GCFile Retirement

For a couple of decades users have had access to a local storage server called GCFile (aka M Drive) where they have had the ability to store files related to the business and academic functions of Goshen College. The equipment that supports GCFile is aging and is at risk of failure. After evaluating costs, security issues, and low utilization, ITS will be retiring GCFile at the end of 2025, and users will use Google Drive for their file storage needs. We are asking that users copy their files to Google Drive by the end of August 2025. See the below timeline.

ITS will reach out to academic department chairs and those who oversee departments with a survey to discover how your department is currently using GCFile. ITS will then meet with departments to address the business workflows, reporting, and automations that save content in Department folders and the M:/Share area of GCFile, and discuss ways that the content can be stored in Google Drive.

General Timeline:

Late-February GCFile usage survey sent to department chairs and those who oversee administrative departments.
March through July 2025
- Users begin copying their MyDocuments files to Google Drive.
- Administrative offices using their Department folder or M:/Share meet with ITS to discuss processes, and to migrate files to Google Drive.
- Academic offices using their Department folder or M:/Share meet with ITS to discuss processes, and to migrate files to Google Drive.
August 2025 Users should have all files copied to Google Drive by the end of August.
September 2025
- GCFile is set to read only. No new content can be saved or modified in GCFile.
- Department copier accounts are no longer available. Users will sign onto MFPs with their own credentials and save scanned content to Google Drive.
December 2025 GCFile contents will be placed into archive storage for one year, and the server will be permanently shut down.
December 2026 Files from the archive backup that are of historical importance to the institution will be preserved. All other files will be permanently deleted.

What do I need to do?

Users will be responsible for copying files from GCFile into Google Drive. This includes files in Department folders and files in the M:/Share area of GCFile. ITS will not copy the files into Google Drive for you.
If you are an academic department chair or someone who oversees a department, please respond to the GCFile Usage Survey when you receive it. Please try to submit your responses by March 7th.
If you have content that is of historical significance to the college that you will not be copying it to Google Drive, contact ITS to discuss options for preserving that content.

MyDocuments folder: Users are asked to copy files that are in their MyDocuments folder to Google Drive. This work can be done anytime between now and the end of August. See below for additional information on what you should copy over, and appropriate locations in Google Drive to place files.
Department folder: In situations where there are business workflows, reporting, and automations for saving files in a Department folder, those departments will have an opportunity to meet with ITS to discuss ways that these processes can take place in a Google Shared Drive. Files need to be copied to Google Drive by the end of August.
M:/Share: In situations where there are collaborative business processes between multiple departments for storing files in M:/Share, those departments will have an opportunity to meet with ITS to discuss ways that these processes can take place in a Google Shared Drive. Files need to be copied to Google Drive by the end of August.

Copying Files to Google Drive

Our Google Workspace Fundamentals for Education license no longer gives us unlimited storage in Google Drive. This is a change that was made by Google in 2023. Therefore, we are asking users to only copy content into Google Drive that is still needed and relevant to your work at GC. As you copy content from GCFile to Google Drive, we ask that you consider the following:

Is the content still relevant to me and/or my department or others?
Is the content of historical significance to the college, such that it needs to be preserved?

If the answer to either question is yes, please proceed with copying that content into Google Drive. If the files are no longer needed, we ask that you do not copy them to Google Drive. If you are unsure, please consult your supervisor, department, or other collaborators on any files that you are considering not copying to Google Drive to make sure that they are no longer needed. If you have content that is of historical significance to the college that you will not be copying it to Google Drive, contact ITS to discuss other ways of preserving that content.

Where in Google Drive should you copy content to?

If the content you are copying from GCFile is relevant to only you (meaning you are the only one who needs access to it), you may store it in your My Drive area of Google Drive.
If the content is relevant to multiple individuals, please store it in a Google Shared Drive. Examples:
- Content relevant to everyone in your department should be placed in your department’s Google Shared Drive, and all members of your department should be made a member of that Shared Drive.
- Content relevant to a committee should be placed in a Google Shared Drive for the committee, and all members of the committee should be made a member of that Shared Drive.
- Content relevant to a project should be placed in a Google Shared Drive for that project, and all users involved in the project should be made a member of that Shared Drive.
If the content contains personal identifiable information (PII), and you are the only person who needs access to it, you may save it in your My Drive area of Google Drive. See the FAQ section below for more information. Refer to the Data Security Policy for clarification on what data is considered PII.
If the content contains personal identifiable information that needs to be shared with others, you may save it to a Google Shared Drive with restricted access. See the FAQ section below for more information. Refer to the Data Security Policy for clarification on what data is considered PII.

FAQs:

Q: How do I determine what files I should copy to Google Drive?

A: It is recommended that you consult with your supervisor, department, or other collaborators on any files that are in question to determine if they should be copied to Google Drive.

Q: There are old files in GCFile that are no longer relevant to either me or others. What will happen to those files if I don’t copy them to Google Drive?

A: Eventually any remaining files will be deleted. It is recommended that you consult with your supervisor, department, or other collaborators on any files that you are considering not copying to Google Drive to make sure that they are no longer needed.

Q: There are historical files that I won’t be copying to Google Drive. How will they be preserved?

A: Contact ITS to discuss options for preserving that content.

Q: I’m aware of a student who is storing files on GCFile. What should I do?

A: ITS will make announcements to the student body regarding this change. However, if you are aware of a student who is saving files to GCFile, please ask them to contact the Help Desk, or direct them to this webpage for information and instructions.

Q: Once GCFile is shut down, how long will the archive of files be accessible?

A: In December 2025 when GCFile is shut down, all of its contents will be placed in archive storage for a period of one year. The archive will be accessible by ITS.

Q: How do I notify ITS of any files in GCFile that are of historical importance to the college?

A: Please contact ITS to discuss the historically significant files that you have in GCFile that you will not be copying into Google Drive, and options for preserving that content.

Q: What will happen to files that are of historical importance to the college that are not copied to Google Drive?

A: ITS will work with the Mennonite Historical Library to determine best methods for archiving files that have historical value to the institution.

Q: How do I copy files from GCFile to Google Drive?

A: You can use the file upload or folder upload option in Google Drive. Or, you can drag and drop files into Google Drive. See this training video for instructions on how to copy files to Google Drive.

Q: Google shows that it will take a very long time to upload my files. Is there a faster method for uploading?

A: You can first zip the files (in either File Explorer or the Finder). Then, upload the zipped file to Google Drive. Once uploaded, open either File Explorer or the Finder and click on the drive location for Google Drive (if you don’t see this, you need to run the Google Drive for Desktop application on your computer which will cause Google Drive to appear as a drive location in either File Explorer or the Finder). From there, extract the zipped file. Contact the Help Desk if you need assistance with this.

Q: There are files in my department’s Department folder on GCFile. Where in Google Drive do I save those files?

A: Place the files in your department’s Google Shared Drive. And make sure all members of your department are members of that Shared Drive. Instructions to create a Shared Drive and managing members can be found here.

Q: Is a Google Shared Drive the same thing as a folder that I share with other people?

A: No. A Google Shared Drive is not the same as a folder that you have in your My Drive area that you share with others. A Google Shared Drive is a separate specific space where you can collaborate with others. Information about what a Shared Drive is, and how to create one can be found here.

Q: I had been saving content in a subfolder of M:/Share so that I could collaborate with people in my department and other departments. Where in Google Drive do I save the files that had been in M:/Share?

A: Place the files in a Google Shared Drive. And then add the collaborators as members to the Shared Drive. If the collaborators only need access to specific files in that Shared Drive, do not add them as members, but instead share just the specific files with them.

Q: I’m copying files from our area of M:/Share into a Google Shared Drive, but I can’t recall who has access to our area of M:/Share so that I can add them as a member to the Google Shared Drive. Who do I contact?

A: Contact the ITS Help Desk and they can tell you who has access to your area of M:/Share.

Q: I want to copy files from the Department folder or M:/Share to a Google Shared Drive. But how do I make sure that I’m not duplicating efforts with others who also have access to those files on GCFile?

A: You could designate one person to copy the files to Google Drive. Or, in that area of GCFile you could create a “Copied to Google Drive” folder. And once you’ve copied some files to Google Drive, move those files into the “Copied to Google Drive” folder so that others will know that they have already been copied into Google Drive.

Q: How many files can I upload into Google Drive at one time?

A: Google allows you to upload up to 750 GB of files within a 24 hour period. See this support article for additional information.

Q: Can I copy an entire folder and its contents to Google Drive?

A: Yes. As long as you don’t exceed Google’s upload limitations in a 24 hour period.

Q: Google shows that it will take a very long time to upload my files. Is there a faster method for uploading?

Q: The business processes that I do for my job require that I save content that is considered confidential, or personal identifiable information (PII) or controlled unclassified information (CUI). Will I be able to save that type of content in Google Drive?

A: Yes, but with restrictions. In cases where you need to store content that is confidential, PII, or CUI outside of the system that houses that information, that content needs to be saved in a Google Shared Drive, and only people who need to have access to that content should be a member of that Shared Drive. Please reference our Data Security Policy for a list of data that is considered confidential, PII, or CUI. As well as additional information on appropriate locations to store confidential, PII, and CUI data. If you have additional questions, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk.

Q: I save content that is considered confidential, PII, or CUI outside of the system that houses it, but I’m the only person who needs to access it. Can I store that content in the My Drive area of my Google Drive?

A: As long as you are the only person who needs access to that content, and you regularly delete outdated information, you may store it in the My Drive area of your GC Google Drive. You are not permitted to share those files with anyone else. If others need access to those files, move them into a Google Shared Drive and add the collaborators as members of the Shared Drive. If the collaborators only need access to specific files in that Shared Drive, do not add them as members, but instead only share just the specific files with them.

Q: Is Google FERPA compliant?

A: Yes, Google Workspace for Education is FERPA compliant. Google’s Workspace for Education systems follow strict privacy standards that are governed by the U.S. Department of Education in order to meet FERPA compliance. In addition, Google’s systems are regularly audited by third-party organizations to meet rigorous security compliance standards that are governed by FedRAMP, GLBA, NIST 800-53 and 800-171, and others. Data is encrypted at rest and in transit, ensuring that your emails, chats, files, and other data are safe as they move between you and Google’s servers and data centers. Additional information about Google privacy and security can be found here.

Q: Historically in Google Drive I have created files in MyDrive, and then shared the files with others. Can I continue with that method of sharing files?

A: In situations where those files are not relevant to your entire department, or not relevant to a committee or project work, etc., or don’t contain content that is confidential, PII, or CUI, it is fine to continue to store them in MyDrive and share the files with the appropriate collaborators. However, it is recommended that you consult with those you are sharing your files with to determine if there is a consensus to store the files in a Google Shared Drive instead.

Q: The files that I create in My Drive are owned by me. If I create or place files in a Google Shared Drive, who owns those files?

A: Any file that is placed in a Google Shared Drive is owned by the Shared Drive. This promotes file retention because if an individual changes departments or leaves Goshen College, the files that they created in the Google Shared Drive will remain in place.

Q: I have Microsoft type files. If I upload those to Google Drive, can I continue to edit them in the Microsoft applications?

A: Yes. Use the Google Drive for Desktop application on your computer, which will allow Google Drive to appear as a drive letter in Windows File Explorer or MacOS Finder. From there you can access the Microsoft files that are in Google Drive and open/edit those files in the Microsoft applications that are installed on your computer. When you save the file, it will save it directly back to Google Drive. See this support article for additional information. All Goshen College computers should have the Google Drive for Desktop application already installed. See this training video on how to use the Google Drive for Desktop application. If you cannot locate that application, or if you have additional questions, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk.

Q: I have files from other software applications. If I upload those files to Google Drive, can I continue to edit them in their dedicated application?

A: Yes. Use the Google Drive for Desktop application on your computer, which will allow Google Drive to appear as a drive letter in Windows File Explorer or MacOS Finder. From there you can access the files that are in Google Drive and open/edit those files in their dedicated application that is installed on your computer. When you save the file, it will save it directly back to Google Drive. See this support article for additional information. All Goshen College computers should have the Google Drive for Desktop application already installed. See this training video on how to use the Google Drive for Desktop application. If you cannot locate that application, or if you have additional questions, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk.

Q: What is a Google Shared Drive, and how do I use it?

A: Please see this support article from Google. If you have additional questions, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk.

Q: How do I create a Google Shared Drive?

A: Please see this support article from Google. If you have additional questions, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk.

Q: How do I manage the members of a Google Shared Drive?

A: Please see this support article from Google. If you have additional questions, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk.

Q: What are the different access levels available to members of a Shared Drive?

A: Please see this support article from Google. If you have additional questions, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk.

Q: I currently use one of the college’s multifunction printers to scan content to GCFile. What will my new process be?

A: Our multifunction printers can scan content to Google Drive. Simply choose the “Scan to Google Drive” option on the MFP. The scanned file will appear in the “Scans for PaperCut MF” folder in your My Drive area of Google Drive. If this is your first time to scan to Google Drive, you will receive an email from PaperCut asking you to provide authorization by clicking a button to log into Google Drive. Once you take action on that email, your scanned content will appear in Google Drive.

Q: Will departmental copier accounts continue to exist?

A: No. Departmental copier accounts do not have access to Google Drive. Because of this, we will be retiring the use of departmental copier accounts after August 2025.

Q: I currently log onto a multifunction printer with my department’s copier account to scan content to our department folder on GCFile. What will my new process be?

A: You will sign onto the device with your own GC username and password (or swipe your ID card) and choose the “Scan to Google Drive” option. The scanned file will appear in the “Scans for PaperCut MF” folder in your My Drive area of Google Drive. If needed, from there you can choose to move the file to another location in Google Drive. If this is your first time to scan to Google Drive, you will receive an email from PaperCut asking you to provide authorization by clicking a button to log into Google Drive. Once you take action on that email, your scanned content will appear in Google Drive.

Q: My student assistant has been using our departmental copier account to scan content to our Department folder on GCFile. What will their new process be?

A: Please contact the ITS Help Desk to discuss options.

Q: What if I have additional questions?

A: Please contact the ITS Help Desk at (574) 535-7700.