Still working in U-M Box? This is the final call to move your data

The phase where Box users can defer data migration to U-M Dropbox and continue working in U-M Box is coming to an end this month, as the organization prepares to move out of U-M Box entirely by Nov. 14. 

“U-M Box users need to know that any account not scheduled for migration by Oct. 31 will be deactivated, without the option for extension. We truly don’t want folks to lose data — now is the time to move any data you wish to keep,” said Bob Jones, executive director of ITS support services and the Box Retirement Project lead. 

Jones reflected on the move from U-M Box to U-M Dropbox throughout 2021 as the expansive effort enters its final phases.

“Our migration process began this past spring and was extremely successful, moving more than 345 terabytes of data. We offered distinct windows for each unit to migrate and communicated widely through dedicated Unit Ambassadors, targeted emails to users, digital signs and screensavers, news articles, banners on Wolverine Access, and more. Those individuals who do not move their data by Oct. 31 risk navigating a costly and time-consuming recovery process and eventually the loss of their information,” he said.  

Take action before Oct. 31  

Moving out of U-M Box is straightforward. Follow these steps If you still have a Box account with data: 

• Visit the ITS Self-Service Migration tool to schedule a time to migrate or delete your U-M Box data. 
• Communicate with collaborators to inform them about your scheduled migration date.

If your Box account is already scheduled for migration, no further action is needed. For information on how the migration process works, what will migrate, and what will be different in Dropbox, visit the Box Retirement website.  

U-M Box access after Oct. 31 

On Sunday, Oct. 31, remaining U-M Box accounts with data will be deactivated, and no new zero-data accounts will be granted. However, users can still log in to the migration tool and will see a “Migrate Now” button until Nov. 14. After Nov. 14, the university will archive all remaining accounts and data in preparation for permanent deletion. 

U-M Box access ends Nov. 14  

As of Sunday, Nov. 14, U-M Box will be officially deactivated, including the deactivation of all zero-data accounts. At that point the migration tool will no longer be available and final data archiving begins. This final archiving process has been dubbed ‘disaster recovery’ and should be considered a last resort for data access, involving time and expenses.  

Closing down U-M Box represents the culmination of more than a year’s worth of planning, problem-solving and change for our community.

“We’ve come a long way,” said Jones. “We’ve formed a strong partnership with Dropbox, rolling it out as a new option to U-M in June 2020. But the most challenging and rewarding part of this project has been helping the U-M community make the transition from one cloud storage application to another. I’m proud of the way our community has adapted to this change and we look forward to supporting U-M in Dropbox in the years to come.”  

Questions?  

If you have questions, please visit the Box Retirement Project website first. Then contact your Unit Ambassador, the HITS Service Desk or the ITS Service Center.