How to Backup to Google Drive using BDRSuite

What is Google Drive?

Google Drive is a cloud storage service that allows storing documents, files, audio, videos – basically anything. Google Drive files can be shared with anyone you want to collaborate with. You can access the files stored in Google Drive from anywhere at any time and from any device.

Google Drive continues to be one of the most popular cloud platforms used by millions all around the globe for its services as a Cloud Storage and document editing tool specialized in File Sharing & Collaboration.

Many users with active subscriptions to Google Drive have asked us(Vembu) to use their Google Drive cloud storage as the Backup Repository in Vembu BDRSuite.

BDRSuite – A Complete Backup & Disaster Recovery Solution

“BDRSuite is designed to protect data that span across Data Centers/Private Cloud (VMware, Hyper-V, Windows, Linux, Applications & Databases), Public Cloud (AWS), SaaS (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace), and Endpoints (Windows, Mac) ”.

In the post, we will look into the step-by-step instructions on how to backup your data in diverse IT environments to Google Drive using BDRSuite.

How to use Google Drive as a Backup Repository for BDRSuite

BDRSuite supports a wide range of scalable storage targets as backup repositories – Block Storages – Direct, NAS, SAN, and Object Storages – AWS S3, Azure Blob, & S3 Compatible storage like Wasabi, etc. Along with these, BDRSuite also supports hosting the backup data on Google Drive and OneDrive.

Google Drive cannot be directly added or mounted as a Backup Repository in the BDRSuite as Google does not allow the user to write a file in the root drive. However, you can use any of the following methods to set up Google Drive as a backup repository in BDRSuite:

1. Google Drive as a Shared Volume
2. Google Drive as a Local Volume

Note: If you plan to use Google Drive as a backup repository in BDRSuite we suggest configuring only files/folders backup only. This is because, to leverage the business continuity features like Instant Boot VM, Disk Mount, Restore to Azure, etc, we always recommend configuring image-level backups (VMs/Physical machines) to block storage repositories.

Prerequisites:

The following prerequisites are applicable for both methods: Adding Google Drive as Shared volume and Local volume in BDRSuite.

1. Install Google Drive for desktop (formerly Drive File Stream) on one of your local Windows machines. Refer to how to deploy Google Drive for desktop here
   What is the Drive File Stream?

   Drive File Stream is now Google Drive for desktop, a desktop application that allows you to quickly access your Google Drive files directly on your computer
2. On the Google Admin console, make sure to enable ‘Allow Google Drive for desktop in your organization’ to connect to your Google Drive using the Drive for Desktop. Refer to the instructions here
3. Make sure you have enough storage space on your Windows machine where the Drive for desktop is installed as the backup data will be temporarily cached here and then will be sent to Google Drive. You can also change the local cache files directory if required
4. Make sure you have an internet connection to sync the backup data to Google Drive

Method 1: Configure Google Drive as a Shared Volume and add it as a Backup Repository in BDRSuite

Process:

• On the Drive for desktop console, Select a folder and enable ‘Share’ properties for it
• On the BDRSuite Server console, add the shared Google Drive folder as a network/mapped drive. Select the mapped drive (Google Drive folder) and create a new backup repository

Steps to configure Google Drive Folder as a Shared Volume:

1. Select a Folder where you want to store the backup data. The folder can be an existing folder inside the ‘My Drive’ folder of your Google Drive (or) you can create a new folder inside the ‘My Drive’ folder of your Google Drive (or) you can directly use the ‘My Drive’ folder to store the backup data
2. Right-click on the selected folder and click on the Properties option. Then, click the Sharing tab in the dialog box and click on the ‘Share…’ button
3. Copy the network path after sharing the Google Drive folder

Adding Google Drive Folder as a Backup Repository in BDRSuite

1. Login to the BDRSuite Server (Backup Server/Offsite DR Server). Navigate to the Backup Server Tile -> Block Storage Repository menu
2. On the Backup Repository Configuration – Block Storage page, click on the option ‘Manage Network Drive’ and click the button ‘Add Network Drive as Storage Volume’
3. On the Add Network Drive dialog box, enter the following details and save the Google Drive folder to the BDRSuite Folder
• Drive Path – Enter the network path you copied after sharing the Google Drive Folder
• Display Drive Name – Provide a Drive letter to identify the drive on BDRSuite Server
• Username & Password (Optional)
4. Now, the added folder needs to be created as the repository. Click on the option ‘Create New Block Storage Repository. The Google Drive folder volume will be listed with other local storage volumes. You can choose the Google Drive Folder volume and provide a name for the repository and click ‘Create’
5. Google Drive is now successfully added as a Backup Repository in the BDRSuite. You can now select the created repository to store the backup data during backup configuration. To know more about backup configuration, click here

Method 2: Configure Google Drive as a Local Volume and add as a Backup Repository in BDRSuite

Process:

This method allows you to store the backup data in one of the Google Drive Folders without sharing the folder.

• In the BDRSuite Server Configuration folder, create a new configuration file with the Google Drive folder path XML in it and save the conf file
• This will list the Google Drive folder as a storage volume in the BDRSuite Server which you can select and create a new backup repository

Steps to configure Google Drive as a Local Volume to add as a Backup Repository in BDRSuite

1. Navigate the BDRSuite Server installation location and open the conf folder on the computer where BDRSuite Server (Backup Server/Offsite DR Server) is installed
   

   Conf folder location: <Installation_Location>/conf/

   Example: C:\Program Files\Vembu\VembuBDR\conf

2. Create a file – ‘StoragePathConfiguration.conf’ inside the conf folder. Open the StoragePathConfiguration.conf’ file using a text editor, copy the following XML, and save the file

Syntax
<VembuBDR>
<Storage Path=”Your storage path”/>
</VembuBDR>

Example
<VembuBDR>
<Storage Path=”G:/My Drive/BDRSuiteRepository”/>
</VembuBDR>

In the place ‘Your Storage Path’ – Make sure you enter the following details in the given format: “<Drive_Letter>:/<Folder_Name>/<Sub_Folder>

Drive Letter – When the Drive for desktop app is installed, a virtual drive will be created on the computer. Note down the drive letter of that drive
Drive Folder Name – Enter the folder name into which you want to store the backup data. You can use the existing folder inside the ‘My Drive’ folder of your Google Drive (or) you can create a new folder inside the ‘My Drive’ folder of your Google Drive (or) you can directly use the ‘My Drive’ folder to store the backup data
3. Once the file – ‘StoragePathConfiguration.conf’ is saved with the Google Drive path & folder details, the Google Drive folder will be listed as the local volume on the Create new Block Repository dialog box under Backup Server Tile -> Block Repository menu
4. Choose the Google Drive Folder volume and provide a name for the repository and click ‘Create’
5. Google Drive is now successfully added as a Backup Repository in the BDRSuite. You can now select the created repository to store the backup data during backup configuration

Be sure to download and explore BDRSuite in your environment with our fully-functional 30-day free trial version