Services

Cloud storage - OneDrive & Google Drive

OneDrive for Business and Google Drive offer a online storage space for collaboration. These services also offer the possibility to share and modify files, for example directly from the browser.

How to start using OneDrive for Business?

Install OneDrive if it has not been installed yet o365.aalto.fi
Open "my OneDrive for business" with browser and select sync: My OneDrive for Business

Files will be synchronized here: C:\Users\username\OneDrive - Aalto-yliopisto

How to start using Google Drive?

Activate Google Drive
Log in to the service idm.aalto.fi and follow these instructions: https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/google-drive-registration-and-closing-of-an-account

IT Services

You can find up-to-date news, contact information, chat and instructions of frequently used IT services at IT-help hub: accounts, passwords, email, MFA, vpn, printing, teams, zoom, VDI and guidelines how to procure workstations and phones.

Features

Storage space online
Enable to share and edit files simultaneously with others in real-time
Note! No Aalto backups. (OneDrive in progress)

OneDrive for Business	Google Drive
Automatic storage of different versions enables users to restore older versions of documents	User can restore older versions of documents and deleted files if they have not been deleted from the trash
Sharing and simultaneous editing of Office-files on workstation or with an Office-application	For collaboration, the owner of files needs to add editing rights for another user
Offline file synchronization	Works with a browser without installation
Aalto recommends

The OneDrive for Business service offered by Aalto has better terms of use and is thus a more suitable choice for storing and sharing files than services taken in use personally (OneDrive, GoogleDrive, Dropbox).

Note! Despite of its name, OneDrive for Business is not the same service as OneDrive intended for consumers.

Compare file storage services

Limitations

What information MAY and MAY NOT be stored in OneDrive for Business and Google Drive:

Basic guide to information classifications

Google Drive requires accepting EULA – End User Licence Agreement.

💡 Do not store important data in personal storage. These will not be accessible if something happens to you or when you leave. Ensure that work files are stored in shared folders.

💡 Do not store data long-term in cloud storage.

Read the latest news: User-specific storage space for cloud storage services (Microsoft 365, Google Drive, and Dropbox) will be limited in 2025–2026 | Aalto University

Support

If you have any questions or you are experiencing problems, please send a service request here: servicedesk.aalto.fi

This service is part of the Office 365 service provided by Microsoft. In case of any error, Microsoft is responsible for repairing the service.

In possible malfunctions of Google Drive the repair responsibility is at Google.

File storage space for work and studies (Home + Work network drive)

Aalto University researchers, staff members and students are provided with network drive space as a storage location for their files. The files can be used by means of a directory that is automatically created when an Aalto University user ID is granted.