Google Project FAQs

Google Project FAQs

Google Project FAQs

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What are the quotas for Berkeley Google accounts?

All newly created accounts on or after January 25, 2023 will be given a 150 GB quota. Also on January 25, 2023 existing accounts will have higher “containment” quotas applied to provide ample time for their content to be assessed while maintaining day to day operations. These quotas are simply to contain the growth of our Google storage usage on campus. We will be implementing lower quotas later in the project, and we are still determining the final quotas. More specific dates and guidance will be provided closer to the fall semester of 2023....

What services does the quota apply to?

The quota applies to Google Drive, bMail, and Google Photos.

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 see the usage in a SPA, log into Google or Box as that SPA, and then follow the links above.

Be sure you are...

How do I know if I will be affected by the new quotas?

All accounts will be placed into a containment quota group on January 24, 2023, but the quotas will give you ample room to continue to work normally and therefore should have no real impact on your usage. To find out how much storage you are currently using, go to this URL and log in with your CalNet ID: https://drive.google.com/settings/storage . As we continue to develop the quotas, if you are directly impacted we will email you.

Will you delete my data if I’m over quota?

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 you are over quota, we have no plans to delete your content on your behalf.

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.

Are Google Drive or other Google core services going away?

The Google services you access at Berkeley will remain available to you, and your account will continue to work as it does now, as long as your account remains under your quota. You will still have access to all the same Google services you use now.

What kinds of accounts will be affected by the changes to the Google service?

The Google quotas and service changes will apply to all Google account holders at UC Berkeley, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, emeriti, and retirees; however, only a very small number of people will need to take any action.

How does the quota 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.

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

If you have more than 5 TB of content in your account and you would like to work with a specialist to assess and develop a data plan, please submit a ticket at https://technology.berkeley.edu/contact-us. We’ll reach out via your ticket to discuss or set up a meeting. If you currently have less than 5 TB of content please don’t take any action at this time. We will contact you with further information in mid-2023.

Will you be communicating directly with departments? Can you present this project to my department?

If your department has members whose accounts hold more than 5 TB of data, we will likely be contacting your department. If you’d like us to present the details of the project to your department, just email us at storage-changes-team@lists.berkeley.edu

What happens if I go over my quota?

You will not be able to create new documents or do any activity that adds to your storage consumption. Once you remove content so that you are below your quota your account will go back to operating normally.

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.

How will quotas work with SPAs and shared drives?

We know that SPAs and shared drives will have quotas, but have not determined the date those will be applied or what the quotas will be. We’ll update this website when we have more information.

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

https://security.berkeley.edu/uc-berkeley-box-and-google-data-use-agreement

When are the new quotas going to be enforced?

We will be implementing the containment quotas on January 24, 2023. These quotas should have no impact on day to day operations. We expect to lower some of those quotas in the fall semester of 2023 to at least 150 GB, final number to be determined.

What do I need to do now to prepare for the new quotas?

The vast majority of the community will not need to take any action at all! However, If you would like to prepare for lower quotas that will be implemented later in the project, you can review your existing content in Google Drive, Google Photos, and bMail and delete anything you are comfortable with deleting, especially backups of backups, archives, and extremely out of date records/emails. This is just a recommendation; you are responsible for determining what content you are willing to delete.