MESA mydata migration update

ITS is moving forward with migrating the current enterprise file storage system, MESA M: Drive to Microsoft 365 (M365) and began the migrations of individual mydata folders on 3/29/24.

ITS is reaching out individually with guidance prior to each set of migrations. Below is the information from the emails sent individually and the general email sent on 3/27/24.

Please note the first item under the How to Prepare section: Only the MESA mydata folder is being migrated. If you have files outside of the folder that are not in a shared drive that you wish to be transferred, you must move them into your mydata folder before the migration date. 

Excerpts from individual guidance emails:

How to Prepare

  • Review your individual files on MESA:
    1. Only the MESA mydata folder is being migrated. If you have files outside of the folder that are not in a shared drive that you wish to be transferred, you must move them into your mydata folder before the migration date.
    2. OneDrive is not approved to store Highly Sensitive Data (HSD). If there is institutional HSD in a MESA mydata folder, it must be deleted or moved to an approved department MESA shared folder. If you require guidance on approved spaces, please contact your department’s IT Director or Technical Point of Contact (TPOC).
    3. All data on Mason systems are required to meet retention policy requirements. Assess your data with the retention guides and information provided by the Office of Records Management.
  • Access and familiarize yourself with OneDrive. To log in, visit mso365.gmu.edu and locate OneDrive from the menu. For more information, see Getting Started with OneDrive.
  • Review the timeline and full project details on the MESA to M365 Roadmap.

What to Expect

  • Due to the size of the data being transferred, the change will occur over the weekend. Once your migration begins, do not access your mydata files. This can potentially disrupt the migration process.
  • After the migration, your files will appear in a new folder labeled “MESA-mydata” under the OneDrive My Files folder. Your original mydata folder in MESA will become read only and you will no longer be able to edit or upload files.
  • You will receive a notification from ITS when the migration is complete.

In an effort to provide further support, ITS will hold weekly office hours via the Collaboration Collective MS Team – MESA Migration Project channel. Join the space for dates and times of the next session.

General email sent on 3/27/24:

Information Technology Services (ITS) is moving forward with migrating the current enterprise file storage system, MESA M: Drive to Microsoft 365 (M365).

The first phase of this change involves transferring all individual files located in MESA mydata to OneDrive. For full project details and training resources, visit the MESA to M365 Roadmap.

Updated Schedule

  • The mydata migrations will take place over several weekend periods, organized alphabetically by NetID. The change will begin on Friday afternoon and is expected to be complete by Monday morning. The new dates of the mydata migrations are:
    1. Friday, March 29 (A-I)
    2. Friday, April 5 (J-M)
    3. Friday, April 12 (N-Z)

Highly Sensitive Data

  • OneDrive is not approved to store Highly Sensitive Data (HSD). If there is institutional HSD in a MESA mydata folder, it must be deleted or moved to an approved department MESA shared folder. Users have been instructed to contact their TPOC for assistance.
  • TPOCs and share administrators are responsible for understanding approved spaces for HSD. If you require additional guidance on approved spaces, please contact your department’s IT Director.
  • ITS is scanning mydata folders for HSD. If ITS finds a significant number of HSD records, they will contact the owner to discuss their needs and develop a strategy for storage before continuing with their migration to OneDrive.
  • The requirements for storage differ depending on the type of data you have. For more information on HSD locations and justification, see Data Classification and Storage Requirements.

In an effort to provide further support, ITS will hold weekly office hours via the Collaboration Collective MS Team – MESA Migration Project channel. Join the space for dates and times of the next session.

If you have any questions, please contact the ITS Support Center at 703-993-8870 or support@gmu.edu.

March 28, 2024