Sonoma State University
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Chat, Cloud Storage

Sonoma State University is officially using Google Hangouts Chat as the official communication tool for direct messaging and group messaging.

You can access or download Hangouts Chat on both Windows and Mac:

  1. Use chat in a web browser (recommended): 
    Enter the address https://chat.google.com/ and sign in with your Sonoma State G Suite account

  2. Download the desktop client or smart phone app: 
    https://chat.google.com/download/

  3. Download client on state issued computers:
    Software Center (Windows PC's)
    Self-Service (Mac)

Some of the main features of Hangouts Chat include:

For more detailed instructions and tutorials, please visit Google's Hangouts Chat Help website.

Instructions

Log into Google Drive and use the information below as a guide to help you identify large, redundant, or unused files you may no longer need.  

How to access advanced search

Use advanced search in Google Drive by clicking the toggle or show search options. Refine by type, owner, item name, location, date modified, and more.

  1. Log into your Google Drive
  2. On the left menu, select my drive or shared drives.
  3. In the search bar on the right side, there is an icon of three horizontal sliders, that, when pressed, opens an advanced search menu. See the image below for reference.
The search bar of google drive with a red rectangle around the icon on the right-hand side for advanced search which is three horizontal sliders.

How to assess your storage use

Find the largest (and smallest) files stored in your Google Drive.

  1. Log into your Google Drive dashboard
  2. On the left, select Storage; you'll see your files in descending order of file size
  3. Click Storage used to reverse the sort order

How to sort by file type

Use the advanced search options to identify space-consuming file types like MP4, .MOV, or .WAV files.

  1. Log into your Google Drive dashboard and click the advanced search options icon to the right of the search field at the top of the page
  2. From the Type drop-down menu, select Video or Audio
  3. From the Owner drop-down menu, select Owned by me
  4. Click Search

How to find unused files

Use the advanced search options to find files that haven’t ben accessed or modified for a long time. They may be outdated or no longer needed.

  1. Click the advanced search options icon to the right of the search field at the top of the page
  2. Select Owned by me from the Owner drop-down menu
  3. From the Date modified drop-down menu, select one of the options 

How to spot dupes and drafts

Check for duplicate files or multiple versions of drafts as they may be needlessly taking up storage space.

  1. Click List view in the upper right corner to make it easier to manually scan for duplicates or multiple copes.
  2. Type "Copy of" in the search box and click return to find that may be duplicates

How to delete unneeded files

To remove a file from your Google Drive, put it in your Trash.  The file will stay in your bin for 30 days before being automatically deleted. For more information, refer to Google's Delete and restore files in Google Drive.

Note: When you put a file in the Trash:

  • If you own the file, people with whom you’ve shared it can make a copy.
  • If you don't own the file, removing the file from your Drive only removes it for you.

How to empty the trash bin

Once you have deleted your files, they will be sent to your Trash.  However, files in Trash still count against storage limits, so it is recommended that you empty your Trash after deleting.

To permanently delete individual files from Trash:

  1. Click Trash from the left navigation in Google Drive
  2. Select the files you want to permanently delete
  3. Click the trash can icon in the top right
  4. Click Delete forever to confirm

To empty your entire Trash:

  1. Click Empty trash in the top right of the Trash page
  2. Click Delete forever to confirm.

Note: It’s recommended to permanently delete your files in smaller batches if you have a significant number of them in your Trash.

There are a few ways to clean up shared drives you manage to reduce storage, increase efficiency, and control costs. Log into Google Drive and use the information below as a guide. For more tips, refer to How to Clean Up Google Drive.

 

Engage stakeholders and collaborators.

If there are other managers or key members for the shared drive, it's a good idea to involve them in any decision that impacts content access. You can even document your changes and store this information on the shared drive.

Check your current storage usage.

To understand how much storage a specific shared drive uses, navigate to the shared drive and click the information "i" icon in the top right corner of the page. The drive's storage usage under Drive details > Storage used in the sidebar.

Review membership and permissions.

Managers should review shared drive membership and permissions to ensure they are up-to-date. Managers, Content Managers, and Contributors can add or create content in the shared drive. Limiting the number of members who can add content may help you more effectively manage storage.

Evaluate storage needs and remove non-collaborative data.

Shared drives should be used for collaborative data related to administration, learning, teaching, or research. If you have data stored in your shared drive that doesn’t require the real-time collaborative features provided by Google Drive, consider if it would be more cost-effective to migrate it to an alternate storage solution.

Delete files and folders that are no longer needed.

Managers and Content Managers can delete files and folders within a shared drive if they have the authority to do so. Always be aware of any collaborators on files/folders you delete, as you may cause data loss for those accessing that content.

Empty Trash.

Once you have deleted files, they will be sent to the shared drive’s Trash. Files in Trash will be automatically deleted after 30 days. However, files in Trash still count against the storage limit, so it is recommended that you empty the Trash after deleting them. Only managers can permanently delete data in Trash.

Delete a shared drive, if no longer relevant.

If the shared drive and its content is no longer relevant to any groups on campus, you can delete the shared drive if you are assigned to the Manager role for the files, folders, and drive to be deleted and have the authority to do so. (Files and folders can be deleted by other roles, but the drive can only be deleted by someone assigned to the manager role.)

  • It's not possible to delete a non-empty shared drive or non-empty folders within a shared drive. Therefore, to delete a shared drive, you must first delete all files within each folder and then delete all empty folders. 

What is MoveIt Transfer?

MoveIt Transfer is a browser based program used to transfer sensitive data securely between groups and individuals.

How do I log in to MoveIt Transfer?

Login to MoveIt using your Seawolf ID and password.

If you do not have a Sonoma State MoveIt account, you will receive an email with a temporary login ID and password whenever a file is sent to you or requested of you.

Who can use MoveIt Transfer?

MoveIt should be used by SSU employees who have a business need to exchange level 1 data with community members outside their department and external entities.

Why should I use it?

MoveIt Transfer is an official IT supported solution for performing these sensitive transfers. For more information on other places where you can safely store level 1, data see the SSU Information Asset Management Standard.

What is the difference between the Sonoma State MoveIt service and the chancellor’s office MoveIt service?

The chancellor’s office service can be used to transfer sensitive files between CSU employees. The Sonoma State service allows you to exchange sensitive data with anyone who has an email address regardless of their affiliation.

Can I send/request packages to/from non- @sonoma.edu email accounts?

Yes, you can send/request packages to/from any active email address.

What will a user without a MoveIt account see on their end when they receive a MoveIt request?

The recipient will receive two emails. The first email will contain the login credentials needed to login to MoveIt and the second will contain your request details and a link to the login page.

How do I send a file with MoveIt Transfer?

  1. From the home or packages tab, select “Send Package”.
  2. Input the username or email you want to send files to (and click check recipient to match a recipient to a user).
  3. Fill in a subject and any required notes in the given spaces.
  4. Upload a file by dragging and dropping it to the upload section.
  5. Click send to send the message.

How do I request a file with MoveIt Transfer?

  1. From the home or packages tab, select “Request Files”.
  2. Input the username or email you want to request files from (and click check recipient to match a recipient to a user).
  3. Fill in a subject and any required notes in the given spaces.
  4. Click send to send the message.

What is the transfer file size limit?

10 gigabytes

How do I request a MoveIt Transfer account from IT?

To request a MoveIt Transfer account contact [email protected] with a description of your business needs.

For additional questions or support, contact [email protected]