# Arcitecta offers Microsoft 365 Education storage cost reduction tool > Source: > Published: 2026-08-25 16:39:31+00:00 # Arcitecta offers Microsoft 365 Education storage cost reduction tool [Arcitecta](https://www.blocksandfiles.com/ai-ml/2025/10/20/arcitecta-plots-next-phase-with-denser-database-tech-and-hpc-ambitions/1610162) has developed Mediaflux Connect 365 to enable universities to bypass extra costs coming from Microsoft’s move away from an unlimited cloud storage model. Microsoft is transitioning [Microsoft 365 Education](https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/education/products/microsoft-365-storage-options) from its previous unlimited cloud storage model to a free but limited pooled storage model, capped at 100 TB/tenant plus 50-100 GB per licensed user, as universities renew their Microsoft 365 licensing agreements. Arcitecta says that, for institutions that have relied on unlimited storage, this change will necessitate increased storage costs, significant data reduction or migration to lower-cost storage options. Institutions managing hundreds of terabytes or multiple petabytes of data could face additional costs of approximately $360,000 per petabyte per year. Jason Lohrey, CEO and founder of Arcitecta, said: “Universities shouldn’t have to choose between controlling costs and preserving decades of valuable institutional and research data. Mediaflux Connect 365 gives institutions a practical, cost-effective way to move data into an actively managed environment built for long-term management, governance and innovation. Microsoft [ended ](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/education/products/microsoft-365-storage-options)the effectively unlimited cloud storage model for Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Education customers from August 1, 2024, with the actual end date tied to contract renewal time. The change applied to OneDrive, SharePoint, Exchange and Teams. Gartner [says](https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/5083631) “While Microsoft asserts that most education organizations are well below their storage allotment, Gartner has spoken to many higher education institutions that will be significantly impacted by these changes. Some will be hundreds of terabytes over when the quota is enforced”. California’s UC Irvine’s Office of Information Technology has a [webpage](https://www.oit.uci.edu/org/projects/microsoft-365-storage-changes/) showing some effects of the change. Arcitecta says unlicensed OneDrive accounts begin a retention countdown this month. Microsoft's pooled storage model and billing for excess storage (overage) takes effect for Universities in December as their contract renew dates occur. Overage pricing lands from December 2026. Movement limits mean large migrations will take months to execute. In its view, institutions that start analyzing and optimizing their M365 data now, rather than waiting, will move faster, spend less, and keep control of their data. Arcitecta said Mediaflux Connect 365 is a data management tool for affected organisations. It enables universities to identify and categorize data within their Microsoft environment, so they can meet approaching data migration deadlines and start the sometimes lengthy Microsoft-controlled egress process. Apparently it will take 105 days to move 1 PB at Microsoft’s 400GB/hour throughput cap. For institutions with 3-4 petabytes of data they need to move to avoid charges, it will take a year to move that data out. Data repositories in OneDrive, SharePoint, Exchange and Teams are, Arcitecta says, unmanaged, making it difficult to understand what data is stored, identify sensitive information, such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), intellectual property (IP), or verify backup policies. Mediaflux Connect 365 features fixing these difficulties include: **Data analysis**. Identifies Microsoft 365-resident data to help institutions determine what data they want to retain there, move or delete. Uses data analytics to identify what data must be moved and migrated into on-premises, cloud or hybrid storage.**Reduced storage costs**. Organizations can avoid the significant cost increases associated with the new Microsoft 365 Education storage limitations and commercial pricing changes.**Improved governance under active data management**. All institutional data can be managed from a single pane of glass, including from OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams, providing simplified data management and visibility across storage types and locations.**Metadata support.** Searchable metadata makes data manageable at scale andenables data users to find what they need when they need it, understand and identify what data they have, and provide details such as how and where the data was generated.**Flexible storage options**. Maintains choice and control through flexible, vendor-neutral storage options, including on-premises (flash, object and tape) and any cloud storage. Arcitecta says it’s expanding its set of technology partners to help universities worldwide respond to Microsoft’s new storage requirements. By combining any storage with Mediaflux’s active data management capabilities, institutions can reduce costs and optimize Microsoft 365 storage while meeting local requirements for data sovereignty, governance and long-term stewardship. Arcitecta’s Mediaflux Connect 365 solution is available now. Get a solution brief [here](https://www.arcitecta.com/resource/1/resource.content.mfjp?code=UWqyh4kNSwoe6FTHMox4H9BnfukGRYvb&id=671329&disposition=inline). Bootnotes A Microsoft [eBook](https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/is/content/microsoftcorp/microsoft/final/en-us/microsoft-product-and-services/microsoft-education/downloadables/Microsoft-365-Storage-Guidance.pdf) discusses its storage policy changes for education users. [Google Workspace for Education](https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_uk/workspace-for-education/editions/overview/) has also moved away from an unlimited storage model. Other suppliers can offer Microsoft 365 Education[ ](https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/education/products/microsoft-365-storage-options)storage cost help, including DryvIQ, Netwoven, Proventeq365 and SpinOne Archive.