What to Know About Cloud Storage
There is some misinformation circulating about data protection levels and cloud storage. Let's get the facts straight.
Data Protection Levels
Let's start with the Data Protection Levels. There are 4 of them, starting with P1 and going through P4.
P1 - All the data that is available to the public. That data has no or mostly no risk of hurting anyone if leaked.
P2 - Public/private data that is a bit sensitive but won't hurt anyone if it's used alone. An example is a person's name or an email address. That information is public. They are part of the directory, unless someone does not want their email address published. Another example is the Student ID, which is private data. If it is not used in conjunction with other data, like a name or an email address, it is still considered P2, but as soon as you put a relation between that ID and a name, email address, or other public information, it becomes P3, as it is considered Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
P3 - Private information. Quick examples are PII and FERPA.
P4 - Also private information. If the data is leaked, it could cost us a lot of money.
Resources
UC Davis Data Classification Guide | UC Davis IET
Data and IT Resource Classification Standard | Information Security Office
Cloud Storage
Now, let's dig into Cloud Storage so you can make an informed decision about what to use.
We have three options for Cloud Storage: OneDrive, Box, and Google Drive.
OneDrive (P4): Is available to all staff, students, and faculty. It is the most secure option. It comes with our Microsoft 365 license. This is the recommended option for everyone. OneDrive is used for Teams, SharePoint, your personal OneDrive account, etc.
Box (P3): Is an alternative option for P3 or below. Often used for sharing data (that is not over P3) with departments outside of SHDS.
Google Drive (P2): This option shouldn't be used in SHDS as we often deal with FERPA, accommodations, either housing or even dining, payroll, RFPs, etc.
None of these Cloud Storage options are going away. There was some misinformation that Google Drive would no longer be available, but that is not happening. Instead, we're highly suggesting using more secure forms of cloud storage, such as OneDrive. We, at SHDS, want to make sure our data is stored in the right location and is safe. We're shooting for 100% compliance as much as possible to mitigate any risks.
There are currently some initiatives to help people transfer their data into the correct Cloud Storage option; one of them is the Dining Drive.
Learn more about the different cloud storage options: UC Davis Cloud Storage Options | UC Davis IET
We hope this helps answer your questions! Please reach out to us with any further questions or concerns.