Overview
Shared Drive Permissions Restore is a vital feature designed to enhance security and streamline data management within Google Workspace. By restoring associated permissions when users recover entire shared drives, folders, or files, this capability ensures the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive information.
Getting Started
When restoring shared drives, folders, or files within a shared drive, our system automatically restores associated permissions.
Verification of Permissions
To confirm the successful restoration of permissions within the shared drive hierarchy, follow these steps:
Shared Drive Level
- Click Shared Drive.
- Choose the specific shared drive you wish to verify and click on it.
- Once selected, click on the blue info button.
A pop-up dialogue will appear, displaying the associated permissions at the bottom. By following these steps, you can easily verify the restoration of permissions at the shared drive level within the hierarchy.
Folder Level
- Click Shared Drive
- Hover over the specific folder within the shared drive. The system will display the "Show Permission" text beside the key icon.
- Click on Show Permission.
A pop-up dialogue will appear, offering two options to view the details of associated permissions:
- Direct Access: Displays email addresses, user groups, or domains authorized to access the folder and its associated permissions.
- Access Link: Provides a link to access the folder and its associated permissions without specifying email addresses, user groups, or domains.
File Level
- Click Shared Drive.
- Navigate to the specific file you want to manage permissions for within the shared drive.
- Click on the selected file to open it. On the right-hand side, you will find information about the associated permissions for the file.
Options to View Associated Permissions:
- Direct Access: Displays email addresses, user groups, or domains authorized to access the file and its associated permissions.
- Access Link: Provides a link to access the file and its associated permissions without specifying email addresses, user groups, or domains.
Unlike shared drives and folders, files have versioning. Each version may have different permissions. You can view permissions for each version separately by selecting the desired version on the right side of the screen.
Record Keeping
All activities related to Shared Drive permissions are recorded in the Audit Log menu, ensuring transparency and compliance with security standards.
FAQs
Can certain shared drives, folders, or files lack associated permissions?
Yes, if created before the introduction of this feature, some items may not have associated permissions restored.
What happens if discrepancies are found during the permissions restore process?
A: The system compares existing permissions in Google Workspace with backup permissions in our database. If discrepancies are detected, appropriate actions are taken to ensure access integrity.
How does the permissions restore process work?
When users initiate the restoration process for a shared drive, folder, or file, our system executes a series of steps to ensure the accurate reinstatement of permissions. Here's how it works:
- Comparison of Actual and Backup Permissions: Our system first compares the current (existing) permissions in Google Workspace (GWS) with the backup permissions stored in our database.
- Handling Missing Permissions: If the actual permissions do not exist in the backup database, our system merges these current permissions with the restored items (shared drive, folder, file). This proactive approach ensures that restored items remain accessible, particularly in scenarios where accounts associated with authorized parties may no longer be active.
- Dealing with Existing Permissions: In cases where the actual permissions already exist in the backup database:
- If the permission levels match (no discrepancy), our system does not perform any updates, as the permissions are already aligned.
- If there is a discrepancy in permission levels, our system updates the backup permissions to match the higher permission level. This measure is implemented to prevent any potential loss of access to files or folders due to lower permission settings.