Introduction
OneDrive Migration Made Simple
Cloudiway enables seamless migration to OneDrive for Business from any platform including Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and file servers with complete preservation of structure, permissions, and metadata.
Migrating to OneDrive for Business is a critical step for organizations transitioning to Microsoft 365 or consolidating cloud storage platforms. Whether you're moving from Google Workspace, Dropbox, Box, or on-premises file servers, a successful migration requires careful planning and the right tools.
OneDrive for Business provides enterprise-grade security, seamless integration with Microsoft 365 applications, advanced collaboration features, and powerful sync capabilities. However, moving your organization's files while preserving permissions, metadata, version history, and folder structure presents significant technical challenges.
Cloudiway's OneDrive migration solution addresses these challenges comprehensively, enabling organizations to migrate from any source platform with zero data loss and minimal end-user disruption.
Supported Migration Sources
Cloudiway supports migrating to OneDrive for Business from multiple source platforms:
Google Drive
Migrate from Google Workspace personal and shared drives
Dropbox
Transfer Dropbox folders and team folders to OneDrive
Box
Move Box files, folders, and permissions to OneDrive
OneDrive
Migrate OneDrive between Microsoft 365 tenants
Migration Source Capabilities
- Google Drive: Migrate My Drive, Shared Drives, and convert Google Workspace files to Office formats
- Dropbox: Transfer personal folders, Team Folders, and Business accounts with full permissions
- Box: Migrate Box folders, notes, comments, tasks, and enterprise content with metadata
- OneDrive: Migrate OneDrive content between Microsoft 365 tenants with full fidelity
What Gets Migrated to OneDrive
Cloudiway ensures a complete migration of all your content to OneDrive for Business:
OneDrive supports storing up to 25TB per user (with appropriate licensing) and files up to 250GB in size. Cloudiway automatically handles file size limits, long path names, and special characters that could cause migration issues.
OneDrive Migration Process
The OneDrive migration process follows a proven methodology to ensure success:
Connect Source & Destination
Authorize Cloudiway to access your source platform and Microsoft 365 OneDrive environment securely via OAuth.
Map Users & Data
Match source users to Microsoft 365 accounts and select folders to migrate. Configure user mapping rules for automated matching.
Configure Migration Settings
Set permission mapping rules, conflict resolution, file filtering, and migration scheduling options.
Run Pilot Migration
Test with a small subset of users to validate settings, identify issues, and refine the migration plan.
Execute Full Migration
Start the full migration and monitor progress in real-time through the comprehensive Cloudiway dashboard.
Delta Sync & Cutover
Run delta synchronization to capture changes, verify data integrity, and complete the transition to OneDrive.
Common Migration Scenarios
Cloudiway supports various OneDrive migration scenarios with platform-specific capabilities:
Google Drive to OneDrive
Migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 with full fidelity
- Convert Google Docs, Sheets, Slides to Office formats
- Migrate Shared Drives to SharePoint or OneDrive
- Preserve sharing permissions and folder structure
- Map Google groups to Microsoft 365 groups
Dropbox to OneDrive
Transfer Dropbox Business team folders and personal folders
- Migrate Team Folders with complete permissions
- Preserve folder hierarchy and metadata
- Transfer file versions and comments
- Map Dropbox users to Microsoft 365 accounts
Box to OneDrive
Move Box enterprise content to OneDrive for Business
- Migrate Box folders with granular permissions
- Preserve Box notes, comments, and tasks
- Transfer file versions and metadata
- Map Box groups to Microsoft 365 security groups
OneDrive to OneDrive
Cross-tenant migration for mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations
- Migrate OneDrive between Microsoft 365 tenants
- Preserve permissions and sharing settings
- Transfer file versions and metadata
- Delta sync for minimal downtime during cutover
Best Practices for OneDrive Migration
Follow these best practices to ensure a successful OneDrive migration:
Audit Your Source Data
Review your source platform content before migration. Identify stale files, duplicates, and folders that can be archived. Clean up unnecessary data to reduce migration time and OneDrive storage costs.
Plan User Mapping Carefully
Ensure all source users have corresponding Microsoft 365 accounts with OneDrive provisioned. Create a comprehensive user mapping document. For cross-tenant migrations, coordinate with administrators from both source and destination tenants.
Run a Pilot Migration
Select a representative group of users (5-10) and migrate their data first. Validate folder structure, permissions, and file integrity. Use pilot results to refine settings before full migration.
Communicate with End Users
Notify users about migration schedules, expected downtime, and new OneDrive access procedures. Provide training materials and quick-start guides for Microsoft 365. Set up a support channel for migration questions.
Configure OneDrive Policies
Set up OneDrive sync client deployment, storage quotas, sharing policies, and retention rules before migration. Configure device access policies and multi-factor authentication requirements.
Use Delta Sync for Large Migrations
For migrations taking multiple days, enable delta synchronization. This captures changes made during migration, ensuring no data loss. Schedule final delta sync during a maintenance window for clean cutover.
Verify After Migration
Review detailed migration reports in Cloudiway dashboard. Spot-check critical folders and files. Verify permissions and sharing settings. Have users confirm they can access their migrated content in OneDrive.
Performance & Migration Metrics
Cloudiway delivers industry-leading performance for OneDrive migrations:
Migration Performance Factors
- Parallel Processing: Cloudiway migrates multiple files simultaneously for maximum throughput
- API Optimization: Direct API integration with OneDrive ensures fastest possible transfer speeds
- Delta Sync: Incremental migration captures only changed files, reducing migration time significantly
- Large File Support: Optimized handling of files up to 250GB using chunked upload technology
Ready to Migrate to OneDrive for Business?
Contact our migration experts to plan your OneDrive migration. We'll help you migrate from any platform with zero data loss and minimal disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a OneDrive migration take?
Migration time depends on the total data volume, number of files, and source platform. Cloudiway processes multiple files in parallel for optimal speed. A typical migration of 1TB can complete in 24-48 hours. For enterprise migrations with multiple terabytes, we provide detailed timeline estimates during the planning phase. You can monitor progress in real-time through the Cloudiway dashboard.
Can I migrate from Google Drive to OneDrive?
Yes, Cloudiway fully supports migrating from Google Drive (both My Drive and Shared Drives) to OneDrive for Business. The migration preserves folder structure, permissions, metadata, and sharing settings. Google Workspace files (Docs, Sheets, Slides) can be converted to Microsoft Office formats or kept as shortcuts.
Are permissions preserved during OneDrive migration?
Yes, Cloudiway preserves and intelligently maps permissions during migration. Folder-level and file-level permissions from the source platform are translated to equivalent OneDrive permissions. For SharePoint document libraries, site permissions are also preserved. You can customize permission mapping rules to fit your organization's security requirements.
Can I migrate file versions to OneDrive?
Yes, Cloudiway migrates file version history from supported source platforms including Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and SharePoint. OneDrive supports up to 500 versions per file. The migration preserves version metadata including timestamps, authors, and version labels where applicable.
What happens to shared links during migration?
Shared links from the source platform cannot be automatically transferred as they are platform-specific URLs. However, Cloudiway can recreate sharing permissions in OneDrive based on the source sharing settings. For public links, we recommend documenting critical shared links before migration and recreating them in OneDrive after migration completes.
Can I migrate from OneDrive to OneDrive between tenants?
Yes, Cloudiway supports OneDrive to OneDrive migrations between Microsoft 365 tenants. This is common during mergers, acquisitions, or tenant consolidation scenarios. The migration preserves folder structure, permissions, file versions, and metadata. Users can continue working in the source tenant while the migration is in progress with delta sync capability.
Do you support Delta migration to OneDrive?
Yes, Cloudiway supports delta (incremental) migrations to OneDrive. After the initial migration, you can run delta passes to transfer only new and modified files. This is essential for phased migrations where users continue working in the source platform during the transition. Delta migration minimizes downtime and ensures no data is lost during cutover.
