OVERVIEW
This article outlines various document and content management tools available at SFU and a comparison between the different tools. This page contains:
For more SharePoint Online resources:
Microsoft Tools at SFU
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Microsoft OneDrive (OneDrive) is a cloud file storage service for individual use at SFU. It allows you to securely store, share, and synchronize your files and folders from any device anywhere at any time.
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Ideal For
- Individual document management
- Early document drafting at small scale
- Sharing and collaboration with select individuals
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Not Ideal For
- Documents that shouldn't be owned by an individual
- Official records not meant for individual use
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Available To: All active SFU accounts
Storage: 1 TB
Complexity: Basic
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Microsoft Teams (Teams) is a collaboration app that brings together Microsoft 365 apps and services (such as Word, Excel, and OneDrive) with communications features to keep you connected with others.
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Ideal For
- Shared space for document management
- Co-authoring documents
- Collaborative, productivity and project management needs
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Not Ideal For
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Available To: Current staff, faculty and graduate students
Storage: 100 GB
Complexity: Intermediate (for Team Owners)
FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
Microsoft Teams is currently unavailable for class facilitating and undergraduate student-use.
We encourage you to explore with using Canvas.
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Microsoft SharePoint (SharePoint) provides an online environment where SFU departments and groups can share information with a wider internal audience.
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Ideal For
- Internal-facing website
- Page-heavy content
- Organize and publish documents
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Not Ideal For
- Content that requires viewing by any non-SFU individuals.
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Available To: Current staff and faculty (for new site requests)
Storage: 100 GB
Complexity: Advanced (for Site Owners); Training Required for Site Owners
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BACKUP AND DATA RESILIENCY
Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint provides accident prevention features such as soft-deletes (Recycling Bin), file versioning, and site restoration to help address potential file corruption, unintended changes, or deletions.
To ensure efficient use of resourcing, neither Microsoft nor SFU provide indefinite backups to user data stored on Microsoft 365 services. You are responsible for backing up your content if you require additional or a high-degree of data resiliency. It is generally not advisable to use Microsoft tools as long-term storage solutions.
NEED CONSULTATION?
If you're unsure on which Microsoft tool to use, IT Services offers consultation services to assist you with determining which Microsoft tool best suites your needs.
Request a support ticket using SharePoint - Ask a Question.
Other Tools at SFU
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SFU Vault provides easy file sharing between teams or individual users to assist in the various projects undertaken by university members and to foster collaboration from external access points. Similar to OneDrive, you only need internet connectivity to manage files in the cloud storage system.
Ideal For
- Sensitive data that require storing at SFU servers
- Sharing and access control using SFU Maillist
- WebDAV connections
- Custom work flows and linkages with systems, such as testing instruments and lab equipment
Available To: Current staff and faculty (for new site requests)
Storage: 50 GB
Complexity: Basic
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Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is SFU's official content management system for website development. It is a publishing platform that enables you to create public-facing websites that are aligned with SFU branding.
Ideal For
- Public-facing website
- Page-heavy content
Available To: Those with a business need (for new site requests)
Storage: Varies
Complexity: Advanced (for Site Owners); Training Required for Site Owners
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Canvas is SFU’s online learning platform for creating, sharing and managing your course materials.
Ideal For
- Content for teaching and learning
- Sharing content to students
Available To: Current staff, faculty and students
Storage: 1 GB
Complexity: Intermediate
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Network Drive
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Shared or Network Drive (also known as a “Department Drive” or Y-Drive) is a file storage space on the SFU campus network. Network drives act just like a disk drive on your computer (e.g., the C:/ drive) but can be shared between many people.
Ideal For
- Need for high performance access, such as databases and media files
- Custom work flows and linkages with systems, such as testing instruments and lab equipment
- Live file access (local access to files)
Available To: Select departments and units (Contact your department IT support staff for availability.)
Storage: Varies
Complexity: Varies
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Research Storage Tools at SFU
The appropriate tool for researchers depends on funding requirement, research artifacts, activities, document retention, and research product. Usually when receiving funding, tool usage and document locations are pre-determined via research funding contract.
If you have options, consider exploring the SFU Research Computing Storage Advisor to determine which tool best suit your needs. This interactive finder describes active data storage options available to researchers and teams at Simon Fraser University.
Visit storage.research.sfu.ca
NOTE
The descriptions of data sensitivity and risk provided in the interactive finder are meant as guidance only.
For projects that require Ethics review you can provide your own assessment of sensitivity and risk, but the SFU Research Ethics Board is ultimately responsible for evaluating these.