Google Apps Unlimited Space

[Arthur]

Alas looks like maximum file size is 1Tb

... or 1TB if you're being pedantic.

[localzuk]

I'd have 1TB backup files if my data grew a bit more - my backup software doesn't chop files up at all, it just sticks it all into a single .zip file.

 

I'd say that for a big change like moving backups to GApps we'd probably look at different software though!

[edutech4schools]

I wouldn't want to just dump 4Tb of user files on there totally unencrypted. Not sure I trust the cloud that much.

 

I agree, although the college down the road has been 100% Google for about 5 years.

[sparkeh]

Got our unlimited storage which is nice. We have been talking about similar ideas as above regarding backup and whatnot. First up we plan to move our archives to the cloud to free up some space though will definitely look into storing our backups and I really like the idea of mirroring our file server.

 

It's great that Vault is coming too but having spent a sizeable amount on purchasing it only last month I am a little peeved. Waiting to hear back whether Google plan to offer a rebate.

[dhicks]

What we figured would be best was basically "cloud backed" local storage, i.e. a Windows file server that magically syncs its files with Google Drive.

 

Right, trying to sort this out now. Did anyone find a reasonably-priced existing solution to do this? I've got a Python script syncing individual files for given users, and I've just got to the bit in the Google API documentation where it talks about setting up a service account to change user's data accross a domain, so it all looks quite easily do-able, I'm just wondering if anyone has anything pre-written to do this, it'd save a week or so's work.

[jaminben]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't there an issue with storing students/staff data on non UK hosted cloud solutions which could possibly be the case with Google?... data protection.

[AlexB]

Wasn't that covered under safe harbour for Google?

[IrritableTech]

Google are signed up to Safe Harbor. They also now encrypt traffic and data held on their servers.

 

Google along with Microsoft recently completed the self certification process as outlined by the DfE here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cloud-software-services-and-the-data-protection-act.

[PotNoodleTech]

This is the same Google that got caught out data mining /ad targeting US pupils not so long ago?

 

Are you guys seriously thinking about backing up entire copies of your servers to Google?

[Arthur]

Are you guys seriously thinking about backing up entire copies of your servers to Google?

If the backups are encrypted what can Google do?

[PotNoodleTech]

If the backups are encrypted what can Google do?

 

I suppose to brute force hack them you'd need a datacentre or two? Hang on, Google have more data centres than NASA? oh...

[Arthur]

I suppose to brute force hack them you'd need a datacentre or two? Hang on, Google have more data centres than NASA? oh...

Haven't Google got better things to do with their servers than crack passwords?

[jmak]

This is the same Google that got caught out data mining /ad targeting US pupils not so long ago?

 

Are you guys seriously thinking about backing up entire copies of your servers to Google?

 

I sympathise with what you're saying and am generally wary, but I think they fixed that: http:// http://googleforwork.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/protecting-students-with-google-apps.html?m=1

 

Essentially they put their hands up and admitted they were wrong.

[dhicks]

Are you guys seriously thinking about backing up entire copies of your servers to Google?

 

Yes, that's the plan - Google seem to be offering schools a large amount of cloud-based storage for free, and it's worth taking advantage of if we can. My aim is to have daily snapshots of VMs stored on Google Drive, with a server sat somewhere offsite ready to go with synced VMs images for diasaster recovery. We recently had someone in trying to sell us a Datto backup/DR system - looks like a good product, but does cost £10,000 a year or so, I think we should be able to produce something similar for rather less.

[edutech4schools]

Are you guys seriously thinking about backing up entire copies of your servers to Google?[/color]]

 

I know of a secondary school / college that has been 100% Google for about 5 years.

[robjduk]

Do they have any jobs going? Would love to work somewhere a little forward thinking.

[fiza]

 

Perhaps more importantly, they're throwing in free Google vault too according to the news stories...

 

 

Google said this would happen by the end of the year. Has anyone had any communications about this?

 

Googles own website states :

 

 

Google Apps Edition

 

To purchase Vault:

 

Education :

Google Apps Vault and the other auditing enhancements will be automatically added to Google Apps for Education accounts by the end of the year. Google will contact you when these updates are complete.

[sparkeh]

Google said this would happen by the end of the year. Has anyone had any communications about this?

 

Googles own website states :

 

 

Google Apps Edition

 

To purchase Vault:

 

Education :

Google Apps Vault and the other auditing enhancements will be automatically added to Google Apps for Education accounts by the end of the year. Google will contact you when these updates are complete.

Its gone a bit silent. Still waiting to hear if we get a refund for our purchase of Vault.

[caffrey]

I was going to ask the same question, nothing here either.

[DGardiner]

On this note - has anyone got any experience using google drive on their desktops with roaming profiles - the only options I've found are a tad expensive and from 3rd parties, its a shame it doesnt have a GPO like chrome

[Tall_Paul]

I like the idea of offsite storage for backups. How are you guys uploading them?

 

I did a test upload and it swamped our bandwidth! Is anyone using anything to trickle the upload?

[XiJ]

So far I've just set it to go over the Christmas holidays. Still a LOT of data to go. I'm going to try it at the weekends / maybe nightly and pause it during the school week.

 

We have our regular backup system so this is extra. Once the main data is uploaded the rest will be small potatoes.

[Tall_Paul]

So far I've pushed things like our core switch configs and other similar stuff onto there.

 

I like the idea of it being a dump of our VEEAM monthly backups. We keep tapes but it would be handy to have these on there too (and we could have quite an extensive archive if it is truly unlimited).

 

However it is finding the right time to do it and not swamping our bandwidth.

[Tall_Paul]

Have spent an interesting couple of hours looking into this.

 

Essentially I want to upload several VBK files (fortunately none of them are above 1TB). A problem is that Chrome or Google Drive uploader will swamp your bandwidth and there is no throttling involved.

 

Found this very interesting post about setting up policy based QOS on a W7 PC.

 

It works a treat! We have a 100 Mbps connection and I have set my outbound throttle rate to 3750 KBps to run overnight. In the day I'll wind it back a bit.

 

Be interesting to see if it works, but offsite storage of my backups for free is a massive bonus.

[Marshall_IT]

I'm just looking at new storage and backup solutions, being able to off load a lot to the cloud somewhere would give me great peace of mind for a dr situation.