Google Drive (and Shared Drives) are approved as a cloud storage option for all Red, Yellow and Green Level Data (please see the table below). It is a great tool for file management and file sharing, as your files in Google Drive can be shared both internally at NCSU and externally, with user specific permissions, and are easily accessible from any browser or mobile device.
For more information about data classification at NCSU, please visit: https://oit.ncsu.edu/it-security/data-framework/
Please be advised that Ultra-Sensitive PURPLE data may not be stored in Google Drive or Google Shared Drive. Purple data should be stored in the shared departmental drive (S: Drive, NAS). Ultra-sensitive data includes data where unauthorized disclosure or loss poses the highest risk or impact to the university or its affiliates or where specific data categories require special privileged access management. Examples include social security numbers, passwords, encryption keys, and biometrics (such as fingerprints and iris scans).
Additional access and handling requirements are required for Ultra-sensitive data because it may be impossible to repair damage caused by its unauthorized disclosure. If you are unsure whether your data is purple, please reach out to dasa-tech-help@ncsu.edu to confirm its classification BEFORE saving it to your personal Google Drive or to a Google Shared Drive.
Google offers some concise best practices for using Google Drive on your computer and mobile devices, which can be found here: How To Use Google Drive.
As long as your files are in Google Drive, your P: Drive, or your S: drive, your files are backed up with the ability to restore within 14 days from deletion or removal.