Cloud computing is everywhere, powering everything from online banking and restaurant reservations to essential work tools like Workday, Banner, Slate, Canvas, and Outlook. Cloud computing offers many benefits, but one of the biggest is accessing your applications, email, and data anywhere, anytime, on any device.

As work continues at Mines to modernize our systems with updated functionality and security, IT’s focus is shifting to the many cloud storage offerings being used. While freedom of choice is great, it comes with increased costs and complicates access, security, data privacy, sharing, and training for those who create and consume data.

Currently, Mines staff and students rely on various storage solutions, including the Z: Drive, OneDrive, Sharepoint, Google Drive, Apple iCloud, Adobe, Citrix, Box, and Dropbox—and maybe others.

The first step in creating standards and improving our data governance for Mines is to remove the on-premise Z: Drive and shift to Microsoft’s OneDrive. IT has already completed this transition, and it will be rolled out to all of campus in 2025.

Step-by-step guides can be found here:

Later in 2025, we will be working to transition the majority of paid storage platforms to OneDrive or Google Drive.

Change can be disruptive, so I want to assure you that we are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible. We will listen, provide updates, and support you throughout the process.

Your feedback is valued, so please feel free to share your thoughts with me at andrewjmoore@mines.edu.

Thanks,

Andrew Moore
CIO (Chief Information Officer)