Aalto Storage Management
Data Storage Governance – support for the improvement
Aalto storage management for students
Aalto’s storage management pages for students provide practical guidance on how to store, share and secure your files during your studies.
Here you will find instructions for using storage services, managing your data responsibly, and preparing for graduation, including how to transfer or delete files when your student account closes.
Here you will find instructions for using storage services, managing your data responsibly, and preparing for graduation, including how to transfer or delete files when your student account closes.
File management
Aalto University students have access to both cloud services and a personal network drive. For basic use, we recommend cloud services as the primary storage solution. All data storage solutions can be found from: Data Storage, File Services | Aalto University
Note: If you have special storage needs, for example regarding the amount of usage space, please contact IT Service Desk (servidesk@aalto.fi).
Cloud services
Microsoft's cloud services are the standard solution at Aalto:
- Microsoft OneDrive – for storing and sharing personal work data
- Microsoft Teams – for team, unit, project and meeting work
- Microsoft Sharepoint – for team, unit, project and meeting work
In addition, Google Drive complements to the Microsoft's services. However, Google Drive is not supported in the same way, for example, no Aalto backups are taken of the service.
Network drive
- Aalto Home – to store big/heavy personal work data
Graduation or expiration of study rights and data transfer/deletion
Access to Aalto University's IT services, including your Aalto account and email, is based on your study rights. When your study rights expire, your access rights will also end.
After your study rights end, you can access your files for two (2) months. Four (4) months after marked exit date, your files will be deleted. The two-month period for your Aalto account following the expiration of your study rights is primarily intended for handling graduation-related activities and communication, as well as for transferring personal files or emails from services accessed with the Aalto account.
Study rights end upon graduation, the expiration of a limited study period or study rights validity, failure to enroll for the academic year, relinquishing study rights, or the revocation of study rights.
When your study rights end:
- Check the schedule! As a student, you will receive an automatic message about the new expiration date of your Aalto account when your study rights end date changes in Sisu. You will also receive several reminder messages about the upcoming closure of your Aalto account, starting 14 days before the closure.
- Transfer all personal files you wish to keep to personal storage services.
- Remember to check all services you have logged into using your Aalto credentials.
- Ensure that all shared files are stored in group folders.
- Export important contacts, emails and calendar entries that you want to keep.
Yes, if the registration does not change end date in SISU system.
Aalto storage is intended for study and work related data. Small, non-sensitive personal files are allowed within your quota. Do not store large personal media or identifiable/sensitive personal data there. Prefer your own cloud or external drive for private long-term storage.
Export or move any personal files from OneDrive, personal Teams folders and your mailbox before closure.
Yes. Use SharePoint/Teams guest access or OneDrive “specific people” / external link sharing. Only grant external access when necessary. Avoid public links. If external collaborators need sustained access, request guest accounts or use a controlled project SharePoint site.
No. Do not store identifiable personal data in a regular student OneDrive. Use university-approved, access-restricted research storage and documented Data Management Plan (DMP). Consult your supervisor, legal or IT for approved locations and any ethics/GDPR approvals.
Files in your personal OneDrive lose access if your account is closed. Files in Teams/SharePoint remain with the team. Before closure, move ownership to a SharePoint/Team site or download and transfer copies to a colleague or personal storage.
Avoid putting raw large files in personal OneDrive. Use SharePoint or course dedicated storage for media/research service, share streaming links not full syncs, and ask IT for temporary extra space or a transfer method (FTPs, chunked upload, institutional transfer tool).
Alumni access is not automatic. Download or transfer important files before your user account is closed.
In an approved, access-restricted repository that meets contractual confidentiality and encryption requirements. Use project SharePoint sites with restricted permissions or university research storage. Log permissions, sign NDAs if required, and inform your supervisor, legal or IT.
Basic versioning and recycle bins exist for OneDrive/Teams, but these are not long-term backups. Do not rely solely on them. Keep a secondary copy (personal cloud or external drive) for irreplaceable work and ask your supervisor if important files needs backup.
Export and compress final versions, add metadata (project name, date, contacts), and move them with supervisor to university storage with defined retention and access rules. Provide a single canonical location and document where files live.
Basic data storage instructions
Data Storage basics, dimensions and vocabulary.