Google Project FAQs

Google Project FAQs

Google Project FAQs

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Getting Help

Getting Help

If you need any assistance with Google Workspace including reduction techniques, reclaiming ownership of a large number of files, general storage questions, or what you should do next, please contact us.

Faculty, Staff, and Alumni: https://technology.berkeley.edu/contact-us

Students: https://studenttech.berkeley.edu/techsupport

If your department would like us to present information...

What are the storage limits for Berkeley Google accounts?

Storage limits are being applied in multiple phases.

July 5, 2023 All newly created individual accounts had a 50 GB limit applied All individual accounts with 35 GB of content or less had a 50 GB limit applied. All individual accounts with 36 - 150 GB of content had a 150 GB extended limit applied. Autumn, 2024 All SPA My Drives should have been reduced to 150 GB. All Shared Drives should have been reduced to 150 GB or have an...

How do I check my Google account storage usage?

To see the breakdown of usage in your Google account, go to https://drive.google.com/settings/storage.

To see all the files in your Google MyDrive sorted by usage, go to https://drive.google.com/drive/quota.

To find how much you are storing in your Shared Drive go to https://drive.google....

What services do the storage limits apply to?

The limit applies to Google Drive, Gmail (bMail), and Google Photos.

If Berkeley IT can see how much storage I’m using, do they have access to my content and data?

On a day to day basis, we apply the model of privileged access, meaning we access the minimum of what is necessary in order to perform the requested or required task. We only access an account’s data without permission in very specific and rare cases such as legal holds. In those cases, we never look at the contents, but pull the requested information without further perusal.

Will you delete my data if I’m over the storage limit?

We always make absolutely every effort to communicate when content is at risk of deletion. Sometimes content can be automatically deleted as part of the account lifecycle, where we deactivate and then delete accounts that were used by people no longer affiliated with the university. If an account holder repeatedly ignores our attempt to contact them in order to assist with lowering usage and no engagement or reduction has occurred, we may consider deleting content in that account. It is our goal to never have to delete content on your behalf!

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Who do I talk to if I think my circumstances are unique?

We are happy to consult with you. Please email us at google-storage-project@berkeley.eduto arrange a personal consultation.

How do the storage limits impact email?

If you are over quota, some services such as creating a new Google Doc may cease to function, however Gmail will continue to send and receive email normally.

In Gmail, when you attach something to an email, if that item is below 25 MB it stays in Gmail and applies to the Gmail portion of your overall usage. Larger attachments are saved in Google Drive and apply to the Drive portion of your overall usage. In both cases, the usage contributes to your overall quota.

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If another account shares files with me in My Drive, do those files count against my storage limit?

No, they are attributed to the owner’s account.

What happens if I go over my individual storage limit?

If your individual account is over the limit Autumn 2024, you will not be able to edit existing documents or upload new items in Google Drive. Email will work normally. No content will be deleted. Once you remove content so that you are below your limit your account will go back to operating normally. You can find more information about the various storage limit banners and notifications in the Knowledge Base.

How will the storage limits work with SPAs and shared drives?

SPAs will need to reduce content in their My Drive space to be below 150 GB. Shared Drives that do not have a special arrangement in place will also need to be within 150 GB.

How can I learn more about what kind of data can be stored in Google Drive or other storage services at UC Berkeley?

UC Berkeley Box and Google Data Use Agreement

Can a student create a Shared Drive?

No. However, if the student is working on a group project with a Lab or other research group, the faculty member can create the Shared Drive and the team members, including the student, can use it.

Passthrough Pay Option MOU

All Passthrough Pay Option accounts must complete this MOU which uses the DocuSign platform. The MOU will have three signers:

Department/Group Budget Representative

Department/Group Data Manager (ensures content guidelines...

Should I just download my "My Drive" content to my desktop?

While the option to download to a local folder may work for some people, it is a risky endeavor due to security implications and the lack of the ability to restore accidentally deleted files. Data and recovery level classification applies to all institutionally owned data, and retaining sensitive data in laptops or portable drives is not recommended. Files should be stored on services the university officially provides both for security and for the ability to...