Guide: Storage Options
There are several options for flexible and secure ways to store data effectively at UC Santa Cruz, meeting both individual and larger-scale needs for the campus community.
Not sure which option is best?
Request an informal conversation with technology experts via the Architectural Review Board (ARB) to explore which hosting options best meet your needs.
Overview
To determine the best storage solution for your needs, it’s helpful to consider:
- Does your data contain sensitive information?
- How much storage do you need?
- Are your storage needs specialized, such as for research?
- Which storage options are available based on your role?
The storage options provide flexible and secure ways to store data effectively, whether your needs are individual or collaborative. If you’re unsure which option fits your needs best, you can request a consultation.
Google Drive (Google Workspace)
Google Drive (an app in Google Workspace Services) is the primary collaborative file storage solution for UCSC, and is available to students, faculty, and staff. It is ideal for sharing, creating, and collaborative editing of documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, and more. It allows departments or teams to control their own file access, simplify business continuity, and encourage the use of collaborative features.
When to use Google Drive
- To access and organize your Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms into Shared Drives to collaborate with your team members
- For sharing and editing other kinds of files with limited numbers of collaborators in My Drive and Shared Drives rather than Gmail
- For business process and documentation to support the educational and administrative activities of the university
- For project work
- For automatic integration with campus directory of workgroups and users for easy sharing
When not to use Google Drive
- To store personal files (including photos) or data not related to your employment or coursework at the university
- To store large research datasets
- As a primary data backup repository or for the storage of data that is not intended for regular access and use
- For non-collaborative data
- For credit card information (PCI-DSS)
- For personal Identifiable Information (PII)*
- For sensitive data such as electronic protected Health Information (ePHI) subject to HIPAA *
* Allowed use with Email File and Encryption (Virtru).
Google Shared Drive: storage limits and paid option
Google Drive storage limits are based on your role. Learn more about storage limits and how to manage your Google Storage. Departments and research groups with extra-large storage needs can purchase 1 TB or more of additional storage for a Google Shared Drive.
Secure file storage
Secure File Storage is intended for groups and individuals that have a need to store and share files with sensitive information up to Protection Level 4 (P4). Secure File Storage is available to faculty and staff.
Research data storage
There are a variety of storage options for researchers. Please request a personalized consultation to identify the best solutions for your needs, and in alignment with internal policies and external regulations.
More storage options
Depending on your storage needs and affiliation, UCSC offers the following other storage options to safely store your files:
Cloud Computing Services (Amazon Web Services/AWS)
- Eligibility: Faculty, staff
- Usage Examples: Making a large dataset available for public download, private file sharing with versioning and replication, and storing data files to be shared among multiple servers doing analysis.
- Get Started: Request a consultation and explore your best options.
- Data Classification Level: P1, P2, P3, P4
- Cost: UCSC has a contract for discounted pricing for AWS storage.
YuJa
- Eligibility: Faculty, graduate students, and teaching assistants
- Usage Examples: Creating, storing, sharing, and managing video content. YuJa also stores and shares recordings made with Lecture Capture and Zoom.
- Get Started: Learn more about YuJa, Lecture Capture, and the YuJa Zoom Connector.
- Data Classification Level: P1, P2, P3, P4
- Cost: No cost
Library Storage Archive
- Eligibility: Faculty, staff
- Usage Examples: Storing historical records documenting UCSC activities, functions, decisions, policies, and programs (both adopted and rejected) in various formats.
- Get Started: Transfer or donate materials to University Archives
- Capacity: 89 TB and 69 TB
- Cost: No cost
Scholarly Works: eScholarship
- Eligibility: Faculty, staff, instructors, and graduate students
- Usage Examples: Storing publications, conference proceedings, research data, and scholarly outputs accessible by the public.
- Get Started: Learn more about the eScholarship Repository
- Cost: No cost