OIT will implement a new storage limit of 15GB for all Rebelmail accounts (@unlv.nevada.edu) on August 16.
Starting August 16, 2023, OIT will apply a storage quota of 15GB for to all Rebelmail accounts (@unlv.nevada.edu) This change only affects Rebelmail accounts (@unlv.nevada.edu) and will not affect faculty and staff UNLVMail accounts (@unlv.edu) at this time.
Why are storage limits being applied?
In 2021, Google announced a new storage policy for Google Workspace for Education domains and would no longer provide unlimited storage to education institutions, including UNLV. Google now provides a limited amount of pooled storage shared between all accounts and Google Shared Drives for each domain in its place. In preparation for Google Workspace for Education’s new storage policy, OIT took a data-driven approach to determine the right amount of storage allocation for individual accounts and Shared Drives. We gathered and analyzed historical and current storage usage data and trends to identify the optimal amount of storage for each domain.
What will be affected by the storage limit?
Google Shared drives had a limit imposed in April 2023 and newly created UNLVMail accounts had a limit imposed in June 2023. Starting August 16, all Rebelmail accounts will have a 15GB storage limits set. Storage limits for existing UNLVMail accounts will be announced at a later time.
How do I prepare for the change?
You can take the steps below to check your current usage and reduce storage.
Am I able to request a higher limit if I have exceeded my storage?
If your account is approaching its storage limit, we recommend that you delete unneeded Google Drive files and large emails. If you still need additional storage after the attempted cleanup, you can request extra storage by completing the online request form. The request is subject to review and approval.
What other options do I have to store content?
- X Drive will continue to be offered to customers for storage needs.
- If you are using Google Drive to store audio/video content, we recommend considering Panopto to store your audio/video content. Panopto offers specific features for storing media content such as better streaming performance, captioning, and integration with WebCampus.
- If you are using Google Drive to store personal content, we recommend moving this content to another account, such as a personal Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. Personal Google Drive accounts offer 15 GB of storage for free, with options to pay for additional storage (you must be signed into a personal account to see the purchase option). Microsoft OneDrive offers 5 GB of free storage, with options to pay for additional storage.
UNLVMail and Rebelmail accounts share a pool of storage for all users in that domain. To ensure storage is allocated appropriately, UNLVMail and Rebelmail accounts have storage limits applied to them. This limit is shared between Gmail and Google Drive. This limit does not apply to Shared drives and have their own quota.
Current Storage Quotas for UNLVMail and Rebelmail accounts
As of June 8, 2023, all new UNLVMail created after June 8, 2023 and all Rebelmail accounts starting August 16, 2023 have the following quotas by default:
- UNLVMail (@unlv.edu): 50 GB
- Rebelmail (@unlv.nevada.edu): 15 GB
A storage quota for existing UNLVMail account will be announced at a later date.
Managing Account Storage
Checking Usage
When your account has reached 80% of its storage limit, a warning will appear:
When this warning appears, neither OIT nor Google will take any action. However, if you continue to add more content and run out of space, Drive will notify you when a file cannot be uploaded due to exhausted storage:
You can check your storage usage at any time at drive.google.com/settings/storage.
Reducing Storage Use
We recommend that you delete unneeded data to help reduce your overall storage usage by completing the following steps:
- In Drive, follow these instructions to delete large or unnecessary files. You can visit https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/quota to view your Google Drive file sorted by storage used.
- In Gmail, follow these instructions to delete unnecessary messages. You can also run a search to find emails larger than 10MB.
- In Google Photos, follow these instructions to delete unnecessary or personal photos. Google Photos will only be available for your account if you had existing photos or videos.
When Storage has been Exceeded
Neither OIT or Google will take any action such as delete your messages or files as your total storage is approaching or exceeds the storage limit.
However, once your account has exceeded its storage limit, access to Gmail and Drive will be affected in the following ways:
- You can continue to send and receive email in Gmail, including attachment,
- You will not be able to create new files in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and Jamboard
- You will not be able to upload new files or sync new files via the Google Drive for Desktop app.
- You and your collaborators will not be able to edit or copy existing files. If your collaborators try to edit a file you won, they will see this error message: "The file is view-only. No edits can be made to this file. Contact file owner for details."
- You cannot add any photos or videos to Google Photos. Google Photos will only be available for your account if you had existing photos or videos.
Requesting Additional Storage
If your account is approaching its storage limit, we recommend that you delete unneeded Google Drive files and large emails. If you still need additional storage after the attempted cleanup, you can request a storage increase from the IT Help Desk. All requests are approved on a case-by-case basis.
Need Additional Help?
For additional assistance, please visit the Google Workspace knowledge base for additional articles or select a Related Service to submit a support ticket. You can also contact the IT Help Desk.