What is M365:
The University of Idaho utilizes Microsoft 365 (M365) as a productivity platform for students, faculty, staff, and university community members. One of the tools available to M365 users is M365 storage which includes OneDrive, Sites, and Outlook. Find out more about these storage options here.
M365 storage allows users to access files from multiple devices, share files with others, and backup files in case devices get lost or damaged. Although the availability and flexibility of M365 storage is apparent there are some things to consider:
- Microsoft implements a surcharge on cloud data after a threshold is met. Our university is currently over our 270TB cloud storage threshold.
- Data cloud storage also carries a carbon footprint: saving and storing 100 gigabytes of data in the cloud creates a carbon footprint of about 0.2 tons of CO2 (source). That same amount of CO2 is created when driving 509 miles or roughly driving back and forth from Moscow to Boise (source).
How to organize your cloud data
This article will guide you through 4 practical strategies to manage and reduce your cloud storage and keep your digital life organized.
- Sorting Files
- Deleting Files
- Relocating Files
- Combining Files
Knowing how much space your data takes up or how long they've been in the cloud helps you develop plans on how to best manage it. Two of the easiest ways to identify data that you might want to delete is by size or by age. Some common large file types include Video files (MP4, MOV), Disk image files (ISO, DMG), RAW image formats from professional cameras, CAD files (STEP, STL), and Virtual machine disks (VDI, VMDK). Sorting your files is a great way to start organizing your cloud storage space.
- To sort by size, follow these steps:
- Go to https://vandalsuidaho-my.sharepoint.com/largestfiles, and check which file takes up the most space. You can click on each folder to check the files size.
- Or log in OneDrive via the Web portal https://vandalsuidaho-my.sharepoint.com than go to “My Files” on the left-hand side manual, use OneDrive's "Files" view to sort files by "File Size” which can allow you to sort files from largest to smallest.
- If this method only shows your folders then try following instructions here.
- To sort by date, follow these steps:
Deleting is the most effective way to reduce cloud storage. Be honest with yourself about what you truly need to keep. How many versions of that presentation do you really need? Are those blurry photos from five years ago truly precious memories, or are they just taking up space? Regularly review your files and delete any duplicates, outdated documents, low-quality images, and files you no longer use. Think of it as digital decluttering – it can be liberating! By embracing the art of digital decluttering, you can significantly reduce your cloud storage usage.
- Empty your One Drive Recycling Bin.
- Delete any unnecessary files or older files (see photo below).
- After sorting your files by largest size determine if you can delete large files.
Moving personal files such as photos, music, and videos to another device or separate cloud service is a great way to free up storage on your One Drive. It can be a surprise for people to find personal media on their work accounts, further contributing to your One Drive storage. Organizing personal files by putting them in a different location ensures that your work data is prioritized and not adding confusion when searching for files. By relocating personal files to a different location you can minimize your cloud storage and help your future self.
- Store only university related data in the cloud. If you have more questions on what type of data should be stored in your One Drive, find out more here.
- Move any music or photos unrelated to your work off of OneDrive.
- Consider moving files you have not accessed in 5 years elsewhere.
One great way to optimize your cloud storage for efficiency is combining or archiving them for later use. Merging multiple pdfs or using tools to put multiple files into a compressed folder reduces file size and easier to manage multiple files at once. These actions can help you save space, make it easier to navigate through your files, as well as streamlining file sharing.
- Combining multiple PDFs into a single PDF file using Adobe Acrobat.
- Consider archiving older projects or documents into a single compressed file using tools like 7Zip that are available in Software Center. Converting them to a .zip to keep them accessible but reduces the overall storage.
- If possible convert mp4 files to a lower resolution using tools like Adobe Express.
Accidentally deleted a file and need to get it recovered? Follow these instructions for recovering files accidentally deleted from your One Drive.
When in doubt, give OIT a shout. If you have any questions regarding storage cleaning, please let us know! You can reach out to us: