Cloud Storage Changes

Over the last few years, major cloud service providers have all phased out unlimited storage; this includes the three licensed by UMBC: Google, Box, and Microsoft. With unlimited storage, there was no reason to limit usage, now with limits, universities across the country are implementing quotas, including UMBC. With new storage limits for Google, we are implementing storage quotas for all users.

Please note that every effort is being made to ensure existing users in our campus community are not adversely affected by the storage quotas. Your data is important. Existing users with a staff, faculty, or student affiliation have been provided additional space based on their current Google storage use. New UMBC accounts will be given the default quotas below to ensure we remain under our storage limits. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this change.

Timeline For Alumni Accounts: We aim to help all alumni accounts get below 5GB by the summer of 2025. Over 75% of our alumni accounts are within the 5GB storage limit. We are developing an outreach and communication program to help those above the 5GB quota reduce their data within the limit provided.

Alumni with Google storage above the 5GB allowed have been granted a temporary increased quota to accommodate their current usage. Starting in January 2025, DoIT will reach out to alumni with storage over 5GB to provide tips and assistance for migrating and managing your Google storage. If we do not hear back by June 1, 2025, we will begin to take steps to deactivate your alumni account if you are above the limit of 5GB. We are committed to working with the Alumni Association to support our alumni in this transition.