Purdue Fort Wayne- Collaboration and storage options by Purpose

Overview

All the software applications that can be used by Purpose. 

Instructions

The options that you can use for Purpose: 

• Cloud Computing Consumer Guidelines - (Purdue Central IT)
• Handling Electronically Stored Information - (Purdue Central IT)
• Data Storage at Purdue Central IT
• Acceptable Cloud Service Use- (Purdue Central IT)
• Collaboration and storage options wizard
• Collaboration and storage options by Toolset
• Microsoft Office 365 Groups and SharePoint Sites Terms of Use
• Restricted Data Examples
• Request forms

Group File Sharing

Groups are individuals who are part of a department, program, college, committee, organization, task force, project team, etc.

• Recommended Options
  • O Drive – Space is limited but convenient and easy to use when on campus using Windows.  Files are backed up centrally on a regular basis.  Only IT administrators can view or change members or reassign an owner/steward.  O drives are approved for the storage of Restricted data.
  • Office 365 (O365) Group – Space is more available and use of it is convenient and easy on or off campus, using Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.  File versioning makes recovering from accidental overwrites easy. The owner (s) of the Group can alter membership or designate other owners.  Public groups are also an option.  O365 Groups are not approved for storage of Restricted data.
  • SharePoint Site – Has many of the same benefits as an O365 Group.  Permissions for SharePoint sites are managed automatically since they are available for broad user communities at Purdue Fort Wayne, such as all employees.  SharePoint contains many complex feature sets that are not supported by IT Services and require self-teaching to be effective. SharePoint is not approved for the storage of Restricted data.

• Inadvisable Options
  • OneDrive
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Amazon Drive
    • While files can be shared with others, they are tied to an individual’s account and are not advisable as a business solution.  Managing permissions is done on a file-by-file or folder-by-folder basis.  Cloud Solutions are not approved for the storage of Restricted data.

Secure File Sharing

• Recommended Options
  • The I and O drives are approved for storing and sharing Restricted data. Before sharing on an O drive, you should find out who has access to that O drive from the Help Desk. 
  • Purdue's Filelocker is available for short-term, one-off sharing of files containing Restricted data.

• Inadvisable Options
  • Email
  • OneDrive
  • O365 Groups
  • SharePoint
  • OneDrive
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Amazon Drive
  • Portable media and CDs
    • The cloud solutions mentioned are not approved for sharing or storing Restricted data.

Full Collaboration Suite

Consider the options below if you need tools such as bulletin boards, wikis, task lists, etc., and not just file storage.

• Recommended Options
  • Office 365 (O365) Group – The features are the same as what is listed under Group File Sharing above.  O365 Groups include “Conversations, " a history of email messages sent by the members.  New members can access prior conversations and do not miss out on that valuable communication.  O365 Groups are not approved for storage of Restricted data.
  • SharePoint Site – The features are the same as what is listed under Group File Sharing above.  “Conversations” are only part of an O365 Group and are unavailable on a SharePoint site.  SharePoint is not approved for the storage of Restricted data.
  • Google Drive - offers features such as real-time collaboration, version control, and advanced search capabilities. Google Drive is not approved for the storage of Restricted and Private data.
  • Dropbox - This tool facilitates collaboration by enabling multiple individuals to access and modify documents in real-time simultaneously. Dropbox is not approved for the storage of Restricted and Private data.
  • Amazon Drive - offers a range of collaboration tools to help you work more efficiently with others. Amazon Drive is not approved for the storage of Restricted and Private data

• Inadvisable Options
  • The O Drive, OneDrive, and email are not effective collaboration tools.  

Course Management

• Recommended Options 
  • Brightspace– All course collaboration should take place in Brightspace.  Course sections are automatically created each semester, and members are automatically updated based on enrollment data.  Brightspace includes a full suite of course management tools and is approved for the storage of course-related data.

• Inadvisable Options
  • Brightspace is our approved course management system.  If you have needs that Brightspace does not meet, please contact the Help Desk to have a request opened.

Personal File Storage

While not collaborative, personal storage is listed here for informational purposes.  Neither of the options below is recommended for business-critical documents since they are tied to the individual rather than a department.  When your account is deleted, the files are deleted too.  Units should also be aware that if an employee who is also a student leaves employment, their personal storage remains with them as a student.

• Recommended Options
  • I Drive – Space is limited but convenient and easy to use when on campus using Windows.  Files are backed up centrally on a regular basis.  The I drive is approved for storage of Restricted data.
  • OneDrive – Space is more available and use of it is convenient and easy on or off campus, using Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.  File versioning makes recovering from accidental overwrites easy. OneDrive is not approved for the storage of Restricted data.
  • Google Drive - It allows users to store and access files from any device with an internet connection. It is a reliable way to store and share files.  Google Drive is not approved for the storage of Restricted and Private data.
  • Dropbox - Essential cloud-based storage service that enables users to store and share files and documents securely online.  Dropbox is not approved for the storage of Restricted and Private data.
  • Amazon Drive - Offering various storage options for personal use with an easy-to-use web interface and mobile app for accessing files. Amazon Drive is not approved for the storage of Restricted and Private data
    • The only personal file storage options that are supported by Purdue Central IT are I Drive Storage and OneDrive.

• Inadvisable Options
  • Saving files to your C drive or portable media such as flash drives, external hard drives, and CDs is discouraged.  The files are not backed up unless you assume that responsibility.  Also, laptops, flash drives, and external hard drives are prone to theft or loss.  If used, the data should be encrypted.

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