Microsoft 365 data storage

Microsoft has moved universities away from “unlimited” storage to an institutional allowance. Loughborough University now operates within a shared Microsoft 365 storage pool of 305 TB across all services.

If we take no action, our current usage trend would result in around £250,000 per year in additional storage costs. This assumes storage demands stay flat, in reality they are likely to increase. To keep extra storage costs at £0, we estimate we would need to reduce our Microsoft 365 storage footprint by around 70% a level of reduction that cannot be achieved quickly or by technical changes alone.

Reducing non‑essential content helps limit these costs. Money spent on storage is money not spent on teaching, research, student experience and core University services.

Digital data is not “free”. Storing, duplicating and managing data relies on energy‑intensive infrastructure such as data centres and networks, which generates carbon emissions.

As data grows, a large proportion becomes “dark data” — information that is no longer actively used or understood. This often includes ROT data (Redundant, Obsolete or Trivial content), such as duplicates, old drafts and outdated files. While rarely accessed, this data still consumes energy simply by being stored and managed.

Reducing non‑essential storage helps cut digital waste and ongoing energy demand, supporting the University’s wider Sustainability Strategy. It also aligns with Digital Decarbonisation research and practice being led by colleagues in Loughborough Business School, which highlights the hidden environmental impacts of digital activity and the importance of better digital behaviours.

Good data retention is about keeping what matters and deleting information and data that no longer has a purpose. It applies to all types of information, including personal data, and helps the University meet its legal and operational responsibilities.

Keeping all data indefinitely creates significant risks. If an account is compromised, the more data it contains, the greater the potential impact. Holding less data reduces exposure and makes it easier to respond to Freedom of Information Requests (FOI), Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs), audits and investigations by limiting the volume of material that needs to be searched, making it easier to identify what is relevant.

As part of this approach, the University is introducing a default 8‑year retention policy for emails unless a retention policy is actively selected and applied by the user. This helps prevent mailboxes from growing indefinitely, while still allowing colleagues to keep important messages for longer where there is a clear University need. The 8‑year period aligns with common business and research requirements, including REF cycles, and supports consistent and defensible record‑keeping.

For more on Information Governance and Records Management, including practical guidance on retention, visit: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/data-privacy/storing-your-info/

• Delete your largest unused files (old videos, ZIP archives, installers).
• Review older files and folders and remove what can be safely deleted.
• If time allows: work through key folders and remove ROT files (duplicates, repeated downloads and outdated drafts); keep one authoritative version.

If your OneDrive exceeds the quota and no exception has been agreed, Microsoft automatically sets it to read‑only.

This means:

• You do not lose access to your files.
• Existing files remain safe and visible.
• You temporarily cannot upload new files or edit cloud content until you are back under the limit or an increased quota is approved.

This is a protective measure, not a penalty, and gives you time to tidy up or request more space.

We recognise that historically some colleagues may have used University systems to store personal files. We are now encouraging the separation of personal and University files; moving personal data to a private account is the best way to ensure you have lifelong access to your files and services. 

• Establishing a Personal Account: We recommend setting up a personal cloud storage account for your non-work files. Most major providers offer a variety of options, including free tiers and paid subscriptions, allowing you to choose the level of access that suits your needs. 

• Account Portability and Continued Access: Please ensure you use a personal email address (rather than your University one) for personal services such as banking, subscriptions, or professional networking profiles (including Google Scholar). This ensures you have uninterrupted access to these services if you leave the University, as work accounts are deactivated upon departure. 

• Digital Security: All Loughborough University data should remain exclusively on University systems. Separating your personal and professional lives improves your digital security. Using unique passwords for personal accounts ensures that an issue with one account does not affect the others. 

• Digital Equity: If you feel that these changes present a significant challenge, please contact the IT Service Desk. Note: Data migration remains the individual's responsibility; IT cannot provide technical assistance for personal, non-University accounts.