Why have we been restricted to such a small quota? 

Google has updated their terms of use for the university’s Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals licence. This has resulted in a significant reduction in shared Google Drive storage space available to the university.  

 

Why is the deadline being enforced now? 

Google has given us a set deadline. If we don’t reduce UCT’s overall Google Workspace usage by then, we will need to pay excessive monthly costs, which is not feasible for the university. 

 

What are the quotas? 
  • Staff: 5GB 
  • Students: 500MB 
  • Third parties: 1GB

You can still access your data, but if it exceeds the new quotas, then your content will be read-only. This means that you can view your content but won’t be able to edit existing content or add new files, until you reduce your usage. 

 

Can I purchase additional Google Drive storage? 

Unfortunately, there is no option to purchase additional storage on Google Drive. 

 

Does shared drives count towards my quota? 

If you created the shared drive, and then the size will count towards your quota. If another individual created the shared drive and shared it with you, and then it won’t count towards your overall quota. 

 

Why can’t I edit files in Google Drive? 

Your storage limit exceeds the Google Drive quotas that have been enforced. Please reduce your storage limit to edit your existing files or add new ones. 

Remove unnecessary or historical data that is no longer needed and remember to empty the recycle bin once done. Move the content that you need to keep to a local drive or an alternative storage mechanism if you suspect you may need it in future. We recommend downloading and installing the Google Drive app to assist with moving your data to the applicable storage option. 

Videos and photographs take up a lot of storage space. Move these files to one of the alternative storage options listed below. Google files (i.e., Sheets, Slides and Docs) take up limited space. So, rather leave those in your Google Drive for now, and remove all other file types. 
 

Can the quota deadline be extended? 

Unfortunately, ICTS has to reduce the university’s overall Google Workspace by the deadline provided by Google, to avoid paying high monthly fees. 

 

What is the recommended method to share a document? 

If you’re only going to share the document with a specific group of people once-off, and then save the file on OneDrive for Business. If it is part of a project, work group, or collaboration process, and then save it in Microsoft Teams, where it is automatically stored on SharePoint. 

 

How do I move my Google Drive content to another storage platform? 

Save your Google Drive folders on a local drive 

Select all the files and folders that you need to remove from your Google Drive and download to a local file on your computer. You can then decide the most suitable place to store the relevant content. 

  • Files and folders that only you need to access or occasionally share: OneDrive for Business 
  • Collaboration with a team, work group, or project: the appropriate channels in Microsoft Teams, which is automatically uploaded to SharePoint. 
  • For research collaborations, please view what options are available on the UCT Research Data Store as well as their associated costs. 
  • In line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) UCT also offers central data storage, which is regularly backed up and secure.   
    • Researchers may request storage space – at a cost – on UCT’s data centre. Contact the UCT eResearch team for assistance.   

 

Save Google Drive content on OneDrive for Business 

If you have the Google Drive desktop application as well as the OneDrive for Business desktop application installed on your device, open both applications windows side by side and drag and drop the applicable folders from the one to the other. 

If not, follow these instructions to set it up.

 

Save Google Drive content on Microsoft Teams 

  1. Download and install the Google Drive desktop application on your device. 
  2. Open Microsoft Teams and navigate to the team or channel you’re going to store the information in.  
  3. Click on the Files tab and click Upload. 
  4. Navigate to your Google Drive desktop folder and select the content to be stored in Microsoft Teams. 

 

What happens if I am moving my Google Drive content and it is interrupted by loadshedding or lose internet connectivity? 

We recommend moving content in batches. This way it is easier to check what was copied and what still needs to be done. If there was an interruption while copying your content, re-select all the content that was in the process of being content and move it again. The application will automatically detect what was successfully copied and what still needs to be added. You may need to action any pop-ups that may appear. 

 

What if my Google Drive exceeds 100GB? 

You can request assistance from the IT Helpdesk. Before logging the call, first determine where you’re going to save what information, as you will need to provide this information in the call. 

If you’re going to request that content be moved to Microsoft Teams, first make sure that your team and channels are correctly configured before submitting your call, as this information will also need to be provided upfront. 

Delete any content that you no longer need and remember to clear your recycle bin, as this contributes to your overall usage. 

 

How long does the migration take? 

This is dependent on your internet connection and size of the content that you’re copying. If you have a lot of data, we recommend copying these in batches instead of everything in one go. 

 

What is the best time to copy files? 

Depending on the size of your Google Drive we would recommend copying it at the end of the day or when you are not scheduled to attend meetings. 

 

What options are available for collaboration with external individuals? 

Microsoft Teams is the ideal communication and collaboration for engaging with internal and external individuals. View our extensive guide to effectively using Microsoft Teams at UCT. 

 

What about photographs stored in Google Photos?

While ICTS is able to assist with the migration of most file types in Google Drive, we’re unable to assist with photographs stored in Google Photos. You will need to move that data yourself to either your personal Google account, or to an alternative storage option, as it also counts towards UCT's Google Workspace usage.