Is Buying More SharePoint Storage the Right Choice
When you hit storage limits in SharePoint, you might wonder: should you buy more SharePoint storage? Before you decide, think about how to manage your current storage effectively. Many organizations need more storage because they collect more data and grow quickly. You can enhance your storage management by setting limits on file history, archiving sites that are not active, and implementing rules for managing data over time. These methods can help you optimize your storage without the need to buy more SharePoint storage.
Key Takeaways
Check how much storage you use before buying more SharePoint storage. Regular checks can find sites and files you don’t use.
Set limits on version history to manage storage well. Use automatic settings to cut down storage use a lot.
Think about archiving sites that are not active to save money. Archiving can reduce storage costs by up to 75% while keeping data easy to find.
Teach your team about good storage habits. Regular training can stop data duplication and help manage storage better.
Use the SharePoint Storage ROI Calculator to see possible savings. This tool can help you make smart choices about your storage needs.
Storage Limits & Costs
SharePoint Storage Overview
When you use SharePoint Online, knowing your storage limits is very important. Each tenant starts with 1 terabyte (TB) of storage. For every licensed user, you get an extra 10 gigabytes (GB). This means that as your organization grows and adds users, your total storage goes up. For example, if you have 10 licensed users, your total storage would be 1 TB + (10 users x 10 GB) = 2 TB. This shared storage works for all your SharePoint sites and can be increased if needed.
Tip: Check your storage usage often to avoid hitting limits suddenly.
Pricing for Extra Storage
If your organization needs to buy more SharePoint storage, you can get more storage through the Microsoft 365 admin center. The price for extra storage is $0.20 per GB per month. This cost can change based on your subscription type and how many licenses you have. Here’s a quick look at the pricing:
Remember that going over your storage limits can lead to high storage costs. Organizations may need to buy more licenses if they often exceed their limits. This can cause possible service suspension, so good storage management is key to avoid extra fees.
Note: Each license usually adds 10 GB to your total tenant storage, which can help manage your storage needs well.
Implications of Exceeding Limits
Consequences of Overages
When you go over your SharePoint storage limits, you can face many problems. These problems can hurt how well your organization works. Here are some common issues:
Limited operations can make important tasks harder. For example, you may struggle to export data or run big queries. Workflow problems can happen, especially with large lists. This can confuse users who do not understand why they cannot access certain data or do specific tasks.
User Experience Impact
Going over SharePoint storage limits can hurt user productivity a lot. Slower performance often happens with larger files, making uploads and downloads take longer. This makes teamwork harder and slows down real-time collaboration. When many users try to access or change large documents, you may see more delays and less system speed, which disrupts your work.
Also, large files can hurt how quickly you can search for and find information. This can make it tough to locate what you need fast, causing frustration. In one case, a Fortune 700 financial company failed an SEC audit because of poor management. This allowed mistakes that put sensitive data at risk. Such events show the dangers of going over SharePoint limits and why good storage management is important.
To prevent these problems, you should check your storage use often. You can also think about ways to improve your SharePoint storage. This proactive approach can help keep a smooth user experience and follow data privacy rules.
Optimizing SharePoint Storage
Version History Limits
Managing version history is very important for good SharePoint storage management. You can make your storage better by changing version history settings. Here are some ideas to think about:
Automatic Versioning: This setting changes the number of versions based on activity. It keeps fewer versions for data that is not used much, which helps save storage.
Manual Maximum Versions: You can set a limit, like 500 versions, without expiration. This keeps all versions no matter how often they are accessed, which may not help save storage.
Manual Maximum with Expiration: Set a limit and a time frame, like 365 days, for keeping versions. This way, you can delete older versions and free up storage space.
For example, a client saw a big jump in storage use because of a 300 GB XML file being updated all the time. This caused too many versions to be made and took up a lot of storage. On the other hand, using automatic settings for version history limits can cut storage use by 96% over six months compared to count-based limits.
Using Microsoft 365 Archive
Another good way to manage your SharePoint storage is by using Microsoft 365 Archive. This feature lets you archive sites that are not active, which can really lower costs. Here’s how it works:
Archive storage costs only $0.05 per GB per month, while standard storage costs $0.20. This means you can save up to 75% on storage costs.
Archiving helps you manage inactive SharePoint sites in a cost-effective way while keeping them searchable, secure, and compliant.
Archived sites can still be searched and kept for compliance, so you can find important data when you need it.
The pay-as-you-go plan for archiving and reactivation gives you flexibility in managing your storage needs.
By using these strategies, you can optimize your SharePoint storage without needing to buy more SharePoint storage. Checking your storage use often will help you find more ways to save money and improve efficiency.
Benefits of Efficient Management
Managing your SharePoint storage well can bring big benefits to your organization. When you improve how you use storage, you can save money and help your team work better together.
Cost Savings
Good management of your SharePoint storage can help you cut costs. Here are some ways to save money:
By using these methods, you can avoid buying more SharePoint storage. Instead, you can keep your current limits while saving money. The SharePoint Storage ROI Calculator can show you how much money you can save. Just enter your user data, file upload rates, and storage costs.
Enhanced Collaboration
Good SharePoint storage management also helps your team work together better. When you organize your storage, it creates a better place for teamwork. Here are some important benefits:
With SharePoint, team members can edit documents at the same time and see changes right away. This is very helpful for group projects, like grant proposals or reports. Because SharePoint is cloud-based, team members can access documents from anywhere with internet, which is important for remote teams.
By managing your SharePoint storage well, you not only save money but also create a better and more productive work environment.
In conclusion, think about some important things before you decide to buy more SharePoint storage:
You should also look into other storage management options. These choices can save money and help handle data better. For example, tools like AvePoint Opus can automate management, moving old content to cheaper storage.
By checking your needs and looking at these options, you can make smart choices about your SharePoint storage plan. This way, you can manage costs and improve how your organization works overall.
FAQ
What is SharePoint storage?
SharePoint storage is the space set aside for your files and data in SharePoint. Each organization has a limit on storage based on how many licensed users they have and the initial storage given.
How can I check my available storage?
You can check your available storage by logging into the Microsoft 365 admin center. Go to the SharePoint admin center to see your current storage use and limits.
What happens if I exceed my storage quota limit?
If you go over your storage quota limit, you may face some restrictions. You could have performance problems, and users might not be able to upload new files until you manage your storage better.
Can I delete old files to free up space?
Yes, deleting old or unused files can help you create more space. Regularly checking and cleaning your SharePoint storage can stop you from needing to buy more storage.
Is it worth buying more SharePoint storage?
Before buying more SharePoint storage, look at how you are using it now. Think about optimizing your storage by archiving or managing version history to avoid extra costs.