This article compares two accounts available from the Division of IT: Exchange Online-backed Virginia Tech Shared Mailbox (Personal Access for Collaborative Email (PACE)) account and a Google Groups-backed Virginia Tech Shared Mailbox PACE account.

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Explanation

Shared Mailbox (PACE) accounts represent different ways to have access to a single email inbox or account. It is important to understand the similarities and differences between these accounts in order to decide which solution best matches your specific use case.

Service	Shared Mailbox (PACE Exchange Resource Account)	Shared Mailbox (PACE Google Group)
Description	This PACE account is a @vt.edu address backed by an Exchange Resource Account. Access to the account is provided by membership to the corresponding Organizational Unit (OU).	This PACE account is a @vt.edu address backed by a Google Group. Access to the account is provided by membership to the corresponding Google Group. Requesting a PACE account does not automatically create the corresponding Google group.
Pros	Access is controlled by group membership rather than individual delegation Accountability for individuals who view and respond to emails sent to the address Members can send on behalf of the account View the account activity via the Outlook desktop app or web browser	Access is controlled by group membership rather than individual delegation Accountability for individuals who view and respond to emails sent to the address It has all the configurable options of a Google Group
Cons	Membership must be managed by an OU admin Limited to 50 GB storage unless an A3 license is purchased at SSC's help page	You cannot send email on behalf of the group Does not have a calendar
Use Cases	Departmental email address with collaborative inbox accessed by multiple members Research group, Center, or working group needing a long-term stable address	Departmental email address allowing email or posting to the group's members Research group, center, or working group needing a long-term stable address
Who Can Use It?	Faculty, staff, and students	Faculty, staff, and students