In this episode of "Behind the Screens IT at ND," hosts Diana and Scooter delve into the crucial strategic initiative of Data Storage Stewardship at the University of Notre Dame. They are joined by Cloud Collaboration Services team members Qi Wu, Lisa Torbin, and Jeff Crithlow, who offer an in-depth look at the upcoming changes to the university's online storage options.The core of the stewardship project is establishing sustainable, secure, and cost-effective practices for managing the university’s growing data footprint. The goal is to define use cases and standardize storage options, encapsulated in the concept of "best fit storage". Guests explain that this shift is driven not only by vendors starting to charge for storage but also by the need to operate comfortably within dual ecosystems—Google Workspace remains the primary platform for daily collaboration and email, but M365 is essential for partnerships with Microsoft-centric organizations, research consortia, and government agencies.
Key Takeaways and Upcoming Changes Discussed:
- Box Retirement Timeline: The decision has been made to retire the Box environment by July 1, 2027. The team plans to provide published steps to minimize impact and help the 14,000 current users transition their data to either Google or Microsoft 365.
- Google Storage Caps and Chargebacks: In response to Google ending free unlimited storage, new accounts and shared drives now have set allocations (100 GB for My Drive, 250 GB for Shared Drives). Starting July 1, 2026, OIT will implement a chargeback model for allocations greater than 5 terabytes. Guests note that currently, fewer than 100 Google user accounts and Shared Drives exceed this threshold.
- Data Security and Cleanup: The team emphasizes that "unattended data is not secure data". Efforts are underway to clean up stale data, reduce the number of provisioned accounts (the Box footprint has been reduced from 32,000 to 14,000), and address "orphaned shared drives" that lack managers or creators.
Defining Best Fit Storage:- Google Drive/Shared Drives are recommended for active, frequently accessed data and collaboration. Guests detail the uses of My Drive (personal storage, subject to account lifecycle management) and Shared Drives (departmental/project storage).
- Highly Sensitive Information (HSI), such as social security numbers or credit card data, should be stored in specialized HSI Shared Drives in Google, which cannot be shared externally and must be approved and governed by InfoSec and an access group.
- Microsoft 365 (M365) is best for departments requiring strong integration with Microsoft Office formats, PowerBI, and specific external collaboration needs. Teams will be used as the M365 answer to Google Shared Drives, with plans for automating creation, governance, and life cycle management.
About this podcast:
Behind the Screens: IT@ND is a podcast based out of the University of Notre Dame, where hosts Scott Russell (IT Director for the College of Arts & Letters) and Diana Garcia (IT Support Technician: Service Desk) give you a behind-the-scenes look at what IT consultancy is all about. Whether you're deep in the IT world or just curious about how technology powers a university, this podcast is for you.
Each episode gives insight into Information Technology at Notre Dame — with focus on how IT consultants support the University, breaking down the challenges they face and the innovative solutions they create. From interviews with experts driving key campus projects to practical tips for making the most of your tech, this podcast explains how IT teams work behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly across campus.
With this podcast, not only will you learn how technology professionals at Notre Dame help shape and support the future of the University, but you'll also get helpful insights and strategies to help you stay ahead.
