Posted 3:06 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, 2023
UWL to transition to Teams sites from local file shares
UW-La Crosse is preparing for a change in the way data is stored for students, staff and faculty.
Later this spring 2023 semester, we will begin to transfer local file shares, the O: and N: drives, to Teams sites. This change comes with several benefits and will be implemented with minimal disruption to users.
The transition to Teams sites is part of the Harmony Project between UWL ITS and UW System, which seeks to consolidate and improve data center and computing infrastructure services through UW System, allowing UWL ITS to focus on serving UWL-specific needs.
To learn more about this data migration, see the FAQ below.
Q: Why is this happening?
A: Teams sites will provide users with increased storage space and greater continuity across platforms. This includes the ability to access files via a mobile device, increased available space, version control and the ability to easily share documents. In addition to personal ease-of-use benefits, this move will streamline data storage across campus while providing cost savings.
Q: Will I lose my data?
A: None of your data will be lost during the migration. You will be able to access all your existing files through Teams.
Q: What should I do to prepare for this change?
A: Client Services personnel will be contacting each department to discuss file migration. It is recommended that departments try to clean up the data stored on the O: and N: drives. Data will be moved to a Teams site with the same name as the original file share. If the current shared folder has a small amount of data, the department could transfer the files if they chose, or a migration can be scheduled with IT.
Q: Is it secure to move files to a Teams site?
A: The UWSA security team has reviewed the security of Teams sites and supports the data migration.
Q: Will I be able to access files after they are moved to Teams?
A: The files on the local shares will not be removed after the migration to a Teams site. The locations will be marked as “read-only" for one month to allow users to compare and verify that all local files have been transferred to the Teams site.
Q: Where can I provide feedback about this change?
A: You are encouraged to send questions and feedback using this link.
Q: To whom should I address additional questions?
A: For more information about the transition to Teams, contact UWSA System Administrator Andrew Schoen (andrew.schoen@wisconsin.edu) or David Kim UWL Chief Information Officer (dkim@uwlax.edu)