Google Workspace Optimization IT Toolkit
This toolkit shares an index of tools, resources, and communications developed by the Google Workspace Optimization project to support the community as we transition to a Google Workspace service that no longer offers free and unlimited storage.
Key messages
- Google Workspace will remain a preferred collaboration tool at the university, ensuring that faculty, students, and staff can access My Drive and shared drives for file storage and collaboration.
- Upcoming lifecycle management policies will be introduced.
- To maintain the service's sustainability, a storage limit of 5 TB will be applied to My Drives and each shared drive, effective September 1, 2025.
- Individuals who own My Drive accounts exceeding 5 TB and managers of shared drives storing more than 5 TB GB will be notified via email starting in March.
- Additional storage in Google Workspace can be purchased through the university. Pricing will be based on an annual cost of $0.15 per GB.
Curated resource guides
Storage Management Guide
This guide offers information to manage a drive that exceeds the storage limit with links to the following resources:
- Check My Drive storage: Understand how much data is being stored in your My Drive
- Clean up My Drive: Identify large, redundant, or unused files that may no longer be needed.
- Check shared drive storage: Learn how to see the amount of data stored in a shared drive.
- Clean up a shared drive: Leverage strategies for reducing storage or deleting a shared drive.
- Manage access in shared drives: Learn how to modify a shared drive member's permission level.
- Review security guidance: Reminder that it's highly recommended that Stanford data remains in a Stanford-approved solution.
- Purchase Google Workspace storage: Submit a PTA to be billed based on actual usage.
Storage Options Guide
This guide offers information on Stanford storage options with links to the following resources:
- Storage recommendations (card view): Compare the various storage options available at Stanford.
- Storage recommendations (matrix view): View side-by-side feature comparison of Stanford's storage options.
- Prepare to migrate with Globus: Ensure a smoother migration by preparing your data.
Guides by category
Monitor storage use
Manage a My Drive or shared drive
Explore storage options
Purchase Google Workspace storage
Other resources
Google Optimization Project webpage
How to get support
- For questions about storage options, submit a storage consulting request
- For technical support, submit a Help request
- To share feedback with the project team, use this form
Communication summary
Articles
- University Sets 5 TB Google Workspace Limit (Jan. 21, 2025)
- Transitioning to a Sustainable Google Workspace (Jan. 23, 2024)
- Navigating the Next Era of Google Workspace for Education (Aug. 15, 2023)
Emails
- Shared drive email (sent on April 30, 2025): Reminder to all managers and creators of shared drives exceeding 5 TB
- My Drive email (sent on April 30, 2025): Reminder to all owners of My Drive accounts exceeding 5 TB
- Shared drive email (sent on April 16, 2025): Informed managers and creators of shared drives storing 4-5 TB
- My Drive email (sent on April 16, 2025): Informed student owners of My Drive accounts storing 4-5 TB
- My Drive email (sent on April 16, 2025): Informed faculty, staff, and affiliate owners of My Drive accounts storing 4-5 TB
- Shared drive email (sent on March 18, 2025): Informed all managers and creators of shared drives exceeding 5 TB
- My Drive email (sent on March 18, 2025): Informed student owners of My Drive accounts exceeding 5 TB
- My Drive email (sent on March 18, 2025): Informed faculty, staff, and affiliate owners of My Drive accounts exceeding 5 TB
- Grace period extended email: (sent Aug. 7, 2024) Announced no storage limits would be enforced before March 1, 2025
- Shared drive manager email: (sent May 16, 2024) Informed managers of shared drives exceeding 490 GB
- My Drive email: (sent Feb. 21, 2024) Informed owners of My Drive accounts exceeding 490 GB
