Topic
This article answers some frequently-asked questions (FAQs) regarding Google Workspace (GWS) and NinjaOne SaaS Backup.
Environment
- NinjaOne SaaS Backup
- Google Workspace
Description
Here are some of the more common questions when first setting up Google Workspace (GWS) backups.
If my GWS tenant has more than one OU, can I deploy NinjaOne SaaS Backup only to the OU I want to back up?
Yes, after you've downloaded the NinjaOne SaaS Backup Application, you can deploy it to a specific OU or all OUs within the organization.
Why do the downloaded Google Workspace emails appear in one folder named "All"?
By design, all downloaded emails are labeled separately and extracted into a single folder named All. It is to avoid duplicate message downloads when the email message is marked with multiple labels.
To avoid this, split the download process as follows. Doing so will also result in faster downloads as the large volume is split into batches.
Folder (1) -> Download (1)
Folder (2) -> Download (2)
Folder (3) -> Download (3)
Why do I see Shared Drive Backup Errors?
Check if the Admin ID used for the initial authentication still has a license on Google Workspace. Shared Drive backup requires an admin user with a Google Workspace license. This grants Google API permissions to perform the tenant’s Shared Drive backup. The license is needed even after completing authentication on the NinjaOne SaaS Backup side.
To fix the Shared Drive Backup Error:
- Visit the "Add Backup" page and click Sign in with Google Workspace.
- Use the Admin ID (which has a Google Workspace license) to complete the authentication process.
Will shared items be backed up?
No. NinjaOne SaaS Backup can only access items stored in the users “My Drive”. NinjaOne SaaS Backup cannot access shared items and so cannot back them up. Shared items, however, will back up from the owner’s user account. Similarly, any other items not specifically within “My Drive” in Google Drive will not be backed up.
How do I automatically deactivate a Google Workspace user’s backup?
You can suspend users from the Google Admin Console: Google Workspace Admin Help → Suspend a user temporarily. Afterward, the backed-up mailboxes will be automatically deactivated.
Why do archived users in a Google Workspace tenant have a backup error?
Accounts with an archived license (marked as an archived state in Google Workspace) are not listed in the Google API response, leading to errors during the backup process. To resolve the error and resume backup, remove them from the archive state.
Path from admin.google.com” (Login as Tenant Admin): Directory → Users → Select the user → Unarchive user
In What File Format Will Google Drive Documents be Downloaded?
The downloaded Google Drive document arrives as a ZIP file. When unzipped, the item would be in the Microsoft file formats “.docx” for Word and “.xlsx” for Excel.