How to Determine Where to Store and Share Information
Contents:
Overview
UITS provides KSU students, faculty, and staff with multiple solutions for storing, accessing, and sharing University data.
All individuals utilizing University technology resources must comply with KSU’s Data Security Policy, viewable at the Policy at KSU webpage. This policy has been created to protect sensitive University data, including the personal data of students and employees, and is essential for compliance with federal, state, and University System of Georgia data security regulations.
While some data use is programmatically monitored, these data management solutions do not necessarily enforce compliance with KSU's Data Security Policy. It is the individual’s responsibility to ensure that data is stored, collected, and/or transferred using the available tools in accordance with all policy and legal requirements. In support of this, UITS has created this webpage to share key information, including matrices comparing the data storage and data collection/transfer solutions available at KSU.
Data Management Matrices—Downloadable PDF
Data Categories
Examples of FERPA information: Student grades, student ID information, student class schedule information (For more information about FERPA, including a full list of FERPA information types, refer to kennesaw.edu/ferpa.)
Examples of confidential information: Social security numbers, driver's license numbers, banking account information, credit/debit card numbers, unencrypted passwords, identifiable medical Information, visa and passport information
Examples of protected research: Sensitive research data, restricted intellectual property, research with contractual security requirements
Examples of unrestricted/public information: Campus maps, class schedules, policies, press releases, departmental contact information
Data Storage
Services for Data Storage
The following services are available for storage of information at KSU. Please refer to the matrix below for details about storing particular types of data using these services.
Teams
Available for students, faculty, and staff
Microsoft Teams is a unified collaboration and communication and platform that can be used to store some types of information, as shown below. Teams integrates fully with the Microsoft 365 productivity suite.
OneDrive
Available for students, faculty, and staff
OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage solution. OneDrive is accessible online at o365.kennesaw.edu, through a file browser on your PC or Mac, or by using the OneDrive application on your mobile device.
Please note that when an employee leaves KSU, content in their OneDrive folders disappears and will no longer exist or be accessible for others.
Intranet
Available for faculty and staff
The Intranet provides a secure online hub designed to store all internal documents and related content that should not be public facing on our website. This platform will serve as a centralized location for college/department specific information to provide streamlined access to essential employee resources. Gated content serves the purpose of conducting business of being an employee at KSU. The development and management of the Intranet is essential to ensuring the online integrity of Kennesaw State University's digital assets, exclusively for employee use.
Shared Network Drives (I, M)
Available for faculty and staff
Shared network drives are designated storage drives on the campus network. Access to folders on shared drives can be granted to individuals or groups of individuals. Shared network drives are the only solution available for storing confidential data on a network. Confidential data stored on a shared network drive must have a designated custodian; please contact the Office of Cybersecurity for more information. Shared network drives are accessible on campus and off campus using the VPN.
SharePoint
Available for faculty and staff
SharePoint is a web-based tool. SharePoint sites are configurable and can include custom access settings for each page. UITS must approve requests for new SharePoint sites.
Data Storage Matrix
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FERPA INFORMATIONCONFIDENTIAL INFORMATIONPROTECTED RESEARCHUNRESTRICTED/PUBLIC INFORMATION
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TeamsFERPA information CAN be stored using Teams.Confidential information CANNOT be stored using Teams.
Teams has conditional use for storing protected research.
Unrestricted/public information CAN be stored using Teams. -
OneDriveFERPA information CAN be stored using OneDrive.
Confidential information CANNOT be stored using OneDrive.
OneDrive has conditional use for storing protected research.
Unrestricted/public information CAN be stored using OneDrive. -
IntranetFERPA information CANNOT be stored using the Intranet.Confidential information CANNOT be stored using the Intranet.
The Intranet has has conditional use for storing protected research.
Unrestricted/public information CAN be stored using the Intranet. -
Shared Network Drives (I, M)
Shared Network Drives have conditional use for storing FERPA information.
Confidential information CAN be stored using Shared Network Drives.Shared Network Drives have conditional use for storing protected research.
Shared Network Drives have conditional use for storing public/unrestructed information.
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SharePoint
SharePoint has conditional use for storing protected research.
Confidential information CANNOT be stored using SharePoint.
SharePoint has conditional use for storing protected research.
Unrestricted/public information CAN be stored using SharePoint.
Data Collection/Transfer
Services for Data Collection/Transfer
The following services are available for collection/transfer of information at KSU. Please refer to the matrix below for details about collecting and transferring particular types of data using these services.
Available for students, faculty, and staff
KSU email can be used to share some types of information, as shown in the matrix below. It is the sender's responsibility to ensure that only the intended recipient(s) receive email communications containing FERPA information.
Teams
Available for students, faculty, and staff
Microsoft Teams is a unified collaboration and communication and platform that can be used to store some types of information, as shown below. Teams integrates fully with the Microsoft 365 productivity suite.
DocuSign
Available for faculty and staff
DocuSign is a platform where users can assemble documents and allow for secure digital signatures. DocuSign allows users to create forms and manage electronic agreements but is not intended as a data storage service.
LiquidFiles (AKA Sendafile)
Available for students, faculty, and staff
LiquidFiles, also known as Sendafile, allows users to securely share files.
To get started, visit the LiquidFiles site and log in using your KSU credentials. Enter the recipient's email address, upload the file you need to share and select the level of access restriction, then select Send. The recipient will receive an email with a link they can use to access the information securely.
Qualtrics
Available for students, faculty, and staff
Qualtrics is a software tool for creating online surveys. To create a survey, faculty and staff may visit survey.kennesaw.edu, accept the End-User License Agreement, and log in using their NetID and password.
To request the use of Qualtrics on behalf of a student researcher, faculty must submit an Application Access Request. An approved protocol is not needed to submit a Qualtrics account request, but student accounts must be requested by faculty on their behalf.
To create, distribute, and report on surveys, follow these instructions.
Data Collection/Transfer Matrix
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FERPA INFORMATIONCONFIDENTIAL INFORMATIONPROTECTED RESEARCHUNRESTRICTED/ PUBLIC INFORMATION
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EmailFERPA information CAN be collected or transferred using email.Confidential information CANNOT be collected or transferred using email.
Email service has conditional use for collecting or transferring protected research.
Unrestricted/public information CAN be collected or transferred using email. -
DocuSignFERPA information CAN be collected or transferred using DocuSign.
DocuSign has conditional use for collecting and transferring confidential information.
DocuSign has conditional use for collecting or transferring confidential information.
Unrestricted/public information CAN be collected or transferred using DocuSign. -
LiquidFiles
FERPA information CAN be collected or transferred using LiquidFiles.Confidential information CAN be collected or transferred using LiquidFiles.Protected research CAN be stored using LiquidFiles.Unrestricted/public information CAN be collected or transferred using LiquidFiles. -
QualtricsFERPA information CAN be collected or transferred using Qualtrics.
Qualtrics has conditional use for collecting or transferring confidential information.
Qualtrics has conditional use for collecting or sharing protected research.
Unrestricted/public information CAN be collected or transferred using Qualtrics.
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TeamsFERPA information CAN be collected or transferred using email.
Confidential information CANNOT be collected or transferred using email.
Email service has conditional use for collecting or transferring protected research.
Unrestricted/public information CAN be collected or transferred using email.
