UW–Madison provides faculty, staff and students with Google Workspace, a collection of cloud-based tools including Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and more. Google Workspace lets you store and access files needed for active collaboration. We are reshaping the UW–Madison Google workspace service.
What prompted this project?
In early 2021, Google introduced a new license and storage model, eliminating free, unlimited storage. The new model provides UW–Madison with a baseline of 100 terabytes of pooled storage, with the option to gain additional storage through various paid license upgrades. We are still analyzing license options and the impact they may have on UW–Madison’s overall storage cap. Google will enforce our storage cap on July 1, 2024.
What is changing?
During this multi-year project, we will reshape the Google Workspace service to comply with Google’s new storage policy requirements. Google Workspace is most valuable when used as a real-time, collaboration and sharing tool. UW–Madison Google Workspace Terms of Use prohibit the use of Google Drive for backups or archival storage.
The project team is collaborating with campus partners and peer institutions to evaluate Google Drive storage quotas and eligibility for all available applications within the Google Workspace service. It is important to note that not all impacts have been identified. Project deliverables may change as we research our options or receive new information from Google.
Project updates and contacts
If you prefer to receive project updates in your inbox, please subscribe to our Google Group. If you have questions or feedback, please contact the Reshaping the Google Workspace Project team.
Overview of changes
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MyDrive accounts
- June 1, 2023: A 25GB default quota will be implemented for newly created accounts and all accounts currently using less than 25GB.
- June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024:
- MyDrive accounts using 25GB or more will receive a temporary quota and enter into a grace period until May 31, 2024. During this time, you will need to either reduce your storage below 25 GB or work through the exception process.
- An exception process for additional storage will be offered beginning June 1, 2023.
- Account owners exceeding default quotas will be contacted with additional guidance after June 1, 2023.
- Learn how to view your storage usage and manage your content.
- June 2024: All accounts must reduce their storage below their quota. Deadline to request a quota exception is May 31, 2024.
- July 1, 2024: Google will begin enforcing the service-wide storage cap. Most accounts will be subject to the 25GB default quota.
Note:
- Data shows over 97% of users have less than 25GB of data and will not be impacted by this change.
- If you reach your storage quota, your account will be “read only.” You will not be able to add or edit files until data is deleted or moved out of MyDrive. You may request additional storage through the exception process.
- Most MyDrive accounts must be kept below 25GB to stay within our overall storage cap. However, based on an analysis of our current account storage distribution we believe we can support a small number of accounts with up to 500GB quotas.
Shared drive accounts
- June 1, 2023: A 25GB default quota will be implemented for newly created accounts and all accounts currently using less than 25GB.
- June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024:
- Shared drive accounts using 25GB or more will receive a temporary quota and enter into a grace period until May 31, 2024. During this time, you will need to either reduce your storage below 25 GB or work through the exception process.
- An exception process for additional storage will be offered beginning June 1, 2023.
- Account owners exceeding default quotas will be contacted with additional guidance after June 1, 2023.
- Learn how to view your storage usage and manage your content.
- June 2024: All accounts must reduce their storage below their quota. Deadline to request a quota exception is May 31, 2024.
- July 1, 2024: Google will begin enforcing the service-wide storage cap. Most Shared drives will be subject to the 25GB storage limit.
Note:
- If you reach your storage quota, your account will be “read only.” You will not be able to add or edit files until data is deleted or moved out of the Shared drive. You may request additional storage through the exception process.
- Most Shared drive accounts must be kept below 25GB to stay within our overall storage cap. However, based on an analysis of our current account storage distribution we believe we can support a small number of accounts with up to 500GB quotas.
- After spring 2024: Shared drives without at least one UW–Madison member in the “manager” role may be subject to deletion, unless a UW–Madison member is elevated to “manager.”
- Prior to deletion, a 0GB quota will be applied to the Shared drive and files will remain read-only for 180 days. Once deleted, data can be recovered for 25 days.
Service accounts
- June 1, 2023:
- Newly created service accounts will continue to be provisioned in Google Workspace but will no longer be allotted storage in MyDrive and will receive a 0GB storage quota.
- Service accounts currently using more than 0GB will receive a temporary quota exception through May 31, 2024.
- Deadline to remove all data from service accounts is May 31, 2024.
- Account owners exceeding the default 0GB quota will be contacted with additional guidance after June 1, 2023.
- June 1, 2024: All service accounts will be assigned 0GB storage quota.
Note:
- Service accounts using MyDrive to store shared/departmental data that needs to persist beyond a person’s affiliation with the university should consider using a Google Workspace Shared drive as an alternative.
- Reducing service account access to Google MyDrive minimizes the university’s risk of violating the vendor’s terms of service and acceptable use policy, as well as the risk of malicious actors compromising service accounts due to lack of multi-factor authentication.
Office hours
Have a question? Want to learn more? Attend virtual office hours to talk with a member of the project team.
Date: Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Time: 1 to 2pm
Date: Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Time: 1 to 2pm
Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Time: 11am to noon
Project Updates
List of articles
Prepare for upcoming Google Workspace storage quotas
Starting Jun 1, storage quotas will be applied to all UW–Madison Google My Drive and Shared drives. Over the default 25 GB quota? Reduce your storage or learn more about the exception request process.
May 24, 2023Reshaping the Google Workspace service: office hours
You’ve likely heard changes are coming to your Google Workspace account. Have questions? Stop by office hours to talk with the project team.
May 3, 2023New option: Move folders from My Drive to shared drives in Google Workspace
Previously, this option was only available for files. Learn more about requirements to move folders—and how file access may change after the move.
April 18, 2023Google Workspace storage quotas start Jun 1
Google is phasing out its free, unlimited storage model—which means changes are coming soon for UW–Madison Google accounts.
March 21, 2023Changes coming to Google Workspace, MyDrive and Shared Drive storage quotas
Beginning June 2023, UW-Madison Google Workspace accounts will no longer have unlimited storage. Accounts will be subject to a storage quota. Learn more about the project areas of focus.
December 8, 2022- More Google Updates posts
Project timeline
High-level milestones
Mar 2023: Google Workspace announcement
Introduce multi-year project. Announce end of unlimited storage and storage quota plan. Sent through communication channels.
Mar-Jun 2023: Quota and storage cap awareness campaign
Jun 2023: Quotas and exception storage caps are implemented
Jun 2024: Meet 80% of the storage cap
Our goal is to be at 20% below our total storage capacity come June 2024. Having a 20% buffer provides some room for storage to grow while ensuring we're still under our overall storage cap.
Jul 2024: Google Workspace storage cap begins
Project Team
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Project Sponsor
- Jamie Gutkowski, director, User Services
Sponsor Accountable Associate Director
- Patrick Johnson, associate director, Productivity and Collaborative Solutions
Project Leads
- Christina Gomez, service manager, Productivity and Collaborative Solutions
- David Karnowski, service owner, Productivity and Collaborative Solutions
Project SME
- Dave Schroeder, integration engineer, Productivity and Collaborative Solutions
Project Manager
- Dawn Karls, product manager, User Services
Feedback & Documentation
Share your thoughts
Your ideas about Google Workspace matter to us.
Email the project team at
google-workspace-project-feedback@g-groups.wisc.edu