Overview
Microsoft OneDrive is a part of your Office 365 account that provides file hosting services, allowing you to upload files and easily access them from a web browser or mobile devices. OneDrive also allows you to share files with other users and work on documents simultaneously, making OneDrive a convenient tool for collaborating with colleagues. OneDrive information is stored in "the Cloud" rather than on campus servers. Microsoft controls backup, recovery, and security. LTS also has tools in place to help manage sharing and recovery. Files are encrypted both in transit and at rest. However, while OneDrive's share feature works well for collaborating with colleagues, the fact that you can easily share files and folders on OneDrive means you also need to be vigilant as to what you are sharing (and with whom).
Migration of Faculty & Staff H: Drives to Microsoft OneDrive - Week of January 5th
UW-Eau Claire will begin the transition away from H: Drives to Microsoft OneDrive with the official switch taking place during the week of January 5th 2026.
Currently, the University invests funds in both H: Drive and Microsoft OneDrive for file storage. Microsoft OneDrive comes as a part of our Microsoft contract and the H: Drive is an additional expense associated with maintaining hardware and support. The hardware that the H: Drive file storage uses is up for replacement and thus now is the appropriate time to migrate H: Drive file storage to Microsoft OneDrive. The savings realized from not replacing the H: Drive hardware will be reallocated to replace classroom technology.
There are a number of benefits to using Microsoft OneDrive for storage including the following:
• File sharing, versioning, and recovery
• Increased storage (1 Terabyte per employee)
• Easier access to files on multiple devices (computer, tablet, mobile devices)
• File security and auditing (Okta MFA protected)
• Cost savings for UW-Eau Claire
The plan calls for the University to move your H: Drive data to your Microsoft OneDrive over Winter Break beginning the week of January 5th and will be finished by the end of that week. This migration will not impact other file storage on campus such as the W: Drive, S: Drive, and P: Drive and your H: Drive files will be available in read only mode through end of spring semester. Each faculty and staff will have a folder automatically created in their OneDrive account called “Hdrive” that will contain the files from their H: Drive.
NOTE: Employees wishing to be proactive can manually move, verify and then delete their data from the H: Drive in advance. This not only will ensure your access to your data during the transition period but will also speed up the overall process.
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
Is Microsoft OneDrive a safe place to store student information and personal data?
Yes. By default, users only have access to their own personal OneDrive. A user can change permissions on select files and folders as necessary for collaboration and training, knowledgebase articles, and Workday LinkedIn Learning is available for how to properly setup sharing permissions.
Is Microsoft 365 OneDrive FERPA Compliant?
Yes. Visit Microsoft's FERPA information page to learn more. It is still crucial that faculty and staff use OneDrive appropriately to protect student data. This includes setting the correct sharing permissions for files and folders.
Can I see what files and folders are currently being shared in my Microsoft OneDrive account?
Yes. When logged into https://onedrive.uwec.edu you can see what files you have shared and what files have been shared with you. This can be seen by selecting the "Shared" option in the left side menu.
Why lock the H: Drives come January?
Because we are copying all files to OneDrive, H: Drives will be in read-only mode and all files currently stored there will be available through end of the academic year. Come January 2026, the current H: Drive will go into read only mode meaning that the saving of new files and updating of current files to the H: Drive will not technically be feasible. Microsoft OneDrive is available on all UW-Eau Claire computers and can be configured by logging in using your UWEC credentials. Once logged in, the process for saving files, locating files, creating new folders, etc. is the same as H: Drive.
Why are we making the change in the middle of the school year?
The Dell hardware that runs H: Drive storage is reaching end of warranty and support. Thus, it is important we no longer utilize the H: Drive for primary personal storage by that timeframe. To make this large technical change, it is important it is completed during slower times for academics and classes which means during the winter break or summer break.
Where was this plan shared and who was consulted for feedback?
This plan was shared with the (1) UW-Eau Claire Extended Executive Team, (2) University Senate Technology Committee, (3) Student Senate Information Technology Commission, (4) Learning & Technology Services staff, (5) Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Director, and (6) UW-Eau Claire Foundation staff. A discussion was also had with the University Senate Executive Team in early fall semester. Feedback was collected from these groups and built into the plan. Communication plans and knowledgebase articles continue to be revised and updated as feedback continues to be collected.
Can you clarify how data is secured and backed up when stored in OneDrive?
All Microsoft Office 365 data is backed up using a product called SysCloud. Access to SysCloud is audited and protected by Okta MFA. OneDrive data is encrypted in transit and at rest meaning it is secure as it passing over the network and internet. Access to Microsoft Office 365 products including Microsoft OneDrive is protected via username, password, and Okta MFA. The H: Drive is not protected by Okta MFA.
Does it take a lot time to sync large files to the OneDrive?
Syncing files to OneDrive is very similar to syncing to H: Drive. There is no noticeable difference in syncing times, and the process is the same. OneDrive can also be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and doesn’t require usage of a VPN to campus as well.
What happens when a faculty, staff, or student leaves UW-Eau Claire and there are files in the OneDrive being collaborated on?
Files saved to the Microsoft OneDrive that are associated with UW-Eau Claire will remain with UW-Eau Claire unless the user deletes them or the UW-Eau Claire account is deleted. If the files are deleted, the files are available via backup in SysCloud. If someone needs access to a particular file, a request can be made with supervisor approval to the LTS Help Desk. The LTS Help Desk ticket will then be routed to the appropriate LTS staff.