google Drive once the migration is complete. 

Does Google Drive offer the same basic features as Dropbox?
Yes, and a few more. Google Drive provides the same basic functionality as Dropbox in terms of unlimited cloud storage, shared team folders, file sync, and link sharing, but also includes real-time collaboration with Docs, Sheets, and other Google Drive apps.  Once our migration is complete, you’ll have access to other new features such as:

• Cloud Search lets you search and find information across your organization’s content.
• File Stream gives you quick access to all of your Google Drive files on demand, directly from your computer without taking up hard drive space.
• Shared Drives allow you to store, search, and access files with a team. Learn more about Shared Drives.
  
  

What happens to my Dropbox data during and after the migration?
You’ll be notified in advance about expected downtime during and after the data migration from Dropbox to Google Drive. Once your data is moved, you’ll continue to have read-only access to your Dropbox files for a period of time. We will provide additional details as we get closer to the data migration phase.

How can I help prepare my department for this change?
Don't build new processes around Dropbox. Now is also a good time to review and organize files and folders and identify public links and links you have shared outside Davidson.

Where should I store confidential data?
Google Drive will be the official college storage solution for most data that fits the Confidential, Official Use Only, and Public data categories, per our Administrative Data Security Policy. 

There are some categories of highly sensitive information, such as Social Security Numbers, tax or family financial aid data, credit card numbers, and the like that should not be stored on Dropbox today and may not be appropriate for Google Drive in the future. T&I is implementing Google’s new sensitive data monitoring tool to help detect files containing sensitive information within the Google environment. Learn more about Google's sensitive data monitoring tool.

What if I have shared files using links in Dropbox with external collaborators and organizations?
You’ll need to re-share your content with those outside Davidson once your files are moved using links generated by Google, not Dropbox. Now is a good time to review and identify files and folders shared externally to minimize potential access disruptions for external collaborators. Learn more about identifying shared links in our Dropbox to Google Drive link sharing recommendations.

Can I upload and share Microsoft Office files such as Word and Excel in Google Drive?
Yes!  You can upload a variety of file types in Google Drive and have the option to open Office files on your local machine. You also have the option to convert uploaded files to Google format. Note: database files cannot be stored in Google Drive. 

Will my Davidson email be affected by this change? 
No, this change is limited to the migration from Dropbox to Google Drive for cloud storage and file sharing. You will continue to use Microsoft Outlook for Davidson email and calendar.  

Learn more about our Dropbox Migration Project