Understanding Virginia Tech's Team-based File Storage and Sharing Options


Introduction

This article describes the two "team-based" SaaS file storage and sharing options at Virginia Tech

Explanation

Both file storage and sharing solutions below provide the following benefits

 

  Google Shared Drive Microsoft Teams

Availability		 Google shared drive is available to all faculty, staff, and students, but can only be requested on behalf of a department by faculty or staff. Microsoft Teams is available to all faculty, staff, and students.

File Limits

Storage is allocated by organizational unit (OU) admins and comes out of the department's allocation or separate department purchase.
Number of files and folders must be less than 500K.

 Up to 25TB storage
(based on 1TB + 10GB/member)1
No more than 300K files for maximum performance

Single File
Size Limit		 5TB 100GB

Member Access
  • Members can access all content
  • Member access can be set to full, edit, comment or view only
  • External (non-VT) users with a Google account can be members
  • Members can access all content
  • All members have edit, comment and view access
  • External (non-VT) users can be members

File Sharing
  • Sharing may be set at the file level
  • Files can be shared with non-members either at Virginia Tech or externally
  • Sharing may be set at the file level
  • Files can be shared with non-members either at Virginia Tech or externally

Folder Sharing
  • Sharing may be set at the folder level
  • Folders can be shared with non-members either at Virginia Tech or externally
  • Folders with a lot of files or subfolders might take time before all permissions change.
  • Sharing may be set at the folder level by opening the folder in SharePoint Online
  • Folders can be shared with non-members either at Virginia Tech or externally

Data Compliance
  • Data is encrypted at rest and in transit
  • FERPA and PII may be stored in the solution
  • Data is encrypted at rest and in transit
  • FERPA, ePHI, and PII may be stored in the solution

1 The storage limit of Microsoft Teams/SharePoint Sites can be increased beyond their initial 1TB value. If a department has used over 90% of their available storage, they may request an additional 1TB of storage. Additionally, departments may repeat this request process every time their Team or SharePoint site reaches the new 90% usage level for their assigned storage. To request more storage, please submit a request for more SharePoint/Teams storage.