Why File Licenses Are Needed for Google Sites Migration
Understanding the licensing requirements for migrating Google Sites with embedded Google Drive documents.
Overview
Cloudiway requires File Migration Licenses to migrate Google Sites that contain embedded Google Drive documents. This is due to how Google Sites stores references to Drive files without providing ownership metadata.
Key Point
Google Sites only stores the file ID of embedded documents - it doesn't include information about which user owns the file or where it's located in Drive.
The Technical Challenge
When users embed Google Drive documents into Google Sites, the site only stores a reference to the file (its ID) using an iframe. This creates a significant challenge for migration:
How Google Sites Stores Embedded Files
Google Site
Contains iframe
File ID Only
abc123xyz No owner info!
Unknown Owner
Which Drive?
The Problem
- Google Sites stores only the file ID without any ownership information
- No metadata about file names, folder paths, or creation dates
- Any user in the organization could have embedded their personal Drive files
How Cloudiway Handles This
To migrate embedded Drive documents, Cloudiway must:
- 1 Build a File ID Inventory
Cloudiway maintains an inventory of file IDs per user
- 2 Impersonate Each User
To access each embedded file, Cloudiway must impersonate the document owner
- 3 Match and Migrate
Once the owner is identified, the file can be accessed and migrated
Audit Requirement
Since any employee could have embedded personal Drive documents in Sites, auditing all users becomes necessary. Cloudiway cannot determine minimum license quantities needed without this audit.
Licensing Requirements
Scenario 1: Migrating Both Drive and Sites
If you're migrating both Google Drive AND Google Sites:
Purchase Google Sites migration licenses only
File Migration engine access is included in the Sites license.
Scenario 2: Migrating Sites Only
If you're migrating Google Sites only (no Drive migration):
Obtain a CAL for every user
Client Access License (CAL) required to access the File Migration engine.
Without Proper Licensing
- File user auditing is impossible
- Embedded Drive documents cannot be migrated
Recommendations
- 1 Contact Sales for a Quote
Get accurate pricing for your specific migration scenario
- 2 Consider a Paid POC
Test with a proof-of-concept to validate requirements before full deployment
- 3 Plan for Full User Coverage
Since any user could have embedded files, plan for licensing all potential users