Introduction
In 2021, Google announced that they would end unlimited storage for higher education institutions. In late 2024, Google enforced storage limits. Microsoft (M365) also announced changes to its higher education storage in August 2023, which were enforced mid-2024. The UD Storage Project Team formed to reduce UD’s Google storage to comply with its institutional limit and to ensure that UD’s Microsoft storage remained under its institutional limit. These goals were successfully reached in Phase I of the Storage Project, completed in November 2025.
Subsequent phases of the Storage Project have begun with the aim of establishing a long-term, sustainable strategy that ensures UD stays within its Google and M365 institutional storage limits, as well as effectively and consistently communicates needed information to members of the campus community.
Project History
Current Storage Limit Guidelines
Google and M365 account management
Working with Storage
Contents
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Project Purpose
The UD Google and M365 Storage Project has been initiated to seek input from high-storage users and other stakeholders from across UD and identify solutions for data reduction and migration that best meet the needs of the institution. Faculty and staff interested in participating in the project can submit a request for more information.
The project team will update this page as the project progresses.
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Project Stakeholders
The following groups are stakeholders on the Google and M365 Storage Project.
Note: This list is not representative of everyone who is involved in the project.
- Information Technologies
- Human Resources
- Student Life
- Library, Museums and Press
- Development and Alumni Relations
- College of Health Sciences - IT
- Department of Athletics, Community and Campus Recreation - IT
- College of Agriculture and Natural Resources - IT
- College of Arts and Sciences - IT
- College of Education and Human Development - IT
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment - IT
- College of Engineering - IT
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FAQs
Below are some common questions regarding the Google and M365 Storage project. If you have additional questions about the project, reach out to your unit’s IT Professional, or you can share feedback via this form.
Why can’t we have unlimited storage?
Google and Microsoft ended their free, unlimited storage offering for higher education in 2024. UDIT in turn implemented M365 and Google storage limits to ensure that UD reached compliance with its institutional storage limits. Google and Microsoft now charge for storage that surpasses our institutional storage limits. Those who need storage beyond the maximum allotted storage limits for each service may purchase additional shared storage.
Now that M365 and Google sites, accounts, and shared drives have storage limits, why is the storage project continuing?
Although UD’s storage is currently under its Google and M365 institutional limits, UD must ensure a long-term, sustainable, consistent strategy for staying under those limits.
Why can’t I pay for more than 500GB of storage for Google MyDrive or Microsoft OneDrive?
Upon leaving UD, an individual’s Google account is either deleted or has a reduced storage allotment. Access to M365 is lost, and the M365 account will eventually be deleted. By limiting the maximum storage for individual accounts, UD minimizes the need for large file transfers. Microsoft Teams, SharePoint sites, and Google Shared drives are not removed so long as they are owned by active faculty, staff, or students. Also, HR intervention is required to retrieve files from an individual account for someone who has left UD, but this intervention is not required for shared entities.
My data is confidential. I can’t put it on a shared drive/Team/SharePoint site.
Google Shared drives and Microsoft Teams/SharePoint sites can be created with only 1 person having access to the shared entity.
What happens if I am over my Google or Microsoft storage limit?
If you go over the storage limits, UDIT will notify you and then reach out to you with additional information and next steps. To prepare for this conversation, make note of any files, folders, or email that you may no longer need.
Learn more about the impact for each service as you near or surpass your storage limit.
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Getting Help
If you or your clients have any additional questions or concerns, please contact the Google and M365 Storage project committee by completing this form.
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