As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability and responsible digital practices, Queen’s is updating our digital hygiene practices to align with upcoming storage quota limits being implemented across platforms by multiple vendors, including Microsoft. This change is not just about managing numbers; it's a significant step towards reducing our environmental impact, aligning with Queen’s sustainability goals, and ensuring we provide storage solutions that best suit the needs of our community.

In recent years, the move to the cloud has led to an exponential increase in stored data and unused accounts at Queen’s. While cloud storage offers unparalleled convenience, it has also resulted in a proliferation of accumulated files without a clear plan for their end-of-life. This situation is no longer sustainable.

Moreover, the environmental costs of excessive data storage are alarming. Statistics reveal that more than half of the data stored in organizations serves no useful purpose. This “dark” data clogs servers, increasing electricity consumption and contributing to a staggering percentage of greenhouse gas emissions (4 per cent in 2020 alone).

What does this mean for Queen’s?

As of May 1, 2025, new Microsoft storage quota limits come into effect at Queen’s. Currently, our total storage consumption is above these new quota limits. If we are still above the threshold as of May 1, Queen’s entire Microsoft file storage and sharing system becomes read-only, meaning that everyone will lose the ability to edit, update, manage, and share their cloud files.
 

What does the Queen’s community need to do?

To reduce our total storage usage and sustain responsible practices going forward, everyone - students, faculty, and staff alike - has a role to play. IT Services, Records Management, and Research Services have partnered to develop digital hygiene best practices for Queen’s. An awareness email will be sent to every Queen’s community member in mid-March with details about these best practices. The message will also include the first “Quick Tip” that you can apply to help reduce Queen’s total storage consumption and further declutter your digital space. Additional Quick Tips will be sent in the weeks following.

This initiative allows Queen’s to be stewards of both our data and our environment, improving our operational efficiency and fostering enhanced collaboration and productivity by filtering out “dark data.” Together, our collective efforts will contribute to a brighter, greener future at Queen’s and beyond.