Do you use FTP for your business and now need to transfer your data to Google Drive? If so, this article will help you evaluate the transfer options available to you – with the pros and cons of each one.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTP is a network protocol that facilitates the transfer of information between two channels — a server and a client. It begins with a user typically logging-in to the FTP server or without a password using an anonymous connection. The client requests the server every time the user wishes to download, delete, or modify a file stored on the FTP server.
There are different types of FTP modes such as Active Mode and Passive Mode. While the former involves creating a return response with a data connection returning to the client, the latter involves only client-generated requests with no return responses. Because there is no data connection returning to the client, the Passive Mode typically doesn’t encounter security issues at the Firewall protection levels.
FTP is generally used for:
- Backing up important business data to a secured FTP server
- Facilitate easy access to updated data to all employees using a centralized FTP Server
- Access shared web hosting resources
Google Drive
Google Drive needs no special introduction. It’s one of the most popular and fastest-growing cloud storage and collaboration platforms from the search engine giant. Individuals and companies across the world are using this vital resource to store, and sync files across their desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones, among others.
The free plan of Google Drive offers a whopping 15 GB of storage. The file-sharing feature allows users to upload large files and share them with others with simple links. Besides, the collaborative feature suite of Google Drive allows employees to work in real time on the same document without the hassle of downloading and re-uploading them.
The Need for Transferring Files from FTP to Google Drive
Why would you want to transfer your files from FTP to Google Drive? Here are some endless possibilities:
- You want to avail 15 GB of free storage
- You want to benefit from the seamless file-sharing and collaboration features of Google Drive.
- You want to take advantage of Google Drive’s Version History feature so that you can recover from unwanted or accidental changes with one click
- Your business colleagues and partners use Google Drive for cloud collaboration
- You want to avoid the risks and limitations associated with the usage of FTP
FTP to Google Drive Files Transfer Procedure
Manual File Transfer
The manual procedure involves downloading your files from the FTP Server using an FTP Client software and re-uploading them on the Google Drive account. If you’re looking for a completely free solution and have fewer files to transfer, your best bet is the manual method.
Step 1: Quick Connect to your FTP Server
- Download, install, and open FileZilla.
- Type your host server address. Username and password into the Host, Username, and Password text boxes respectively.
- Click on the Quickconnect button.
- The quick connection may take some time, depending on the speed of your server.
Step 2: Download Your Files
- Browse through the various sub-folders in your FTP Directory.
- Select the files and folders you want to download to your PC. To select multiple files or folders at once, use the Ctrl + Shift.
- Right-click your selection, and choose the Download option.
- The download shall start.
Step 3: Upload Files on Google Drive
- Open Google Drive.
- Click on My Drives.
- Go to the folder where you want to upload your files and folders.
- Right-click on the empty area, and select File Upload or Folder Upload, depending on the nature of the upload.
- Select your files or folders, and then click on Open.
Benefits
- It’s free
- You don’t need to provide file access permissions to third-party services
Limitations
- It’s slow and cumbersome
- Network issues could disrupt the transfer process
TIP:
Easy Cloud Manager Benefits
Easy Cloud Manager is a cloud file migration SaaS.
- Your data is secured with 256-bit encryption and no passwords are stored
- Supports popular cloud storage platforms including Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, pCloud, Google Workspace, OneDrive for Business, and Dropbox Business, among others.
- Supports both inter-cloud and intra-cloud data transfers
- ECM is 100% Web-based. There are no downloads or spyware.
- Supports multiple simultaneous file transfers
- ECM supports finding and removing duplicate files from cloud storage, and batch renaming files for better file management
- It’s possible to customize the data transfer process. For example, you can choose to transfer only specific file types (such as documents, archives, music, videos, and images), or specific file sizes.
Limitations
- Not all cloud services are currently supported
- It offers a free plan with a 5 GB/ month bandwidth limit. While it may be sufficient for most home users, businesses may need to upgrade to a higher plan.
