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Storage Options

Student Network Drive (NetApp)​

For high-performance, secure, and centralized data management, Texas A&M utilizes enterprise-grade NetApp architecture. This is mapped on University owned computers as the "R" drive.

Data Classification: University-Internal
Cost: Funded Centrally by the College as part of the RenderFarm

  • Storage: 30TB shared across the college
  • Best For: Project storage for the RenderFarm, high-performance computing (HPC) environments, and structured database storage.
  • Key Features:
    • Rubric External Backup of all data offsite
    • Automated snapshots and robust disaster recovery
    • High availability and fast data throughput

Faculty/Staff Network Drive (NetApp)​

For high-performance, secure, and centralized data management, Texas A&M utilizes enterprise-grade NetApp architecture. This is mapped on University owned computers as the "S" drive.

Data Classification: Critical
Cost: $840/TB/Year
Request Access

  • Storage: 5TB currently but is expandable as needed
  • Best For: Departmental file shares, critical administrative data, high-performance computing (HPC) environments, and structured database storage.
  • Key Features:
    • Rubric External Backup of all data offsite
    • Automated snapshots and robust disaster recovery
    • High availability and fast data throughput
    • Strict compliance with university security controls for sensitive data

Google Shared Drives​

Data Classification: University-Confidential
Storage: 25GB free, additional storage tiers available
Additional Storage Quota Cost: $150/TB/Year
Request Additional Storage

  • Best For: Student Use, Collaborative group projects, Video and Photo content, Google Docs/Sheets/Slides workflows, and sharing files within the tamu.edu Google environment.
  • Key Features:
    • Web based collaborative storage
    • No additional backup provided outside what Google provides as part of the service

Microsoft SharePoint/OneDrive​

Data Classification: University-Confidential
Storage: 25GB free, additional storage tiers available
Additional Storage Quota Cost: $360/TB/Year
Request Additional Storage

  • Best For: Faculty/Staff, Real-time collaboration within the Microsoft Office ecosystem (Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
  • Key Features:
    • Web based collaborative storage
    • No additional backup provided outside what Microsoft provides as part of the service

Personal Storage

Managing your personal files ensures university resources remain dedicated to academic and institutional mission-critical workloads.

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Never store Confidential or Restricted university data (such as SSNs, health records, or proprietary research) on personal cloud accounts (e.g., personal iCloud, personal Dropbox) or unencrypted personal devices.

  • Local Device Storage: For temporary, non-sensitive drafts, utilizing your university-issued or personal computer's local drive is acceptable. However, local drives are not automatically backed up by the university.
  • External Hardware: For massive media files or personal archives, encrypted external hard drives or SSDs are recommended.