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Gulf InfotechGoogle CloudGoogle Cloud Premier PartnerShared drives · Oman, UAE, Qatar and the wider Middle East

Use Google Workspace as your file server

We move your mapped drives and folders to Google Workspace shared drives, keep the folder structure and permissions, and retire the server in the comms room.

Plan your file server move

Three quick answers and we will come back with a plan and a quote in your currency.

Your files today
Team size
You need

Step 1 of 2 · then your contact details

Google Workspace can replace an office file server: shared drives hold team files the company owns, with permissions by team and access from any device. Storage is pooled from 30 GB to 5 TB per user by plan. Gulf Infotech, a Google Cloud Premier Partner (in business since 2007), plans and runs the move across the Middle East.

Gulf Infotech clients across the Middle East

  • Aflag Pharmacy
  • OOSC

Why move with us

Read client stories
  • Google Cloud Premier Partner
  • Since 2007
  • Offices in Dubai, Muscat and Doha
  • 350,000+ users migrated

Partner credentials

Recognised by Google.

A Google Cloud Premier Partner with Google-certified engineers and offices in Dubai, Muscat and Doha, so your Workspace is set up and supported close to you.

  • Google CloudPremier Partner
  • In business since2007
  • Certified engineersLarge team, many Google-certified
  • Users migrated350,000+
  • OfficesDubai · Muscat · Doha

Good to know

What is a shared drive, and who is it for?

A shared drive is a team folder in Google Drive that the organisation owns. When an employee leaves, their files stay. That is the main difference from "My Drive", which belongs to one user. Shared drives are available on every Business plan, including Business Starter since September 2024, although Starter has fewer admin controls.

It fits offices of 5 to 300 people that today run a Windows file server or a NAS with mapped drives such as S: for Sales and F: for Finance. Staff open files in the browser, on phones, or from File Explorer and Finder through Google Drive for desktop, which streams files on demand instead of filling the laptop.

It is not the right fit for every workload. An accounting or design application that needs a mapped network path to a database file will not run from Drive. For those we keep a small server or move it to a cloud server. See cloud file server options.

At a glance

How do shared drives compare with an on-premise file server?

The practical point: plan shared drives by team or project, not one giant drive, so each one stays inside Google's item limit and permissions stay simple.

Access
Office network or VPNBrowser, mobile app, Drive for desktop
Who owns files
The serverThe organisation; members change, files stay
Permissions
NTFS folder permissionsFive access levels per drive, plus folder sharing
Capacity
The disks you buyPooled storage from your licences
Backups and hardware
Your responsibilityGoogle runs the infrastructure; we add third-party backup if you need it
Limits
Disk and server size500,000 items and 600 members per shared drive

How much storage does each plan include?

Storage is pooled across your organisation, so heavy and light users balance out.

  • Business Starter

    USD7.00

    per user per month, billed annually (annual upfront commitment) · Price

  • Business Standard

    USD14.00

    per user per month, billed annually (annual upfront commitment) · Price

  • Business Plus

    USD22.00

    per user per month, billed annually (annual upfront commitment) · Price

  • Enterprise Starter

    Contact sales

  • Enterprise Standard

    USD27.00

    per user per month, billed annually (annual upfront commitment) · Price

  • Enterprise Plus

    USD35.00

    per user per month, billed annually (annual upfront commitment) · Price

Compare all features
Compare all features
FeatureBusiness StarterBusiness StandardBusiness PlusEnterprise StarterEnterprise StandardEnterprise Plus
Pooled storage per user30 GB2 TB5 TBAsk us5 TB, more on request5 TB, more on request
50 users get1.5 TB100 TB250 TBAsk us250 TB or more250 TB or more

Prices as of October 2026 · per user per month, billed annually (annual upfront commitment) · exclude VAT where it applies (Oman and UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 15%, Bahrain 10%, Qatar and Kuwait none). Local prices are on the Google Workspace pricing page.

Licences are one component: deployment and security configuration, migration, training and support are separate, paid components, quoted for your requirement.

Business Standard is the usual choice for a file server move: 2 TB per user covers most offices with room to grow. Starter's 30 GB per user rarely holds a company file archive as well as email.

What do we deliver?

Audit

Total size, file count, deepest folder paths, file types and who has access to what today.

Shared drive design

One drive per team or project, mapped from your current folders, with owners named.

Permissions mapping

NTFS groups mapped to Google Groups and shared drive access levels.

Migration

Bulk copy in the background, then a final pass at cutover so nothing changed in between is lost. We choose the tool per case, by use case and complexity: Google's native tools, BitTitan MigrationWiz or SysTools.

Drive for desktop rollout

Installed on every PC and Mac so staff still work from File Explorer and Finder.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can Google Shared Drives replace a file server?

Yes, for most office documents. Shared drives give each team a company-owned folder with permissions and access from any device, and Drive for desktop keeps them visible in File Explorer and Finder. They do not replace a server for applications that need a mapped network path to a database file. Those stay on a small server or move to a cloud server.

How much storage does each plan include?

Business Starter includes 30 GB per user, Business Standard 2 TB, Business Plus 5 TB, and Enterprise 5 TB with more on request. Storage is pooled, so 50 users on Business Standard share 100 TB across the organisation. Prices start at $7 per user per month, billed annually, as of October 2026.

How do we migrate file shares?

We audit the server first, design shared drives by team, map permissions to Google Groups, then copy files in the background while staff keep working. At cutover we run a final copy and switch staff to Drive. Google's own tool for file shares, Google Workspace Migrate, is designed for organisations above 1,000 users, so for smaller moves we choose between Google's native tools, BitTitan MigrationWiz and SysTools, depending on your use case and complexity.

How are permissions handled?

Each shared drive has five access levels: Manager, Content manager, Contributor, Commenter and Viewer. Access set on the drive applies to every folder inside it, and you cannot make a subfolder more restrictive, except with limited-access folders. So we split sensitive areas such as HR and Finance into their own shared drives instead of locking subfolders.

Is Google Workspace storage unlimited?

No. Business plans have fixed pooled storage: 30 GB, 2 TB or 5 TB per user depending on the plan. Enterprise starts at 5 TB per user and Google can add more on request. We size the plan to your current data plus a margin for growth, and Business Standard's 2 TB per user covers most offices.

Can staff still open files from File Explorer?

Yes. Google Drive for desktop adds Drive to File Explorer on Windows and Finder on Mac. Shared drive files are streamed: they stay in the cloud and download only when someone opens them, so they do not fill the laptop's disk. Files open in Word or Excel as before, or in Google Docs and Sheets if you choose to convert them.

Retire your file server

Tell us how much data you hold and how many people use it, and we will plan the move and quote the licences.

Book a free consultation

Tell us what you are working on. A consultant replies within one working day.

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