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Best options for storing electronic files

Why is it that we never have enough space to put our stuff? Whether it is closets for our clothes and shoes or garage shelves for our tools. The same can be said for our electronic “stuff” as well. So, at Miami, where are the best places to store files? Here are some options.

Google Driveoverlapping triangle with yellow, blue and green sides

Miami uses many Google Apps for Education, including email and calendar, but probably the most versatile is Google Drive. It allows you to store just about any file type, even those not created with a Google tool, including Microsoft files, PDFs, photos, etc. Drive can be accessed from any device, and the files and folders can be shared with anyone, not just those in the Miami community. And the best part for us is that with our Miami accounts we can enjoy unlimited storage. Note: When using the sharing features, please make sure you are very intentional about who you are sharing with, and what authority you are giving them. For more information about sharing, please visit Share Files from Google Drive and Stop, Limit, or change Sharing.

small N inside a circle with Netdisk above itNetwork Drives/MyFiles/NetDisk

Although it goes by many names, this storage option is a solid choice. This includes both personal and departmental drive space. MyFiles is 3 GB of disk space for your personal use on IT Services-maintained file servers. It can be used to publish web pages as well as to simply store files for access from multiple computers. It can be accessed from anywhere on or off-campus, however, all connections from off-campus computers will require the use of VPN and MapDrives. You can access your MyFiles space through myMiami using the NetDisk option.

Filelocker

Filelocker allows you to share files with other people both inside and outside of Miami University. It is a temporary and secure storage system for sharing files and data, and is the tool you should be using when transferring confidential Miami data. This system is not intended for long term storage, and files will be deleted after 90 days. It allows files up to 750 MB in size. If you need a file from someone who doesn't have a Filelocker account, you can email them an Upload Request directly from the tool.

Portable Hard Drive

This is a great option for storing a large amount of data. Although not free, the prices for these types of devices have drastically dropped over the past few years. Options are available in a variety of sizes, from a variety of manufacturers, and are compatible with both Apple and Windows-based computers. These are especially helpful for storing complete system backups. Another advantage is that the files stored here are available to you even when you are not connected to the internet. Please be aware that any University records stored on a portable hard drive should be just a copy. All official records should be stored in a University-controlled service (Google Drive, network drive, or Filelocker).

Dropbox

Although not a university supported tool, many people use Dropbox for their cloud-based storage needs. It provides many of the same services as Google Drive, such as file storage, mobile access, and file sharing. There are both free and paid versions of Dropbox available that provide different amounts of storage. Dropbox is currently not University-supported due to cost limitations for an enterprise solution. Please be aware that any University records stored in Dropbox should be just a copy. All official records should be stored in a University-controlled service (Google Drive, network drive, or Filelocker).