The end of unlimited cloud storage is here. Along with many other services, Google has already moved to a paid model for their services and will begin charging UCSB for our stored content in 2024 if we do not reduce our storage consumption. We currently store 3.58 PB of data across Google Workspace, and our new storage cap, without significant additional fees, is 1.03 PB.

We will be making several changes to the service beginning in January of 2023, however, customers will not experience any immediate impact. Please see the project plan below and FAQ for more details about the plan and how you may be affected.

Storage Alternatives

Google Storage Question or Request

Project Plan

Quota implementation Phase 1: January 23, 2023

  • Update the Google Workspace SLA to clarify and reflect the new service model.
    • All newly created accounts receive a 150 GB quota.
    • All existing accounts are placed into a containment quota tier

Engagement: January 2023 - September 2023

  • Consultation with the Connect Advisory Group to form a recommendation for storage strategies
  • Campus engagement with IT Governance (ITC and ITB) to develop content management and storage strategies
  • Consultations with departments and research groups with large volumes of content
  • Acceptable terms of use

Quota implementation Phase 2: Goal Fall 2023

  • Default and Legacy quotas finalized.
    • Default Quotas for Students, Faculty, Staff Affiliates and Functional Accounts
    • Legacy Quotas for existing users based on current usage patterns 
  • Assessment and assistance for accounts with data consumption that falls over the final quota.

Account Lifecycle implementation: January 2024 - Dec 2024

  • Begin account lifecycle (deactivating then deleting accounts belonging to people no longer affiliated with the university)
  • Update the Google Workspace SLA to reflect the new service model

Engagement: September 2023 - Dec 2024

  • Continued consultations with large volume accounts, administrative units, and departments to develop content management and storage strategies

Milestone: July 2024

  • Additional Storage purchased
  • In compliance with our Storage allocation

Completion: Dec 2024

  • All accounts must be placed into a quota
  • Account lifecycle, including account data deletion, in place.
  • Exception criteria for quota requests (These processes are still TBD and may change in the future).