July 2023 CIO update
Please accept my apologies for my not so brief hiatus from producing the monthly CIO blog. I am back on track to produce a monthly update, and I would appreciate any feedback or suggestions moving forward. Following please find updates on Google Workspace and our IT Governance process.
Google Workspace Storage Changes Coming
Traditionally, Google has offered unlimited storage for Google Workspace services at no cost to qualifying educational institutions. Google announced a new storage policy ending free unlimited storage for the academic community effective July 1, 2022. In 2020, VCU purchased Google’s enterprise licensing. While this purchase was done to provide additional features and security features, these licenses also provide additional storage for our user community. Because of this purchase, VCU has received an extension until May 2024, which allows ample time to assess and develop solutions that meet VCU’s academic, research, and administrative storage needs.
Our goal is to maintain service quality, minimize disruption, and contain costs while addressing immediate needs and planning for the future. This may involve considering additional storage opportunities or other adjustments to accommodate this change.
This spring, the Collaboration Services team held Google Meets with IT leadership from all departments and schools to review the storage picture for each area. The focus of the conversation was to provide a snapshot of current storage and encourage everyone across campus to clear redundant and outdated emails and Drive files from their Google Workspace accounts. The common theme:
- Google Drive is often the best place to store data for many different purposes, and if so, then please leave it there as long as record retention has not expired. We do not encourage moving data to your computer or another storage location if Drive serves the departmental needs best.
Updated storage snapshots will be provided at the end of the summer and in December, we’ll reevaluate to determine if cleanup has freed up enough space to avoid adding quotas or purchasing additional storage.
Ramscaping your Google Workspace account is in full swing
Like a front lawn, your Google account can become unruly without the proper maintenance. The emails need to be collected and trashed, Drive files need to be pruned, and you need all the right tools for the job! Collaboration Services has an 8-week journey in progress to learn how to prune, trim, and maintain your Google account. Visit https://blogs.vcu.edu/drgee/2023/06/01/welcome-to-the-ramscaping-your-google-account-summer-challenge/ to learn more.
Special thanks to our faculty, employees and IT leaders throughout campus for embracing the call to action. It only takes a few minutes to review and free up significant space, which will help us meet the May 2024 storage goal. One of our users reported, “I just used the cleanup resource for “My Drive” and it works great. The original size was 14.19G now it’s 7.09G after a quick look.” Early results from Ramscaping participants show a reduction in storage of 257.8 GB with more cleanup to come.
IT Governance: New Process in Place
IT Governance is utilized when someone wants to pursue, purchase, renew or find a technology solution to meet an identified business, teaching, research or operational need. A newly redesigned IT Governance process was rolled out this Spring, establishing an updated review and approval process for IT technology investments at VCU. With this new process, IT Governance must review and approve all IT software and applications prior to purchase (regardless of price). More information about submitting items to IT Governance for review can be found here. Questions? Contact itgov@vcu.edu directly for assistance and support.
Stay tuned for upcoming update on the new Technology Operations Center, our Zero-Trust Security Model, and more.
Have a great rest of the summer!
Alex