College of Engineering Plan for Employees

→ If you are a student, Visit the Virginia Tech IT site for instructions. 

3/29/2024 - By now, all users in Engineering should have been transitioned from Gmail to Microsoft Exchange/Outlook. If you are having trouble accessing email or calendar, visit Accessing Your Virginia Tech Exchange Online Account for help. 

Review of Helpful Processes

Objectives:

  1. Be able to check your Google storage usage - Link
  2. Choose where to move your personal files - Link
  3. Discuss or Back up 'Shared with me' files. - Tutorial
  4. Discuss or Back up Google Forms shared with you. - Tutorial

Goal 1 - Personal Data

All Employees should have completed these steps, but if you are still have personal data in your Google Drive, please move it to clear up your space for work files.

What qualifies as personal Data?

Objectives:

  1. Removing personal data from Google My Drive - Tutorial
    • Employees - Remove all non-work data. Get work data under 5GB.
  2. The Google Photos App has been removed from Virginia Tech's Google Service package. Please refer to our Tutorial for instructions on how to check your Google Photos storage if you haven't addressed this already. Please also contact your IT team if you still have photos in your Google Photos account.
  3. Employees - Remove personal files from any other Google services tied to your VT account.

Goal 2 - Shared Drive Files 

Objectives:

  1. Backup and Delete Shared Drive Files as needed
    • Employees: Back up and delete all personal (non-work) files from your My Drive and your Shared Drives.
  2. Delete unnecessary work files from your My Drive and Shared Drives after discussion with collaborators. - Tutorial
  3. Claim Shared Drives - MyCAT Tutorial

Goal 3 - My Drive and 'Shared with me' Files

Objectives:

  1. Optional: Read Understanding Google File Ownership / Management. 
  2. Employees: further empty Google My Drive by removing unneeded work files that are not subject to Records Retention Policy 2000.
  3. Protect yourself from losing important files:
    1. ‘Shared with Me’ files when others begin deleting. - Tutorial
    2. Backup Google Forms you have access to and do not want to lose - Tutorial
    3. Discover files you may not have backed up or dealt with. - visit our Data Loss Prevention Strategies page. 
  4. Employees: Work with your department to determine your storage limits. If needed, justify overage.

Click here for our video tutorials page!

If you encounter problems with this guide, please contact us at engtechteam@vt.edu or 540-231-9076

Last Updated 12/4/2023

Future Goals - Costs and Allocations

This goal is furthest out and currently least defined.

Objectives:

  1. Collaborate with your IT staff to address remaining challenges and situations unique to individual users and groups.
  2. Finalize any remaining edge cases.
  3. Finalize storage needs.
  4. Finalize how storage will be purchased and allocated.

Please check back here or contact IT if you need assistance, or have a request for help or tutorials on a subject not yet covered.