For existing G Suite customers, particularly those on free accounts, this transition entails the elimination of per-user storage quotas. Previously, each user had a given level of storage, and this could be wasteful if some users left their storage unused while others were out of space. With the new pooled storage system, it becomes easier for organizations to share storage in a way that users who need additional storage can access it without needing to purchase additional storage separately.
The rollout of pooled storage has been going out to various Google Workspace plans. For instance, Business Starter customers began migrating to pooled storage in May 2023, with the rollout scheduled to proceed over a number of months. The transition aims to make it easier to manage storage by allowing admins to cap use per user where needed, such that storage consumption is maximized within the company.
One of the greatest benefits of pooled storage is its flexibility. Organizations can purchase additional storage in increments of 10 TB, which can be integrated into their pooled storage as and when needed. This allows companies to expand their storage capacity according to their requirements without having to contend with individual user storage upgrades.
But the transition has also created tension among some patrons. For patrons who have purchased legacy storage add-ons in the past, it is uncertain how they will be handled when pooled storage is fully implemented. Some patrons have been told that such add-ons will be unfunctioning after pooled storage is enabled, and others have been cautioned that they will be grandfathered in if their subscription is live.
This is one part of Google’s broader plan to align the G Suite legacy accounts closer with its new Google Workspace plans. Beginning last June, since 2022, the legacy storage add-ons can no longer be purchased and existing users who took advantage of these have been upgraded to Google Workspace’s pooled storage.
For educational institutions, Google Workspace offers a generous starting point of 100 TB of shared storage across all accounts, which is enough space for documents, presentations, and videos. The pricing model has worked since July 2022 for existing customers and will also be applicable for new customers who signed up in 2022.
Generally speaking, the transition towards pooled storage is intended to enhance cooperation and productivity amongst organizations through a greater flexible and scalable storage setup. However, it also brings with it the necessity for administrators to synchronize their storage management strategy with their organizational needs.
