Maximize Your Workspace: Full SharePoint Online Plan 2 Storage Limits Guide

SharePoint Online offers three primary plans - S1, S2, and S3, each with different features and storage capacities. This article delves into the storage limits for these plans and provides a general understanding of how storage is calculated in SharePoint Online.

Understanding SharePoint Online Storage Limits

The storage limits in SharePoint Online are not static and are instead based on the number of licenses purchased. It's essential to understand that storage is allocated on a per-site basis, and the total storage includes site collections, subsites, and personal sites.

Before diving into the storage limits for each plan, let's briefly understand what a site collection is. A site collection is a top-level container for a set of SharePoint sites within an organization. It contains all the sites, their content, themes, and user permissions.

Storage Limits for S1 Plan

The S1 plan, the most basic offering from Microsoft, is designed for small businesses or departments within larger organizations. It offers 1TB of SharePoint storage per user, and the total storage is calculated by multiplying the number of purchased licenses by 1TB.

For example, if a company purchases 5 licenses for the S1 plan, they will have a total of 5TB of SharePoint storage. However, it's important to note that personal sites consume from the same storage pool as regular site collections, and each user has a personal site by default.

Storage Limits for S2 and S3 Plans

For S2 and S3 plans, the storage limits are a little more complex. Both plans offer unlimited storage, but there are certain conditions that apply.

The S2 plan provides unlimited storage for regular site collections and virtual paths, but each user site collection is limited to 25TB. This means that each user can have up to 25TB of data, after which they will need to purchase a plan with a higher limit. Personal sites also consume from the same storage pool as regular site collections with a limit of 1TB per user.

The S3 plan also offers unlimited storage, but each user site collection is limited to 50TB. This means that each user can have up to 50TB of data before needing to purchase additional storage. Personal sites are also limited to 1TB per user, similar to the S2 plan.

SharePoint Online Storage Calculations

Understanding how storage is calculated in SharePoint Online is crucial for organizations to plan their storage needs effectively. The total storage is calculated by adding the storage from all site collections, including personal sites.

For example, if a company has three users, each with a personal site and a regular site collection, and all three users use the S2 plan, the total storage would be calculated as follows:

• 1TB (personal site storage limit per user) x 3 users = 3TB
• 25TB (regular site collection storage limit per user) x 3 users = 75TB
• Total storage = 3TB (personal sites) + 75TB (regular sites) = 78TB

In this example, the total storage is 78TB, which is well within the unlimited storage limit of the S2 plan. However, if the storage needs were to exceed this, the organization would need to consider upgrading to a higher plan or purchasing additional storage.

Purchasing Additional Storage

If an organization finds that their storage needs exceed the limits of their current plan, they can purchase additional storage. Additional storage is bought in 25GB increments, with a minimum purchase of 250GB and a maximum of 25TB. The cost varies depending on the plan and the amount of additional storage purchased.

The additional storage is added to the existing storage pool and is shared across all site collections and personal sites. It's important to note that additional storage is a one-time purchase and does not automatically renew. Organizations should plan their storage needs carefully to avoid running out of storage and having to purchase additional storage unexpectedly.

With this comprehensive understanding of SharePoint Online storage limits, organizations can make well-informed decisions about choosing the right plan for their needs. It's crucial to regularly review and update storage requirements to ensure that the organization is getting the best value from their investment in SharePoint Online.