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Understanding Google Drive File Stream

Understanding Drive File Stream

This document attempts to clear up confusion about the Drive File Stream released by Google for users of Google Drive.

Drive File Stream was introduced as a replacement to the desktop Google Drive app:

·         Official release statement from Google: https://gsuiteupdates.googleblog.com/2017/09/drive-file-stream-from-google.html

·         News story about this release: https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/07/google-launches-drive-file-stream-to-replace-the-google-drive-desktop-app-for-g-suite-users/

Much like the old, regularly named Google Drive app, Drive File Stream is a desktop app that you download and install on your computer. Drive File Stream is compatible with Mac’s and PC’s.

The Google Support site touts that this Drive File Stream makes Google Drive “easier for you and your team” when it comes to accessing your files from the storage service (ref: http://bit.ly/2zBHKqs). Except they forgot the part where they actually make it easier.

The important distinction between the old Google Drive app and the newer Drive File Stream app is the “stream” part. By default, data retrieved from Drive File Stream are not stored offline locally on your PC, but instead streamed from online. When you first install Drive File Stream and connect to your NetID-associated G Suite account, you’ll notice that all of the files from My Drive and Team Drive(s) can be seen from the Windows Explorer almost instantly. This is because they are not being synced by default, but rather streamed to your computer.

What File Stream can’t do is sync other folders from your computer – only contents within your My Drive or Team Drive(s) can be synced. For example, you may be familiar with the following folders for your Windows PC for an individual user account: Documents, Downloads, Desktop, Pictures, etc. These folders will not get synced with File Stream. To sync those particular folders – much like you could do with the old Google Drive desktop app – you would use Backup & Sync (ref: https://support.google.com/a/answer/7491633).

Backup & Sync, then, is more similar in functionality to the old Google Drive desktop app than File Stream is to the old Google Drive desktop app. However, Team Drive(s) do not work with Backup & Sync. Besides using drive.google.com, Team Drive(s) can only be accessed on your computer using File Stream.

Why should I even care about Google Drive File Stream in the first place?

As a UW NetID account holder, this is especially important to know. With the Deskmail, UW’s old homegrown email system, retiring (more info about UW IT’s Email Modernization Program can be found here: https://itconnect.uw.edu/connect/email/modernization-overview/), you’ll need to migrate to one of two other email systems maintained by UW IT as the replacements: Exchange Online (Office 365) or UW Gmail (Google Mail).

By choosing the latter option, you’ll be given access to the Google Drive cloud storage. Eventually, you’ll find it necessary to retrieve these files in a more native manner than from your web browser. This is where Google Drive File Stream comes in, as this desktop application gives you the ability to edit and manage files from your computer on a file browser. File Stream will also, as mentioned, give you the option to make files of your choosing available offline. You have to manually make files available offline yourself, as none of the files are local to the computer’s storage by default.

However, deleting a file from the Google Drive File Stream app on your computer - regardless of whether you made it available offline or not - will also get deleted in the main cloud storage as well (as in, the file is also deleted when you view your Drive cloud data from drive.google.com). This behavior applies to both files on My Drive and Team Drive(s).

How do I install Drive File Stream?

On a web browser logged into your G Suite-connected NetID account, go to the following link: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/7329379?hl=en&authuser=1. This pages provides the link to download File Stream for Windows or Mac, as well as detailed instructions on the simple installation process - including connecting your NetID account.